1S65.] Religion dec. among the Karens, 225 



went into the Red Karen country, where he met with Sbapau, and 

 married his wife's sister. In the end, the Burman succeeded in 

 establishing himself in the eastern part of Karenee, killed his brother - 

 in-law Shapau, stole his stone, and became king or chief of all the 

 eastern part of the Red Karen country, where his descendants rule to 

 this day." 



Magic. 



Karens believe in the magical properties of things, as illustrated in 

 the following story : — 



The Magic Ring. 



" The Elders say, there was an orphan child brought up by his 

 grandmother, who was so lazy that he would not open the skins of the 

 wild plantains when he wanted to eat them, but made his grandmo- 

 ther do it for him. He would do nothing but play, so he got the 

 name of Mr. Laziness. 



" His grandmother, finding a trading boat going down the river, 

 persuaded the boatmen to take him along. When on board, he 

 would not do anything. If the boatmen gave him food, he ate ; if they 

 gave him none, he fasted. They found Mm good for nothing but to 

 watch their boat when they left it ; and for this they gave him an 

 occasional two annas or a quarter of a rupee. 



" One morning, when all the men had gone up into the town, and 

 he was left alone in the boat, he heard that one of the citizens was 

 about to kill a cat, and he asked permission to buy it, and it was sold 

 to him. 



" Again, about noon, he heard that another one was going to kill 

 a rat, that had done some mischief, and he bought off that also for 

 three pice. 



" Towards evening, several of the citizens came along with a crocodile, 

 that they had just taken, and were about to kill, for having devoured 

 several men. This, with a dog, he bought for a quarter of a rupee. 

 He put the crocodile into the boat, when it spoke and said to him : 

 ' Master, thou hast had mercy on me and bought me, and I shall not 

 die. The reason I devour men is, that there is a gold ring in my 

 head. The ring is under the flesh in my head, and whatsoever I 

 desire, I obtain. Chisel it out, take it for thyself, and let me go into 

 the water.' So he took a chisel belonging to one of the boatmen, 



