THE LOLOS OF KIENTCHANG, WESTERN CHINA LEGENDRE. 579 



direct intervention of spirits as the agents of all their misfortunes, 

 even of sickness, but, on the other hand, there is that skepticism of 

 ancient civilizations which disdains to give alms to the deities by 

 prayer or to erect temples or altars, or to prostrate or humiliate 

 themselves; they despise fetiches and incense. 



Every Lolo is possessed of a soul, a living and active though imma- 

 terial substance, impalpable, and invisible. At the death of the one 

 which it animates, what becomes of this soul ? If it has broken no 

 sacred law, it remains in a condition of transitory rest, not really 

 unhappy, but without joy, without positive happiness. It will expire, 

 on the contrary, if it has done evil or violated the precepts of the 

 traditional morals of its race. I must tell you that the Lolo shows 

 but little respect for his deities; it is so little even in the case of the 

 good ones, from whom he has nothing to fear, that he considers them 

 as mere guardians of the body, protectors or aids of the lowest order. 



Does he not say in the ritual chants preserved by the sorcerer 

 priests: "May the good spirits go before you that the nail of your 

 toe be not bruised ! May the good spirits precede you, clearing 

 obstacles, that the nail of your hand be not bruised ! " Thus is 

 chanted the celebration of marriage. They also add: "Protect by 

 day, watch by night ! May the good spirits hearken to you, that not 

 one of your hairs may fall ! " 



ORIGIN OF THE LOLOS TRADITIONS. 



Father Martin gives the following versions on the origin of the first 

 Lolo: 



1. In very ancient times a man fell from the sky to the earth; he was naked. Then 

 there fell another man and a woman and these two were married. The legend is silent 

 as to what became of the first man. Then the the herb "jegu" grew, then ferns. 

 Soon there were born a bear and an ape. Thus was made the human race, for the 

 bear, man, and the monkey are of the same nature. 



2. Man appeared on the earth, and there were born from him the bear and the mon- 

 key. The legend does not explain this reversed Darwinian theory. 



3. First fell a white man, then a black man, then a red man; they had no clothes, 

 but dressed themselves with leaves. These men remained a certain time, then dis- 

 appeared. The sky then sent a couple that brought into the world two sons who, 

 deprived of wives, could naturally not have posterity. Again the earth found itself 

 without a single human representative. Then there came a new man, who also died 

 without posterity. A woman then appeared, a sort of harpy, who remained childless. 

 Finally there fell from the sky "Omou," who left 10 sons and daughters, and thus 

 the entire earth was peopled. 



Deluge. — "When man, increasing and multiplying, had invaded the 

 entire world, then burst forth the deluge. On all sides the water 

 gushed forth, from mountains, rivers, clouds, and fields. All man- 

 kind died except one brother and his sister of the ancient line of Omou. 

 They cut down a tree (Eloecocca vernicifera) , the sap of which is 



