slight it may be, is not to stand on the grave dirt. It is believed that as the body rots, the person's flesh will rot also.
It is also a belief that any one with a wound in any part of his body is not to go in a room to see the dead. He will suffer the above penalty. To prevent the rot of the flesh it is said that the person possessing the wound must mark blue round its edges.
It is said that one person cannot wash a dead body; two must do it, and both must finish together.
If the back of the dead be touched with water, the dead person will jump and open his eyes, and when turned into the duppy, will go to the washer who made the mistake, and exclaim, "Me cold!"
If by chance you meet a dead body on the way to be buried you must turn aside, or break some bush and cast behind you, to prevent the duppy from following you.
If a dead body is being carried to be buried, and you should look under your crutches upon the coffin, you will see the duppy upon the top, and it will break your neck.
In sewing the dead clothes, if you cut the thread with your teeth, they will rot as the body rots. The end of the thread must not be knotted, or else the dead will come back to the house after the so-called resurrection. &c., &c.
Signs of Death.
When a number of cows surround a bull, and all begin to give a sad lowing, while the bull is ploughing the earth with his horns and hoofs, some one is going to die.
If rain falls suddenly, say for about a minute, some soul has parted from the world.
If a sucker leaf that is green breaks down without any one touching it, a good person has died.
If a partridge flies into your yard, some one will soon die, likely out of the family.
If rats eat any part of your body or your clothes, some dear one to you has died.
If an owl cries in the night near your house it means death, so also if it flies in the day.
If a hog roots your yard, some one of your relatives is going to die.
