She flatly denied that she had herself conjured him; but admitted that her household gods might, unknown to her, have punished him for his wickedness.

This, however, would not do.

She was commanded to cure the man, and she set about collecting materials for the "puja" (worship); and before she could get quite through the ceremonies, all his pains had left him.

Had we not been resolute with her, the man must have died before evening, so violent were his torments.' 'Did not a similar case occur to Mr.Fraser at Jubbulpore ?' 'A "chaprasi"[2] of his, while he had charge of the Jubbulpore district, was sent out to Mandla[3] with a message of some kind or other.

He took a cock from an old Gond woman without paying for it, and, being hungry after a long journey, ate the whole of it in a curry.