1865-] Religion &c. among the Karens. 211 



She then went and told her husband that she was his true wife and 

 the other woman his slave, as he might know by looking at her tongue, 

 which he would find to be black. It was found difficult, however, to 

 obtain a sight of her tongue, for she was aware of the consequences. 

 All attempts to make her laugh failed, but they struck her suddenly, 

 when she screamed and exposed her tongue, which was seen a jet black. 

 Her master then slew her with the sword. 



Then he wished to live with his true wife again, but she said ha 

 had defiled himself by his connection with the black slave, and she 

 would have nothing to do with him, till he had steeped himself in 

 water seven days and seven nights. He agreed to do the prescribed 

 penance ; but after he had been in the water one clay and one night, 

 he was almost dead with cold, and could scarcely speak, so his wife 

 had compassion on him, took him oat of the water, warmed him by 

 the fire, and lived with him happily ever afterwards. 



The sensation in sleep, called "night mare," is produced, the 

 Karens say, by a Na being seated on the region of the stomach ; an 

 idea very analogous to that received anciently in Europe of its origin. 



Such an evil influence is supposed to emanate from persons possessed 

 of Nas, that their praise is deemed injurious to the person or thing 

 possessed. If one looks on a piece of grain and says : " This is a 

 very fine field ;" the grain withers, and becomes sickly. If he says 

 to a parent: "You have nice children;" the children become sick 

 and perhaps die. 



Hence it is not always safe to praise the Karens or their possessions ; 

 for if any accident happens to them subsequently, there is great 

 danger that the person who praised them will be reputed a Na. 



The belief in the existence of these Nas is still very strong, and 

 the persons who possess them are deemed worthy of death. 



A few years ago, two young men appeared before a Karen G-oung- 

 khyruk in Mergui with a charge against a man of having a Na. The 

 magistrate's reply was of such a character, that they immediately went 

 and killed the man in open day. 



Lords. 



In Karen mythology, every natural object has its lord or god in 

 the signification of its possessor or presiding spirit. There is not only 

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