The world was thus left unpeopled, until
the goddess of the Thugs (Devi or Kali) came to the rescue. She
attacked the demon, and cut him down; but from every drop of his
blood another demon arose; and though the goddess continued to cut
down these rising demons, fresh broods of demons sprang from their
blood, as from that of their progenitors; and the diabolical race
consequently multiplied with fearful rapidity. At length, fatigued
and disheartened, the goddess found it necessary to change her
tactics. Accordingly, relinquishing all personal efforts for their
suppression, she formed two men from perspiration brushed from her
arms. To each of these men she gave a handkerchief, and with these
the two assistants of the goddess were commanded to put all the
demons to death without shedding a drop of blood. Her commands were
immediately obeyed; and the demons were all strangled. Having
strangled all the demons, the two men offered to return the
handkerchiefs; but the goddess desired that they should retain them,
not merely as memorials of their heroism, but as the implements of a
lucrative trade in which their descendants were to labour and thrive.
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