The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)Frazer, James George
Religion
The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)
Frazer, James George
Magic; Mythology; Religion; Superstition
Ta-ta-thi tribe of New South Wales the rain-maker breaks off a piece of
quartz crystal and spits it towards the sky; the rest of the crystal he
wraps in emu feathers, soaks both crystal and feathers in water, and
carefully hides them.(44) In the Keramin tribe of New South Wales the
wizard retires to the bed of a creek, drops water on a round flat stone,
then covers up and conceals it.(45) The Fountain of Baranton, of romantic
fame, in the forest of Brécilien, used to be resorted to by peasants when
they needed rain; they caught some of the water in a tankard and threw it
on a slab near the spring.(46) When some of the Apache Indians wish for
rain, they take water from a certain spring and throw it on a particular
point high up on a rock; the clouds then soon gather and rain begins to
fall.(47) There is a lonely tarn on Snowdon called Dulyn or the Black
Lake, lying “in a dismal dingle surrounded by high and dangerous rocks.” A
row of stepping stones runs out into the lake; and if any one steps on the
stones and throws water so as to wet the farthest stone, which is called
the Red Altar, “it is but a chance that you do not get rain before night,
even when it is hot weather.”(48) In these cases it is probable that, as
in Samoa, the stone is regarded as in some sort divine. This appears from
the custom sometimes observed of dipping the cross in the Fountain of
Baranton, to procure rain; for this is plainly a substitute for the older
way of throwing the water on the stone.(49) In Mingrelia, to get rain they
dip a holy image in water daily till it rains.(50) In Navarre the image of
St. Peter was taken to a river, where some prayed to him for rain, but
others called out to duck him in the water.(51) Here the dipping in the
water is used as a threat; but originally it was probably a sympathetic
charm, as in the following instance. In New Caledonia the rain-makers
blackened themselves all over, dug up a dead body, took the bones to a
cave, jointed them, and hung the skeleton over some taro leaves. Water was
poured over the skeleton to run down on the leaves. “They supposed that
the soul of the departed took up the water, made rain of it, and showered
it down again.”(52) The same motive comes clearly out in a mode of making
rain which is practised by various peoples of South Eastern Europe. In
time of drought the Servians strip a girl, clothe her from head to foot in
grass, herbs, and flowers, even her face being hidden with them. Thus
disguised she is called the Dodola, and goes through the village with a
troop of girls. They stop before every house; the Dodola dances, while the
other girls form a ring round her singing one of the Dodola songs, and the
housewife pours a pail of water over her.
One of the songs they sing runs thus—
“We go through the village;
The clouds go in the sky;
We go faster,
Faster go the clouds;
They have overtaken us,
And wetted the corn and the vine.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account