1865.] Religion &c. among the Karens. 199 



" Though they did not see her, they still had some indications of 

 her presence. While her daughter was beating out paddy, all the 

 paddy suddenly leaped t out of the mortar, and a fowl suddenly dropped 

 down dead. 



" The man and his wife eat and drank together, and in the morning 

 separated, to pursue their several journeys. 



ei When the husband got back to bis bouse, be found his wife dead, 

 and his children and neighbours preparing for the funeral. Then the 

 truth rushed on his mind, and he said : ' Children, I met your mother 

 last evening in the road, and we spent the night together. She was 

 going on a visit, but alas it was her La. Had I but known it, I would 

 have called her back." 



Although the body and the La are represented as matter and 

 spirit, yet in the following story, materiality seems to be possessed by 

 the La. 



" A certain woman sickened and died, while her husband was absent 

 on a journey. While he was returning home, he met her La on the 

 way and asked : Where art thou going ? She replied : ' I am going 

 to visit my parents.' He then slapped her on the face with his hand, and 

 she came to herself again and returned with her husband home. 



" When they arrived at their house, they found the people mourning 

 over her body ; but she immediately entered the body, and it came to 

 life again as before." 



The La may be separated from the person to which it belongs during 

 life. In sleep it wanders away to the ends of the earth, and our 

 dreams are what the La, sees and experiences in his perambulations. 

 When absent in oar waking hours, we become weak, fearful, sick, and 

 if absence be protracted, death ensues. Hence it is a matter of the 

 deepest interest with a Karen to keep his La with him ; and he is ever 

 and anon maldng offerings of food to it, beating a bamboo to gain its 

 attention, calling it back, and tying his wrist with a bit of thread, 

 which is supposed to have the power to retain it. 



The forms differ in different tribes, though the thing is substantially 

 the same. A Bghai writes : 



" Should a person be often sick ; if he cannot walk without being- 

 weary, or work without feeling exhausted ; if he has no appetite for 

 his food ; if he pines away, and has a sallow countenance ; it is said 

 that his La has left him." 



