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MARCH, 1897.]
So saying he sent him away. He came to his budu, took his midday meal, and, sitting in the verandah, called his sister, saying:-" Akka, where are you? What are you doing? Come here for a moment. I have something to say to you."
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
67
At this she came and said: "What is the matter? What can be your business with me? My place is a corner in the kitchen; of what use am I, an old woman ?"
At this the brother said:" Akka, are you not to me like a mother? I think that my mother is not dead. You are my mother. Now, I went to the fortune-telling Bhatta's house, and asked of him the day when the stana is to be dedicated to the Bhûta."
At this she asked: -"Brother, when is that day? And how many days hence?"
He replied:" It will not be in this month; it will be the eleventh day of the next month. The Bhatta said that it is a very auspicious day; I must send for him on that day. I have done so much work. To-morrow get paddy boiled and two muras of rice prepared. To-morrow I will go and bring all the things required for the purpose."
Early in the morning he got up and went to the garden of the Kunbis, aud, going from house to house, he got from thence, plantain-leaves, and bunches of plantains, and the teuder rinds of the plantain-trees, and grey and red and white pumpkins, and vegetables of various kinds, and caused them to be carried by servants and sent them to his house. And then went to his garden and called the pujart and told him:-"O Pujari, go and get a hundred ripe cocoanuts from the cocoanut trees."
Days went on, and the day to dedicate the stina came near. On that day he got up early and went in search of a man to represent the Bhúta. He was not in the house: he asked the inmates of the house where he was gone. Then they replied that on the previous day he had gone to their neighbour's to represent the Bhúta on account of a tambila which took place there; and that he had not returned, but would soon return. So saying they requested him to wait for him for some time. As they were yet speaking he came to his house. Then the Balla seeing him said:"O devil-dancer, to-day in our budu a stána is to be dedicated to a new Bhûta Panjurli. I have asked for the auspicious day, and to-day is the day. Therefore you must come to represent the Bhûta and dance. You must come in the evening and be ready. All our neighbours will come at that time. You must come soon. Otherwise there will be delay on your account. Take care; you must come. Now, I am going."
So saying he came to his budu and quickly took his meal, and went to the fortune-telling Bhatia's house; and, sitting in the verandah, called :-" O Bhatta, O Bhatta, what are you doing? Please come out. I have come on business."
When he thus called him he came out and saw the Ballal sitting in the verandah. Seeing him, he said:"O! are you come ?"
So saying he gave him a mat and a low stool and water to drink and jaggery to cat, and said:"Drink water, and eat jaggery."
So saying he shewed him respect, and then sat down. Then the Ballal said :-" Bhatta, it is very late now; I have come to call you. Is this not the day you mentioned to dedicate the stúna? I have come to call you for that purpose. I came myself lest you should be unwilling to come if I sent a man. Now make haste; it is getting late. Get ready soon; let us go."
To this the Bhatta consented and made haste, and taking an almanack accompanied the Ballal. So they came to the budu. And the Ballal took the fortune-teller to the place where the new stúna had been built, and shewed him everything, and asked:-"Is this beautiful ?"
To this he replied :-" O Ballal, there is nothing equal to your fortune. You are a very good man. To the good all things become good. Now, then, let us make everything really The sun is beginning to set."
