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he refreshment of the weary wandering spirit。 When the ceremony is over； they tie a red cord round the arm of the sick man to tether the soul； and this cord is worn by him until it decays and drops off。
Some of the Congo tribes believe that when a man is ill； his soul has left his body and is wandering at large。 The aid of the sorcerer is then called in to capture the vagrant spirit and restore it to the invalid。 Generally the physician declares that he has successfully chased the soul into the branch of a tree。 The whole town thereupon turns out and accompanies the doctor to the tree； where the strongest men are deputed to break off the branch in which the soul of the sick man is supposed to be lodged。 This they do and carry the branch back to the town； insinuating by their gestures that the burden is heavy and hard to bear。 When the branch has been brought to the sick man's hut； he is placed in an upright position by its side； and the sorcerer performs the enchantments by which the soul is believed to be restored to its owner。
Pining； sickness； great fright； and death are ascribed by the Bataks of Sumatra to the absence of the soul from the body。 At first they try to beckon the wanderer back； and to lure him； like a fowl； by strewing rice。 Then the following form of words is commonly repeated： Come back； O soul； whether thou art lingering in the wood； or on the hills； or in the dale。 See； I call thee with a toemba bras； with an egg of the fowl Rajah moelija； with the eleven healing leaves。 Detain it not； let it come straight here； detain it not； neither in the wood； nor on the hill； nor in the dale。 That may not be。 O come straight home！ Once when a popular traveller was leaving a Kayan village； the mothers； fearing that their children's souls might follow him on his journey； brought him the boards on which they carry their infants and begged him to pray that the souls of the little ones would return to the familiar boards and not go away with him into the far country。 To each board was fastened a looped string for the purpose of tethering the vagrant spirits； and through the loop each baby was made to pass a chubby finger to make sure that its tiny soul would not wander away。
In an Indian story a king conveys his soul into the dead body of a Brahman； and a hunchback conveys his soul into the deserted body of the king。 The hunchback is now king and the king is a Brahman。 However； the hunchback is induced to show his skill by transferring his soul to the dead body of a parrot； and the king seizes the opportunity to regain possession of his own body。 A tale of the same type； with variations of detail； reappears among the Malays。 A king has incautiously transferred his soul to an ape； upon which the vizier adroitly inserts his own soul into the king's body and so takes possession of the queen and the kingdom； while the true king languishes at court in the outward semblance of an ape。 But one day the false king； who played for high stakes； was watching a combat of rams； and it happened that the animal on which he had laid his money fell down dead。 All efforts to restore animation proved unavailing till the false king； with the instinct of a true sportsman； transferred his own soul to the body of the deceased ram； and thus renewed the fray。 The real king in the body of the ape saw his chance； and with great presence of mind darted back into his own body； which the vizier had rashly vacated。 So he came to his own again； and the usurper in the ram's body met with the fate he richly deserved。 Similarly the Greeks told how the soul of Hermotimus of Clazomenae used to quit his body and roam far and wide； bringing back intelligence of what he had seen on his rambles to his friends at home； until one day； when his spirit was abroad； his enemies contrived to seize his deserted body and committed it to the flames。
The departure of the soul is not always voluntary。 It may be extracted from the body against its will by ghosts； demons； or sorcerers。 Hence； when a funeral is passing the house； the Karens tie their children with a special kind of string to a particular part of the house； lest the souls of the children should leave their bodies and go into the corpse which is passing。 The children are kept tied in this way until the corpse is out of sight。 And after the corpse has been laid in the grave； but before the earth has been shovelled in； the mourners and friends range themselves round the grave； each with a bamboo split lengthwise in one hand and a little stick in the other； each man thrusts his bamboo into the grave； and drawing the stick along the groove of the bamboo points out to his soul that in this way it may easily climb up out of the tomb。 While the earth is being shovelled in； the bamboos are kept out of the way； lest the souls should be in them； and so should be inadvertently buried with the earth as it is being thrown into the grave； and when the people leave the spot they carry away the bamboos； begging their souls to come with them。 Further； on returning from the grave each Karen provides himself with three little hooks made of branches of trees； and calling his spirit to follow him； at short intervals； as he returns； he makes a motion as if hooking it； and then thrusts the hook into the ground。 This is done to prevent the soul of the living from staying behind with the soul of the dead。 When the Karo…Bataks have buried somebody and are filling in the grave； a sorceress runs about beating the air with a stick。 This she does in order to drive away the souls of the survivors； for if one of these souls happened to slip into the grave and to be covered up with earth； its owner would die。
In Uea； one of the Loyalty Islands； the souls of the dead seem to have been credited with the power of stealing the souls of the living。 For when a man was sick the soul…doctor would go with a large troop of men and women to the graveyard。 Here the men played on flutes and the women whistled softly to lure the soul home。 After this had gone on for some time they formed in procession and moved homewards； the flutes playing and the women whistling all the way； while they led back the wandering soul and drove it gently along with open palms。 On entering the patient's dwelling they commanded the soul in a loud voice to enter his body。
Often the abduction of a man's soul is set down to demons。 Thus fits and convulsions are generally ascribed by the Chinese to the agency of certain mischievous spirits who love to draw men's souls out of their bodies。 At Amoy the spirits who serve babies and children in this way rejoice in the high…sounding titles of celestial agencies bestriding galloping horses and literary graduates residing halfway up in the sky。 When an infant is writhing in convulsions； the frightened mother hastens to the roof of the house； and； waving about a bamboo pole to which one of the child's garments is attached； cries out several times My child So…and…so； come back； return home！ Meantime； another inmate of the house bangs away at a gong in the hope of attracting the attention of the strayed soul； which is supposed to recognise the familiar garment and to slip into it。 The garment containing the soul is then placed on o