The King gave the two persons many articles. The Yakā did not again come to “possess” women. That man and boy having come to their village, and become very wealthy, remained without a deficiency of anything.
North-western Province.
In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xvi, p. 217 (Folklore in Southern India, p. 214), in a Tamil story related by Naṭēśa Sāstrī, a Brāhmaṇa was turned by Śiva into a Brahma-Rākshasa for refusing to impart his knowledge of music to others, and he resided in a Pipal or Bō tree. A poor Brāhmaṇa of Sengalinīrpaṭṭu (Chingleput, land of the blue lotus) assisted him to escape from the wretched music of a piper by removing into another tree, and out of gratitude the demon “possessed” the Princess of Maisūr, in order that the Brāhmaṇa might obtain wealth by driving him out. Afterwards, when the demon “possessed” the Princess of Travancore, intending to remain, the Brāhmaṇa frightened him away by a threat that he would bring back the piper.
In Folk-Tales of Hindustan (Shaik Chilli), p. 6, a beggar’s wife beat him with a stick for coming home foodless, threw his turban into a tree and struck at it time after time, hitting the tree at each blow. The blows and her abuse frightened away from the tree the ghost or Bhūt of a Brāhmaṇa of the family who had committed suicide. The ghost and the man travelled along together as friends in misfortune. By their arrangement the man drove the ghost from the Minister’s daughter, but refused to officiate when it “possessed” the Sultan’s daughter, until ordered to be executed. When the ghost threatened to kill him he told it he had terrible news, his wife would be there in a few minutes. The ghost left at once, and the man married the Princess and succeeded to the throne.
In Indian Nights’ Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 298, a man’s termagant wife was thrown into a well, and there married a demon, but in fear of her he soon hid as a man, in a mosque. Becoming friendly with the former husband, who recognised him, he promised to marry the man to the King’s daughter, whom he thereupon “possessed.” When the man drove him out she was given in marriage to him, together with half the kingdom. The demon, after warning him not to interfere, then “possessed” the Minister’s daughter. After at first refusing to act, the man frightened him away by saying his former wife was coming.
In The Enchanted Parrot (Rev. B. H. Wortham), a variant is given in the stories XLVI and XLVII. The woman terrified everyone around, and a goblin who lived in a tree near her house ran away. The husband also left, became friendly with him, and was advised to go and cure the King’s daughter. He cured her, married her, and received half the kingdom. Then the goblin carried off this Princess. The man went in search of her, and frightened away the goblin by whispering that his wife was coming.
[1] Persons, often village doctors or soothsayers, who possess a knowledge of the incantations and procedure by means of which demons are driven away. [↑]
[2] It is stated in the Mahā Bhārata (Vaṇa Parva, ccxxix) that when a Yaksha enters a person he becomes insane. [↑]