will. Special drums, too, were made for the parents, one for the
father and one for the mother; and for some time after the birth these
were beaten continually both by day and by night.[84]

[83] J. Roscoe, _The Northern Bantu_ (Cambridge, 1915), p. 235.

[84] J. Roscoe, "Further Notes on the Manners and Customs of the
Baganda," _Journal of the Anthropological Institute_, xxxii.
(1902) pp. 32-34, 80; _id._, _The Baganda_ (London, 1911), pp.
64-72. These two accounts to some extent supplement each other.
I have drawn on both. As to the annual festival of the god
Mukasa, see _id._, _The Baganda_, pp. 298 _sq._

Among the Hos of Togo, in West Africa, in like manner, special drums are
beaten for the parents of twins, and the parents dance publicly to the
music in the main street of the village, after going nine times round
it. Some days later the parents go the round of all the Ho towns,
everywhere executing the same dance to the same music at noon; but
should one of the twins have died in the meantime, the parents dance at
night. It is believed that, if the customary rites were not performed at
the birth of twins, the parents of the twins would be crippled.
Curiously enough, the drums, to the music of which the parents dance,
may not be beaten by any one without special reason; and no one else may
dance to their music except such as have slain either a man or a
leopard. Among these people the birth of twins is the occasion of very
great rejoicing. They say that "the road which the mother of twins goes
is better than the road which the rich man goes."[85] The saying
suggests that the Hos, like the Baganda, regard a mother of twins as
diffusing fertility wherever she goes; and, on the analogy of the dances
of parents of twins among the Baganda, we may conjecture that in like
manner among the Hos the parents of twins are supposed to confer the
blessing of fruitfulness on all the towns where they dance.

[85] J. Spieth, _Die Ewe-Staemme_ (Berlin, 1906), pp. 202-206.

Among the Barundi of East Africa the birth of twins is celebrated with
rites, songs, and ritual dances, which last for days and even for weeks.
As soon as the news spreads, the neighbours, friends, and relations
flock to the house to sing, bringing with them presents for the parents
or offerings to the spirits. The amount of provisions thus accumulated
is enormous, but the parents of the twins benefit little by it; the
great bu