fearful battle was there fought between them; the king had his troops, horses, and elephants, while the goddess, in a moment, changed her mild appearance, became “Dic-ambonee,” naked, and astonishingly fearful. Shiba, her husband, finding the world could not bear her fury, came to pacify her and make her desist. But she was so much excited, that she could not recognize him at all, and mistaking Shiba, who had fallen at her feet, for an enemy, stood right upon his bosom. Hence the image of Kallee is represented as follows: She stands on the bosom of Shiba, has four hands, three eyes, and dark complexion. In her two left hands she holds, triumphantly, a sword and the head of Shombhoo, whom she killed; and by her two right hands she offers relief to her poor children. Her necklace is composed of the heads of her victims who had fallen in the battle. The intelligent reader can easily find out the meaning of such representations. Taking the fact narrated above to be a true one, we clearly see that Kallee was a great warrior, a woman of unspeakable ability, of generous heart, whom time and ignorance have deified. Again, interpreting it allegorically, we see that the mercy of God unto the helpless, and his wrath unto tyrants, have been beautifully personified. The image of Kallee is a Hindoo illustration of the doctrine of retribution. While two of the hands of the goddess are punishing sin, the other two, at the same time, are offering peace to the deserving. The worship takes place in the night of Omabushai,--total darkness,--and on the next morning the idol is thrown into water, as usual. The buffaloes and he-goats are cut by the neck as sacrifices. In the evening of the day on which Kallee is worshipped, the children amuse themselves with torches. The white sticks of flax are tied up into bundles, and each boy takes one in his hand, lights it in the fire, and runs furiously in every direction. Boys strike each other’s burning torches, and frequently get burned. This has its origin in a belief that the light of these torches pierces the darkness of hell, and helps its inmates to come out to receive the homage which their descendants on earth pay on that day. “Fourteen lamps are lighted” and put in different places round the house. Some red circular marks, made with Shindoor, a kind of red powder, are made on the head of the outside door. The image of Kartic is worshipped, also. He is the son of Doorga, very handsome in his appearance, and rides on the back of a peacock. Those who wish to have some children born unto them, offer homage to him; but as they rarely meet with success, they are told that Kartic will bear witness of their religious deeds, and stand in place of their children! However, they do not worship him a great many years,--only four in succession, hoping to have offspring during that period. CHAPTER VIII. OG-GROW-HAW-UN, NOVEMBER.