________________
FEBRUARY, 1897.) THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
53
At this the fortune-telling Bhatta again took the kausis, and prayed thus: -" Lord God shew us a sign of good fortune if the buffaloes are to get well."
So praying, he took the kausis and put them down, and on calculation a good fortune was shewn. Then the fortune-telling Bhatta took the kausis and told the man : -"You see, you are a fortunate man. It is very well; sach a fortune has not come to any one; it is very anspicious. Behold, when you go home, you will see the buffaloes up and eating grass. They will get well."
At this the man took coorage and again asked him: - "O Bhatta, you have just now ordered me to build the stána ; I do not know in what month I should begin it. You must inform me about that."
To this, the Bhatta said: “You see, I cannot tell you. Pañjurli Bhata is not a small Bhůta; he is very great and powerful. You must do one thing : you must get Pañjarli to possess a man in your house. Then you must invite your neighbours and relatives and friends and invite some great persons also, and get the Bhúta to come upon a man, and then begin to build the stana on the day mentioned by the Bhúta. I would have told you, but I cannot tell about this Pañjurli. He is a Bhâta that would not hesitate to murder a man for the sake of a cocoanut. I cannot even talk of him."
Then the Ballal of the budu said: -" Bhatta, what you have said is very wise, I am very glad of it. I will get everything done according to your words. You must tell me an auspicious day for inviting the Bhúta."
At this the Bhatta, consulting his almanac, said: -- "You can invite the Bhúta on Friday, the 27th of this month."
At this the Ballal said: -“You must be pleased to come to my house on that day."
To this the Bhatta suid :--"You see, it is as if I had come. Because I have much troublo at home, I cannot come. If I am not at home for a single moment the children quarrel and make a great row. Therefore, I cannot come. What am I to come for? Tell me, why am I needed? Who will do you any harm if I am not present? Do just as the Bhůta orders you."
At this, he said :-“Whatever you may say, you must come. Without you I will do nothing."
At that time his nephew, Ibara Ballal, came to see his uncle. He said to himself:- My ancle has gone a long while ago; what is he doing at the fortune-telling Bhatta's house ? I will go and see."
His uncle said to him :-"How are the buffaloes? They are well; is it not so ?”
To this the nephew answered :"Yes, they are well : however, for this once they have survived. They have got up of themselves, and now they are eating some grass. Therefore, now there is no more need of any medicine or anything else."
At this the uncle said to the nephew : -"Nephew, keep quiet. If I had not come to the fortune-teller and had not consulted him, by this time they would have died. What do you know? As I made haste and struck the iron while it was hot, it became effective."
While thus speaking, the sun reached the meridian. At that time a man came to call the fortune-teller to perform worship at the temple. Then he said to them :-"You see, I am now going to the temple. Go you also."
Then both the uncle and the nephew said :-"Sir, now give us leave to go. On the day when I invite the Bhůta I will send for you; you must come to my house accompanying him."
So saying, they went to the budu. As soon as they reached home they went to the cow-pen, and when they saw the racing-buffaloes eating grass eagerly, they were very glad.
(To be continued.)
