The goal is plainly visible—a lone man, as naked as they, He is th hero' of the day, the selected "god! lof the Hadaka Matsuri, and ix being held up by strong and willing! Jhand—those of his honorary body= guard, Countless arms of - the testants are upstretched towards} him seeking contact with his body; throw their towels at the god, but more often than not the bodyguard would deflect the missile. The crowd of onlookers soon become frantic with excitement, now shout-Ing at the contestants, now muttering prayers that the "god" favour C. yueh contestants as "bore _their towels or handkerchiefs. Every, now and then, @ man or two in the crowd would "rush towards " the "dressing rooms" disrobing himself} as he ran, and return to join the contestants, Once a contestant succeeded touching the "god", hho became imjune from all evil' for a year, but} hho becomes mobbed in turn, being seized by other contestants and jected to the same treatment' as his prototype in the belief that certain amount of Immunity might gained that way, and smaller mobs form lucky men, The grand finale come with another boom of the tempi bell when the "major deity" is tossed by his body guard hither Jand thither towards groups of con testants as well as the throngs of onlookers, all of whom indulge in loud, guttural and st "Wassha! Washo rounding the "lesser god; their cue from this and to screams of "Wa toss these about as recruits are tossed by sailors. This part of the ceremony, however, does not Last ry long, for which, no doubt, both "major and the "lesser jxods" are truly thankful. temple bell booms major god" gods" retire ceremony is over. Touching of any] of the "gods" will do no good now. The crowds gradually begin to make 1 bee-line out of the temple. cou yard, but not before throwing a few coins—they may be only couple of coppers—into the altar enclosure, Those who managed to) establish contact. with the -"deity for a day", whether directly.
rectly, are exceedingly happy, for are they not assured of immunity, indifferent ratios, from all "evil, "temporal and for one full year. These pious, simple-minded, worshippers contribute more han others towards the altar enclosure. They" are the last to leave, tired but happy. Junior} priests then appear onthe scene] and sweep together piles of coins }of various denominations" thrown into" the altar enclosure by' the faithful, the chief bonze supervising their labours through pleased, half-closed eyes: He and his acolytes are also undoubtedly happy at the sue cess, whether viewed from a temporal or other angle, of the day's
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.