had been dead a week his soul should enter a feline
body.

If a son of the deceased _Ala_ wishes to succeed to his father's
dignity, he must, at the end of the seven days established, go alone to
keep watch over the corpse, taking with him a sort of incense-pan in
which he burns a great quantity of perfumed resin in honour of the dead
(an honour that is most opportune for his own nostrils!). He passes the
night in this way, or it is believed that he does, for nobody sets
himself the task of spying his actions or of learning something about
the night's proceedings fearing that evil would overtake him in
consequence.

Whilst still engaged in this sanitary act, the tiger, animated by the
soul of the defunct sorcerer, presents itself to the man who is
engrossed in his scientific vigil and feigns to spring upon him to tear
him to pieces. But he continues to keep alight the sweet-smelling resin
and does not betray his inward perturbation or give the slightest
movement of fear, which would, without emission, cost him his life. Then
the terrible scene changes; the wild beast suddenly disappears and
encircled by a soft light two beautiful fairies come forward to teach
the new _Ala_ the occult science of his chosen ministry including
cabalistic words and medical art. The two elves then become the familiar
spirits of the sorcerer who is in this manner consecrated.

No witness is allowed to be present. No profane eye may see those two
good spirits.

If it happens that the aspirant never makes his return it is immediately
decided that he showed he was afraid and had been eaten up by the not
too fatherly tiger. It would be, at least, a sure proof that he had
watched that night in the forest!

The succession of a son to his father in the office of _Ala_ is not
obligatory but all the Sakais wish it to be so as otherwise the soul of
the dead man would always remain in the body of a tiger and treasures of
wisdom and power would be lost to the tribe he had belonged to.

Not all the villages have the fortune to possess an _Ala_ of their own
who--by the way--does not differ in his domestic life from any of the
poor mortals around him. He has a wife, and children, makes poisons,
chews tobacco and _sirih_, sleeps and goes out shooting. Those
settlements that have no _Ala_ in their midst go in search of one in the
nearest encampment and the physician-priest responds quickly to the
invitation by hastening to the spot indicated.