Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism 1 19 



he was a Brahman and wished to study. The Brahman received 

 him and taught him for years. The young man was, however, 

 a Pariah, a Mala according to the most common version of the 

 story. In the course of time the Brahman's daughter became in- 

 fatuated with him and married him. 



Some years later the young man's mother came to visit them. 

 Her son warned her not to reveal his low origin. He had her 

 shaved and dressed as a Brahman widow, and told his wife that 

 she was deaf and dumb. All went well until one day the 

 daughter-in-law prepared a dish in which flour and water are 

 formed into long strings somewhat like macaroni. When the old 

 woman saw it she forgot to be silent and asked if it was the en- 

 trails of animals, a dish with which she would not be unfamiliar. 

 Another version runs that on a feast day she asked if certain 

 sweetmeats were fish tongues. 



The suspicions of the daughter-in-law were aroused, and her 

 husband could not deny her accusations. She went to her father 

 and asked what should be done to purify a pot if a dog had licked 

 it. Her father replied that the only way was to cast the pot into 

 the fire. She understood his meaning, and soon after having 

 sent her mother-in-law and children away for a time, she shut 

 herself in the house and burned the house and herself. 



The spirit of the dead woman now appeared in the center of the 

 village, and after rebuking the people for allowing her to marry 

 a Pariah, she gave directions for her worship. She further told 

 them that her husband should be beheaded, one of his hands 

 placed in his mouth, the fat from his abdomen placed over his 

 eyes, and a light placed on his head before her. 



The villagers accordingly seized her husband, and after leading 

 him about the village, beheaded him according to her directions. 

 Her children were then brought before her. According to one 

 story she had no mercy on them because they were the children 

 of a Pariah, and ordered them to be slain. They are now repre- 

 sented by the sheep and goats which are offered to the goddess, 

 as the husband is represented by the buffalo. Another and more 

 pleasing legend is to the effect that she said the children were hers 



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