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NOVEMBER, 1887.)
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
321
Now, in that village there was a temple to ever, he never noticed her, but kept on running Kali, before which was a fine tank with a up and down the pikóta, and while doing so mango tree on its bank. The fish in the tank he was obliged to wave his hands about, and the mangoes from the tree were dedicated and this his wife mistook as an indication to the goddess, and were strictly forbidden that she might eat up her portion of the dish. to the villagers. If any one was discovered At any rate her imagination made her think cutting a mango or catching a fish he was at 80; and she went in and ate & slice, and then once excommunicated from the village. So went out into the verandah again to call strict was the prohibition.
her husband, who was still running up and The gardener was returning home one down the pikõta. Again, her husband, so she morning after selling his vegetables and passed thought, waved his hands in permission to go on by the temple. The mangoes, Bo carefully with her dinner. Again she went in and had guarded by religious protection, were hanging another slice. Thus it went on for a full on the tree in great numbers, and the gardener's ghatiká till the last slice was consumed! eyes fell on them! His mouth watered. He ! "Alas!" thought she, “With what greut looked round about him, and fortunately there eagerness my husband fetched the fish and the was no one by, at least, as far as his eyes mango and how sadly, out of greediness, hav could reach. So he hastily plucked one of I disappointed him! Surely his anger will the mangoes and with nimble feet descended know no bounds when he comes in. I must into the tank to wash it. Just then a soon devise some means to save myself." most charming shoal of fish met his eyes. So, she brought the pan in which she cooked These protected dwellers in the tank had no the fish and mango ont of the house and covered notion of danger, and so were frolicking about | it with another pan of similar size and sat at their ease. The gardener looked about him down before it. Then she undid her hair first and finding no one by caught half a dozen and twisted it about her head until it was stout fish at one plunge of his hand. He hid dishevelled. She then began to make a great them and the mango underneath the rice in noise. This action by a woman in an illiterate his basket and returned home, happy in the family of low caste is always supposed to thought that he had not been caught. Now indicate & visitation from a goddess or a he had a special delight in fish, and when he demon: so when her husband fron, the pikota reached his house he showed what he brought tree saw the state of his wife, his guilty to his wife and asked her to prepare a dish conscience smote him. The change in his with the newly caught fish and the never-till- wife alarmed him, and he came down sudden. then tasted mango.
ly and stood before her. As soon as she saw Meanwhile he had to water his' garden, and him she roared out at him :went to the back yard for the purpose. The "Why have you injured me to-day by watering was done by a pikóta. He used to plundering my mango and fish P How dare ran up and down the pole while a friend of you do such an irreligious act? You shall his, the son of his neighbour, lifted the water soon see the results of your impertinence !" and irrigated the garden.
“The goddess has come apon my wife most Meanwhile his wife cooked the dish of terribly," thought the poor man. "Her divino mango and fish in a pan, and found the flavour power may soon kill her! 'What shall I do P" 80'sweet that even while the dish was only | So he fell at the feet of the divine visitation, as half cooked she began to taste one bit he thought it to be, and said ; “My most holy after another till more than half had already goddess, your dog of & servant ha this day gone down her throat! The dish was at last deviated from the straight path. Excuse cooked and the few remaining slices in the him this time, and he will never do so & pan were taken off the fire, so she went into the second time." verandah and from thence saw her husband "Run then with the pan which contains the running ap and down the pikóța. She results of your sin and dip it deep into my beckoned to him that the dish was ready and tank. Then shall the fish become alive and that he should come in and taste it. How the mango shall take its place in the tree."
