bullocks. Next morning
before sunrise the ashes are swept away by waving a winnowing-fan over
them. This ceremony is called _anjan chadhana_ or placing lamp-black
on the face of the threshing-floor to avert the evil eye, as women put
it on their eyes. Before the grain is measured it must be stacked in
the form of a trapezium with the shorter end to the south, and not in
that of a square or oblong heap. The measurer stands facing the east,
and having the shorter end of the heap on his left hand. On the larger
side of the heap are laid the _kalara_ or hook, a winnowing-fan, the
_dauri_, a rope by which the bullocks are tied to the threshing-pole,
one or three branches of the _ber_ or wild plum tree, and the twisted
bundle of straw and hair of the bullocks which had been tied to the
pole. On the top of the heap are placed five balls of cowdung, and
the _hom_ or fire sacrifice is offered to it. The first _katha_ [74]
of rice measured is also laid by the heap. The measurer never quite
empties his measure while the work is going on, as it is feared that if
he does this the god of abundance will leave the threshing-floor. While
measuring he should always wear a turban. It is considered unlucky for
any one who has ridden on an elephant to enter the threshing-floor,
but a person who has ridden on a tiger brings luck. Consequently
the Gonds and Baigas, if they capture a young tiger and tame it,
will take it round the country, and the cultivators pay them a little
to give their children a ride on it. To enter a threshing-floor with
shod feet is also unlucky. Grain is not usually measured at noon but
in the morning or evening.

33. Agricultural superstitions

The cultivators think that each grain should bear a hundredfold,
but they do not get this as Kuvera, the treasurer of the gods,
or Bhainsasur, the buffalo demon who lives in the fields, takes
it. Bhainsasur is worshipped when the rice is coming into ear, and
if they think he is likely to be mischievous they give him a pig, but
otherwise a smaller offering. When the standing corn in the fields is
beaten down at night they think that Bhainsasur has been passing over
it. He also steals the crop while it is being cut and is lying on the
ground. Once Bhainsasur was absent while the particular field in the
village from which he stole his supply of grain was cut and the crop
removed, and afterwards he was heard crying that all his provision for
the year had been lost. Someti