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OCTOBER, 1896.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
273
“There is no difficulty at all in going where you like," said the sailors. Then they traded by the sea for two years.
"However much we try we cannot even gain three pagodas, and there has been no profit by our trade. What shall we do now?" said they.
"Let us trade in bullocks," said one. So they traded in bullocks. “Where do bullocks come from ? And whence do cocks come?" asked they.
“Cocks come from Kokada, the cluphant from Anegundi (Vijayanagar), and bullocks from the Ghâts," they were told, and so they went to buy bullocks.
They kept three hundred rupees in a bag and tied up three hundred rupees in thcir upper garments. They went to the herd of cows. There were three thousand bullocks, but they found only two good ones amongst them. They asked the price.
“A thousand rupees for the front leg, and a thousand rupees for the hind leg. Altogether two thousand rupees," said the Ganda.
"What is there important about them ?" asked they.
“There are certain points in oxen, vis., & white tail, a white spot on the forehead, and points in the four legs, a white tongue, a bent horn and a certain colour in the belly. These &re the points in these oxen," said the Ganda.
"We want to buy such," said they. So the Ganda sold the oxen to them. "Though you have boaght the oxen, I do not give you the rope," said he. “Let that be: there is our master, one Karenki BallaỊ of Kukyali," said they.
They went there, and the Balla! said to them : - "You had better cut in pieces very long cloth and tie the oxen together with it and bring them."
They did so, and descended the Ghâts. There was one Pergadi (Vokketinar) of Kallabotti, and they went to his village. There was a jack-tree in front of the house, a widespreading tree, giving good shade. So they stood under the tree in the shade, but the herdsmen said: "You cannot let your oxen lie under that tree, nor can you stand there."
"Why not?" asked they.
“There are three hundred unripe fruit on the branches and a thousand fruit below, which belong to our master. If you steal them, you will incur the curse of Pañjurli."
" It is said that unripe fruit bears a curse but not ripe fruit," replied they, and tied their oxen to the trunk of the tree, cut off the fruit, ate the inner part, and gave the oxen the skin. Then they took their oxen and went to the lidu at Kukyaļi Karange, where they gave their oxen both rice water and ordinary water, and tied them up. But the oxen disappeared from that place. They had been tied up at night, but could not be found in the morning. As they could not find the oxen, they referred to the prasna book, from which they found that as they had disregarded what the herdsmen of the bidu had said and had mocked them and had stolen the jack-fruit and eaten them, the Bhůta of the place had followed them and caused the bullocks to disappear, Bat if they prayed and worshipped the Bhůta, they would find their oxen.
“How are we to worship the Bhata ?" asked they of the astrologer.
“There is one Kantu, a Pombada by caste; call him and give him betel-nat for the sake of the Bhůta. If you do this, you will find your oxen. Also, if you give him rico on Tuesday so that he may perform a feast on the following Tuesday, you will find your oxen," said the astrologer. Next day they called Kanțu the Pombada, and gave him rice on that very Tuesday,
