The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-16
III.

The lesser gods are ever presen; in
the daily affairs OF men and the eti-
quette of the gods must be observed.
Man has soul its source and nature
are OF the earliest type, the breath
which we have seen put into the images
of stone by Lai or Father Heaven. All
breathing beasts have souls, for the
breath IL manifest and the breath is
always soul no matter from what lungs
II is exhaled. The personal soul goes
yet further: the rice. the great staple
Of life, has a soul az divine as Is the
soul OF man. Soul stun exists where
life is not. 81 is Intimately associated
with the work of human hands. This
brings us 10 the idea of the external
soul. an item Of religio- psychology
which plays large part in human life
even In communities of the utmost en-
lightenment. The iron which the To-
radjas OF Posse have l@srned TO smelt
is instinct with the external soul There
fore In every smithy IN the mountains
will be found a bundle Of wooden models
Of ironware, knives, spear heads, axes.
II these were absent the soul Of the iron
could not be present, the metal would
not work in the fire and upon the anvil,
it would flow away and the work OF the
smith would come to naught.
So closely IL this external soul welded
upon the formed iron that ii serves IN
an annual ceremony for the healing of
the people. The community assemblies
at the appointed time In the smithy.
young pig and n white hen are carried
In perambulation about the assembly
and then slain. the mingled blood being
daubed on the forehead Of the partici-
pants In the ceremony. The officiating
priest then In succession with doit.
chopplng knife and n bunch of leaves
strikes the palm of tho right hand of
every person present and ties a dra-
cana leaf about the wrist of each. The
fire Is next kindled on the hearth and
brought to heat with the bellows, AT
the anvil each member of the com
munity receives a sprnkling OF the
blood of the pig mixed with water and
herbs; this is smeared on the several
Joints and finally on the head with the
murmuring of charm for long life
After this ritual Of the blood each pa
tient takes the choppng knife from the
fire. smites II seven times with hammer
on anvil. plunges 1t into cold water. and
with the tempering of the blade his
body is prepared TO Withstand tho all
ments OF year to come.
Because the rice Ia so intimately
bound up with the nourshment of the
| people the soul Of the plant needs par
ticular attention. Thus in many parts
Of the Malay Archipelago we have cere-
monies at planting and at rcaplng con-
| nected with this soul of the corn and of
the wild. At harvest time the paddy
a.1I 10, % rinaF lin, nd in
every stalk is a portion of the rice soul
| To prevent this soul from escaping
from each stalk as Il is cut IL is neces-
sary to perform the ceremony Of the
| rice mother, which seems To be the as
| sembling OF all the portions Of the rice
| soul into one sheaf to serve as the COM
mon soul of the paddy for that field.
| on a day OF good omen, as established
| by the voice of the birds which serve as
| the messengers of the gods, a prestess
cunning In all the rites enters the field
and stops the sluices and ties knots in
! the leaves In order that the rice soul
| may not flow out when 1t sees that the
sharp reaping hooks are directed upon
| the tender haulms. In each corner Of
| the field she ties nine standing haulms
| into q bunch while reciting an invoca-
| ton to the spirits Of the paddy to
| gather from the four quarters of the
| heavens. This she does for three sue
ce,sive afternoons, In Ghe morning
OF the fourth day she sits in corner of
| the field, kisses the rice three times and
| once more invites the spirits of the
paddy. Then she cuts the bunch Of
| standing stalks which she has already
| tied together, making sure that she cuts
the leaves with the hau,ms When cut
ting the rice she must not let her eyes
stray from her task nor must she speak
to any person nor let others speak to
her. over the rice she breathes her
charm II take you but you diminish
not, hold you in my hand and you in
crease, you are the links OF my SOUL the