PREFACE. The following collection* of stories. belonging to the demon-worshipers of the Tulu Country, are those which are recited at their annual festivals and which have in this manner become promulgated and perpetuated among the people by the so-called l'ambadars or chief actors on such occasions. To save space the last story has been given only in a verbal English trans- lation. As the physician in the course of his study requires in many cases to apply himself to un- pleasant research, even so does the Mission-worker require often to study adverse literature, which may not be pleasant, to enable him efficiently to cope with the difficult task of meeting the heathen on his own ground. From a scientific point of view these stories are not of much worth, but they serve to give one an insight into the hollowness of demon-worship and enable the Mission-worker among this class of people to gain an insight into their ideas and to follow out their line of thought; at the same time they open out to him a variety of new words, phrases, and idioms of the language, so that scarcely any thing else would serve his purpose so well or give him such an intimate acquaintance with the customs, language and religion of the demon-worshippers. It is therefore in the interest of the Mission-worker to whom, as afore said, such information is peculiarly valuable, and not with any intent to give wider publication to these stories that we have had them printed and have in hand a small number of copies for sale at cost-price to Missionaries and Mission-workers only, strictly prohibiting the loan or sale of such under any circumstances whatever, to the heathen. Second-hand copies, not damaged, will be repurchased at half-price. The orthography is sometimes very peculiar, as for instance, of instead of wdgo, w, for ಬರಿದರೆ, ಪಿರ್ಯ for ಪ್ರಿಯ, ಪಾಡೊಡ್ಡ for ಸಾಹೊತಾಂಡ, ಅವರ for ಆಹಾರ, ಜನೈರ for ಜನಿವಾರ, ಘಾಳಿಂದ for ಘಾಳಿ 9 etc.; but we thought it better neither to change nor correct it. This collection of stories is never to be handed over to the Book Depository, but must re- main entirely the property of the Tulu Missionaries, as represented by the District President locum tenens. Mangalore, September 1886. A. Männer. There are many stories, of this kind, but we have selected only these few which we thought to be suitable for our purpose. No. 7, 10 and 11 are varieties of one and the same legend.
