In those days my grandfather was practicing medicine in Vaedyavatii. Nowadays it might even be possible to call Vaedyavatii a town, but the Vaedyavatii of those days was a small variety of village. The time I am speaking of was ten years ago.

One of my middle maternal aunt’s sons was terribly sick at that time. The illness was growing really severe. My mother and aunt were taking turns staying up at night to attend on the patient. Every moment was passing in terrible anxiety; it seemed he would not survive. The night had nearly passed, but dawn’s light had not yet shown itself. Heavy at heart, my aunt left the patient and went off towards the roof, wanting either to sit or cry a little while in solitude. The roof there was actually an open balcony adjoining the patient’s room.

Suddenly Auntie returned from there. Arriving she called out to my mother, “Hey come on, come see something strange.” My mother slowly followed my aunt toward the roof. At that time Vaedyavatii was unconscious in deep slumber. There was no sign of anyone at all on the streets and river banks. Pointing with her finger at the wall of an abandoned house across from us she said, “Look!” Mother saw a strange being standing on the wall. In height it was like a five year-old boy, but the head was massive. His head was covered in dreadlocks, and there was a wide gaze to both his big eyes. Whirling his head around he was looking about everywhere. Mother and my aunt were both exceptionally brave. But comparatively speaking Auntie was even more dauntless. Auntie said, “So shall I shoo it away?”

Mother said, “No, don’t look.”

Auntie replied, “No, I’ll shoo it and see what it does.”

Before mother could stop her my aunt tried to drive it away. Mother and auntie both were startled – what had happened to that huge-eyed child? In its place stood a massive wild cat. Well, not a cat, more like a tiger. Auntie again shooed it away. The cat jumped down from the wall. But where had the cat gone! With astonishment they saw a black dog standing, looking vacantly toward the sky. Auntie again shooed it, and afterwards was startled to see that the dog too was gone. In its place was a massive bearded he-goat. The goat did not remain standing there. With slow steps it took to the road and went off towards its own destination. Mother and Auntie returned to the patient’s room. Even before that the boy had died.

[Author’s explanation:] Dhanátmaka abhibhávaná – pratisáḿvedanika tathyánubhúti [Literally, “Positive cellular suggestion and psycho-reactive perception of real events” tathyánubhúti = tathya + anubhúti]