1886.] Kavi Raj Sliyamal Das —The Mind tribe of Jdjpitr. 
173 
thieving, which with them is a sort of hereditary profession. They are 
loyal to the Government—their number is very limited in the majority 
of villages. They worship Malaji, and do not mount a white horse, or 
use Amauwa dye (a colour prepared with turmeric and the 
husks of pomegranates mixed with alum), in consequence of a curse 
pronounced by Malaji on that colour. 
Legend of Malaji {alias Mangatji) as delivered orally by Minas: 
When the Bhagrawats were killed, Sandhu, a Gujar female, went 
with her child Deva Narayan, six months old to her father’s house. 
When the child grew up, he came with his mother to Gotha, and 
when starting for Ran to revenge the murder of his ancestors by the 
chieftains of that place, as well as to take back the colt of the mare Boli 
from them, he was enjoined by his mother to take with him the young¬ 
est of the five sons of her sister (whose husband was Satuji Pawar), 
who was in the village Bhanyela, that formed one of the twelve villages 
in Satuji’s jaghir. 
This lady was a kanchuli badal sister, (^. e,, one who had ex¬ 
changed bodices) of Deva Narayan’s mother. 
Deva Ndrayan acted on the order and took Malaji with him to 
Ran. 
He fought with the chieftains of the place and was returning vic¬ 
torious with the colt, when the Ran people pursued him ; Deva Harayan 
went straight to Gotha, but ordered Malaji to face the enemy, and to 
kill anything he might meet and bring with him one of the legs of 
whatever he slew. 
Malaji defeated the pursuers, and on his way back to Gotha, he 
saw a cow, killed it, and put one of its legs in the horse’s food-bag. 
The legend says, the cow was not real, but had been left there by 
Deva Rarayan to try the faith of Malaji; Deva Harayan having formed 
it of the dirt of his body and inspired it with life. 
When Malaji came in sight of Deva Harayan, the latter refused 
to touch him—accusing him of cow-slaughter. But Malaji instantly 
sprinkled ambrosia on the victim, which sprang into existence again : 
this act pleased Deva Harayan highly, and he pronounced bene¬ 
diction upon Malaji, saying he himself had only 12 kalas (art or 
trick), but Malaji would have one kala in addition; and made him 
proof against shot, arrow, and sword, but said if a Thori* should chance 
to hit him with an arrow of green reed (santhi) after wetting its tip with 
his saliva he (Malaji) would at once die, and be translated to heaven. 
Malaji took leave of Deva Narayan and returned to Bhanyla : after 
a time a quarrel broke out between him and the Baghrawats, on the 
* A very low class of people. 
