No. 26.— 1883.] PADDY CULTIVATION CUSTOMS. 



59 



carries them three times round the deyiran box, and ends by 

 planting them in the earth in a line, exclaiming "Boko bo 

 venda,purd,purd /" 4 May it be (a harvest) of great plenty ! 

 full, full !'* At the same moment the Madupurayd breaks 

 a cocoanut with a bill-hook (gana-deviyan-gahanavd ). 

 Once more the dturayo are invited to contribute pandiirii 

 for the deyiran. 



The night is generally well advanced before the above 

 rites are carried through. When dawn is approaching, the 

 Kapurala turns his attention to the last ceremony preceding 

 the actual feasting, known as kiri-itiravima, or "causing 

 milk to overflow." Entering the pahan-pela he ties apiece 

 of white cloth over his mouth, and places three new clay pots 

 on three 'gipsy-kettle' supports in a row. Into the pots he puts 

 some rice with water, and kindles a fire under each, fanning 

 the flames, but taking care not to blow the fire with his mouth, 

 As soon as the water boils he pours in un tasted cocoanut 

 milk and allows the whole to boil over. Much weight is 

 attached to the direction towards which the scum runs over, 

 as on it is believed to hang the cultivators' fortune for the 

 ensuing year. If it fall Eastwards or Southwards all will be 

 well (siibha) ; if to the West or North it portends the form of 

 ill-luck, called respectively Devi-doxa and Yak-dosa. The 

 boiled milk is then poured into another chatty, and the 

 dturayo sprinkled with it by the Kapurala, whilst chanting 

 something more.f 



Meanwhile, during the night women have been cooking 

 the ddne — a meal differing in some respects from that con- 



* Just as many an old orchard is t in the eider districts of Devon and 

 Cornwall will drink to his apple trees on the eve of Epiphany some such 

 toast as this. (Notes and Queries, Vol. 6, 2nd Scries) : — 

 " Here's to thee, old apple tree ! 

 Whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow, 

 And whence thou may'st bear apples enow ! 

 Hats full, — caps full! 

 Bushels full,— sacks full ! 

 And my pockets full! 

 Huzza!" 



Hd, hd, purd, hondayi, Demyanne pikitayi I is a common {Sinhalese 

 ejaculatory prayer preceding any undertaking, 

 f Note 9. 



