n to
move towards the priest, and continued to move until it reached his
feet. This being done, he told the people, that they might conclude from
what they had seen, that the cocoa-nut would follow the thief until it
would break his head. He consented, however, to give him a little
grace--to spare his life until the next day; adding his advice, that the
thief, whoever he might be, had better come to him privately, and tell
him where the property was. In the dead of the night, a tap was heard at
the door of the priest; the thief presented himself, and delivered up
the property. The priest received a present from the owner of the
property, and rewarded the thief for his promptness. After this man was
converted, he was asked how he contrived to make the cocoa-nut move
towards him. "Why, sir," he answered, "if you will carefully divide a
cocoa-nut, scoop out the kernel from one-half of it, enclose a strong,
lively rat, put the parts of the cocoa-nut together, and bind the whole
with saffron-cords, to prevent the crack being seen, and then place it
on a declivity previously prepared, it is clear, that if you place
yourself at the foot of this declivity the rat will twirl the cocoa-nut,
and cause it to descend until it reaches your feet."

CHAPTER XIX.

SUPERSTITION OF THE HINDOOS.

My dear Children--In my Sermon to Children, before alluded to, I
mentioned a few particulars to prove that the people of India are very
superstitious. Let me mention a few more. It is said that no act,
however good it may be, if performed on Sunday, will succeed. Some will
not eat at all on Sunday, until they have seen a certain bird--the bird
on which the god Vrishnoo rides. If a man rubs oil on his head on
Monday, and bathes, he will commit a sin equal to the sin of destroying
a temple of Siva. If he has his hair out on Tuesday, he will become
poor. Even to worship the gods on Wednesday, is bad. If a person takes
medicine on Thursday, his sickness will be increased. Should he lend any
thing on Friday, he will lose his property. If he should buy a new cloth
on Saturday, take it home, and keep it there, death may be the
consequence. Should he die on this day, some other member of the family
will die on the following week.

If the foundation of a house is laid in June, the destruction of that
house will follow. Should a family enter a new house in March, some
member of the family will die. If a marriage is celebrated in September,
the