1865.] Religion &c. among the Karens. 213 



under a Eugenia tree, there erect a booth. The Eugenia is chosen 

 because regarded as a more holy tree than any other. The booth is 

 for the " four heads of the sacrifice," or priests, and elders to occupy. 



When the booth is built, every man cuts three bamboos, one long 

 one to represent a post in his barn, and two short ones which he ties 

 to the long one, to represent the height to which he wishes his crop 

 of paddy to reach when it is gathered into his barn. Then he makes 

 in miniature, a paddy bin, a long pen, a hen coop, a trap, and a 

 snare. 



When these preparatory measures have been taken, one of the 

 heads of the sacrifice calls the people together, and all the men 

 assemble about the booth. The most wealthy elders sit together with 

 " the heads of the sacrifice" in the booth, but the young people and 

 the poor stay without. No women are allowed to be present. 



The ceremonies are introduced by " the head of the sacrifice" taking 

 a small branch of the Eugenia tree in his hand, when all present 

 imitate him and take a leafy sprig of the tree. The leader lifts his 

 clasped hands to heaven with the sprig between them, and prays ; 

 when all follow his example, each asking in his prayers for whatever 

 he most desires. 



After the prayers, the head of the sacrifice rises up, and taking a 

 spear, spears the bog to death. So soon as the blood begins to flow, 

 all the people jump up, and each one seizes his bamboo which had 

 been set against the tree, and calls out with a loud voice : " May my 

 barn be filled with paddy as high as my bamboo !" Some cry out, 

 il I have caught many rats in my trap ;" and others : " I have snared 

 many wild fowls in my snare." Some dance with shields that they 

 have prepared for the purpose, and others beat drums, and blow pipes. 



They next take the hog to the village., and every man, young and 

 old who is able, kills a fowl ; and after they have cooked the hog and 

 fowls, and prepared the food and drink properly, they carry the whole 

 to the booth. There they place the food on a raised platform pre- 

 pared for the purpose, and taking again sprigs of the Eugenia tree 

 between their clasped hands, they all pray, saying : 



" Lord of the seven heavens and seven earths, lord of the water, 

 lord of the land, Thie-kho-mu-kha, all of you, eat our property, eat 

 our pork, eat our fowls, make our paddy good, our rice good, make 



