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A superstition so widely diffused as this might be expected to leave traces in legends and folk…tales。 And it has done so。 The old Greek story of Danae； who was confined by her father in a subterranean chamber or a brazen tower； but impregnated by Zeus； who reached her in the shape of a shower of gold； perhaps belongs to this class of tales。 It has its counterpart in the legend which the Kirghiz of Siberia tell of their ancestry。 A certain Khan had a fair daughter； whom he kept in a dark iron house； that no man might see her。 An old woman tended her； and when the girl was grown to maidenhood she asked the old woman； Where do you go so often？ My child； said the old dame； there is a bright world。 In that bright world your father and mother live； and all sorts of people live there。 That is where I go。 The maiden said； Good mother； I will tell nobody； but show me that bright world。 So the old woman took the girl out of the iron house。 But when she saw the bright world； the girl tottered and fainted； and the eye of God fell upon her； and she conceived。 Her angry father put her in a golden chest and sent her floating away （fairy gold can float in fairyland） over the wide sea。 The shower of gold in the Greek story； and the eye of God in the Kirghiz legend； probably stand for sunlight and the sun。 The idea that women may be impregnated by the sun is not uncommon in legends； and there are even traces of it in marriage customs。
4。 Reasons for the Seclusion of Girls at Puberty
THE MOTIVE for the restraints so commonly imposed on girls at puberty is the deeply engrained dread which primitive man universally entertains of menstruous blood。 He fears it at all times but especially on its first appearance； hence the restrictions under which women lie at their first menstruation are usually more stringent than those which they have to observe at any subsequent recurrence of the mysterious flow。 Some evidence of the fear and of the customs based on it has been cited in an earlier part of this work； but as the terror； for it is nothing less； which the phenomenon periodically strikes into the mind of the savage has deeply influenced his life and institutions； it may be well to illustrate the subject with some further examples。
Thus in the Encounter Bay tribe of South Australia there is； or used to be； a superstition which obliges a woman to separate herself from the camp at the time of her monthly illness； when if a young man or boy should approach； she calls out； and he immediately makes a circuit to avoid her。 If she is neglectful upon this point； she exposes herself to scolding； and sometimes to severe beating by her husband or nearest relation； because the boys are told from their infancy； that if they see the blood they will early become grey…headed； and their strength will fail prematurely。 The Dieri of Central Australia believe that if women at these times were to eat fish or bathe in a river； the fish would all die and the water would dry up。 The Arunta of the same region forbid menstruous women to gather the irriakura bulbs； which form a staple article of diet for both men and women。 They think that were a woman to break this rule； the supply of bulbs would fail。
In some Australian tribes the seclusion of menstruous women was even more rigid； and was enforced by severer penalties than a scolding or a beating。 Thus there is a regulation relating to camps in the Wakelbura tribe which forbids the women coming into the encampment by the same path as the men。 Any violation of this rule would in a large camp be punished with death。 The reason for this is the dread with which they regard the menstrual period of women。 During such a time； a woman is kept entirely away from the camp； half a mile at least。 A woman in such a condition has boughs of some tree of her totem tied round her loins； and is constantly watched and guarded； for it is thought that should any male be so unfortunate as to see a woman in such a condition； he would die。 If such a woman were to let herself be seen by a man； she would probably be put to death。 When the woman has recovered； she is painted red and white； her head covered with feathers； and returns to the camp。
In Muralug； one of the Torres Straits Islands； a menstruous woman may not eat anything that lives in the sea； else the natives believe that the fisheries would fail。 In Galela； to the west of New Guinea； women at their monthly periods may not enter a tobacco…field； or the plants would be attacked by disease。 The Minangkabauers of Sumatra are persuaded that if a woman in her unclean state were to go near a rice…field； the crop would be spoiled。
The Bushmen of South Africa think that； by a glance of a girl's eye at the time when she ought to be kept in strict retirement； men become fixed in whatever positions they happen to occupy； with whatever they were holding in their hands； and are changed into trees that talk。 Cattle…rearing tribes of South Africa hold that their cattle would die if the milk were drunk by a menstruous woman； and they fear the same disaster if a drop of her blood were to fall on the ground and the oxen were to pass over it。 To prevent such a calamity women in general； not menstruous women only； are forbidden to enter the cattle enclosure； and more than that； they may not use the ordinary paths in entering the village or in passing from one hut to another。 They are obliged to make circuitous tracks at the back of the huts in order to avoid the ground in the middle of the village where the cattle stand or lie down。 These women's tracks may be seen at every Caffre village。 Among the Baganda； in like manner； no menstruous woman might drink milk or come into contact with any milk…vessel； and she might not touch anything that belonged to her husband； nor sit on his mat； nor cook his food。 If she touched anything of his at such a time it was deemed equivalent to wishing him dead or to actually working magic for his destruction。 Were she to handle any article of his； he would surely fall ill； were she to touch his weapons； he would certainly be killed in the next battle。 Further； the Baganda would not suffer a menstruous woman to visit a well； if she did so； they feared that the water would dry up； and that she herself would fall sick and die； unless she confessed her fault and the medicine…man made atonement for her。 Among the Akikuyu of British East Africa； if a new hut is built in a village and the wife chances to menstruate in it on the day she lights the first fire there； the hut must be broken down and demolished the very next day。 The woman may on no account sleep a second night in it； there is a curse both on her and on it。
According to the Talmud； if a woman at the beginning of her period passes between two men； she thereby kills one of them。 Peasants of the Lebanon think that menstruous women are the cause or many misfortunes； their shadow causes flowers to wither and trees to perish； it even arrests the movements of serpents； if one of them mounts a horse； the animal might die or at least be disabled for a long time。
The Guayquiries of the Orinoco believe that when a woman has her courses； everything upon which she steps will die； and that if a man treads on the plac