c/b Vornandcr Collection of Ilazvaiian Folk-lore. 



PRECAUTIONS AGAINST BEING CALLED FROM BEHIND. 



On Starting- to make his intended trip, with the liope of obtainino- a great blessing 

 he sliould first ])lan with care to i)revent his being called from behind. He should do 

 thus : \Mien he starts forth he should be very careful of those whom he saw, if they were 

 old acquaintances. Then he must first come up to those he met and tell them his desti- 

 nation, and all else pertaining to him or them; and on leaving, first bid them farewell, 

 and depart. That was the only way to prevent a call from behind. But if called back by 

 those he first met then it was indeed an unlucky trip. 



29. OF MEETING A HUNCHBACK. 



Meeting a hunchback on the road was one of the omens of the priesthood indicat- 

 ing destitution and want. If a ])erson was going to where he expected to obtain a great 

 blessing or a benefit, if he met a hunchback on that tri]) the priest would say: "This 

 is a most unfortunate trij); better return; nothing will be gained by going on because an 

 unlucky hunchback was in the road." The hunchback met with on such a trij) was called 

 a lialiaihia hunchback. But should two or more hunchbacks be encountered by a person 

 on such tri])s then the unlucky spell ceased. To some, however, the spell continued : all 

 those who observed the auguries of this nature did not exactly agree. 



30. OF STANDING AKIMBO. 



This sign of standing akimbo was the resting of the two hands on hips on the 

 right and left side of a i)ersnn. If one in this position was seen by a person going out in 

 the road for what he hoped to obtain, then ill luck would be the result. This sign did 

 not only apply to a journey but it also applied to gambling crowds, as follows: If there 

 was a gambling contest, such as stone-hiding, stick-throwing, or bowling, if one was 

 found standing akimbo the anger of the promoters of the gambling concourse would im- 

 mediately be aroused and he would be driven away, because the ill luck ( losses ) by such 

 act would fall ui)on the owners of the gambling joint. 



,y. (iOING FORWARD AND THEN TURNING BACK. 



If a person thought of going to a jilace where he had intended to go with the hope 

 of obtaining a benefit or a blessing on that trip, and after passing some fathoms or a mile 

 perhaps, if he turned back for something forgotten, or some-idea or other reason, then he 

 could not obtain what he had ho]:)ed for. This was one of the omens of the order of 

 priesthood among this peo])lc from the earliest days to the present. 



32. STUBBING one's TOES. 



This was one of the principal signs of all the recognized omens of the order of 

 priesthood, and a common occurrence, for if a ])erson thought to go where he had in- 

 tended, and if his toes struck [something] while walking, all that he had greatly desired 

 would not be fulfilled. The interpretations in this are similar to former signs in this rec- 

 ord. 



