Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872-73.djvu/125

Rh , thus re-assured that their lives were not in danger, they returned to their villages and lived in peace. The bread cakes and rice balls they had abandoned in their flight from the hill still exist turned to stone.  

Mokáma Tanr is mentioned in another very popular legend, the legend of Chuhar Mal. As it does not appear to possess any archaeological value, I give a brief summary of it, suppressing, however, no essentials or names.

The hero of the legend is Chuhar Mal; his father was Behari Mal, his uncle Bandi Mal, his brother Dukha Mal. Chuhar Mal was born when his father was away ploughing in the field; no midwife or assistance was near; he, however, sat up, and when his father came and was followed by the midwife, he would not allow the midwife to approach him. When he became a few years old, he prevailed on his father to remove him to the village of Turki Kainjni, because at Mokáma his house was close to the Kachari, and the females of his home were subject to annoyance by the officials. Budhwa was the cowherd of his father's flocks; he induced him to carry him to the akhâda (gymnasium) of Daljit. Daljit was the cowherd of his uncle, and would not allow Budhwa to pasture Chuhar Mal's cattle near his, and Chuhar Mal went to fight with him, but on second consideration he sent Budhwa to his uncle to represent matters, and solicit orders on Daljit to let him pasture his nephew's cattle at the place. Budhwa went to Chuhar Mal's uncle, Bandi Mal, but he declined to interfere; he was living in Mara Mokáma (old Mokáma). Finding that his uncle would not interfere, Chuhar Mal went to Daljit's akhâda again, fought with him and slew him and carried off the cattle to their owner, his uncle, telling him what he had done. Then followed great fights, &c., which, however, as no names and localities are mentioned, I omit. I could not get the entire legend; it is sung, but few people have sufficiently strong memories to remember the whole song. It is exceedingly long, and is said to take three or four nights to be sung through to the end.  

Close to Fatuha, or rather Bykatpur, is a small village named Mári, where the dhol (drum) is not beaten. The reason, they say, is that a fakir cursed the place. He came thirsty and asked one of the village maidens who was filling 