I04 V/ilher Theodore Elmore 



" If you will not eat my food, you shall not fight my battles," he 

 sent them away. 



The Madigas returned to Katama Razu, and when he saw that 

 they had returned without fighting any battles or winning any 

 victories, he was angry, and would not speak to them. The 

 Madigas were filled with chagrin, and saying, " We did not have 

 any part in the battle with Chenniah Baludu, and now we have 

 no part with Katama Razu, so it is better for us to die," they 

 threw their weapons into the air, and baring their breasts were 

 slain by the falling swords and spears. For this brave act they 

 were immediately admitted into the heaven of heroes. 



The viralu now are thought to dwell in the sacred jammi tree.* 

 The place is marked by a stone, but the spirits are in the tree, 

 not in the stone. They are propitiated especially at wedding 

 times, no doubt with the idea that the powers of these heroes 

 will appear in the offspring. At such times it is common to kill 

 a sheep and throw the blood into the air for the spirits. 



These legends of the shepherds show the influence of their 

 pastoral life, and in general are of a milder nature than the other 

 legends cited. It is noticeable also that there is no evidence of 

 Brahman influence. There is almost no attempt to connect their 

 gods with those of the Brahmans. It is probable that the shep- 

 herds, living a more nomadic life, and dwelling much on the 

 pasturing grounds far from the towns and villages, have never 

 come under the influences of Hinduism as have the other Dra- 

 vidians. The basic principles of Dra vidian worship, however, 

 are everywhere evident in their legends and worship.'^ 



^ The reason given by the shepherds for the sacredness of the jammi 

 tree is that at one time the shepherd kings wished to conceal their weapons, 

 and coming to a jammi tree, asked it to guard them. They found a corpse 

 and removing the skin, placed the weapons in that. This they tied to the 

 trunk of the tree. When anyone came near the tree he saw snakes, scor- 

 pions, and devils, but the shepherd kings saw only their weapons. Be- 

 cause of this kind act on the part of the tree, it has since been considered 

 sacred. 



"^ For further information about the shepherds see Thurston, Castes and 

 Tribes of Southern India, II, pp. 292 sq. under " Golla." 



104 



