1864, male Wood-mouse-year, Mato khouloukhana po.
1865, female Wood-bullock-year, Moto oukhere mo.
1866, male Fire-tiger-year, Gal bara po.
1867, female Fire-hare-year, Gal tole mo.
1868, male Earth-dragon-year, Sheree lou po.
1869, female Earth-serpent-year, Sheree Mokhee mo.
1870, male Iron-horse-year, Temur mori po.
1871, female Iron-sheep-year, Temur knoui mo.
1872, male Water-ape-year, Oussou betchi po.
1873, female Water-fowl-year, Oussou takia mo.
1874, male Wood-dog-year, Moto nokhee po.
1875, female Wood-pig-year, Moto khakhee mo.
1876, male Fire-mouse-year, Gal khouloukhana po.
1877, female Fire-bullock-year, Gal oukhere mo.
1878, male Earth-tiger-year, Sheree bara po.
1879, female Earth-hare-year, Sheree tolee mo.
1880, male Iron-dragon-year, Temur lou po.
1881, female Iron-serpent-year, Temur mokhee mo.
And so on to the end. The date always being quoted in connexion
with the year of each sovereign reigning at the time, to make the
distinction more definite.
7. Nothing can be much more revolting to our minds than the idea of
human sacrifices. Nevertheless, one of the grandest episodes of the
great epic poem called the Ramajana, is that in which King Ashokja
goes all the world over in search of a youth possessing all the
marks which prove him worthy to be sacrificed: "wandering through
tracts of country and villages, through town and wilderness alike,
holy hermitages also of high fame." When at last he has found one in
the person of Sunasepha, son of Ritschika, a great prince of seers,
Visvamitra, the great model penitent, calls on his own son to take
his place, crying up the honour of the thing in the most ardent
language. "When a father desires to have sons," he says to him, "it
is in order that they may adorn the world with their virtue and be
worthy of eternal fame. The opportunity for earning that fame has now
come to thee." And when his son refuses the exchange, he pronounces
on him the following curse, "Henceforth shalt thou be for many years
a wanderer and outcast, and despised like to a dealer in dog's flesh."
Concerning the serpent-cultus in general, see note 1, Tale II.,
and note 4, Tale XXII.
8. Rice is the most ancient and most widespread object of Indian
agriculture; it is only not cultivated in those districts where
either the heat or the means of natural or artificial irrigation
do not suffice for its production; and in easternmost islands of
the Archipelago, where the sago-palm replaces it. (Ritter iv. 1,
800.) The name, coming from vrih, to grow, to spread (whence also
vrihat, great), suggests, that it was regarded as the principal kind
of corn. All the Greek writers on India mention that an intoxicating
drink was made from rice, and the custom still prevails.