FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   >>  
had been dead a week his soul should enter a feline body. If a son of the deceased _Ala_ wishes to succeed to his father's dignity, he must, at the end of the seven days established, go alone to keep watch over the corpse, taking with him a sort of incense-pan in which he burns a great quantity of perfumed resin in honour of the dead (an honour that is most opportune for his own nostrils!). He passes the night in this way, or it is believed that he does, for nobody sets himself the task of spying his actions or of learning something about the night's proceedings fearing that evil would overtake him in consequence. Whilst still engaged in this sanitary act, the tiger, animated by the soul of the defunct sorcerer, presents itself to the man who is engrossed in his scientific vigil and feigns to spring upon him to tear him to pieces. But he continues to keep alight the sweet-smelling resin and does not betray his inward perturbation or give the slightest movement of fear, which would, without emission, cost him his life. Then the terrible scene changes; the wild beast suddenly disappears and encircled by a soft light two beautiful fairies come forward to teach the new _Ala_ the occult science of his chosen ministry including cabalistic words and medical art. The two elves then become the familiar spirits of the sorcerer who is in this manner consecrated. No witness is allowed to be present. No profane eye may see those two good spirits. If it happens that the aspirant never makes his return it is immediately decided that he showed he was afraid and had been eaten up by the not too fatherly tiger. It would be, at least, a sure proof that he had watched that night in the forest! The succession of a son to his father in the office of _Ala_ is not obligatory but all the Sakais wish it to be so as otherwise the soul of the dead man would always remain in the body of a tiger and treasures of wisdom and power would be lost to the tribe he had belonged to. Not all the villages have the fortune to possess an _Ala_ of their own who--by the way--does not differ in his domestic life from any of the poor mortals around him. He has a wife, and children, makes poisons, chews tobacco and _sirih_, sleeps and goes out shooting. Those settlements that have no _Ala_ in their midst go in search of one in the nearest encampment and the physician-priest responds quickly to the invitation by hastening to the spot indicated.
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154  
155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   >>  



Top keywords:
honour
 

spirits

 

sorcerer

 

father

 

fatherly

 
afraid
 
immediately
 

decided

 
showed
 

Sakais


obligatory

 

office

 
watched
 

forest

 
succession
 

return

 
manner
 
consecrated
 

hastening

 

witness


familiar

 

allowed

 

feline

 

aspirant

 

present

 

profane

 

tobacco

 

sleeps

 

poisons

 

children


mortals

 
search
 

nearest

 

settlements

 

shooting

 
priest
 

physician

 
wisdom
 

treasures

 
invitation

remain
 

belonged

 
quickly
 
responds
 

differ

 

domestic

 
possess
 

fortune

 
villages
 

encampment