have been upon the tree or fence, and some blood from her may have fallen on it and might fall from it on them.[1] In Ugi, one of the Solomon Islands, a man will never, if he can help it, pass under a tree which has fallen across the path, for the reason that a woman may have stepped over it before him.[2] Amongst the Karens of Burma “going under a house, especially if there are females within, is avoided; as is also the passing under trees of which the branches extend downwards in a particular direction, and the but-end of fallen trees, etc.”[3] The Siamese think it unlucky to pass under a rope on which women’s clothes are hung, and to avert evil consequences the person who has done so must build a chapel to the earth-spirit.[4]
Probably in all such cases the rule is based on a fear of being brought into contact with blood, especially the blood of women. From a like fear a Maori will never lean his back against the wall of a native house.[5] For the blood of women is believed to have disastrous effects upon males. In the Encounter Bay tribe of South Australia boys are warned that if they see the blood of women they will early become gray-headed and their strength will fail prematurely.[6] Men of the Booandik tribe think that if they see the blood of their women they will not be able to fight against their enemies and will be killed; if the sun dazzles their eyes at a fight, the first woman they afterwards meet is sure to get a blow from their club.[7] In the
- ↑ E. M. Curr, The Australian Race (Melbourne and London, 1887), iii. 179.
- ↑ H. B. Guppy, The Solomon Islands and their Natives (London, 1887), p. 41.
- ↑ E. B. Cross, “On the Karens,” in Journal of the American Oriental Society, iv. (1854) 312.
- ↑ Bastian, Die Völker des östlichen Asien, iii. 230.
- ↑ For the reason see Shortland, Traditions and Superstitions of the New Zealanders, pp. 112 sq., 292.
- ↑ Native Tribes of South Australia, p. 186.
- ↑ Mrs. James Smith, The Booandik Tribe, p. 5.
