When boys and girls are born, their fortunes are told. The baby’s father gets the child’s ‘eight characters’ written down on a piece of paper. Two of the ‘characters’ tell the year, two the month, two the day and two the hour when the little one came into this world; these he takes to the man who ‘looks at people’s lives,’ who he believes can tell from them whether the child will be fortunate or unhappy in this world. This fortune-teller, who is very often blind, has a great deal to do with baby’s fate. If, for instance, he says that fire enters into its disposition, and someone else in the family has a fortune connected with wood, then the child will surely bring bad fortune to that person, for fire burns wood. The people believe what the blind man says, and so poor little baby is given away, or even in some cases put to death, to prevent its bringing trouble upon the family. When baby grows older it is supposed to be in danger from wicked spirits. Little gilt idols are put in its cap, to frighten away these demons, a favourite figure being that of a roly-poly bald idol, called ‘Fat Strength.’ When a little older, a tiny round tray, foot-measure and pair of scissors are sewn on the front band of its cap, for the same purpose. Coins, charms of copper and silver, and little square bags of incense powder, with the names of idols written on them, are also hung round children’s necks to keep away the evil spirits. If a little one takes ill the father sometimes begs one cash from a hundred different people among his neighbours and friends. With these coins he has a chain made to go round the child’s neck and a padlock to fasten it tightly. In this way he hopes, poor man, to fasten baby’s soul firmly to its body, and so prevent it from dying. If, in spite of this, baby gets worse, its father thinks some idol is enticing its soul away from its little body. After finding out which idol is probably the thief, he takes one of the child’s little garments and puts it into an empty basket, which has a length of dry straw rope tied round it. Then he goes to the temple, and, after offering things which he thinks will please the idol, and make it willing to let baby’s spirit go again, he spreads out the little jacket, believing that the tiny soul will recognise its own garment and get into it. Then he puts the garment carefully into his basket and lights the straw rope that it may burn slowly, and lead the little wandering spirit safely home.[5] In some places the father goes about with the tiny jacket hung on the end of a stick, calling baby’s name aloud, hoping to find the little wandering spirit in this way.