1838.] Legend of Pashu-mali. 479 



Legend of the SuraVhi river. 

 In consequence of the penance of an ascetic, Siva came to the wil- 

 derness, where the said ascetic resided ; who, asking that a river might 

 be caused to flow through that wilderness, Siva directed Surab'hi (or 

 CdmadhenuJ, the cow of the gods, to be metamorphosed into this river • 

 which accordingly took place. Certain marvels occur there ; and the 

 beating of drums, and sound of other musical instruments, are heard 

 there at midnight. As the river flows from a rock, so any thing which 

 falls into it becomes petrified. 



Legend of the village called Camban. 



A man selling bracelets passed by an ant-hillock at this place, where 

 a female stood, who asked him to aiiix a pair of bracelets ; while doing 

 so, two other arms appeared, on which two other bracelets were placed ; 

 and she directed him to go, and get paid by Paracrama Pa'ndiyan ; 

 who not only complied, but built a shrine over the spot, where the god- 

 dess had appeared. In later days a poligar built a town near the place ; 

 and, at a still later period, Kothai Verm a raja built a town, and a 

 fort, in the neighbourhood. 



Legend of a place, where a fair, or general market of commodities, 

 used to be held, but long since disused. It is to the south of the last 

 mentioned town called Cambam, and south of the river Surab'hi. The 

 legend amounts to little, or nothing ; but the situation, on the borders 

 of the ancient Pandiya, and Chera, countries, throws a feeble gleam of 

 light on the extensive commerce which anciently took place between 

 those countries ; encouraged by the intercourse of European traders 

 with the western coast. 



Legend of Pashu-mali, or the Cow-mountain. 

 A cow-herd, not finding food for his cattle, drove them to the foot 

 of this hill, and then ascending it, chose a cool station for rest : one 

 cow strayed a long way from the herd, and at a forest-pool met a hun- 

 gry tiger. The cow pleaded, that it wanted to go and suckle its calf, and, 

 after the security of an oath that it would return, the tiger permitted 

 it to go. The cow went for its calf, and met a snake by the way, to 

 whom it told the tale ; it then brought its calf, and the snake to the 

 tiger, but the tiger, struck with such a display of veracity, refused the 

 meal. The cow remonstrated, in vain. At length Siva came, disguis- 

 ed as a Brahman, when the cow ran at him ; but, evading, he disap- 

 peared; and returning with Parvati, and the thirty-three crores of ce- 

 lestials, he gave beatitude to the cow, to its calf, and to the snake. The 

 mountain acquired the name of Pashu-mali. (This inane legend is 

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