Notebooks
Story: A snake found near a grave
Title
A snake found near a grave
Collection
Summary
The people of !nanni's country do not kill the snake that is found near a grave, because the snake is the dead person's snake and it is the spirit of the dead. Similarly the people do not kill other animals (such as antelope and lizards) which are found near graves. They are considered to be spirit-animals or spirits of the dead.
Comments
1) 9956v: !nanni heard this from his paternal grandfather (Karu), 2) 9956v-9957v: see Snakes and spirits of the dead and A certain snake, which, by lying upon its back, announces a death in the family; and must not, in these circumstances, be killed, 3) This story is found in Book XI & XII-12
Contributors
Date
25 October 1881
Categories
Custom and daily life, Portention
Keywords
snake (found near a grave) , snake (and spirits of the dead) , snake (the dead person's) , snake (the ≠in-a) , snake (name of) , snake (and death) , snake (found near graves is not killed) , snake (which is the spirit of the dead man) , snake (and graves) , snake (is feared and left alone) , snake (spirit-snakes) , snake (and spirit-animals) , snake (people of !nanni's country do not kill one near a grave) , death (a snake found near a grave) , death (!kun beliefs about) , death (lizards and antelopes found near graves are feared) , death (the dead and snakes) , death (animals and spirits of the dead) , death (and spirit-animals) , death (and the spirit-antelope) , death (and spirit-snakes) , death (and spirit-lizards) , death (and animals found near graves) , death (and burial) , death (and graves or 'grounds' of the dead) , prohibition (the snake found near the grave is not killed) , prohibition (animals found near graves are not killed) , prohibition (against the killing of spirit-animals) , antelope (a spirit-antelope) , antelope (not a mere antelope) , antelope (that is feared) , antelope (and spirits of the dead) , antelope (is not killed when near a grave) , lizards (and spirits of the dead) , lizards (are not killed when near graves) , lizards (that are feared) , respect (for the snake found near the grave) , respect (for lizards found near graves) , respect (for spirit-animals) , respect (for spirit-antelope) , respect (for names of spirit-animals) , spirit (-animals) , spirit (of the dead and animals) , spirit (and lizards found near graves) , spirit (-antelope) , spirit (of dead people) , spirit (-snake) , spirit (a snake found near the grave is not killed) , grave (a snake found near one is not killed) , grave ('grounds' of the dead) , grave (and spirit-animals) , grave (lizards found near them) , animals (spirit-animals) , animals (a snake found near a grave) , animals (found near graves) , animals (of the dead) , animals (spirit-antelope) , animals (spirit-snake) , animals (death and respect for certain) , name (used by the !kun for a snake, the ≠in-a)
Story Pages
9957-9959
