THE LAY OF SAINT LINGO 



169 



Fisied tiem out upon the Turtle ; 

 Faithful Dame bore them onward 

 O'er that black and roaring torrent, 

 Bore them on across the river. 

 And the Sixteen vowed to cherish 

 Name of Dame with them ever, 

 Who had borne them safe and 



hurtless 

 O'er that dark and foaming river. 

 Then they travelled through 



the forest. 

 Over mountain, over vaUey, 

 To the Glens of Seven Mountains, 

 To the Twelve Hills in the Valleys. 

 There remained with Holy Lingo. 

 He the very wise and prudent, 

 Taught to clear the forest thickets. 

 Taught to rear the stately millet, 

 Taught to yoke the sturdy oxen, 

 Taught to buUd the roomy wagon. 

 Raised a city, raised Narbiimi ; 

 City fenced in from the forest. 

 Made a market in Narbumi. 

 Rich and prosperous grew Ndr- 



btimi — 

 So they flourished and remaiafed. 

 Then our Lingo called them 



round him, 

 Ranged them all in rows beside 



him. 

 Spake in this wise — " Hear, 



Brethren ! 

 Nothing know ye of your fathers. 

 Of your mothers, of your brothers. 

 Whom to laugh with, whom to 



marry; 

 Meet it is not ye should be so 

 Like the creatures of the forest." 

 Then he chose them from each 



other. 

 Chose and named their tribes 



distinctive ; 

 Chose the first and said, " Man- 



Thus began the tribe Manwajjd. 

 By the hand took Dahakwdli, 

 Bard he called him " Ddhakwdli. 

 Koilabutal named another. 

 And another Koikobutal — 



Koikobtital wild and tameless. 



Thus he named them as he chose 

 them. 



Till the Sixteen Scores were num- 

 bered, 



TiU the Tribes had all been chosen. 



Next among them chose the 

 eldest. 



Chose an old man hoary headed. 



Chose and called his name " Par- 

 dhana," 



Priest and Messenger he called 

 him. 



Called and sent him on a message 



To the Red HiUs Lahugada, 



The Iron VaUey, Kachikopa ; 



To those Brothers four he sent 

 him. 



Sent to ask them for their daugh- 

 ters 



To be wedded to his Koitor — 



Thus the Tribes our Lingo mated. 



Thus they grew and multiphed. 



Then he chose them into houses, 



Into famihes of seven, 



Of six, of four, he chose them. 

 And he said, " Koitor listen ! 



Nowhere Gods of Gonds are wor- 

 shipped ; 



Let us make us Gods and worship." 



Then made Ghagara the Bell-God. 



Made and gave he to Manwajja. 



Brought the Wild BuU's Tail and 

 named it 



Chawardeo; brought the War 



God- 

 God of Iron, Pharsa Pena ; 



Manko Reytal, Jango Reytal — 



Thus their tribal Gods he fashioned. 



Taught them how to raise their 

 altars ; 



Taught to offer sacrifices — 



Hoary goats, white cocks a year 

 old. 



Virgin cows, and juice of mhowa ; 



Taught to praise with voice and 

 psalter. 



Twang of Jdntur, sound of drum- 

 ming — 



