1896. Two Volumes in One. Crooke writes in the Preface that he is attempting to bring together some of the information available on the popular beliefs of the races of Upper India. His object in writing the book is threefold. In the first place he desired to collect, for the use of all officers whose work lies among the rural classes, some information on the beliefs of the people which will enable them, in some degree, to understand the mysterious inner life of the races among whom their lot is cast; secondly, it may be hoped that this introductory sketch will stimulate inquiry, particularly among the educated races of the country, who have, as yet, done little to enable Europeans to gain a fuller and more sympathetic knowledge of their rural brethren; and lastly, while he has endeavored more to collect facts than to theorize upon them, he hopes that European scholars may find in these pages some fresh examples of familiar principles. Contents of Volume I: The Godlings of Nature; The Heroic and Village Godlings; The Godlings of Disease; The Worship of the Sainted Dead; Worship of the Malevolent Dead. Contents of Volume II: The Evil Eye and the Scaring of Ghosts; Tree and Serpent Worship; Totemism and Fetishism; Animal-Worship; The Black Art; and Some Rural Festivals and Ceremonies.