________________
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
41
FEBRUARY, 1894.]
He ran home so fast that the dust rising from the earth covered all his head. He held a little grass in his hand, and by its means induced his cow to come home from the garden, where it was grazing. The cow came home and its pretty calf was put to suck its mother. When it had sucked once, the Brahman drew a ser of milk. A second time, the calf was put to its mother, and this time the Brahman drew two sérs of milk. He then boiled the milk and reduced it to one ser. Then, taking with him a stool made of the wood of the tree called kadali, ornamented with flowers of silver, and another of gold set with precious stones, he came to the two brothers, and said:"Drink this milk to allay your thirst." They accordingly drank the milk, and said to each other that they would not murder the Brahman, who had given them milk.
"Sit down, both of you, and I will predict future events."
So the Brahman prophesied..
He said:"O yon heroes, in the village named Adakkanellijine, the Koragars, living in their sheds called koppu, the Mugêrs in those called roni, and the Bakders of the plain, are all eagerly waiting to meet you. Kemer Ballal, of the village named Pañje, keeps a watchful guard. Therefore, be very cautious on your way. If you think that what I say is false, on your way to Nellijine, you will see white stone-berries and Kôți Baidya's palankin, and hear the sound of the war drum. If you think this also to be false, you will meet a female areca-nut seller called Kantakke. She will verify my statement; and if this, too, shall prove false, when you return, you may put me to death."
Hearing this Kôti and Channayya walked on. On the way they met the female areca-nut seller Kantakke. She cried out:-"O children, why are you journeying? Where did you come from? Where do you go to? Over there, wood, stone and earth-work is being busily carried on. O children, why are you journeying?"
"She, who has given us such good advice, shall not henceforward carry the basket of areca-nut on her head," said the brothers to each other, and they gave her their blessing by lightly touching her hand with their dagger, and said to her :
"Put out rice to interest in kind and money to interest in coin, and thus live happily."
They went on their way to Nellijine, and while they were walking on they saw a bunch of stone-berries. Channayya took one of the berries and threw it up, he held his dagger directly under it and passed the dagger through the berry. The berry as it fell was reduced to powder as fine as red turmeric. The people saw this wonderful feat, and said :
"If the younger brother can shew so much dexterity, how much more will the elder be able to shew? All our ability and skill would be as nothing in comparison to theirs. If we obey our master's orders (to fight them), half of us will lose our lives."
Thus spake the Bakders of the plain, and the Koragars, living in their sheds termed koppu, and fled. The Mugêrs, carrying bows, held each a blade of grass in his hand and fell prostrate before the two brothers, crying for protection.
"For ever and ever we will serve you like crows," said they.
The brothers heard this, and poured water on the hands of the suppliants, saying: "Be you our bond-slaves," and the brothers blessed them by touching their hands with the point of their dagger, and gave them some rupees.
Feast yourself with toddy," said the brothers, and then, taking their way, they went through the plain in Panje.
On that plain there were some cow-herds grazing thousands of cows. Channayya proposed to his brother to propound a riddle to the cow-herds.
"A riddle requires little wisdom, but great wit," said Kôți. They then said to the cowherds:"Look! in your herd of cattle, a ball has brought forth a calf and is licking it."
To this the others answered:-"Look to the West, O you heroes! and see the sea on fire!"
