Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 14, 1903.djvu/450

408 a wizard, is rolled inside or thrown over the wall of an enemy with the intention of injuring him. The wizards in this case seem to have been of the Kahar, or Bearer, caste, who have a reputation for the possession of magical powers.

—

Jodha, son of Girdhari, Gaur Thakur, of Mirjha.

v.

Beni, son of Gadari Singh, Chauhan Thakur, of the same village.

Jodha complained that the four accused with six companions had invaded his house, beaten him, and accused him of using magic against them, and of having caused the imprisonment of Beni three years before; he further stated that after the robbery he missed a bundle containing Rs. 25. The complainant's witnesses were closely cross-examined about the muth and reluctantly admitted the presence in his house of two Kahars with a bundle of junhari (millet). When it came to accused's statement, there remained no doubt in my mind that the quarrel had arisen solely over the use, or supposed use, of witchcraft, and that the theft and beating were subsidiary, and probably additions.

The accused filed a written statement arguing that the enmity was of long standing, and arose out of a claim to land and the guardianship of certain minors, in which they had proved victorious. But the interesting part was the account they gave on examination of the actual occurrence.

Beni Singh was of course subjected to the chief examination, and told the following story:

"Jodha had long been trying to injure me in one way or another, and at last I heard that he had called in the aid of wizards to gain his revenge. I collected the mukhya (village headman), Sheo Bakh Singh, and Wazir, a servant of the Zamindar, and some others; we went together to the door of Jodha's house.