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FEBRUARY, 1894.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
45
Thereupon Kêmêr Ballal said to the brothers :-"I have erected a mansion and have named it Élade, and I wish you to examine it, and point out to me its several beauties and defects."
So he conducted them into the mansion. They examined every part of it and said “O my lord, there is no creeper without a curve, and there is no thorn without a point." Then the Ballå! said:"Now let us go to the upper-story, O you heroes!"
Accordingly the Balla! went first, and the brothers followed him. When they entered the room the Balla! came down, and the porter shut the doors. The man that had charge of the key, locked them in, and their legs were heavily chained.
The elder brother cried out:-"O God! O God! O my hard fate! How woeful is my story! My death is approaching ! I am now to die, even with my brother, whom I brought with me, at the age of seven years! O Brahmara, send us relief! The offering we consecrated to you shall be the bell-metal handle of our dagger. If you are the Brahmara that relieves men in their difficulties, relieve us now! We are heroes that in life deserve a place in the king's courcil, and after death to be taken to the heaven of Brahmara. We are they that in no circumstances fail to fulfil our promises."
At these words Brahmars sent him gigantic strength in his right shoulder, and the heavy chains broke, and the upper-story gave way! Did he crush it like an elephant ? Did he stamp op it like a tiger? Did he shew the ferocity of the wild hog? He stamped on it like an elephant and five hundred stones fell down, and three hundred stones fell down by the force of his dagger.
In the field called BAkibalatimara in Panje, he spread out his dirty blanket, and sat down on it. He undid the white bag of botel and said :
" Come, my brother! Come to me creeping, my brother! This event will serve to remind me always of my visit to Pañje! What is there to shew that I have visited Pañje P"
"I shall try whether Brahmara is merciful towards me or not," said Channayya.
No sooner had he uttered these words, than Brahmara sent him remarkable strength in his right shoulder. The heavy chains broke, he crushed the upper-story like an elephant. He stamped on it like a royal tiger. He displayed the fury of the wild hog, Five hundred stones fell down by his stamping, and three hundred stones fell down by the strokes of his dagger. The roof gave way and fell down on his head; but he easily blew it off! The mansion in Pañje was develled to the ground.
The brothers then sat down together in the field Bâkibalatimâra in Pañje, and they caused the Ballal of Pañje to be brought before them and reproached him thus:
«O you flat-nosed Ballal! You crooked-eared Balla!! You opium-eating BallAļ! You bhang-smoking Balla?! You swollen-legged Balla!! You Balla! that takes three meals a day ! The golden swinging cot of Pañje with its silver chains, we shall swing in Edambûr, and the wooden one there with its iron chains shall be swung by us in Pañje. Your upper-story we will level with the spade, and the roof will we set on fire. Wo will have your house destroyed by the pick-axe. We shall make you creep like a lizard. We shall make you run like a bloodsucker. Seven feet of land in the village of Pañje we shall annex to Edambûr."
Having thus severely reproached the Ballal, they told him that they would leave the village. On one side was Panje, and on the other was Edambar, and between them was a bilastone, serving as a boundary-mark, They saw the stons, and it was covered with writing. "Look here, brother, see this writing on this stone," said the younger brother.
* (An inscribed stono : a stone with an ancient inscription on it. -Ed.]
