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revived； and the king took her to wife。
Another story of an external soul comes from Nias； an island to the west of Sumatra。 Once on a time a chief was captured by his enemies； who tried to put him to death but failed。 Water would not drown him nor fire burn him nor steel pierce him。 At last his wife revealed the secret。 On his head he had a hair as hard as a copper wire； and with this wire his life was bound up。 So the hair was plucked out； and with it his spirit fled。
A West African story from Southern Nigeria relates how a king kept his soul in a little brown bird； which perched on a tall tree beside the gate of the palace。 The king's life was so bound up with that of the bird that whoever should kill the bird would simultaneously kill the king and succeed to the kingdom。 The secret was betrayed by the queen to her lover； who shot the bird with an arrow and thereby slew the king and ascended the vacant throne。 A tale told by the Ba…Ronga of South Africa sets forth how the lives of a whole family were contained in one cat。 When a girl of the family； named Titishan； married a husband； she begged her parents to let her take the precious cat with her to her new home。 But they refused； saying； You know that our life is attached to it； and they offered to give her an antelope or even an elephant instead of it。 But nothing would satisfy her but the cat。 So at last she carried it off with her and shut it up in a place where nobody saw it； even her husband knew nothing about it。 One day； when she went to work in the fields； the cat escaped from its place of concealment； entered the hut； put on the warlike trappings of the husband； and danced and sang。 Some children； attracted by the noise； discovered the cat at its antics； and when they expressed their astonishment； the animal only capered the more and insulted them besides。 So they went to the owner and said； There is somebody dancing in your house； and he insulted us。 Hold your tongues； said he； I'll soon put a stop to your lies。 So he went and hid behind the door and peeped in； and there sure enough was the cat prancing about and singing。 He fired at it； and the animal dropped down dead。 At the same moment his wife fell to the ground in the field where she was at work； said she； I have been killed at home。 But she had strength enough left to ask her husband to go with her to her parents' village； taking with him the dead cat wrapt up in a mat。 All her relatives assembled； and bitterly they reproached her for having insisted on taking the animal with her to her husband's village。 As soon as the mat was unrolled and they saw the dead cat； they all fell down lifeless one after the other。 So the Clan of the Cat was destroyed； and the bereaved husband closed the gate of the village with a branch； and returned home； and told his friends how in killing the cat he had killed the whole clan； because their lives depended on the life of the cat。
Ideas of the same sort meet us in stories told by the North American Indians。 Thus the Navajoes tell of a certain mythical being called the Maiden that becomes a Bear； who learned the art of turning herself into a bear from the prairie wolf。 She was a great warrior and quite invulnerable； for when she went to war she took out her vital organs and hid them； so that no one could kill her； and when the battle was over she put the organs back in their places again。 The Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia tell of an ogress； who could not be killed because her life was in a hemlock branch。 A brave boy met her in the woods； smashed her head with a stone； scattered her brains； broke her bones； and threw them into the water。 Then； thinking he had disposed of the ogress； he went into her house。 There he saw a woman rooted to the floor； who warned him； saying； Now do not stay long。 I know that you have tried to kill the ogress。 It is the fourth time that somebody has tried to kill her。 She never dies； she has nearly come to life。 There in that covered hemlock branch is her life。 Go there； and as soon as you see her enter； shoot her life。 Then she will be dead。 Hardly had she finished speaking when sure enough in came the ogress； singing as she walked。 But the boy shot at her life； and she fell dead to the floor。
Chapter 67。 The External Soul in Folk…Custom。
1。 The External Soul in Inanimate Things
THUS the idea that the soul may be deposited for a longer or shorter time in some place of security outside the body； or at all events in the hair； is found in the popular tales of many races。 It remains to show that the idea is not a mere figment devised to adorn a tale； but is a real article of primitive faith； which has given rise to a corresponding set of customs。
We have seen that in the tales the hero； as a preparation for battle； sometimes removes his soul from his body； in order that his body may be invulnerable and immortal in the combat。 With a like intention the savage removes his soul from his body on various occasions of real or imaginary peril。 Thus among the people of Minahassa in Celebes； when a family moves into a new house； a priest collects the souls of the whole family in a bag； and afterwards restores them to their owners； because the moment of entering a new house is supposed to be fraught with supernatural danger。 In Southern Celebes； when a woman is brought to bed； the messenger who fetches the doctor or the midwife always carries with him something made of iron； such as a chopping…knife； which he delivers to the doctor。 The doctor must keep the thing in his house till the confinement is over； when he gives it back； receiving a fixed sum of money for doing so。 The chopping…knife； or whatever it is； represents the woman's soul； which at this critical time is believed to be safer out of her body than in it。 Hence the doctor must take great care of the object； for were it lost； the woman's soul would assuredly； they think； be lost with it。
Among the Dyaks of Pinoeh； a district of South…eastern Borneo； when a child is born； a medicine…man is sent for； who conjures the soul of the infant into half a coco…nut； which he thereupon covers with a cloth and places on a square platter or charger suspended by cords from the roof。 This ceremony he repeats at every new moon for a year。 The intention of the ceremony is not explained by the writer who describes it； but we may conjecture that it is to place the soul of the child in a safer place than its own frail little body。 This conjecture is confirmed by the reason assigned for a similar custom observed elsewhere in the Indian Archipelago。 In the Kei Islands； when there is a newly…born child in a house； an empty coco…nut； split and spliced together again； may sometimes be seen hanging beside a rough wooden image of an ancestor。 The soul of the infant is believed to be temporarily deposited in the coco…nut in order that it may be safe from the attacks of evil spirits； but when the child grows bigger and stronger； the soul will take up its permanent abode in its own body。 Similarly among the Esquimaux of Alaska； when a child is sick； the medicine…man will sometimes extract its soul from its body and place it for safe…keeping in an amulet； which for further security he deposits in his own