Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/390

 362 The Magical and Ceremonial Uses of Fire.

fastened to it in a conspicuous place to act as its guardian. The noise produced by the drilling is said to be its voice ; the holes made by the drilling process are its eyes. Such implements are usually reserved for ceremonial use only, and descend to the eldest son, or sometimes to the youngest.! These ceremonial fire-boards are kept in bags, and when the calving season begins they are taken out so that they may protect the dams.'

There is a story explaining why these boards are used as protectors of the herd. Once upon a time two men, who had no feet and looked like fire-boards, came to a man who bred reindeer, and whose animals were restive and gave him a good deal of trouble. The herdsman fed these two visitors with tallow. Before retiring to rest the guests said to the master of the herd, " If the herd becomes suddenly frightened and tries to run away, it would be better for you to waken us at once." The host said, " How shall I awaken you .'' " " Take the bow," they replied, "and turn the drill in one of our eyes. When the drill begins to sing, the herd will stand still and then return to the house." ^

The same use is made of the fire-board among the Koryaks, only the chief one is usually handed down to the youngest son or to the younger daughter, in which case the husband must live in his father-in-law's house. These fire-boards have sometimes been handed down for several generations.'^ At the father's death, if there are two sons, they divide the herd between them, if they wish to live apart. The younger inherits the fire-board; so the elder son has to make a new one for himself This must be first dried over the fire and then the consecration takes place. As a sacrifice to the Master-on-High a reindeer

^ W. Bogoras, " The Chukchee,"yi?j-/// N. Pacific Exped. vii. 351. ^ W. Bogoras, "The Chukchee, " yf^/c/ A^. Pacific Exped. vii. 352. ^W. Bogoras, " The Chukchee,"'y«i'«/ A''. Pacific Exped. vii. 351-352. ■•W. Jochelson, "The Koryak, "y^jw/ N. Pacific Exped. vi. 36.