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body and place it for safe…keeping in an amulet； which for further security he deposits in his own medicine…bag。 It seems probable that many amulets have been similarly regarded as soul…boxes； that is； as safes in which the souls of the owners are kept for greater security。 An old Mang'anje woman in the West Shire district of British Central Africa used to wear round her neck an ivory ornament； hollow； and about three inches long； which she called her life or soul。 Naturally； she would not part with it； a planter tried to buy it of her； but in vain。 When Mr。 James Macdonald was one day sitting in the house of a Hlubi chief； awaiting the appearance of that great man； who was busy decorating his person； a native pointed to a pair of magnificent ox…horns； and said； Ntame has his soul in these horns。 The horns were those of an animal which had been sacrificed； and they were held sacred。 A magician had fastened them to the roof to protect the house and its inmates from the thunder…bolt。 The idea； adds Mr。 Macdonald； is in no way foreign to South African thought。 A man's soul there may dwell in the roof of his house； in a tree； by a spring of water； or on some mountain scaur。 Among the natives of the Gazelle Peninsula in New Britain there is a secret society which goes by the name of Ingniet or Ingiet。 On his entrance into it every man receives a stone in the shape either of a human being or of an animal； and henceforth his soul is believed to be knit up in a manner with the stone。 If it breaks； it is an evil omen for him； they say that the thunder has struck the stone and that he who owns it will soon die。 If nevertheless the man survives the breaking of his soul…stone； they say that it was not a proper soul…stone and he gets a new one instead。 The emperor Romanus Lecapenus was once informed by an astronomer that the life of Simeon； prince of Bulgaria； was bound up with a certain column in Constantinople； so that if the capital of the column were removed； Simeon would immediately die。 The emperor took the hint and removed the capital； and at the same hour； as the emperor learned by enquiry； Simeon died of heart disease in Bulgaria。
Again； we have seen that in folk…tales a man's soul or strength is sometimes represented as bound up with his hair； and that when his hair is cut off he dies or grows weak。 So the natives of Amboyna used to think that their strength was in their hair and would desert them if it were shorn。 A criminal under torture in a Dutch Court of that island persisted in denying his guilt till his hair was cut off； when he immediately confessed。 One man； who was tried for murder； endured without flinching the utmost ingenuity of his torturers till he saw the surgeon standing with a pair of shears。 On asking what this was for； and being told that it was to cut his hair； he begged they would not do it； and made a clean breast。 In subsequent cases； when torture failed to wring a confession from a prisoner； the Dutch authorities made a practice of cutting off his hair。
Here in Europe it used to be thought that the maleficent powers of witches and wizards resided in their hair； and that nothing could make any impression on the miscreants so long as they kept their hair on。 Hence in France it was customary to shave the whole bodies of persons charged with sorcery before handing them over to the torturer。 Millaeus witnessed the torture of some persons at Toulouse； from whom no confession could be wrung until they were stripped and completely shaven； when they readily acknowledged the truth of the charge。 A woman also； who apparently led a pious life； was put to the torture on suspicion of witchcraft； and bore her agonies with incredible constancy； until complete depilation drove her to admit her guilt。 The noted inquisitor Sprenger contented himself with shaving the head of the suspected witch or wizard； but his more thoroughgoing colleague Cumanus shaved the whole bodies of forty…seven women before committing them all to the flames。 He had high authority for this rigorous scrutiny； since Satan himself； in a sermon preached from the pulpit of North Berwick church； comforted his many servants by assuring them that no harm could befall them sa lang as their hair wes on； and sould newir latt ane teir fall fra thair ene。 Similarly in Bastar； a province of India； if a man is adjudged guilty of witchcraft； he is beaten by the crowd； his hair is shaved； the hair being supposed to constitute his power of mischief； his front teeth are knocked out； in order； it is said； to prevent him from muttering incantations 。 Women suspected of sorcery have to undergo the same ordeal； if found guilty； the same punishment is awarded； and after being shaved； their hair is attached to a tree in some public place。 So among the Bhils of India； when a woman was convicted of witchcraft and had been subjected to various forms of persuasion； such as hanging head downwards from a tree and having pepper put into her eyes； a lock of hair was cut from her head and buried in the ground； that the last link between her and her former powers of mischief might be broken。 In like manner among the Aztecs of Mexico； when wizards and witches had done their evil deeds； and the time came to put an end to their detestable life； some one laid hold of them and cropped the hair on the crown of their heads； which took from them all their power of sorcery and enchantment； and then it was that by death they put an end to their odious existence。
2。 The External Soul in Plants
FURTHER it has been shown that in folk…tales the life of a person is sometimes so bound up with the life of a plant that the withering of the plant will immediately follow or be followed by the death of the person。 Among the M'Bengas in Western Africa； about the Gaboon； when two children are born on the same day； the people plant two trees of the same kind and dance round them。 The life of each of the children is believed to be bound up with the life of one of the trees； and if the tree dies or is thrown down； they are sure that the child will soon die。 In the Cameroons； also； the life of a person is believed to be sympathetically bound up with that of a tree。 The chief of Old Town in Calabar kept his soul in a sacred grove near a spring of water。 When some Europeans； in frolic or ignorance； cut down part of the grove； the spirit was most indignant and threatened the perpetrators of the deed； according to the king； with all manner of evil。
Some of the Papuans unite the life of a new…born babe sympathetically with that of a tree by driving a pebble into the bark of the tree。 This is supposed to give them complete mastery over the child's life； if the tree is cut down； the child will die。 After a birth the Maoris used to bury the navel…string in a sacred place and plant a young sapling over it。 As the tree grew； it was a tohu oranga or sign of life for the child； if it flourished； the child would prosper； if it withered and died； the parents augured the worst for the little one。 In some parts of Fiji the navel…string of a male infant is planted together with a coco…nut or the slip of a breadfruit…tree； and the child's life is supposed to be intimately connected with that of the tree。 Amongst the