82 MR. R. B. BAINBRIDGE ON 



Nor ire nor sting, ah me ! the scene 

 While our song doth swelling rise. 

 Oh, bring ye gifts and service true, 

 IvO, the master plays the snake 

 With snapping finger ; bring his due 

 And offerings freely make. 



The festival continues for a month and more. The snake is then taken to the middle 

 of a running stream and liberated. The disciples who offer pigeons, etc., are here 

 taught snake lore and incantations ; and the necessary drugs are given to them by 

 the Guru. A goat and two pigeons are sacrificed on the bank and the party betakes 

 itself homewards. The Guru, it may be observed, is often given money by his dis- 

 ciples. 



Devils and Evil Spirits. 



Mara Kambe is a devil who lives in trees ; he is seen swinging on creepers by the 

 privileged at midday or midnight. He is a male devil, absolutely black, with white 

 eyes and very long matted hair, and feet and hands turned backwards. This devil 

 is the ghost of an old man who has died unmarried. He cannot bear to see pregnant 

 women. Should they approach his abode, he beats them and kills the unborn child, 

 causing an immediate miscarriage ; also, frequently, he causes the death of the mother. 

 He pays very little attention to sacrifices and pujahs. Goats, fowls, eggs and other 

 things are offered to him. This devil has much power for harm and only attacks 

 pregnant women. 



Din d eh, a female devil. She also lives in trees. She is black with yellow eyes ; 

 she pays some attention to sacrifices. She attacks both men and women. This is 

 the ghost of an old unmarried woman, who wrestles with men and beats women and 

 causes maladies. In such cases the Demno and others sacrifice eggs, a black fowl 

 and a small black cloth rubbed with soot. These are offered in a small basket at the 

 place fixed upon by the Demno. 



Port. — Male or female devil. This is the ghost of either a man, woman or child. 

 This spirit lives in graveyards but wanders about. This is a black spirit with white 

 eyes, who wears a dirty cloth round its loins and wrestles with people, causing diar- 

 rhoea, vomiting, etc. To this ghost a fowl's egg, burnt makai and burnt rice, 

 tobacco mixed with lime are offered in a mud plate at the place selected by the Char- 

 ri Beddu or Demno. 



Ndrrdh. — Sex unknown. This devil lives in dirty and stagnant pieces of water 

 and slush. It assumes all forms such as, pigs, tigers, rats, etc. This ghost causes 

 sickness and death at night by licking the bodies of human beings. I tbrings dropsy 

 and other awful diseases. The Demno and Charri Beddu administer jungle medi- 

 cines. 



A Demno is said to have poisoned one of these devils with pig's blood mixed 

 with poison. The ghost died as a musk-rat. Sacrifices are not offered to this devil. 



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