Dr. Scudder's Tales for Little Readers, About the Heathen.

people quit their usual employments. Friends and relations unite in family parties, and give entertainments accor

stivals yearly, and no month pa

rer and every artisan offers sacrifices and prayers to his tools. The laborer brings his plough, hoe, and other farming utensils. He piles them together, and offers a sacr

d other instruments The carpenter adores his hatchet, adze, and plane. Th

th which he writes upon the palm-leaf the tailor to his ne

m, fall down in adoration before them. Every person, in short, in this solemnity sanctifies and adores the instrument or tool by which he gains a living. The

of the paste of grain, and being placed under a sort of canopy, is carried

ce and other food, to such of their relations as have died, that they may have a good meal on that day. They afterwards offer sa

weapons, in order to obtain success in war. On such o

hed to commemorate the deliverance of the earth from a giant, who had been a great scourge to the people. He was slain by Vrishnoo, after a dreadful battle. In many places, on this day, a s

d; and the other is, because it is to be followed by a month, every day of which is fortunate. For the purpose of preventing the evil effects of this month, the women every morning scour a place about two feet square before the door of the house, upon which

gul of rejoicing. Near relatives are invited to

ry, "Pongul, O Pongul." The vessel is then taken from the fire, and set before an idol. Part of this rice is offered to the image, and, after standing there for some time, it is given to the cows. The remainder is given to the peop

re also put round their necks, and over their backs. To these are added strings of cocoa-nuts and other kinds of fruit, which, however, are soon shaken off, when they are in motion, and are picked up by children and others, who greedily eat what they gather, as something sacred. After being driven through the streets, they are suffered, during the day, to feed wherever they please, without a keepe