Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/446

408 607. Admission of Brahmin woman to caste of sweepers. She sat under a certain place, while the sweeper women got on the top and bathed, the water falling on the proselyte. She then took a sip from a glass of liquor or water previously sipped by the clan in turn. [Compare my Greek medicine-man above, p. 144.]

610. Menstruation: observances connected with it.

611. Remedies for cattle disease.

612. Pubjab.—Sacrifice of goats. Differences in custom between hills and plains.

615. Hindu rules of succession.

475. The Prince and the Snake.—A prince had a pet snake. For his kindness, the snake when set free procured an iron chain: if he wanted anything, he was to dig a hole in the earth of 1¼ cubit, put in the wishing-chain thrice, then cover it with earth: four Birs would then await his commands. Soon after, hearing mention of the Mute Princess, he resolved to wed her. On his way in search of the princess he pulled a thorn from a tigress' foot, for which she gave him a cub to serve him. He next saved the nest of a Garuda-bird from a snake; one of the young birds was given to him. Bathing, with horse and attendant animals, in the river of gold he became golden. As he passed through a certain city, he saw the princess at her window, and they fell in love. Her swayamvara (choice of husband at a meeting of all neighbouring princes). She threw the garland on our traveller, who was clothed in rags. A plot to kill him was foiled. The prince became king. Now again he set out in quest of his Mute Princess. At her palace-gate he found a drum, for suitors to strike. Conditions of marriage:—First night: to bridge the river, and to make a garden such as the world has never seen. The iron chain brought his four Birs, who placed a mountain across the river, and brought down Indra's own garden. Second night: to make the princess speak to him at the end of each watch. By tricks he succeeded. They were wed. One day he saw rubies in the stream; following the stream to its source he saw a palace, from beneath which issued a stream of rubies. In it was a fairy asleep, bewitched by a Rakshasa, who awakened her by sprinkling a magical essence upon her. The prince hid