Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/348

 34<^ Miscellanea.

majesty at the water side, with his back to the path, a country fellow came by. '"Morning", says the latter, " 'Morning", replies my friend. " I shall have luck this morning", continued the countryman. " Why so ?" the other inquires. " Because I've seen your backside, leastways that's what they say about here."

Grey Hubert Skipwith.

Hop-Scotch at Simla. (Extract from a letter to Mr. J. G. Frazer): — " You are interested in the world-wide prevalence of Hop-Scotch. I was interested to-day to see in the street of Sanjaoli, a minute village near here, two boys playing what was evidently a form of the game. I did not watch it long enough to make out the details, but all the essentials were there — a diagram scratched on the ground, the player hopping on one foot, and with that foot kicking something — I think it was a small pot-sherd — from one compartment to another. I could not discern the exact figure of the diagram.

There is an annual fair at Sipi, a few miles from here, which took place the other day. There was a curious religious ceremony going on when we were there. There was a square box, perhaps two foot cube, with a domed top. On three sides of the box there was a head and shoulders of a female figure, to the fourth side a black Yak's tail was attached. The box was fixed on two poles, for carrying on men's shoulders, and from it there hung long heavily-pleated petti- coats nearly to the ground. Four men supported the poles, and each man carried an axe in .his right hand. They danced round with a springing, rhythmical step, to the music of drums and a pipe. This performance went on for hours, and was said to avert ill-luck from the fair. It was also said that the image (if so one may call it) was brought from a place sixty miles away ; and that it was not allowed to be set down on the ground while on the journey. Relays of men carried it, without stopping all the way. I don't know that this is of any par- ticular interest, but one never can tell.

The object of the fair is mainly matrimonial. The men purchase their brides — and I was told, but I did not see it, and will not vouch for it — that in some cases it is the custom for the purchaser to pursue and catch his bride after the purchase has been concluded."

H. Babington Smith.

Widow Carrying' Hay Inauspicious. — Mr. Harold Littledale, Princi- pal of the College, Baroda, writes as follows under date of 27th Oct. 1894 : — "The following extract from a letter I have received will illus- trate the reality of Indian beliefs in lucky and unlucky omens. The writer is a Guzerathi Brahman, a graduate of the Bombay University.