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Ancient Ideas on their Origin and Virtues. 57
look
for the true home of the many other fanciful ideas which have been
entertained regarding the origin of Pearls. Some of these have reached
the western world almost unchanged ; others have received, in their
march, such local colourings, additions, or alterations, as were
prompted by the philosophy of the countries through which they passed.
So extensive is the literature, and so many and diverse are the
superstitions recorded, that one would think the ingenuity of even the
Oriental imagination must have been stretched to its utmost limit in
dealing with this subject. Not to weary the patience of the reader with
a mass of details, we will content ourselves with merely glancing at a
few of the principal superstitions. Our information on this head has
been derived chiefly from a work entitled "Mani-Mâla," that is "Chain
of Gems,'' written by a native Indian Prince.
"It
is generally believed," says this writer, "that the Pearl originates in
clouds, elephants, boars, conch-shells, fish, serpents, oysters, and
bamboos,—of which oysters bear the largest share in their production."
To treat them in the order here mentioned, we will first deal with the
reputed formation of Pearls by Clouds.
" The Pearl which originates in the water-drop from the clouds, is a gem of the first rank and a
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