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March, 1897.]
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
61
Then the nephew said:-"Ann, Anna, I am very hungry; now let us go."
At this both went to the verandah of the house, and there they saw rice served in plates (of brass) and milk in bowls (of brass) and everything ready. They took water in a pot and washed their hands and faces and sat down to take their meals ; and took rice a second time. And having eaten and being filled, they got up and went to the raised platform on the verandah. Then the Balla! called his wife, and told her to bring the bag of betel-leaves; and when she had brought it, he opened it and ate betel-leaves and betel-nut, and reclining on a pillar spat continually. While doing so, he called his nephew and said :-"Behold, you will know after I am dead; because when you came to the house of the fortune-telling Bhatta, did you ask me --Anna, did you consult the fortune? What became manifest ?' Or some such thing? Do you think any disease is cared of itself? You are a wise fellow. If any one has such nephews, his rice will give place to conjee; there is no doubt of it."
To this the nephew said: "You see, Anna, I would have asked; but on account of hunger I had become nearly insensible, as if saffron powder had been put into my eyes. Even my tongue clave to my palate. Therefore, I did not ask. Now I ask you, tell me: what became manifest in the fortune P"
To this the uncle said : -"You see, you Uạpaạna,t as you ought to be called. You are only a boiled-rice man. What shall I tell you ?" So saying he rebuked him.
At this the nephew said :-"Do not be angry with me. It is true I am an ignorant man, a boiled-rice man, because I do not know how to live without eating."
To this the uncle said :-“Enough, enough; do not speak much."
So saying he still continued "You see, & now Bhata called Pañjurli has come to this village. It had not come to any place before this; it has first come to our house and shown its power and influence. It is now ascertained by fortune-telling process to be a very powerful Bhúta; and the fortune-telling Bhatga told me to believe in him. Then I told him that I was willing to believe in him; and asked him how I should do it. Then he told mo to cause a stána to be built and to keep a cot in it and offer sacrifices to the Bhata, and thus believe in him. If you believe in him thus,' said he, your buffaloes will get well this instant, and begin to eat grass. Accordingly, I agreed to what he said and returned. Therefore, I must begin the work of building the stána next Friday. I must call the carpenters and then begin the work. I cannot do all this work without fifteen pagodas. I am, therofore, anxious, not knowing what to do. What do you know of my anxiety po
So saying he called nis sister and said :-“Akka, the produce of our fields in this year is not enough for four months. If the conjee vessels of the bondmen are not filled to the brim their countenances fall. If three cash of the Government money remains unpaid the collector will not leave as. In this year's rainy season we shall not get conjee water to drink. You see your son has no sense. How will he live? How will he conduct the affairs of this budu ? I cannot understand it."
At this she said :-"You see, brother, do not tell him anything. Let his life be in him, and let him only live before our eyes; it is enough. Do not you tell him anything. Do as I say; hear me."
At this he left off speaking and went to his work. Then the nephew calling his mother said to her:-“Mother, there are many lumps of cowdung on the grassy plot where the cattle are grazing. I will go and fetch them. When my uncle comes home, if he sees me sitting idle he will abuse me very much. I will do as much as I can."
So saying he took a cowdang basket and a cowdung ladle and went to the grassy plot and filled the basket with the cowdung lumps, and taking it upon his head came home. As he was
11. o., a boiled rice man, that is, one who is good for nothing but eating.
