Olbrechts] the swimmer MANUSCRIPT 195 



This is to Take People to the Water With 



FREE TRANSLATION 



Sharply! Ha, now the white thread has come down. The soul has 

 been examined; such-and-such are his names. The soul of the small 

 human being has been examined, where it is growing. Either pres- 

 ently, or at noon, or right away thou willst come and be bom to 

 her.^^ He will be born to lier.^^ He has been examined. 



Sharply! from above thou hast caused the wliite threads to come 

 down. The soul has become examined. Such-and-such are his names. 

 His soul has become examined, (a) In the first upper (world) 

 the white seats have been let down, and the white cloth has come to 

 rest on them. The soul has come to rest upon the white thread. 

 The soul has been lifted up as far as the first upper world, the place 

 to where it has been raised. 



(b) In the second upper (world) the white seats have been let 

 down, (and) the white cloth has come to rest on them. The soul has 

 come to rest upon the white thread. The soul has become examined. 

 The soul has been lifted up as far as the second upper (world). 



(c) In the third upper (world) . . . 



(d) In the fourth upper (world) . . . 



(e) In the fifth upper (world) . . . 



(f) In the sixth upper (world) . . . 



(g) In the seventh upper (world) the white seats have been let 

 down and the white cloth has come to rest upon them. The soul 

 has come to rest upon the white thread. At the seventh upper 

 (world), finally the soul will appear in all splendor. Sharply. 



explanation 



This formul-a for "taking them to the water with" is practically 

 the same as the one given in No. 83, page 289, with an additional 

 preliminary paragraph, which is recited when the ceremony is per- 

 fonned for thelDenefit of a pregnant woman. (See p. 119.) A part 

 of this paragraph is addressed to the child, the "Httle human being" 

 itself. B}'- lea^ang off this introductory paragraph the formula may 

 be used for any of the purposes served by ordinary formulas of this 

 kind. (See p. 150.) 



The ceremony may be conducted by the petitioner himself, for 

 obtaining long life, etc., by changing the expressions to the first 

 person where necessary. 



The white threads are mentioned in a number of formulas, especially 

 those relating to love, but the connection here is not obvious. 



^« The mother-to-be. 



