The Golden Bough (Third Edition, Vol. 7 of 12) - Mirrors

Note. The Pleiades in Primitive Calendars. 361indications of the seasons. For example, when Canopus is a verylittle above the horizon in the east at daybreak, the season for emueggs has come; when the Pleiades are visible in the east an hourbefore sunrise, the time for visiting friends and neighbouringtribes is at hand.” 997Again, the Abipones of Paraguay, who neither sowed nor Attention paid tothe Pleiades by thereaped, 998 nevertheless regarded the Pleiades as an image of theirIndians of Paraguayancestor. As that constellation is invisible in the sky of South and Brazil.America for several months every year, the Abipones believedthat their ancestor was then sick, and they were dreadfully afraidthat he would die. But when the constellation reappeared inthe month of May, they saluted the return of their ancestor withjoyous shouts and the glad music of flutes and horns, and theycongratulated him on his recovery from sickness. Next day theyall went out to collect wild honey, from which they brewed afavourite beverage. Then at sunset they feasted and kept upthe revelry all night by the light of torches, while a sorceress, [309]who presided at the festivity, shook her rattle and danced. Butthe proceedings were perfectly decorous; the sexes did not mixwith each other. 999 The Mocobis of Paraguay also looked uponthe Pleiades as their father and creator. 1000 The Guaycurus ofthe Gran Chaco used to rejoice greatly at the reappearance ofthe Pleiades. On this occasion they held a festival at whichmen and women, boys and girls all beat each other soundly,believing that this brought them health, abundance, and victoryover their enemies. 1001 Amongst the Lengua Indians of ParaguayProceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, xvi. (Sydney, 1883) p.168.997 James Dawson, Australian Aborigines, p. 75.998 M. Dobrizhoffer, Historia de Abiponibus (Vienna, 1784), ii. 118.999 M. Dobrizhoffer, op. cit. ii. 77 sq., 101-105.1000 Pedro de Angelis, Coleccion de Obras y Documentes relativos a la Historiaantigua y moderna de las Provincias del Rio de la Plata (Buenos Ayres,1836-1837), iv. 15.1001 P. Lozano, Descripcion chorographico del terreno, rios, arboles, y animales