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NOVEMBER, 1896.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
309
at Deyi Beidyadi, when she went from among us, she went alone. Now, when returning, any bearers with infants, cradlo and cow and call, are accompanying her!”
"Yes," said they, "fortune is smiling upon us."
So saying they came to meet Deyi Beidyadi and received her gladly and took up the infants and kissed them and took them in. Afterwards Deyi Beidyadi told her husband to go to the garden and fetch large young cocoanuts to distribute them among the coolies who had brought the cradle, and when he brought them she gave two to each cooly, and said :"You must be tired with bringing my loads in this hot sun. You must be very thirsty: therefore, drink of these tender coconuts. I am poor : I cannot give you much. You know my poverty: therefore, I need not tell you."
In this manner she spoke and they were pleased, and took the young cocoanuts and drank their water and were refreshed! Afterwards she brought rice and gave them rice at the rate of half a seer to each man, and gave them curry-stuff and everything necessary to prepare their food. So they took these things and went to the side of the well, and there they prepared their food, and having eaten it and being refreshed, they took leave of Sama Alwa and his nephew, and went their way.
So as days went on these twins grew and became two very fine looking lads. One day they asked permission of their mother to go to the hills, togetber with the cowherd boys who tended their cattle. But she said:
"Don't you go to the hills, my children: many big lads come there and they will quarrel with you and beat you. Don't you go there."
* O mother," said they, "we will not quarrel with others. We will play quietly between ourselves. Why should they beat as ? And if they beat us, we will also beat them."
At this she said :-"O my children, if you do so, you will lose your heads. The Bant boys who come there are very proud ; and if they hate any one, they will not hesitate to shed blood. Hearken to my advice."
"O mother," said they, “we will go to-day and return. We will not do any wrong to any one."
So saying, they went to the bills to play with the cowherd boys who tended the cows belonging to themselves and their neighbours. On that day, it so happened, that the two grandsons of Buddhivanta, who was the minister of the Ballâl of Parmale, had come to the hills to play with the cowherd boys who tended their grand-father's cattle. They began to play at yettu.38 In the game the cowherd boys, who were on the side of the grandsons of Buddhivante, won all the pichis from these cowherd boys. Then these boys mortgaged their palles, and borrowed some nuts from them, and began to play again. Seeing this Koti Beidya said to Channaya Beidya :-"Brother, let us also play with them at yettu."
But Channaya said :-"Don't you remember how our mother warned us not to have anything to do with the Bant boys ? Let us only look on at their play from a distance."
« Why are you go afraid of those boys " said Koti; "are we not men like themselves ? Those Bagt boys : have they four eyes ? They are also born of woman. We need not be afraid of them."
This game is played a follows -A small cirole is described on the ground and cashew nuts are put down by the boys, each putting down & certain number. The players strike at the nata from a certain distance with a flat piece of stone. When a player succeeds in driving the nuts out of the oirolo ho wins them. It one fails to hit the nuta, the next boy strikes, and if he hita, he is allowed to strike till he fails in hitting one. Every player has the right of striking at the nuts till he fails in hitting. So one by one strike at them, and when all are driven out and the circle is cleared, the players pat down the pats apain. # The nuts which are placed within the circle are culled pichis.
The fat piece of stone is called palle.
