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FEBRUARY, 1894.)
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
37
After their dinner they came out, and set out from the house. They went towards the house of Parimale. The five hundred men in the service of Parimâle, and the three hundred in that of Kolamalo, asked them who they were, and whispered to each other : -"We cannot find out whether they are merchants or Brahmans, or whether they belong to the class called Vakkatera, or whether they are Bants."
At this time the BallAl was looking out of a window of his house, and he said: "The children that are coming are those that I brought up."
By this time they approached the gate and came to the spacions yard in front of the house, and went into the crowded hall. They proceeded to a room set apart for the use of bards, poets, musicians and the like. It was a room on the western side of the house. By means of a rope they got into the upper-story which was made of silver, and sat down on two chairs. Wearing a hat of areca-nut spathe on the head, decorated with peacock's plumes, the Balla! was nodding on his seat. He was adorned with jasmine and pandanus flowers. To the Balla! thus seated, they bowed low.
"Come, children, take seats," said he.
“We would first speak about the purpose with which we have come, and afterwards about the matter of sitting down," said the brothers.
"You can speak about the object which has brought you here, but sit down," said the Balla!.
They sat down near the door, and he asked them to tell him the object of their visit.
“We have become tired of living by cultivation. Our purses have become empty. Supply us with something that will defray all our expenses," said the brothers.
“What do you want, my children P Tell me and I will give it you," said the Balla!.
“In front of your mansion there is a field damed BAkimar, in which can be sown five sérs of rice, and which produces five hundred mudis. Give us that," asked the brothers.
"That field meets all the expenses of my household. Leave that, and ask for another," said the BallAl.
“There is the field Bertasi below your mansion. You sow three sérs of rice in it, and when you reap the orop you get three hundred mudis," said the brothers,
"Leave that one and ask me for something else!" said the Balla.
“In your spacious cow-pen, there are two milch she-buffaloes, give us one of them," asked the brothers.
"They are for supplying milk to the children of my household. Leave them and ask for something else," said the Ballkļ.
“In the yard of your house, there is & jack-tree of & superior quality. On one of its branches there is fruit with a soft rind; on another there is fruit with a hard rind; on a third there is unripe fruit; and on a fourth very tender fruit. Give us that," asked the brothers.
"I cannot give you that," said the Ballai.
Your grand-mothers have two pleasure-gardens. Favour us with one of them," said the brothers.
“Yon, who to-day have asked for a a flower-garden, will to-morrow ask me for one of my grand-mothers !" said the Ballal.
“Ah! you have conceived the strange idea of marrying us to the very mother that Buckled us !" said the brothers, and, bowing low, rushed ont of the house, and proceeded on their way.
. (A memure of grain containing from 40 to 60 sdro.-ED.)
