122 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XII. 



but to make him altogether poison-proof. Some believe that 

 this plant is a large tree, others a herb, and others a creeper. 

 But no one actually knows what it is, until he accidentally 

 comes across it. A man possessing the secret of this plant is 

 said never to divulge it, as the knowledge is a source of much 

 profit to him, qualifying him to successfully treat any one 

 suffering from snake-bite. When a man is bitten by a snake,, 

 and, as is often the case, is none the worse for it, it is 

 believed that by some chance or other he must have at least 

 trod on the root of the wonderful poison-curing tree. It is 

 also believed that the mongoose (Herpes tes mungo), which 

 is a great enemy of the cobra, which he attacks with 

 apparent fearlessness, possesses the secret of the knowledge 

 of this plant, and hence does not feel the effect of the poison. 

 The mongoose is supposed to bite the Visa-kumbha before 

 and after it attacks a snake. But here also the animal would 

 appear to be very jealous of his knowledge, as he does not 

 allow man to know his secret, for he not only bites the 

 particular tree, but nibbles at all kinds of trees which he 

 comes across, so as to puzzle any individual who may think 

 of following him and discovering the secret. 



We have likewise an evil-producing tree, which is also 

 dwelt on in folk lore. This is known as the Damba tree. 

 Damba is called jambu in Sinhalese, but the particular 

 Damba is quite different from any of the species which are 

 known as Damba {Eugenia) ; for the former is commonly 

 believed to be a milky plant. It is said that this tree is 

 always inhabited by a host of evil spirits, who, the instant a 

 man approaches, unless he possesses an effective talisman, 

 kill him on the spot. This may be compared with the 

 fabulous Upas tree, which was supposed to kill all mortals 

 who approached it. 



There are many stories in which it is set forth that kings 

 and queens, when they wish to be rid of any person or pay 

 off a grudge, order their victim to procure something from a 

 Damba tree ; and unless a talisman is possessed by the unwary 



