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Show Odd Origin of Custom. In Abyssinia tho emperor is commonly com-monly called "Jan hoy," meaning "his majesty." Tho words havo a strange history. It Is given by a pnssago in tho chronicle of Mahdara Mnryam. The King Sarga Dongcl whllo engaged in a military expedition camped in Dambyn, was surprised to hear tho -inhabitants shout "Jan hoy," which means "ill, elephant!" at an elephant which was destroying a field of corn, and fled when thus accosted Then tho king said that whenever he went to pillage corn, If tho people cried "Jan hoy!" he would consider their claims and redress their wrongs. From this aroso the custom of addressing ad-dressing tho king as "Jan hoy," as an equivalent for asking for Justice, tho expression gradually losing Its spo-clal spo-clal significance and becoming tho ordinary or-dinary term of address when speaking of his majesty. |