Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/465

Rh her affection. The two parcels which were thrown in together were for Thāngjing and his wife. The male maiba now took the two pots from the laps of the chief and his wife, and danced a measure on the bank in company with the female maibi, who held a bunch of sacred leaves, called lāngterei, in one hand while she tinkled a small bell with the other. The pennas (Plate XI.) were played while this dance was being executed. When it was concluded, the female maibi took the earthen pots, and entering the water moved them gently about, taking care that no water should enter the pots. She then sprinkled a little water on the upright leaves, and returned the pots to the chief and his wife, who rose and stood by the water, holding the pots in slings of white cloth which they wore round their necks. The bobbins were now taken by the female maibi, who held them with some lāngterei leaves in her right hand. The threads were unwound, and she advanced into the stream tinkling the little bell in her left hand, as shown in Plate XI. Then she stooped and gently moved the lāngterei leaves about in the water, the male maiba holding up the threads so that they might not get wet. The female maibi now intoned a long incantation, interspersed with prayers to Thāngjing to manifest himself and bless the country. She got more and more excited, chanted quicker and quicker, and then suddenly stopped; Thāngjing had come. Rising, the maibi passed her hand up the strings, moistening them up to the earthen pots. The chief and his wife now got into their litters, holding the earthen pots in their laps. The maiba and maibi walked in front, holding the ends of the threads, which were further supported by two or three women. The procession went to the lai-sang, just before reaching which it passed over some rice placed on some leaves and some burning reeds to purify the performers. The earthen pots were taken into