RIVALRY AMONGST MAGICIANS 391
person who ventures to command them. Woe to him who commits the smallest error, or makes the slightest omission in the innumerable ceremonies that are obligatory under such circumstances! He is immediately crushed with the full weight of the mischief which he was preparing for others.
Then again, a magician is in constant danger from rivals who exercise the same trade, especially when his rivals are as skilful as himself, or maybe more so. For these may succeed in counteracting his charms, and in bringing upon his own head, or upon the heads of his clients, the whole weight of his evil machinations. Accordingly there
exists, in appearance or in reality, an inveterate mutual hatred amongst this crowd of men who pretend to be the
interpreters of destiny. Occasionally they are seen to bid defiance to each other, and to enter the lists in the presence of witnesses and arbitrators, whom they call upon to decide which of the two is the more skilful in his art. The test consists, for example, in having to lift from the ground a spell-bound object, such as a piece of straw, a wand, or a piece of mone } ^. The two antagonists, placing themselves at either side of and at an equal distance from the aforesaid object, pretend to approach it; but the mantrams which they utter, or the enchanted ashes which they sprinkle upon each other, have the effect of arresting their course.
An invisible and irresistible force seems to drive them back; they try again and again to advance towards the object, but as often have to draw back. They redouble their
efforts; convulsive movements agitate them; the sweat pours from them
; they spit blood. At last one of them succeeds in getting hold of the spell-bound object, and he is proclaimed the victor. Sometimes, again, one of the combatants is thrown violently upon the ground by the force of the mantrams of
his antagonist. He then rolls about like one possessed, and finally remains for some time motionless, feigning unconsciousness. At last, however, he recovers the use of his
senses, gets up apparently much fatigued and exhausted, and retires covered with shame and confusion. A sickness
of several days ' duration is supposed to be the immediate result of his strenuous yet futile efforts.