98 Wilher Theodore Elmore 



the ammavaru. Accordingly he determined that he would not ap- 

 pear in the world in the usual way, and coming out through his 

 mother's back, he entered a gourd and continued to grow in that. 



The gourd grew north and south, and one day it separated itself 

 from the vine and began to roll toward the bazaar. Meanwhile 

 his mother was going to the well, and the rolling gourd struck her 

 feet. As it was a large gourd, she called a cart and took it home 

 thinking that she had secured a prize. After arriving at the house 

 she opened the gourd, and her lost son appeared. Immediately the 

 entire house became the color of gold. Soon the father came from 

 his begging, and did not recognize the house because of its 

 changed appearance. He was about to pass by when his wife 

 called to him, and told him the whole story. Then there was 

 great joy in that house. 



After this the villagers wanted to choose a king, and they de- 

 termined that one should be chosen from among the six sons of the 

 Brahman. The sons quarreled about the honor, and finally the 

 eldest proposed that all should secrete themselves in palm trees. 

 An elephant should be brought, a garland placed on its trunk, and 

 whichever boy should be given the garland by the elephant would 

 be king. The plan was carried out, but the elephant passed by all 

 the palm trees, and going to the house where the seventh son was, 

 put the garland on him. So he became the king. 



Up to this point the story is evidently of Brahmanic origin, 

 but it now begins to take on the Dravidian aspect. The boy who 

 has been so honored because he refused to worship the ammavaru, 

 or Dravidian deities, has to submit at last. 



The story now goes on to relate that when the new king assumed 

 his authority he commanded that no one should worship any of 

 {he village goddesses on penalty of being driven out of the place. 

 The worship of Poleramma now ceased in the village. At the 

 king's command they took Poleramma and throwing her into a 

 miry pit, caused the elephants to tread her down. There were 

 two leeches in the pit, and they helped Poleramma to escape. She 

 now called to her help Mathamma, who was in the hill of Matanga, 

 and also her brother, Potu Razu. These came at once and their 



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