The Ethnology of the British Colonies and DependenciesLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology
The _ferocious Devil_ seems to be coming measuring the ground by the
length of his feet, and giving warnings of his approach by throwing
stones and sand round about. He looks upon the meat-offering which
is kneaded with blood and boiled rice.
He stands there and plays in the shade of the tree called _Demby_.
He removes the sickness of the person which he caused. He will
accept the offerings prepared with blood, odour, and reddish boiled
rice. Prepare these offerings in the shade of the _Demby_ tree.
Make a female figure of the _planets_ with a monkey's face, and its
body the colour of gold. Offer four offerings in the four corners.
In the left corner, place some blood, and for victims a fowl and a
goat. In the evening, place the scene representing the planets on
the high ground.
The face resembles a monkey's face, and the head is the colour of
gold. The head is reddish, and the bunch of hair is black and tied.
He holds blood in the left-hand, and rides on a bullock. After this
manner make the sanguinary figure of the planets.
II.
O thou great devil _Maha-Sohon_, preserve these sick persons without
delay!
On the way, as he was going, by supernatural power he made a great
noise. He fought with the form of _Wessamoony_, and wounded his
head. The planet _Saturn_ saw a wolf in the midst of the forest, and
broke his neck. The _Wessamoony_ gave permission to the great devil
called _Maha-Sohon_.
O thou great devil _Maha-Sohon_, take away these sicknesses by
accepting the offerings made frequently to thee.--The qualities of
this devil are these: he stretches his long chin, and opens wide his
mouth like a cavern: he bears a spear in his right-hand, and grasps
a great and strong elephant with his left-hand. He is watching and
expecting to drink the blood of the elephant in the place where the
two and three roads meet together.
Influenced by supernatural power, he entered the body of the
princess called _Godimbera_. He caused her to be sick with severe
trembling sickness. Come thou poor and powerless devil _Maha-Sohon_
to fight with me, and leave the princess, if thou hast sufficient
strength.
On hearing these sayings, he left her, and made himself like a blue
cloud, and violently covered his whole body with flames of fire.
Furiously staring with his eyes, he said, "Art thou come, blockhead,
to fight with me who was born in the world of men? I will take you
by the legs, and dash you upon the great rock _Maha-meru_, and
quickly bring you to nothing."
Thou wast born on Sunday, the first day of the month, and didst
receive permission from the _King of Death_, and didst brandish a
sword like a plantain-leaf. Thou comest down at half-past seven, to
accept the offerings made to thee.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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