in THE OLD KUKI CLANS 177

being determined to spend the night there. They passed the
night, sometimes exchanging whispers, and in the morning they
were astonished to find that they had become a tiger and a
tigress. [This changing of human beings into animals reminds
one of the Lushai Thimzing legend.] Pathian, seeing the sad
state of the world, sent a man and a woman from a cave, which
was on the hill, to re-people it. The man and the woman
emerging from the cave were terrified at seeing the two huge
animals, and addressed Pathian thus: ' 0 Father, you have
sent us to re-people the world, but we do not think that we
shall be able to carry out your intention, as the whole world is
under water, and the only spot on which we could make a
resting place is occupied by two ferocious beasts which are
waiting to devour us; give us strength to slay these animals.'
After which they killed the tigers and lived happily and begat
many sons and daughters, and from them the world was
re-populated."

The following tale told by the Kolhen resembles in many
particulars the story of Kungori told by Colonel Lewin, which
is given below:—

The Story of Fachirang and RangAar*

" Once upon a time there lived a widow; she had a daughter
whose beauty attracted many young men of the village. One
day a tiger came in the shape of a man and asked to marry the
girl. She was much frightened and kept silence. The tiger-
man was angry at her behaviour, and recited a charm which
made her ugly. Her mother said,' Look! my daughter who
was the most beautiful girl in the village has become ugly ; if
a man can restore her beauty he may marry her, and if a
woman can do it she shall be my friend.' On hearing this, the
tiger-man came to the old woman and said,' Oh! Granny, I am
a stranger, and have come from a distant village; let me put
up in your house. The old lady agreed, and after a few days
he said, e Oh 1 Granny, why are you so sad ? Toll me the cause
of your sorrow. Perhaps I can remove it/ ' Alas, my boy, it
is beyond your power to do so/ she replied. The tiger-rnan,
however, pressed her to tell him, and at last she did so, where-
upon he replied, * All right, if I cure her you will give her to

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