TRANSFORMATION 



is that of burying a dead child within or immediately 

 outside the hut where it died. It can hardly be 

 doubted that the object here is the same. This is the 

 usage of the Fans in West Africa. 1 The Kavirondo of 

 British East Africa bury the child near the door of its 

 mother's hut. 2 The Jaiswaras of the Panjab bury 

 under the threshold all children who die within fifteen 

 days after birth. The reason assigned is that " in 

 constantly stepping over [the grave] the parents would 

 run no risk of losing any subsequent children." 3 This, 

 however, is probably not the original reason. So about 

 Sirhali in the Panjab the custom prevailed of burying 

 the female children, when killed, under the door. The 

 belief was that by this means subsequent children 

 (sons it was hoped) would be born in their place : that 

 is to say, the children buried would be born again of 

 the more desired sex. Mr. Rose suggests with proba- 

 bility that the general Hindu practice of burying 

 instead of burning the bodies of young children is 

 explained in a similar manner. 4 In Java a child who 

 lias died before receiving a name is buried without 

 ceremony behind or near the house. Among the 

 Karo-bataks a premature birth or a child under four 

 days old is buried under the house. 5 The Andamanese, 

 whose belief and practice of naming have already been 

 referred to, bury babies under the floor of their parents' 



in touch with the departed spirit and women who were especially 

 attached to these infants during their life will frequently go and 

 keep up an imaginary conversation with them for quite a long 

 time " (Leonard, 191). But is this the real, or the original reason ? 

 They believe in reincarnation (See anfe, p. 201 note). 



1 Roche, 91. 2 Johnston, Uganda, ii. 749. 



3 Panjab N. and Q. i. 123 (par. 925). 



4 Census of India, 1901, xvii. 214. 6 Kruyt, 72, 242. 



