Storia do Mogor 266.3.5

266.3.5

In this same land of Cochin, where a Hindu prince ruled, there was an alligator or crocodile in the river which the Hindus called the 'Crocodile of the Oath.' When they wanted to asseverate the truth of any plea, they would appeal to the crocodile. All would go to the river bank, and there he who was to swear placed himself on the crocodile and said these words: 'If I swear falsely, you must throw me into the middle of the river; and if I swear the truth, you must bring me back again and deposit me in this same place.' Thus many times did it happen that the truthful were brought back and released on the river-side, and the liars were pitched into the middle of the river and drowned. It happened once that a youth, the son of a rich man, after his father's death appropriated the whole estate, and refused to share with his brother. They appealed to the Oath of the Crocodile. This youth, finding himself pledged to make an oath, took a staff and put into it half of the property he had appropriated, having converted it all into precious stones. They were really the property of his brother. With this staff in his hand, and quite easy in his mind, he came to the river-side and called the crocodile. He then proposed to his brother to take the oath in this form: '"I owe you nothing; what was mine I took, and what was yours I made over to you. I speak the truth." Meanwhile, until I come back, hold this staff.' He placed the staff in his brother's hand.