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deceased and be carried off by it； hence in the Aru Islands the inmates of a house will not sleep the night after a death has taken place in it； because the soul of the deceased is supposed to be still in the house and they fear to meet it in a dream。 Again； the soul of the sleeper may be prevented by an accident or by physical force from returning to his body。 When a Dyak dreams of falling into the water； he supposes that this accident has really befallen his spirit； and he sends for a wizard； who fishes for the spirit with a hand…net in a basin of water till he catches it and restores it to its owner。 The Santals tell how a man fell asleep； and growing very thirsty； his soul； in the form of a lizard； left his body and entered a pitcher of water to drink。 Just then the owner of the pitcher happened to cover it； so the soul could not return to the body and the man died。 While his friends were preparing to burn the body some one uncovered the pitcher to get water。 The lizard thus escaped and returned to the body； which immediately revived； so the man rose up and asked his friends why they were weeping。 They told him they thought he was dead and were about to burn his body。 He said he had been down a well to get water； but had found it hard to get out and had just returned。 So they saw it all。
It is a common rule with primitive people not to waken a sleeper； because his soul is away and might not have time to get back； so if the man wakened without his soul； he would fall sick。 If it is absolutely necessary to rouse a sleeper； it must be done very gradually； to allow the soul time to return。 A Fijian in Matuku； suddenly wakened from a nap by somebody treading on his foot； has been heard bawling after his soul and imploring it to return。 He had just been dreaming that he was far away in Tonga； and great was his alarm on suddenly wakening to find his body in Matuku。 Death stared him in the face unless his soul could be induced to speed at once across the sea and reanimate its deserted tenement。 The man would probably have died of fright if a missionary had not been at hand to allay his terror。
Still more dangerous is it in the opinion of primitive man to move a sleeper or alter his appearance； for if this were done the soul on its return might not be able to find or recognise its body； and so the person would die。 The Minangkabauers deem it highly improper to blacken or dirty the face of a sleeper； lest the absent soul should shrink from re…entering a body thus disfigured。 Patani Malays fancy that if a person's face be painted while he sleeps； the soul which has gone out of him will not recognise him； and he will sleep on till his face is washed。 In Bombay it is thought equivalent to murder to change the aspect of a sleeper； as by painting his face in fantastic colours or giving moustaches to a sleeping woman。 For when the soul returns it will not know its own body； and the person will die。
But in order that a man's soul should quit his body； it is not necessary that he should be asleep。 It may quit him in his waking hours； and then sickness； insanity； or death will be the result。 Thus a man of the Wurunjeri tribe in Australia lay at his last gasp because his spirit had departed from him。 A medicine…man went in pursuit and caught the spirit by the middle just as it was about to plunge into the sunset glow； which is the light cast by the souls of the dead as they pass in and out of the under…world； where the sun goes to rest。 Having captured the vagrant spirit； the doctor brought it back under his opossum rug； laid himself down on the dying man； and put the soul back into him； so that after a time he revived。 The Karens of Burma are perpetually anxious about their souls； lest these should go roving from their bodies； leaving the owners to die。 When a man has reason to fear that his soul is about to take this fatal step； a ceremony is performed to retain or recall it； in which the whole family must take part。 A meal is prepared consisting of a cock and hen； a special kind of rice； and a bunch of bananas。 Then the head of the family takes the bowl which is used to skim rice； and knocking with it thrice on the top of the houseladder says： Prrrroo！ Come back； soul； do not tarry outside！ If it rains； you will be wet。 If the sun shines； you will be hot。 The gnats will sting you； the leeches will bite you； the tigers will devour you； the thunder will crush you。 Prrrroo！ Come back； soul！ Here it will be well with you。 You shall want for nothing。 Come and eat under shelter from the wind and the storm。 After that the family partakes of the meal； and the ceremony ends with everybody tying their right wrist with a string which has been charmed by a sorcerer。 Similarly the Lolos of South…western China believe that the soul leaves the body in chronic illness。 In that case they read a sort of elaborate litany； calling on the soul by name and beseeching it to return from the hills； the vales； the rivers； the forests； the fields； or from wherever it may be straying。 At the same time cups of water； wine； and rice are set at the door for the refreshment of the weary wandering spirit。 When the ceremony is over； they tie a red cord round the arm of the sick man to tether the soul； and this cord is worn by him until it decays and drops off。
Some of the Congo tribes believe that when a man is ill； his soul has left his body and is wandering at large。 The aid of the sorcerer is then called in to capture the vagrant spirit and restore it to the invalid。 Generally the physician declares that he has successfully chased the soul into the branch of a tree。 The whole town thereupon turns out and accompanies the doctor to the tree； where the strongest men are deputed to break off the branch in which the soul of the sick man is supposed to be lodged。 This they do and carry the branch back to the town； insinuating by their gestures that the burden is heavy and hard to bear。 When the branch has been brought to the sick man's hut； he is placed in an upright position by its side； and the sorcerer performs the enchantments by which the soul is believed to be restored to its owner。
Pining； sickness； great fright； and death are ascribed by the Bataks of Sumatra to the absence of the soul from the body。 At first they try to beckon the wanderer back； and to lure him； like a fowl； by strewing rice。 Then the following form of words is commonly repeated： Come back； O soul； whether thou art lingering in the wood； or on the hills； or in the dale。 See； I call thee with a toemba bras； with an egg of the fowl Rajah moelija； with the eleven healing leaves。 Detain it not； let it come straight here； detain it not； neither in the wood； nor on the hill； nor in the dale。 That may not be。 O come straight home！ Once when a popular traveller was leaving a Kayan village； the mothers； fearing that their children's souls might follow him on his journey； brought him the boards on which they carry their infants and begged him to pray that the souls of the little ones would return to the familiar boards and not go away with him into the far country。 To each board was fastened a looped string for the purpose of tethering the vagrant spirits； and through the loop each baby was made to pass a chubby finger to make sure that its tiny soul would not wander away。
In an Indian story a king conveys his soul into the dead body of a Brahman； and a hunchback conveys his soul into the deserted body of the king。 The hunchback is now king and the king is a Brahman。 However； the hunchback is induced to show his skill by transferring his soul to the dead body of a parrot； and the king seizes the opportunity to regain possession of his own body。 A tale of the same type； with variations of detail； reappears among the Malays。 A king has incautiously transferred his soul to an ape； upon which the vizier adroitly inserts his own soul into the king's body and so takes possession of the queen and the kingdom； while the true king languishes at court in the outward semblance of an ape。 But one day the false king； who played for high stakes； was watching a combat of rams； and it happened that the animal on which he had laid his money fell down dead。 All efforts to restore animation proved unavailing till the false king； with the instinct of a true sportsman； transferred his own soul to the body of the deceased ram； and thus renewed the fray。 The real king in the body of the ape saw his chance； and with great presence of mind darted back into his own body； which the vizier had rashly vacated。 So he came to his own again； and the usurper in the ram's body met with the fate he richly deserved。 Similarly the Greeks told how the soul of Hermotimus of Clazomenae used to quit his body and roam far and wide； bringing back intelligence of what he had seen on his rambles to his friends at home； until one day； when his spirit was abroad； his enemies contrived to seize his deserted body and committed it to the flames。
The departure of the soul is not always voluntary。 It may be extracted from the body against its will by ghosts； demons； or sorcerers。 Hence； when a funeral is passing the house； the Karens tie their children with a special kind of string to a particular part of the house； lest the souls of the children shoul