A Story which looks like that of an Architect killed after his work is the following.
Tripunittura is a small town in the Cochin State. The idol of the temple is well-known for its beauty. It is made of bell metal, and the smith could not get the alloy to mix well. At last in his despair he prayed to the deity. "Mix well, Lord, mix well." As soon as he poured it into the mould he also mixed with the idol and was lost. In honour of him a festival is held every year.
The Praying Palm of Faridpur.
(Folk-Lore, vol. xxix. p. 158.)
"In the evening . . . the tree bowed down as if to prostrate itself, and erected its head in the morning."
Long ago I heard in folk tales current here, incidents which show that such examples were known. The Prince and his faithful servant ride out to see the world and to meet with adventures. They come in the evening to an unfordable river. The Prince is tired and lies down to sleep. The faithful servant keeps watch the whole night. At mid-night he sees a wonder. Two palms each on opposite sides of the stream bend their heads till they touch. They thus remain for a short time and become straight again. The next night they got on the palm tree and waited till the two met. Then they got on to the other palm and thus crossed the river.
V. K. Raman Menon.
20th Aug. 1919.
Tripunittura, Cochin State, India.
A Sailor's Saying.
Some readers of Folk-lore may have seen a correspondence under the above heading in The Times Literary Supplement. It is clear that Mr. King who inaugurated the discussion was right and I was wrong, and that the sailor's wish to retire among people who do not know an oar when they see one is a
