102 SEX-LORE 



weakens the labourer. In German New Guinea she 

 is not allowed to join in the fishing. In one of the 

 negro tribes the pregnant woman has to wear a bell, 

 so that people can avoid her. In China she must 

 not go near the silkworms, for fear of spoiling them. 

 In some cases even the husbands are considered im- 

 pure, and are not allowed to go to battle or to the 

 hunt. (This is a notion similar to the couvade, 

 which we shall describe later.) 



As we have seen with regard to menstruation and 

 marriage, uncivilized people have a superstitious awe 

 of the dire effect of evil spirits. This also shows 

 itself in connection with pregnancy and childbirth. 

 In Celebes a woman who is expecting a child must 

 not go out with her hair loose, for a demon can easily 

 lodge in loose hair and injure her and her child. 

 There is a similar belief in Bohemia; here a woman 

 must carefully cover her hair for the same reason. 

 Amulets are worn as a protection against evil spirits 

 by enceinte women of uncivilized and even of 

 civilized peoples. In Esthonia in Russia, a woman 

 who is expecting a child changes her shoes every week, 

 so as to mislead the devil, who is on her track to get 

 the little newcomer into his clutches. The Russians 

 and other peoples have also great fear of the " evil 

 eye," which is supposed to be especially potent 

 against the expectant mother; it may injure her 

 and her offspring, which will be born in great pain. 



The actual birth of the child takes place by mus- 

 cular contractions of the uterus, which expel the 

 child along the female passage. These contractions 

 are called labour pains. The membranes which en- 

 close the child burst while its head enters the vagina. 



