The " Kols" of Chota- Nagpore. 161 



" Madura's Bramin happening to pass, bearing an image of the sun 

 worshipped by the Moondahs, saw the child sleeping and protected by 

 a snake with expanded hood. This snake was Poondorik, relapsed 

 into his original form. He addressed the Bramin, told his own 

 story and the story of the child's birth, declared that the babe was 

 destined to be a great Rajah, and that his name was to be Funimatuk 

 Roy, ' the snake hood crowned,' a worshipper of the sun, whose image 

 the Bramin bore, and the Bramin was to be the family priest. 

 The snake then vanished. The child was taken to Madura's house 

 and adopted and brought up with his own son, a boy of much the 

 same age. When Funimatuk Roy was twelve years of age, Madura 

 convened the Purha chiefs, and it is said the neighbouring Rajahs, 

 including the Rajah of Sirgoojah and the Dytya Rajah, and suggested 

 that one of the two lads should be selected as the Rajah of Nagpore. 

 The lads were subjected to an examination, when it was found that 

 the snake boy had already acquired all the accomplishments necessary 

 for his destined position, whilst the other was a mere rustic. It was 

 then (according to the annals of the Nagbunsee family) ruled, that 

 Funimatuk Roy and his heirs for ever should be the Rajahs, and that 

 the Moondah's child and his descendants should bear burdens, and 

 thus all who claim to hold lands as descendants of the Moondahs and 

 Oroans that first cleared them, are bound, when called on, to bear the 

 burdens imposed on them by the Rajah and his assigns !" 



It is frankly admitted in the annals I quote from, that a difficulty 

 arose regarding Funimatuk's birth, when he sought in marriage the 

 daughter of the Sikurbhoom (or Poehete) Rajah. The Sikurbhoom 

 family priest was sent to examine the certificates of birth and found 

 none : but Rajah Matuck Roy prayed for the intercession of his 

 ophidian parent ; he had calmly contemplated his position and put 

 it to his father, that if the Sikurbhoom priest was not satisfied, a 

 Moondah or an Oroan girl should become Queen of Nagpore. This 

 was not to be thought of. So the Nag once more entered an appear- 

 ance, satisfied the Bramin by a relation of wonders, and since then 

 the Nagbunsis have always intermarried with the best Rajpoot families. 

 It is particularly noted that at Funimatuk Roy's wedding-feast the 

 Oroans and Moondahs all got drunk and began to fight, and the Rajah 

 of Nagpore and Madura had to obtain the assistance of his guests, the 



