1865.] Religion dc. 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 hog 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, 
“T 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 
tothe 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 
a a 
