But great (rather) was my desire, the wish of my heart.”
She then entered the house and laid the Rice-child (still in its basket) on a new sleeping-mat with pillows at the head. About twenty minutes later the three Bearers returned,[218] each of their rice-baskets covered with a sarong. These baskets were carried into the bedroom and deposited in order of size on the mat at the foot of the soul-basket, the largest basket being the nearest to the soul-basket. Finally, the Pawang removed the sarongs which covered each basket and deposited them on the Rice-child’s pillow, and sticking the “pĕnuweis” into her hair, fumigated the entire row of baskets and the Rice-child, and covered them over with the long white cloth, after which the wife of the master of the house was told to observe certain rules of taboo for three days.
Plate 5.—Rice-Soul Baskets.
Model, showing the baskets used at the ceremony of bringing home the rice-soul. The oval-shaped basket on the left is that which contains the rice-soul, together with the egg, iron nail, and candle-nut, etc., used as charms to keep away evil spirits from the rice-soul or “rice-child.”
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The following were the taboos imposed upon her:—
- 1. Money, rice, salt, oil, tame animals, etc., were forbidden to leave the house, though they might enter it without ill consequences.
- 2. Perfect quiet must be observed, as in the case of a new-born child.
- 3. Hair might not be cut.
- 4. The reapers, till the end of the reaping, were forbidden to let their shadows fall upon the rice. (Yang mĕnuwei sampei habis mĕnuwei, tiada buleh mĕnindeh bayang.)
- 5. The light placed near the head of the Rice-child’s bed might not be allowed to go out at night, whilst the hearth-fire might not be allowed to go out at all, night or day, for the whole three days.
The above taboos are in many respects identical with those which have to be observed for three days after the birth of a real child.
I may add that every day, when the reapers start their reaping, they have to repeat the following charm:—