The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 03 of 12)Frazer, James George
Religion
The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 03 of 12)
Frazer, James George
Magic; Mythology; Religion; Superstition
(M167) Again it is thought that cut or combed-out hair may disturb the
weather by producing rain and hail, thunder and lightning. We have seen
that in New Zealand a spell was uttered at hair-cutting to avert thunder
and lightning. In the Tyrol, witches are supposed to use cut or combed-out
hair to make hailstones or thunderstorms with.(942) Thlinkeet Indians have
been known to attribute stormy weather to the rash act of a girl who had
combed her hair outside of the house.(943) The Romans seem to have held
similar views, for it was a maxim with them that no one on shipboard
should cut his hair or nails except in a storm,(944) that is, when the
mischief was already done. In the Highlands of Scotland it is said that no
sister should comb her hair at night if she have a brother at sea.(945) In
West Africa, when the Mani of Chitombe or Jumba died, the people used to
run in crowds to the corpse and tear out his hair, teeth, and nails, which
they kept as a rain-charm, believing that otherwise no rain would fall.
The Makoko of the Anzikos begged the missionaries to give him half their
beards as a rain-charm.(946) When Du Chaillu had his hair cut among the
Ashira of West Africa, the people scuffled and fought for the clippings of
his hair, even the aged king himself taking part in the scrimmage. Every
one who succeeded in getting some of the hairs wrapped them up carefully
and went off in triumph. When the traveller, who was regarded as a spirit
by these simple-minded folk, asked the king what use the clippings could
be to him, his sable majesty replied, “Oh, spirit! these hairs are very
precious; we shall make _mondas_ (fetiches) of them, and they will bring
other white men to us, and bring us great good luck and riches. Since you
have come to us, oh spirit! we have wished to have some of your hair, but
did not dare to ask for it, not knowing that it could be cut.”(947) The
Wabondei of eastern Africa preserve the hair and nails of their dead
chiefs and use them both for the making of rain and the healing of the
sick.(948) The hair, beard, and nails of their deceased chiefs are the
most sacred possession, the most precious treasure of the Baronga of
south-eastern Africa. Preserved in pellets of cow-dung wrapt round with
leathern thongs, they are kept in a special hut under the charge of a high
priest, who offers sacrifices and prayers at certain seasons, and has to
observe strict continence for a month before he handles these holy relics
in the offices of religion. A terrible drought was once the result of this
palladium falling into the hands of the enemy.(949) In some Victorian
tribes the sorcerer used to burn human hair in time of drought; it was
never burned at other times for fear of causing a deluge of rain. Also
when the river was low, the sorcerer would place human hair in the stream
to increase the supply of water.(950)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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