Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/53

Rh that I had omitted to tell him what should be the colour of the cow whose milk was to be used. He had, he said, a brown cow and a black one. A woman, too, whose daughter was suffering from fever, brought me a handful of camel's hair, and asked me to manufacture from it a charm for the cure of her daughter's illness. As I had not the slightest notion of what the nature of the charm might be, I addressed myself to Aman Niaz Khan, who immediately undertook to instruct me. By means of a spindle the camel's hair was spun into a stout thread, the Khan all the time droning some verses from the Koran, or some necromantic chant. When the thread was finished it was of considerable length, and, folding it three times upon itself, he re-spun it. Then he proceeded to tie seven knots upon the string. Before drawing each knot hard he blew upon it. This, tied into the form of a bracelet, was to be worn on the wrist of the patient. Each day one of the knots was to be untied, and blown upon, and when the seventh knot had been undone the whole of the thread was to be made into a ball, and thrown into the river, carrying, as was supposed, the illness with it."—Ibid. pp. 290-291.

NDRIAMATÒA, it is said, went to obtain for his wife, Ramitòviàmindréniny ("Equal-with-her-Mother"), and set off to ask her from her parents.

So away he went, and passed a wild-hog, who said to him, "Just dig up this fern-root for me, Andriamatòa." But he