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MAY, 1895.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
119
He went off to ask about this, and came to the chávadi of Eļļür Abbe and said :"A Brâhman woman, whose eyes are bound up with a cloth, and who has been left in the ind-tree garden, called Sankamalla at Rayanad, has asked me to unbind her eyes. I told her that I would get my master's consent and go back to her," said he.
"You had better go back and take the cloth off the eyes of the woman, whose eyes were bound up, or her diamond-like eyes will be closed and she will fall. If she has eyes, she can see many countries. Therefore you had better bring her here and take care of her at Erajha," said Eļļür Abbe. "After a year and six months has passed, people will come to speak about marrying her, when you should get her married. It will be a deed of merit for you."
Sâyina went and brought the Brâhman woman to the chávadi of Ellûr Abbe, who saw her, gave her the name of Deyl Baidysti, ordered her to go to Erajha, and told her not to be ashamed and confused. A year and six months had not passed after she had gone to Erajha, when Kantanna Baidya came to speak about marrying her, and a promise of marriage for Deyi Baidyati was given, to be performed on a Monday. The next week betel-leaves and nats were received and given back, and on the ensuing week, on a Sunday, the bride was taken to the bridegroom, and the marriage, that is, pouring water on each other's hands, was performed on a Monday morning, and rice was aprinkled on the bridegroom. In this way was the ceremony of marriage performed, and a year and six months passed.
On a lucky day of the month of Sôna, the water of pregnancy came in the womb of Deyt, and her womb grew larger. Iu the beginning of the ninth month of her pregnancy she was called to the bid of Parimalo Balla), to give him medicine. There was a large boil on his side. Birmana Baidya had applied to it a medicine with pieces of earthen rings and bottles, by which the disease was increased double.
“Who else can give medicine?" asked Parimaļë Ballk!. "The day of death has approached me. Who can now protect me P"
" There is a woman, the wife of Kantanna and the sister of Sayina," said his servants.
" Tell me what her daily charges will be. Write a letter to Erajha. Then she will receive the letter, read it and give me an answer," said the Ballå!.
So a servant was sent to Deyi Baidyati, She looked at the letter, and said :
“I do not know what is the end of a creeper which grows upwards. I do not know a root which creeps downwards. I do not know a branch of a tree, growing on the sides. But, though I can give a medicine which I know, I cannot see my feet," said she. “You, the bearer of the letter, had better take rice for your hire in Erajha."
She brought a sér of rice, & cocoanut, and two cucumbers, and gave them to the bearer.
"If you want to cook and take your food here, there is a hut for travellers built by my brother. If you want to prepare your meal here, I can get pots made of bell-metal. If you are going away immediately, O my master, you may go. If you have any business, you may go soon," said she.
Then the bearer of the letter went away from Erajha, and reached her master's bidu. As soon as she reached the bidu, the Bulld! asked her :- "O my servant, did you go there as a man or as'a woman P"
“My master, I came as a man. Deyi said that she did not know the ends of creepers growing upwards, nor a root growing downwards, nor even a branch of a tree growing on the sides, and that, moreover, she cannot see her feet," said the bearer.
The Ballal called his servants immediately and ordered them to take down the palangain. "Let a white umbrella and a large panlanquin go to Erajha!"
* Owing to her pregnancy,
