Article: 261333 of talk.bizarre
From: gnat@frii.com (Nathan Torkington)
Newsgroups: talk.bizarre
Subject: TGB 4
Date: 1 Dec 1995 10:45:33 GMT
Organization: Interchangeable Antipodeans, Inc.
Lines: 39
Message-ID: <49mmce$d4e@europa.frii.com>
X-Background-Music: The Judybats
X-Category: original
Status: O
X-Status: 

July 4, 1865.  It is still hot.  It has not rained here
since I arrived, four months ago, to study these savage
people, the Dieri.  From what I have been able to gather, it
hasn't rained here for over three years.
 
Each fortnight, I notice, when the moon is full and when it
is but a sliver in the sky, a ritual is performed.  They
forbade me to observe, and won't discuss it with me, but
what I've overheard leads me to believe they are running
short of whatever they use at this ceremony.
 
July 7, 1865.  As the full moon grows closer, the natives
become more agitated.  It seems they have run out of
whatever they need.  Their medicine man is very distraught,
though this doesn't stop him from making his rounds of the
pregnant women.  If anything, he seems to be visiting them
more often now.
 
Amusing anecdote: their medicine man happened into the
clearing where I was relieving myself.  He became very
excited and insisted on watching my ablutions.  I was
embarrassed, and couldn't continue, which must have amused
him no end as he spent the rest of the day telling his
friends about it and pointing at me.
 
July 9, 1865.  Tomorrow is the full moon, and I believe I am
finally to be allowed in on the ceremony.  I am very
excited, and the savages seem excited for me also.  My
approach has paid off - tomorrow will be a great day for
Anthropology!

--------------------
>From "The Golden Bough", by Sir James Frazer: 

  The Dieri also imagine that the foreskins taken from lads
  at circumcision have a great power of producing rain.
  Hence the Great Council of the tribe always keeps a small
  stock of foreskins ready for use.