Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/394

 306 Piliáta, or peacock's feather dance, the performers being ornamented with peacocks' feathers; and the Chauriata, or yak tail dance, during which the dancers keeping time swing yak tails. These ornaments belong to the temple, where they are kept. (170)

On the Hattur hill there is an annual jatre in honour of Isvara, or Siva, who has there a little stone-shaped temple dedicated to him.

For seven days before the Tulasankramana, in the village Mugutage'ri at the foot of the hill, the ryots assemble one from each house at the Mandu, and sing Coorg chants in praise of Isvara. On the night of the seventh the inhabitants of the whole nad come together, disguising themselves in masks of eighteen various descriptions; they then go to the Ambala and dance and sing to the sound of the tomtom. The day following, a light hollow frame representing a horse, made of cane work, is decked out so as to hide the lower part of the man's body who carries it, making it appear as if he rode the horse.

The multitude then ascend the hill in procession, headed by the horse, and a band of musicians dance round the temple and bring their offerings of water, fruit, and honey. (174)

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(Translated from the Burmese.)

By, M.A.

HERE is a little Burmese book called "The Precedents of Princess Sudhammacari," containing, it is said, twenty-seven fables in illustration of what is considered good law. In the published Burmese text, however, there are only sixteen, and of these only three appear to be connected with the name of the princess. She is stated to have been the daughter of Madda, Rájá of a state in the country Kamboja. These tales were probably imported into Burma from India at the beginning of the Christian era, if not earlier, by Buddhist immigrants.