Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/80

72 week, in the case of wealthy people. The dirges sung on these occasions are distressing and strange to hear, and show plainly their ignorance of the future state and of what is beyond the grave; for the dead are termed 'lost' (véry), lost as people are who are left by their companions, and do not see the way to go home again; and death they look upon as the messenger of some hard-hearted power, who drives hard bargains which cannot be altered, and puts one in extreme peril (lit. 'in the grip of a crocodile'), where no entreaties prevail. The dead they call 'the gentle (or pleasant) person'; and they will not allow his wife and children and all his relatives to think of anything but their bereavement, and the evil they have to expect from the want of the protection they had from the dead; for now 'the pillar of the house on which they leaned is broken, and the house which sheltered them is pulled down, and the town they lived in is destroyed, and the strong one they followed is overcome.' And after that they declare that the living are in trouble, and seem to agree that it had been better not to have been born.

"While they are yet singing in the manner just described, a man goes round the house and sings a dirge in a melancholy tone; upon hearing which those in the house stop suddenly and are perfectly still. Then the one outside the house proceeds rapidly with his chant as follows:—

Then those within doors answer 'Haié!' as if to say. Amen.

"Then they enquire and reply as follows, those outside asking, and the others in the house answering:—

referring to the property of the deceased. Then the one outside the house chants again: —