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Of all the evil spirits which inhabit rock and tree and animal, the Bataks of Sumatra believe the most terrible live in the tiger! The word "tiger" is never used. Instead he is called "the old one" or "he with the striped coat." When marauding excursions of this most dreaded jungle beast become unbearable to the villagers, a meeting of the elders is held and after much hestation the death sentence is passed!
After capture and death of we tiger, elaborate ceremonies are necessary to avert the wrath of all tigers, for it is believed that the malevolent 'spirit of the tiger might stay in the village to sow sickness and death! Or he might fly to the tiger city which is supposed to exist in the depths of the jungle.
There the tigers live in houses thatched with women's hair and govern themselves like men!
The spirit of the dead tiger would enter the council chamber of the beasts of the tiger city. It would tell what had been done, and all would descend upon the village to avenge their dead comrade!
In India it is believed that if a cobra attains the age of a thousand years, a preceious jewel is formed in its head. This jewel, it is said, has the quality of soaking up the poison of any snakes when applied to the wounded part!
To keep a dog from straying … in the old days days they scraped the four corners of a table on the upper side -- then fed the scrapings to the dog dog! Another favorite method of keeping a dog at home, considered very effective, was to mix small quantities of your own blood with the dogs food … then feed it to him!
