Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/542

 2.35 Revieivs.

enters a leopard during sleep and usually returns with daylight ; but it may remain in the leopard for several days at a time, in which case the human body, though conscious, is lethargic, and follows the usual routine of life without being able to com- municate intelligently with other persons.

The life of the Sema is permeated by numerous gennas, a general term to cover chtni and pini. Chtni=^'' is forbidden," and is used of any tabu ; .pini refers to the prohibition under which it is forbidden to work in, or even go down to, the fields. The great importance of agriculture in the economic life of the people is reflected in their socio-religious customs. The eighteen gennas connected with the agricultural year are described. It is interesting to note that those Semas who have recently started terraced fields have adopted an Angami genua observed on the occasion of flooding the field. The significance of a number of the observances and restrictions is by no means apparent, but it is probable that the precise regulations and the various tabus serve to impress upon the people the important nature of agri- culture, and, therefore, they may have great effect in cementing the solidarity of the community from the points of view of economics, sociology, and religion.

There is a short but important section on the language, on which the author is the only authority. Twenty-two folk tales, in translation and vernacular, and a few songs are given in the final section. In an Appendix Mr. Hutton discusses Mr. Perry's The Megalithic Culture of Indonesia, so far as the Semas are concerned.

A. C. Haddon,

Ancient Tales from Many Lands : a Collection of Folk Stories. By R. M. Fleming. With an Introduction by H. J. Fleure, D.Sc. London : Benn Bros, 1922. Price lOs, 6d.

Once upon a time, not so long ago but that many of us can remember it, geography was taught mainly by means of Hsts of countries, their capitals and products, and history was concentrated on the kings and queens of England, beginning