Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/454

394 frighten this monster away. Among the clans settled in Manipur, the name awk has been retained, but the story is different, while that told by the Koms bears some resemblance. According to them, Awkpa, a god, was drying his unhusked rice in the sunshine and the Sun and Moon were in the habit of riding by and scattering it. This vexed Awkpa, who, lying in wait for them, caught them in the act, and, as a punishment, swallowed them. The Lamgang say that their god's tobacco was stolen by the Sun and Moon, and that eclipses are caused by his arresting the culprits. The Purum use the word Awkpa, but the story is this:—

"Once upon a time there were seven brothers, and they all went out to cut timber in the forest. In the course of their journey they shot a deer, and told the youngest brother to cook it while they went on with their work. The flesh having been cooked, the youngest brother placed it on leaves to await the return of the others, but some leaves fell from a tree on to the flesh, whereupon the deer came to life again, and ran away. The brothers, returning, refused to believe the story, killed the poor cook, and left the body under the tree. Some leaves falling on it revived it, much to the surprise of the others. Then, taking some of the leaves, root, and bark of this wonderful tree, they all returned home. On the way they saw the body of a dog floating in the river and put some bark on it, whereupon it also came to life. Arrived at their home they put the leaves, bark, and root to dry in the sunshine, and told their dog to watch them, but the Sun and Moon stole the precious things, and the dog is still chasing them, and, when he gets near them, they hide, and cause the eclipses."

The Anal say that once upon a time there was a very pious man who spent much time in worshipping God. The Sun and the Moon, being envious of the holy man, tried to take virtue from him, and came one day and said,—"Oh, pious man! We have come to give you our virtue, but you