OR TAKSEYO. 



29 



Prince of a smooth body. He is always tormented by the passion 

 of love, and when his evil influence falls upon females, it is supposed 

 to make them ill. Young and fair women are particularly exposed 

 to his attacks. Another account says that he was the son of a 

 king, and that afterwards on taking orders as a Buddhist priest his 

 piety and sanctity of life became so great, that, besides other super- 

 human powers, he acquired that of flying through the air like a 

 bird, but that on a certain occasion, while so moving in the air, 

 seeing the beautiful daughter of a certain king of India, he was so 

 much struck with her beauty, that he fell in love, and losing at the 

 same time all his supernatural powers dropped down on the very 

 spot, where the object of his passion was standing at the time. His 

 passion was so intense, that it broke his heart, and he died on the 

 spot, and became a demon, since called Calu Cumara Dewatawa. 

 He is considered to be a demon of great respectability, more civi- 

 lized and less savage than the rest of his fraternity. Great care is 

 therefore taken in the preparation of his offerings. Rice of the 

 best quality and cooked in the best manner, the best kinds of plan- 

 tains, sugar canes, oranges, king-cocoanuts, sugar, and several va- 

 rieties of cakes, constitute the principal articles in the offerings 

 made to him. His person is of a dark blue colour, and his garments 

 of a deep black. 



VII. Ahimana Yakseya was born of an Aandy* woman. His 

 father was a king of Gururatta in Casee-day se. He is known under 

 three other names, Ollala Yakseya, Malala Yakseya, and Cotta 

 Yakseya or short demon, so called in reference to the short stumps 

 of his legs, which were cut off in a battle fought with king Wijeyo. 



VIII. Tota Yakseya, son of king Malala and his queen 

 Sandagana of the city of Sandagana Nuvera, passes most of his 

 time at the ferries and fords of rivers; and it is at these places that 

 he casts his influence on men. 



* Aandy is the name of a class of Moormen, whose sole pursuits are begging 

 and fortune-telling. They are the Gypsies of Ceylon. Their language, religion, 

 and dress are the same as those of the Moormen, hut still it is open to doubt 

 whether they are of the same race, 



