CXXXIII. The Brahman’s Powers.
A long time ago a Brahman came from the west and did many wonders to the astonishment of those who saw him. He came to a certain village and at first put up in an old bamboo hut; there he sat motionless for three or four days and so far as anyone could see ate and drank nothing. The villagers said that he must eat during the night, so four men arranged to watch him continuously; two by day and two by night; but though they watched they could not detect him eating or drinking. Then the villagers collected and began to question him and as his answers seemed worthy of credit they began to bring him offerings of milk; one day he asked to be supplied with coolies that he might rebuild the hut in which he had taken up his abode; so coolies were brought and he made them collect bricks and prepare mortar and at the end of the day’s work they asked to be paid; then the Brahman wrapped himself in his cloth and repeated some mantras, whereupon pice fell tinkling down from his body and with them he paid the coolies; and so it was every day until the house was finished. All this was a source of great wonder to those who saw it.
CXXXIV. Ram’s Wife.
It is a custom among us Santals that husband and wife do not mention each other’s names; and even if a husband sometimes mentions his wife’s name in a case of urgent necessity, the wife will never speak her husband’s; in the same way a man may not mention the name of his younger brother’s wife or of his wife’s elder sister; women again may not use the name of their younger sister’s husband or their husband’s elder brother. Our forefathers have said that if any one breaks this rule his children will be born deaf or dumb; we believe this and fear to break through the custom.
There was once a man named Ram who was ploughing his field; when he got to the end he found that he had not brought the seed with him; so he called out to his wife, pretending however that he was speaking to his daughter “Seed, daughter, seed!” And she called back “What do you want it for? Are you going to sow it?” (eram = will you sow) and every time he called, she answered “Eram?” At this he lost his temper and ran up to the house and asked what she meant by speaking his name, when he told her to bring out the seed for sowing; and thereupon he proceeded to give her a good thrashing. His wife said to him “Your name is the same as the word for ‘sow,’ it is a very fine name you have got.” At this Ram laughed and asked how he could help having the name which his father and mother had given him. At this she giggled. “Then why are you hurt by it? You had better in future take out the seed corn with you and then you won’t have to call to me; if you do I shall answer you as I did to-day.”
To the present day people do not use the forbidden words; or if compelled to they spit on the ground first; even Christian converts do not like to infringe the rule if many people are present and usually speak of a person with a forbidden name as the father, or mother of such and such a child.