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p may fall out。 While he utters this prayer the sorcerer looks upwards； burning incense the while。 So among the Toradjas the rain…doctor； whose special business it is to drive away rain； takes care not to touch water before； during； or after the discharge of his professional duties。 He does not bathe； he eats with unwashed hands； he drinks nothing but palm wine； and if he has to cross a stream he is careful not to step in the water。 Having thus prepared himself for his task he has a small hut built for himself outside of the village in a rice…field； and in this hut he keeps up a little fire； which on no account may be suffered to go out。 In the fire he burns various kinds of wood； which are supposed to possess the property of driving off rain； and he puffs in the direction from which the rain threatens to come； holding in his hand a packet of leaves and bark which derive a similar cloud…compelling virtue； not from their chemical composition； but from their names； which happen to signify something dry or volatile。 If clouds should appear in the sky while he is at work； he takes lime in the hollow of his hand and blows it towards them。 The lime； being so very dry； is obviously well adapted to disperse the damp clouds。 Should rain afterwards be wanted； he has only to pour water on his fire； and immediately the rain will descend in sheets。
The reader will observe how exactly the Javanese and Toradja observances； which are intended to prevent rain； form the antithesis of the Indian observances； which aim at producing it。 The Indian sage is commanded to touch water thrice a day regularly as well as on various special occasions； the Javanese and Toradja wizards may not touch it at all。 The Indian lives out in the forest； and even when it rains he may not take shelter； the Javanese and the Toradja sit in a house or a hut。 The one signifies his sympathy with water by receiving the rain on his person and speaking of it respectfully； the others light a lamp or a fire and do their best to drive the rain away。 Yet the principle on which all three act is the same； each of them； by a sort of childish make…believe； identifies himself with the phenomenon which he desires to produce。 It is the old fallacy that the effect resembles its cause： if you would make wet weather； you must be wet； if you would make dry weather； you must be dry。
In South…eastern Europe at the present day ceremonies are observed for the purpose of making rain which not only rest on the same general train of thought as the preceding； but even in their details resemble the ceremonies practised with the same intention by the Baronga of Delagoa Bay。 Among the Greeks of Thessaly and Macedonia； when a drought has lasted a long time； it is customary to send a procession of children round to all the wells and springs of the neighbourhood。 At the head of the procession walks a girl adorned with flowers； whom her companions drench with water at every halting…place； while they sing an invocation； of which the following is part：
Perperia all fresh bedewed； Freshen all the neighbourhood； By the woods； on the highway； As thou goest； to God now pray： O my God； upon the plain； Send thou us a still； small rain； That the fields may fruitful be； And vines in blossom we may see； That the grain be full and sound； And wealthy grow the folks around。
In time of drought the Serbians strip a girl to her skin and clothe her from head to foot in grass； herbs； and flowers； even her face being hidden behind a veil of living green。 Thus disguised she is called the Dodola； and goes through the village with a troop of girls。 They stop before every house； the Dodola keeps turning herself round and dancing； while the other girls form a ring about 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。
At Poona in India； when rain is needed； the boys dress up one of their number in nothing but leaves and call him King of Rain。 Then they go round to every house in the village； where the house…holder or his wife sprinkles the Rain King with water； and gives the party food of various kinds。 When they have thus visited all the houses； they strip the Rain King of his leafy robes and feast upon what they have gathered。
Bathing is practised as a rain…charm in some parts of Southern and Western Russia。 Sometimes after service in church the priest in his robes has been thrown down on the ground and drenched with water by his parishioners。 Sometimes it is the women who； without stripping off their clothes； bathe in crowds on the day of St。 John the Baptist； while they dip in the water a figure made of branches； grass； and herbs； which is supposed to represent the saint。 In Kursk； a province of Southern Russia； when rain is much wanted； the women seize a passing stranger and throw him into the river； or souse him from head to foot。 Later on we shall see that a passing stranger is often taken for a deity or the personification of some natural power。 It is recorded in official documents that during a drought in 1790 the peasants of Scheroutz and Werboutz collected all the women and compelled them to bathe； in order that rain might fall。 An Armenian rain…charm is to throw the wife of a priest into the water and drench her。 The Arabs of North Africa fling a holy man； willy…nilly； into a spring as a remedy for drought。 In Minahassa； a province of North Celebes； the priest bathes as a rain…charm。 In Central Celebes when there has been no rain for a long time and the rice…stalks begin to shrivel up； many of the villagers； especially the young folk； go to a neighbouring brook and splash each other with water； shouting noisily； or squirt water on one another through bamboo tubes。 Sometimes they imitate the plump of rain by smacking the surface of the water with their hands； or by placing an inverted gourd on it and drumming on the gourd with their fingers。
Women are sometimes supposed to be able to make rain by ploughing； or pretending to plough。 Thus the Pshaws and Chewsurs of the Caucasus have a ceremony called ploughing the rain； which they observe in time of drought。 Girls yoke themselves to a plough and drag it into a river； wading in the water up to their girdles。 In the same circumstances Armenian girls and women do the same。 The oldest woman； or the priest's wife； wears the priest's dress； while the others； dressed as men； drag the plough through the water against the stream。 In the Caucasian province of Georgia； when a drought has lasted long； marriageable girls are yoked in couples with an ox…yoke on their shoulders； a priest holds the reins； and thus harnessed they wade through rivers； puddles； and marshes； praying； screaming； weeping； and laughing。 In a district of Transylvania when the ground is parched with drought； some girls strip themselves naked； and； led by an older woman； who is also naked； they steal a harrow and carry it across the fields to a brook； where they set it afloat。 Next they sit on the harrow and keep a tiny flame burning on each corner of it for an hour。 Then they leave the harrow in the water and go home。 A similar rain…charm is resorted to in some parts of India； naked women drag a plough across a field by night； while the men keep carefully out of the way； for their presence would break the spell。
Sometimes the rain…charm operates through the dead。 Thus 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 believed that the soul of the deceased took up the water； converted it into rain； and showered it down again。 In Russia； if common report may be believed； it is not long since the peasants of any district that chanced to be afflicted with drought used to dig up the corpse of some one who had drunk himself to death and sink it in the nearest swamp or lake； fully persuaded that this would ensure the fall of the needed rain。 In 1868 the prospect of a bad harvest； caused by a prolonged drought； induced the inhabitants of a village in the Tarashchansk district to dig up the body of a Raskolnik； or Dissenter； who had died in the preceding December。 Some of the party beat the corpse； or what was left of it； about the head； exclaiming； Give us rain！ while others poured water on it through a sieve。 Here the pouring of water through a sieve seems plainly an imitation of a shower； and reminds us of the manner in which Strepsiades in Aristophanes imagined that rain was made by Zeus。 Sometimes； in order to procure rain； the Toradjas make an appeal to the pity of the dead。 Thus； in the village of Kalingooa； there is the grave of a famous chief； the grandfather of the present ruler。 When the land suffers from unseasonable drought； the people go to this grave； pour water on it； and say； O grandfather； have pity on us； if it is your will that this year we should eat； then give rain。 After that they hang a bamboo full of water over the grave； there is a small hole in the lower end of the bamboo； so th