138 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



wind-god whistles from nortli to south and from east to west, 

 carrying the clouds on their errands ; as long as the stars shine 

 in the heavens, and the rising and falling sea makes a line of 

 foam round the earth, and the lotus flower, like the spirit of 

 creation, floats thereon. Curses upon him who fails in his 

 worship of you, or in offering you the best fruits of his land, as 

 he would to any god. Curses upon him who shall despise or 

 maltreat you ; for I, Rama, incarnation of Vishnu, pronounce you 

 and your offspring sacred upon the earth, even until the ages 

 shall bring again the return of Brahma and the last day for 

 gods and men and every living thing." 



The worship of Annouma has spread through the whole 

 of India, and, although the followers of Vishnu especially 

 reverence him, no sect refuses to honor him with offerings 

 of fruit and flesh. Where these sacred apes are most 

 common, the poor natives not only let them help them- 

 selves to anything in the garden, but actually prepare 

 great platters of sweetened rice, which they carry piously 

 to some one of their favorite haunts. Perhaps no people 

 show a stranger form and object of worship than they, 

 nor one more difficult of explanation. I once said to a 

 Brahman with whom I was on terms of the greatest frank- 

 ness, which allowed the remark, — 



" You are far too intelligent to believe this story of 

 Rama and Annouma." 



"They are stories for children," he replied. 



" Then how do you explain the universal credence given 

 them?" 



I 



