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ly for lack of water。 The drought had lasted six months。 Every day the sun rose and set in a sky of cloudless blue。 The gardens of the Conca d'Oro； which surround Palermo with a magnificent belt of verdure； were withering。 Food was becoming scarce。 The people were in great alarm。 All the most approved methods of procuring rain had been tried without effect。 Processions had traversed the streets and the fields。 Men； women； and children； telling their beads； had lain whole nights before the holy images。 Consecrated candles had burned day and night in the churches。 Palm branches； blessed on Palm Sunday； had been hung on the trees。 At Solaparuta； in accordance with a very old custom； the
dust swept from the churches on Palm Sunday had been spread on the fields。 In ordinary years these holy sweepings preserve the crops； but that year； if you will believe me； they had no effect whatever。 At Nicosia the inhabitants； bare…headed and bare…foot； carried the crucifixes through all the wards of the town and scourged each other with iron whips。 It was all in vain。 Even the great St。 Francis of Paolo himself； who annually performs the miracle of rain and is carried every spring through the market…gardens； either could not or would not help。 Masses； vespers； concerts； illuminations； fire…worksnothing could move him。 At last the peasants began to lose patience。 Most of the saints were banished。 At Palermo they dumped St。 Joseph in a garden to see the state of things for himself； and they swore to leave him there in the sun till rain fell。 Other saints were turned； like naughty children； with their faces to the wall。 Others again； stripped of their beautiful robes； were exiled far from their parishes； threatened； grossly insulted； ducked in horse…ponds。 At Caltanisetta the golden wings of St。 Michael the Archangel were torn from his shoulders and replaced with wings of pasteboard； his purple mantle was taken away and a clout wrapt about him instead。 At Licata the patron saint； St。 Angelo； fared even worse； for he was left without any garments at all； he was reviled； he was put in irons； he was threatened with drowning or hanging。 Rain or the rope！ roared the angry people at him； as they shook their fists in his face。
Sometimes an appeal is made to the pity of the gods。 When their corn is being burnt up by the sun； the Zulus look out for a heaven bird； kill it； and throw it into a pool。 Then the heaven melts with tenderness for the death of the bird； it wails for it by raining； wailing a funeral wail。 In Zululand women sometimes bury their children up to the neck in the ground； and then retiring to a distance keep up a dismal howl for a long time。 The sky is supposed to melt with pity at the sight。 Then the women dig the children out and feel sure that rain will soon follow。 They say that they call to the lord above and ask him to send rain。 If it comes they declare that Usondo rains。 In times of drought the Guanches of Teneriffe led their sheep to sacred ground； and there they separated the lambs from their dams； that their plaintive bleating might touch the heart of the god。 In Kumaon a way of stopping rain is to pour hot oil in the left ear of a dog。 The animal howls with pain； his howls are heard by Indra； and out of pity for the beast's sufferings the god stops the rain。 Sometimes the Toradjas attempt to procure rain as follows。 They place the stalks of certain plants in water； saying； Go and ask for rain； and so long as no rain falls I will not plant you again； but there shall you die。 Also they string some fresh…water snails on a cord； and hang the cord on a tree； and say to the snails； Go and ask for rain； and so long as no rain comes； I will not take you back to the water。 Then the snails go and weep； and the gods take pity and send rain。 However； the foregoing ceremonies are religious rather than magical； since they involve an appeal to the compassion of higher powers。
Stones are often supposed to possess the property of bringing on rain； provided they be dipped in water or sprinkled with it； or treated in some other appropriate manner。 In a Samoan village a certain stone was carefully housed as the representative of the rain…making god； and in time of drought his priests carried the stone in procession and dipped it in a stream。 Among the 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。 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。 Among some tribes of North…western Australia the rain…maker repairs to a piece of ground which is set apart for the purpose of rain…making。 There he builds a heap of stones or sand； places on the top of it his magic stone； and walks or dances round the pile chanting his incantations for hours； till sheer exhaustion obliges him to desist； when his place is taken by his assistant。 Water is sprinkled on the stone and huge fires are kindled。 No layman may approach the sacred spot while the mystic ceremony is being performed。 When the Sulka of New Britain wish to procure rain they blacken stones with the ashes of certain fruits and set them out； along with certain other plants and buds； in the sun。 Then a handful of twigs is dipped in water and weighted with stones； while a spell is chanted。 After that rain should follow。 In Manipur； on a lofty hill to the east of the capital； there is a stone which the popular imagination likens to an umbrella。 When rain is wanted； the rajah fetches water from a spring below and sprinkles it on the stone。 At Sagami in Japan there is a stone which draws down rain whenever water is poured on it。 When the Wakondyo； a tribe of Central Africa； desire rain； they send to the Wawamba； who dwell at the foot of snowy mountains； and are the happy possessors of a rain…stone。 In consideration of a proper payment； the Wawamba wash the precious stone； anoint it with oil； and put it in a pot full of water。 After that the rain cannot fail to come。 In the arid wastes of Arizona and New Mexico the Apaches sought to make rain by carrying water from a certain spring and throwing it on a particular point high up on a rock； after that they imagined that the clouds would soon gather； and that rain would begin to fall。
But customs of this sort are not confined to the wilds of Africa and Asia or the torrid deserts of Australia and the New World。 They have been practised in the cool air and under the grey skies of Europe。 There is a fountain called Barenton； of romantic fame； in those wild woods of Broceliande； where； if legend be true； the wizard Merlin still sleeps his magic slumber in the hawthorn shade。 Thither the Breton peasants used to resort when they needed rain。 They caught some of the water in a tankard and threw it on a slab near the spring。 On Snowdon there is a lonely tarn 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。 In these cases it appears probable that； as in Samoa； the stone is regarded as more or less divine。 This appears from the custom sometimes observed of dipping a cross in the Fountain of Barenton to procure rain； for this is plainly a Christian substitute for the old pagan way of throwing water on the stone。 At various places in France it is； or used till lately to be； the practice to dip the image of a saint in water as a means of procuring rain。 Thus； beside the old priory of Commagny； there is a spring of St。 Gervais； whither the inhabitants go in procession to obtain rain or fine weather according to the needs of the crops。 In times of great drought they throw into the basin of the fountain an ancient stone image of the saint that stands in a sort of niche from which the fountain flows。 At Collobrières and Carpentras a similar practice was observed with the images of St。 Pons and St。 Gens respectively。 In several villages of Navarre prayers for rain used to be offered to St。 Peter； and by way of enforcing them the villagers carried the image of the saint in procession to the river； where they thrice invited him to reconsider his resolution and to grant their prayers； then； if he was still obstinate； they plunged him in the water； despite the remonstrances of the clergy； who pleaded with as much truth as piety that a simple caution or admonition administered to the image would produce an equally good effect。 After this the rain was sure to fall within twenty…four hours。 Catholic countries do not enjoy a monopoly of making rain by ducking holy images in water。 In Mingrelia； when the crops are suffering from want of rain； they take a particularly holy image and dip it in water every day till a shower falls； and in the Far East the Shans drench the images of Buddha with water when the rice is perishing of drought。 In all such cases the practice is probably at bottom a sympathetic charm； howeve