FIRE AS AN AGENT IN HUMAN CULTURE 153 



conflagration would bring rain. The idea here appears to be magic 

 b)'' imitation. Quite as fooHsh rain-making schemes and ideas on the 

 cause of rainfall have been foisted on modern times. 



Among agricultural peoples the use of fire magic to produce rain 

 is universal. A multitude of examples are cited by Frazer.^^ 



MARRIAGE FIRE 



As with nearly every other event of life in earlier times, fire played 

 a more or less important part among the ceremonies, and in marriage 

 rites there is no exception. Torches and other illuminations are 

 famiUar in classical Roman writings. The custom was to conduct 

 the bride in the night to the home of the bridegroom by the light of 

 torches. Horace says: "One out of the many worthy of the nuptial 

 torch was nobly false to her perjured parent and illustrious to all 

 posterity." ^* 



Pere Lafitau with his customary thoroughness discusses nuptial 

 torches and consecrated wood, comparing classical and American 

 Indian observances.^^ 



The Altaians have a pipe-smoking ceremony on the acceptance of 

 the offer of marriage. The ceremony of blessing the bride requires 

 her to bow to the fire during the ceremony, to her house fire, to the 

 fire in the bridegroom's house, and to offer a piece of meat and 

 butter.^' 



The bridegroom on entering the new abode must kindle a new 

 fire with his flint and steel, for no coals can be brought into the yurta 

 from any other fire for the purpose. From the manner in which the 

 sparks fly the future life of the young couple is augured." 



Among the Buryat Mongols, near the close of the ceremony "the 

 bridegroom enters the yurta to put some grease on the fire; and 

 when the bride and her party follow him in, grains of corn are thrown 

 upon their heads." ^^ 



Among the Koryaks, "when the bride approaches the house of her 

 bridegroom's parents, the latter come out with firebrands taken from 

 the hearth to greet her.^' 



In reference to the marriage customs of the Yakuts: 



"Priklonski says that the bride approaches the fire from the north, 

 and throwing into it three sticks brought from her own yurta, and a 

 piece of butter, pronounces these words: *I come as mistress to rule 

 the hearth.' Then she bows to her father-in-law and mother-in-law 

 and the feast begins, the young couple being seated apart from the 



» The Golden Bough. London, 1890. 



M Horace. Ode XI, Book III. 



•s Lafitau. Moeurs, vol. 1, Paris, 1724, p. 578. 



•« M. A. Czaplicka. Aboriginal Siberia, 1914, p. 77. 



"Idem, p. 116. 



«Idem, p. 119. 



•'Idem, Quot. from Jochelson, The Koryak, p. 84. 



