Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-09-28
SUPERSTITION IN INDIA.
Beliefs of Native Hfndoos which Fa-
Irfra Turu IN prnAt.

neHeIs OF NatIN6 htnuOOs w ntcn Fa-
kris Turn to Profit.
Some few years ago a man whom
know bought an estate near town Of
some size, and Immediately on his tax
ing possession was surprised to find
that he had also taken on strange
responsibility. At the side Of the road
before his place was a gigantic peepul
tree, such as the natives believe become
the residents of departed spirits in great
numbers. This Is Mohammedan
as well as Brahman superstition.
The tree was in charge of rascally
old fakir, who was systematically ex-
torting a fine revenue from the people
Of the community by various devices.
principally ventriloquial conversations
of departed ones with their friends.
He had q hut at the base of the tree.
The protruding limbs almost blocked
the roadway and were a great nui
sance, and the nightly noises about the
fakir's hut were great annoyance to
the new owner of the property. He
stood IL as long as he could, and when
one day another fakir, who was also
a ventriloquist and haN highly trained
monkey, came by he promised him a
handsome fee to rid him of the fakir
of the tree. AS long as the fakir was
there to prOphesy what dreadful things
would happen If one branch of the
tree was cut or broken any attempt 10
clear the roadway would mean ma
tive revolt
The second fakir secretly watched
the operations of the first for day or
two and discovered that the worship
ers who came brought gifts of food.
money. and Jewels to lay before the
peer of the tree the spirit in charge of
their friends spirits. The worshipers
were then sent 10 the river to wash in
a certain way by the old fakir and he
10 the seciusion OF his hhaass.
When the worshipers returned they
found him still in the hut, but the gifts
were all gone, consumed by the peer
Of the tree, the fakir said. As a mat
ter of fact he had stolen out and got
them meanwhile.
The second fakir assembled into the
tree the third day and posted the
so that the instant the old
fakir's back was turned the monkey
could swing by his tail and gather
up all the gifts. This was done many
times till the old fakir was completely
mystified and nearly frantic over his
losses. Having secured large guam
dty Of booty, the second faklr took
the next step In his plan. He sent
The monkey aloft on a branch Of the
tree that was In plain sight, and when
/ company Of wealthy and influential
gathered to converse with
heir dead the second fakir, by his
rentriloquism, made his monkey de-
nounce the old fakir, making him q
laughing stock before the people. The
DID man few into rage, which was
,ertain sign that he was not holy, and
1t that moment the owner Of the place
appeared with an ak to clear away
me limbs. The old fakir told him the
peer would strike him dead II he
touched twig, but the house owner
broke or handful. and when he was
not killed and returned to the people
hundreds of rupees worth Of gifts they
had given the old falxir, the people
drove the old man from the district
and allowed the house owner to do a.
10 pleased with the psepul tree regard
less Of the number of ancestors of
theirs which he gieefully and with
painstaking care chopped ur into bits
each time he trimmed it.-Mstropofitan
magazine.