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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(AUGUST, 1921
So too when we wanted to bring in our things from the gardens in the jungle, all we had to do was to put the load in balanced quantities on the branches of a tree; and the tree would of itself take them off to the village.
In those days, too, people who could not walk could get up into a tree, and they would be borne safely to their home or where they wished to go, whilst quietly sitting on the branches of the tree.
Now there was once quite a large number of people going out into the jungle at the same time, and also coming back to el-panam. Their loads were heavy and the distance great, so that their strength was somewhat overtaxed. So they packed their loads on the branches of the trees and drove the trees along. But as the trees were going along, the people who were behind went into fits of laughter at the comical sight of seeing the trees carrying their loads and lumping up one against the other. So the trees turned stubborn and would not move any more, for they were angry at being laughed at. So nowadays we have often to overtax our strength in carrying our own loads when we travel, because trees have now become fixtures.
IV.-THE PIXIES. Once upon a time the people of Malacca used to go down to the underworld through & narrow passage. It was dark in the passage, so they needed cocoanut-leaf torches.
Down there, lying on the soft grass, they found lots of eggs belonging to the little folks" who lived down there. Every time they went down, the people of Malacca would steal these eggs.
On one occasion they came across the "little folks" and said to them, "Where are your parents ?” “We are the old folks," was the answer. Then the people of the upper world (from Malacca) challenged the "little folks" to a dancing competition, and the pixies did not come off second best.
But the people of the upper world were never able after that cccasion to go down there again and to steal the eggs; for the pixies blocked the way with the spathe of betel-nut, which turned into stone. They never come back again now-a-days, 10 for there is no road.
V.-THE ORIGIN OF THE LITTLE ONE11 Long ago there used to be a small island off the headland at Kakanal, and a sa-ka13 thought it would steal the island and have it for its own place. So in the night, when there was no one to see it, the little bird picked up the island and made off with it.
The bird was not able to go quickly, for the island was a heavy load; and whilst she was still on her way, the day began to dawn; and as the bird did not wish people to see her in the act of thieving, she dropped the island anywhere and anyhow; and through her haste it fell wrong side up. However, she left it as it was and did not trouble to put things straight, at in any case it was not worth very much.
# Thus annexe of the village by the sboru, where the public buildings are. • A village on the south-east coast of Car Nicobar.
10 1 cannot make out the reference here. It can hardly refer to death, for the Nicobarese Hades is not in the underworld, but in the lowest air, especially in certain parts of the jungle, el ki-tel-kö-re.
11 The Little One" is the rocky inlet, Batti Malv, equidistant from Car Nicobar and the next inhabited island, Chowra, being about twenty miles from each. Its orea is about three-quarters of a square mile.
13 A small village on the south coast of Car Nicobar. 13 A small bird that lives on insects.
