Zeme Naga Folklore Dr. Babul Roy Senior Research Officer, Social Studies Division, Office of the Registrar General, India 2A Mansingh Road, New Delhi – 110011 (India)
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[Excerpt from: Zeme Naga: from Polytheism to Monotheism, Babul Roy, 2011 Serial Publications, New Delhi] MYTH OF ORIGIN & OTHER NARRATIVES1 Folklores handed down from one generation to the next carry the collective memory of a community giving us invaluable information on beliefs and practices of the people. The Zeme Nagas have rich repositorior of folklores. In the following four important folk narratives, as collected form the North Cachar Hills district, are presented. These give us an insight on the people’s beliefs regarding their myth of origin. The basis of their folk belief of some of the important cultural and social practices and values current among the people could be understood from these narrations. C. A. Soppit2 documented a creation myth among the Kachcha Nagas as long back as 1885. It is amazing to note that though the myths of origin and other narratives that I have recorded from among the Zeme Nagas in North Cachar Hills do not match with the one described by Soppit, however, several elements (e.g. in the beginning the earth was covered with water, encounter of an insect (bat) with supremene god, different creatures deputed with specific piece of work, beautiful hornbill and ugly owl relation in which hornbill hiding the owl under its wing pith, killing of the monster python, tussel between the eldest and the youngest brothers regarding who is senior in which the youngest one wittingly wins the debate, etc.) are distinctively common. One can espouse that while the details related to any particular tale undergoe drastic alteration over time, even within a generation, some of the fundamental elements of it, however, remained unchanged. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Banglawang and origin of earth Story of Jale How python become poison-less and other creatures become poisonous Story of Aman. Aman arranged Zaulabe
1
Folk tales described here originally narrated by an old Zeme in Asonghaju village.
2
C. A. Soppit: op. cit., 1885, pp.1-20.
BANGLAWANG3 AND ORIGIN OF THE EARTH Banglawang is the primeval male of the universe. At that time the whole cosmos was reeling under a great mass of water. Everywhere there was water and water, except a huge tree stading all alone supplying foods and shelter for Banglawang. The ultimate dweller of the heaven, Almighty, warned Banglawang not to touch water. The Banglawang promised that he would never touch water. However, Banglawang could not hold up his promise for long. One day as he had slide down from the tree, and accidentally touched the water. There was an insect called TEGIKENEPUI living on the edge of a leaf of the tree. The insect asked Banglawang where from he had come. Banglawang replied “from earth”. One day Banglawang wished to drain out water from the earth. He thought out a huge project for doing the work. All creatures, except one bird (Nkak), willingly contributed to do the project. (It is believed that the bird Nkak is not allowed to drink water, as she did not participate in the mission). The bird named Kechin keeps guard over all water sources so that Nkak cannot drink. Whenever Kechin finds Nkak in any water body, he attacks him immediately). Once the water was drained out, the earth eventually exposed. The surface, however, was still undulating. So it was not fit for human settlement. Banglawang asked all living creatures who could do the job of leveling the earth. To his call one large earthworm came forward.4 The worm had offered his suggestion that if 1, 000 men are let to die everyday and if the carcasses are allowed to be eaten exclusively by him then he could produce enough soil to level the earth. Banglawang agreed to the proposal, and wished that every day 1,000 men would die and another 1,000 men will take birth to replace the loss. Thus, the birth and death cycle started on this earth once forever. Banglawang wished that the worm could consume the dead carcasses at his will. After about 30 long years, the worm reappeared, as by then he had eaten up huge number of dead bodies. From all these long 30 years of eating, the worm released huge excreta enough to fill the uneven ditches on earth. However, a new problem appeared. Who would do the shifting of the excreta? Banglawang once again asked all living creatures for someone who could do the job of shifting the worm excreta to level the earth. This time, a craw ‘Ngak’ (also called as Dauka) replied that he could help in doing the job. There was just one day to do his job. The craw started his job expeditiously, but before he could finish it was already dawn, and so he had to stop his work. Thus, some part of the earth forever remained undulating with mounds and ditches.
STORY OF JALE At the beginning of this universe, there were only Banglawang and a crow. The whole world had been submerged under deep water, except a few islands. The crow always used to fly long and return back to the solder of Banglawang for rest. One day, the craw proposed Banglawang to kill him. Banglawang was shocked to hear such a proposal. Being the only living company on this earth, Banglawang did not agree to the proposal. The crow then told the prophecy of creation: should he kill him and cut his body into two pieces and put them on either sides of his bed; should he tear all of his feathers and scatter them on his portico, then when he would woke up he would see two maidens. He should embrace the one facing him as his mistress, and the other one as maid. Outside his house there he would find several men and women born from each of his feathers. Hearing this, Banglawang agreed to the proposal. He killed the crow and did accordingly. Next morning, joyful movement and cry of men and women woke him up. He saw the two beautiful maidens, one of them is faceing him. At the first instance, he was confused to see two beautiful ladies sleeping in his bed next to him. Then he recoverd his senses as he remembered the prophecy. Banglawang embraced the lady whom he saw facing him as his wife and the other one as a
3
4
In this tale, Banglawang is said to be the creator of the earth, while in C. A. Soppit’s record it to be ‘Sibrai’ (or Suprai).
In broad terms such as the almighty asked the entire creature to create the earth or its environment suitable for human living, and in reply earth worm cam forward to do the job, the myth of origin has many similarities among the different groups of the Zeliangrong tribes. Among the Rongmei Nagas, in response to the command of the Supreme God, the Dihdimpu and his wife Dihdimpui summoned all the living men, animals, birds and creatures and enquired whether any of them could form the earth. Then after seeding the advice of the Supreme God, they asked the earthworm to mould the lump of earth and have first settlement on it. (See, G. Makuga: “Introduction to the Rongmei Naga”, 1994, pp.1-2).
maid. The maid was Hejale pronounced as Jale. Banglawang become happy having his female companion, a maid and people around him. He realized the joy of living on this earth for the first time. Days and months passed happily for Banglawang. In the course of time Jale became greedy. She was not much happy for just being a maid. She wished to become mistress. She tried many tricks to fulfill her wish, but every time she vailed to make her pre-destined goal. Jale, however, was not an evil one. Her wishes not fulfilled, but she became pregnant by a divine grace. After that there was no chance for her to continue living with Banglawang. One day she left. She kept wandering. Then one day she laid eggs by the side of a river. She lay total of eight eggs. Thinking about future of her children, she planted several saplings of banana and other fruits. She also left one knife (dao) for her children. She also engaged a gibbon to look after her immature eggs. She then settled down in a nearby village. In the course of time eggs got matured and the hatching time came nearer. Gradually all the shells, except one, cracked one by one. Seven sons of Jale eventually came out5. First it was the turn of Gichingpeu. But when the shell finally cracked, Gichingpeu got frightened, as there was none other in the world so he instead of coming out remained hiding inside the shell until all of his younger brothers came out one by one. Thus, Gichingpeu, the 1st son of Jale came last in this world. Total of seven eggs were hatched, and thus the seven sons of Jale born. Their eyes, however, were still to open. When they felt for hunger, they thought for food and for their mother, but since their eyes were still not opened they were unable to find anything around. However, as their hunger grew further wild they started searching with ever increasing vigor. Finally, Suprai, the youngest of Jale’s sons, caught hold of a knife (dao)6. The seven sons of Jale instantly realized that their mother had left it for them. They also assumed that there should be some provisions of food. With such thought in mind they continued their search for food. Soon luck had turned favor again. Suprai caught hold of a banana tree. It was fully matured bearing a huge bunch of ripe bananas. Suprai instantly cut it down with the help of his newly acquired knife, and gathered all ripe bananas. The naughty gibbon was still hanging around. Once the ripe bananas were gathered, Suprai distributed some of the fruits to each of his brothers in turn. However, having a good opportunity that none of the Jale’s sons could see anything; the gibbon played a trick of intercepting foods passed on by Suprai to his brothers. Being still blind, they could not detect the play of cheating by the gibbon. Such happened for a couple of time. When Suprai enquired his brothers if they had received their share, amazingly, all the brothers joined together to say ‘No’. Suprai got totally confused after what he heard from his brothers. He paused for a while and tried to understand what could have happen. He distributed fruits round and round, but his brothers were saying that none of them had received anything so far. After a good deal of thought, he sat once again to distribute some of the remaining fruits, but this time with some good plan in his mind. As he forwarded a bundle of banana addressing to one of his brother and as the gibbon, as usual, tried to intercept it, he caught hold of latter’s hand. Then he asked whose hand was this. All of his brothers replied, “None of us”. Then Suprai asked should it be chopped? All of his brothers replied, “Yes, this may be chopped”. On hearing this confirmation, Suprai slashed his knife to do its job. As the knife was slashed through, a spill of blood sprinkled out on to his eye. And miraculously, the blood so spilled had turned his eyes to be open for vision. Now he can see everything around for the first time. He saw all of his still blind brothers, and the world around. He saw the dead gibbon lying in a pool of blood. He saw the chopped hand of the poor creature that he had cut with his knife. Suprai then sprinkled gibbon’s blood to the eyes of each of his brothers, and all of them soon opened their eyes to see the wonder of the world around. The eight egg of Jale is still to be hatched. It was still young. All the sons of Jale kept waiting for many days and months with the hope that their youngest brother would born. However, even after several months had passed there was no sign from the egg. Ultimately, they lost patient of waiting. They tossed the egg into a nearby river, and moved ahead in search of their mother. They wandered many places, visiting village after village. Whenever they reached to a new village and to a new house in search of their mother, they used to pray before sleep that if their mother 5
Seven sons, seven brothers, etc. are found to be common among other tribes of the Zeliangrong constellation, although the details of the stores do not match with one another. 6
Dao (i.e. a broad bladed knife) is one of the main weapons of the Zemes.
lives there and if that was their mother’s house then all the stone and all the banana trees should burn. Next morning when they find nothing happening they were sure that that was not their mother’s village. They moved from one place to another searching their mother. The search continued till they reached to the right village and to the right house. They prayed the same, and in the next morning when they noticed their prayer turned true as all the trees and all the stones were burnt they convinced that they reached to their right place. They meet with a woman and instantly they could recognize her as their mother. The egg that was thrown into river finally hatched after many years. And eventually, it turned to be a hecha (python). The Zemes believe that he is the first hecha, and now the king of all hecha i.e. hecha-wang. Hecha-wang is unlike the ordinary hecha having an expanded hood with many mouths. Among the seven children of Jale, there was always a quarrel regarding who among them are the eldest and the most respectable. In reality, Gechingpeu is the eldest, but since he remained hiding even after the shell was cracked, the matter became a dispute. There had been several quarrels among the brothers on this issue. Several tests were put forth to prove this point. But, every time the youngest Suprai won the test. Once upon a time all the seven brothers had agreed to settle the dispute once for all. They agreed to a proposal that whoever among them would be able to throw a piece of charcoal across the river would be proven to be the eldest. (In practical world it is impossible to throw a light object like a charcoal piece over such distance). All the brothers tried their luck one by one, except Suprai, and all of them failed to the test. Finally, it was the turn of Suprai, the youngest of the Jale’s sons. Suprai prayed to god and in his name lift a charcoal piece like his other brothers and threw it across the river. Incidentally, Suprai took a flying insect (very much looks to be same as a charcoal piece), and as he threw his turn the insect swim flying across the river. All of his brothers stunned seeing the impossible that had happened. Everybody accepted Suprai to be the eldest among them. However, Gechingpeu, as naturally it had been, was not pleased. In another day he argued that only one test would not enough be to settle such an issue. He proposed that they should go for some other trial. Everybody agreed to his proposal that there should be another round of test. What test to try with? They thought and thought and finally agreed that whoever would be able to throw a stick across the river he would automatically be proved as to be the eldest and the respected one. Like the previous occasion, all the brothers have tried their luck one by one, but failed. Finally it was the turn for Suprai. In the same fashion, as he did earlier, he prayed to god and picked up a stick from the ground and threw it across the river. This time too something unusual had happened. He incidentally took a snake in place of a stick, as the snake was almost like the stick. And as he threw his turn the snake fly across the river. He and his brothers watched the unbelievable view of flying such a light stick across such a mighty river. Thus for the second time Suprai won the test. After that none had ever questioned on supremacy of Suprai. His position as the most respectable one has been established forever7. Zeme Nagas consider Suprai as the most respectable one. He is worshiped in every ritual as the most important deity. Among the seven sons of Jale, Heransiabe and Hlu are given a low status. 7
Among other tribes of the Zeliangrong group, as well as among some other Naga tribes, the final establishment of the supremacy of the youngest brother has been noticed. Among the Rongmeis, the youngest of the seven brothers from whom all the seven clans of the tribe originated proved to be successful even though he being youngest one was considered to be weaker one (see G. Makuga: op.cit., pp.75-82). J. H. Hutton in his “The Angami Nagas” documented an Angami story on the emergence of the first two ancestors of the tribe in which the younger of the two brothers finally succeeded in asserting his right. To quote: “Of the two ancestors of Angamis, Thevo, who emerged the first, was the ancestor of the Kepezoma, who are entitled by virtue of his priority to a precedence in eating over the descendants of the younger, Thekrono was really the elder of the two, but that Thevo outwitted him in the matter of precedence by arrogating to himself priority of birth and proceeding to eat first on the strength of it, without giving Thekrono an opportunity to assert his right”, (see J. H. hutton: “The Angami Naga”, p.112). Ursula Betts (1950) described a Central Nzeme tale in connection with the origion of the moieties – Nriami and Neomi. The tussel regarding the sibling position that who was the eldest also revealed involving the two original clans that eventually evolved into two moieties. The story goes as “Nriami was the son of a female spirit called Heratingrangpui. One day an egg fell from the sky and landed near Nriami’s house; he built a fence round it and watched it, and at last it broke open and Neomi came out. Nriami then claimed that he was the elder and therefore the master, but Neomi disputed this, saying that he came from heaven and so was the more important. Neomi married Nriami’s daughter. In the course of time their descendants multiplied and spread out from Nui, their place of origin, and became the ancestors of all the Nzemi, Kabui and Lyengmai.” (Ursula Betts: MA Thesis, University College, London, 1950).
They are of Hegembe (evil) nature. Jale went to Banglawang’s house along with her sons for taking all the desires that the Banglawang promised to give her earlier. And as she was returning from the Banglawang’s house, two of her sons Heransiabe and Hlu felt hungry and started eating dogs and all other ugly creatures. That incident for the first time proved the Hegembe nature of these two sons of Jale. HOW PYTHON8 (HCHA) BECOME NON-POISON In ancient time, when all the living creatures, man, animal, birds, etc. used to speak in one common language, and when the python was the only creature as poisonous, as ill luck would have it, one day a python told to a man the secret of his being so deadly poisonous that someone would be killed even if he simply bite his footprint left on the sand. In return, the man refused to believe that the python could be so poisonous. And there was an argument between the two. Finally, the python agreed for a test to prove the matter. A few moments then the python bite on the footprint of a man who walked pass them, and asked the man to go to the village and verify that the man was dead by then by his deadly poison. Accordingly, the man went to the village and got stunned seeing the unbelievable thing to happen. The man was really dead by the python’s poison. By that time, the man already becomes wiser and intelligent than other creatures on earth. He smelled the sense of danger from such a deadly poisonous python. He immediately returned to the python and told a lie that nothing had happen to the man whose footprint he bites sometime back, as the man was still alive. This news had utterly disappointed the python. He got tremendously annoyed over the thought that he had lost his power. At great anger and frustration the python vomited out all of his poison, as he thought that it was of no use of carrying the powerless venom. This way the deadly poisonous python become poison less. Later on the python’s venom so discharged shared by different smaller creatures like snake, scorpion and spider. And these creatures in turn become poisonous. However, since these creatures had taken only small chunk of the python’s poison they become poisonous but not as deadly as the python was. According to the Zeme belief the Hechawang lives in one of the river of Manipur. He appears if someone prays devotedly in an auspicious day in the bank of the river. It becomes popular among some of the Zemes that the Hechawang told Gaidinlieu and Jadonang about the Heraka religion so that they can spread it among the Zeme people. STORY OF AMAN In ancient time there was a man. He had three children, two daughters and one son. The son, the second of the three children, was named Aman. The man was a wealthy and an honest fellow in the whole Zeme world. The man used to cultivate plenty of crops and had many heads of buffaloes and other livestock. One day the men suddenly died leaving behind his three young children at the mercy of god. The earth fell on the head of the little Aman. Soon the three children of a wealthy father become very poor. Days were passing though with many difficulties. This way a few years passed. By that time eldest of the Aman’s sisters become marriageable. And incidentally she found her husband. Thus the burden had multiplied on Aman in the absence of someone on his head to advice. After the marriage, the eldest sister had forgotten them altogether. And since his youngest sister was too young, he had to take all the responsibilities of looking after her. After the death of their father they become poor, now after the marriage of their eldest sister they become miserable and left utterly at the mercy of god. One day when the whole village folk was dancing happily on the eve of a good harvest. The time was a very happy moment for the people, as the people had a very good harvest. The little boy Aman who lives on other’s mercy did not have even the bare knife so that he could participate on harvesting work. However, as he hard the joyful tune of the villagers who were profound on amusement on the eve of joining to harvesting works, he also become passionate for joining the troop. With the thought of join the harvesting troop as Aman approached the gathering people, everybody 8
Like tiger, python is found an important place in Zeme belief per se in Nagas.
started mocking him by passing many loose comments. Some said, “look Aman has come to join us even when he did not have a knife to cut harvest”; others said, “how can one join when he did not have anything own to cut”; others said, “look the beggar has come for harvest”, etc. The little boy Aman returns back with heavy pain on heart. Next year, he wished to cultivate jhum. However, he did not have the most basic implement ‘knife’ for the purpose of clearing a patch of forest for the purpose. He sends his young sister to find out a knife from any one in the village. The little girl asked for lending a knife first to those people who were related to them by blood then to other people of the village. However, there was none so generous to let their knife to this little girl even for a while. After the whole day of searching one house to another for just a knife, the little girl returned home empty handed. The bold hearted and religiously determined Aman, however, was not to deter by that. He and his sister vowed to cultivate a plot of land at any cost. They selected a plot for the purpose close to a village path leading to the forest. The site not being quite inside the forest was relatively easy to approach for Aman without a knife. The path that leads to forests was however an important passage of the whole village. Aman and his little sister toiled hard all the day clearing the site; the way nobody human child would do. They pulled up trees bear handed one by one. These way days required for an hour’s work, and months for a day’s. The clearance was not that clean for the purpose of jhum. Without a knife they could not manage with big trees. And many of the trees that they pull up fell across the village path blocking the passage for the people. In the evening, the people on their way back to home find the path blocked. Some of them got angry and reasonably scolded Aman, and some others vowed to take the matter to village panchayat, some other naughty people pulled some of the felling trees back to their original position just to harass the little boy. There were some who simply laughed at Aman for the silly way of doing the work. There were a very few who stunned and felt sympathetic for the young boy for the courageous effort that he put on for clearing the jungle. Some of these good souls tried to cut some of the felled trees with their own knife to lighten the burden of Aman. The Aman and his little sister were watching the passing villagers hiding from behind a bush. They were frightened as they caused the village path blocked. At the end the Aman and his little sister succeed in clearing the field for jhum. The field was not that clear for good fire and for good harvest. However, when it was lighted it burnt well beyond anybody’s expectation. In fact the preparation of the field was best in the whole village. The sowing time approached. Aman was a poor little boy, where from he would get the seed for plantation. Finally, as the season for sowing began, he sends his little sister to find a house in the village who would lend them some seeds for cultivation. The little girl once again set out in search of a house. As she moved from door to door, she came across many persons with different reactions. Some people simply asked for excurse, as they did not have enough to lend; some did not pay any attention to her, as if they did not saw/ hear her; some were not interested to give a loan, as according to them there was no guarantor for them. Over and above, there were some people who play cheating by giving boiled seeds that would not be germinated. There were also people who laughed that the little Aman and his sister were going to cultivate. At the end of the day, the little sister of Aman come back without getting any help form any of the villagers. Aman become very frustrated that his sister came back empty handed. Finally, one old woman on being sympathetic to them shared her seeds with them. The little boy Aman was absolutely happy on getting the seeds. He and his sister sow the seeds. And as usual, after the first rain socked the mother earth everywhere seeds sprouted into young seedlings. The funny thing had happened to Aman. In his field instead of sprouting paddy from the paddy seeds, there were creepers of a kind of gourd. Aman became disappointed. Perhaps the god was not happy with him. He however did not lose his heart completely. He took his fate as that was in the name of god. He therefore took all the necessary cares for the crop. He fenced the field, did the necessary weeding for three times, and kept watch from agencies of crop destroyers. He at the same time ignored the people who laughed at him, since he was growing gourds instead of paddy. (Paddy is the principal crop in jhum). ZAULUBE:
The biggest community feast is called Zaulube. Rich man offer feast to the whole village or community. This way the highest social status is acquired. After Aman it is said that nobody else could arrange such a grand feast. In the course of time, the crop became ready for harvest. Everybody had a good harvest. The Aman however was unfortunate as in place of paddy he was growing some gourds. At harvesting the cultivators join hands together to share the labor. Since Aman was growing gourd, nobody was willing to join him. So he and his little sister alone brought the entire gourds home. It was plenty for the two young Child. However, they took all the pain of bringing the harvest that they grow with so much of pain. After the harvest was taken home, as Aman cut open a gourd for consumption he turned utterly confused on what he saw. It was a miracle that had happened to him. The gourd was packed with paddy seeds. However, the paddy that Aman grown was not that enough. It was just enough for he and his sister’s subsistence. In the next season he and his sister sow some of the paddy seeds. In that year it was a bumper crop for the little boy and his sister. In the whole Zeme world the people did stunned by the crop that the little Aman had grown. The harvest was enough to feast the whole world not only the Zemes. He sensed the favor of god to him, so he thanked him for his kindness. Thus Aman became the richest man of the world. He announced for Zaulube – the highest form of feast of merrit.
AMAN ARRANGED ZAULABE: Then all the people of the world were of one category. There was only one community. All creatures, man, animal, birds were speaking in one common language9. Aman arranged a the greatest of feast in which he had invited gods and goddesses, spirits and deomons, kings and commoners, animal, birds, insects and other creatures. There were hectic preparations everywhere. Aman was busy to receive his guests to be attended from the whole world. Those who intended to attend were also busy to decorate themselves on their best possible attires. The owl being an ugly creature first hesitated to attend. But, since it was such a grand feast he later on decided that it would not be wise to miss the chance. He thought why not take some help from his friend hornbill. Hornbill is the most beautiful bird in the world. He went to the hornbill’s nest and asked for help. The hornbill did not know what to do. He expressed his inability. But seeing the pitiable condition of his friend owl, he at last thought out a plan. The plan was that the owl could attend the gathering hiding underneadh one of his wingpiths. Finding no other option, the poor creature owl agreed to the offer. Another bird having an ugly tail wanted to decorate it. She went to a rat. The rat was also worried with his dirty tail. So the two poor fellows join together to sort out their mutual difficulty. It was decided that they would mutually help each other in decorating their ugly tails. The rat was to work first. He put lots of efforts and times to do his job. Finally the ugly tail of the bird dressed up beyond imagination. Then when the turn for the bird to work came, it was almost late. She was in hurry or else she would not be able to attend the feast. She simply took some earth and hurriedly rolled it between her palms and pasted it on rat’s posterior. The bird then flew away with no time to waste. Obviously, the bird did discharge her contract sincerely. She in fact cheated the rat. The poor rat got angry and chased the bird everywhere10. On the appointed day, all the invitees arrived to Aman’s Zaulabe one by one. At first gods and goddesses arrieved, followed by other lesser supernatural beings, spirits and demons. Then came men and finally all other living creatures. In the gathering every body took a seat as per his or her status. Man chooses to sit lower than tiger knowing not whether he is inferior or superior to a tiger. And
9
Among almost all the tribes of Naga there is a story to tell that all the different races of mankind once were same they used to speak the same language, war the same clothe, etc. But eventually they become separate. The Zeme believe that since then the rat’s tail become unfinished rattle like. And to take his revenge the rat is still chasing the bird, which the people justify from the fact of truth that rat eat up the nest of this bird whenever and wherever any opportunity is found. 10
since then the tiger placed superior to man. Man, however, did not agree to that and the tussle between man and tiger continued11.
Note: Disu = smell less; Heraine = bad smell
11
Very strange relation between leopard/ tiger and man is curiously found among almost all the Naga tribes, at least, whom I know. Zeme do not cite tiger by its name at night, otherwise if at all required they use diabolical word to refer it. J. H. Hutton in his “The Sema Nagas” (1967, pp.200-8) devoted to a great deal on describing the practice of lycanthropy, a peculier concep of possession of tiger’s soul by man and man’s by a tiger among the Sema tribe. In such a case the possessed man behave like a tiger. And if one is injured, the other will correspondingly be hurt; if one is killed, the other will soon die. I have noticed how terrorized a group of Zeme men and women become once when at night I call tiger by its name. Such a practice is forbidded fearing that tiger will come and devour them at some time in near future. Hutton had mentioned a Sema tradition that tells how two women discovered fire making for the first time from a tiger as they noticed the beast to make it by pulling a thong under his claw (p.43).
