sampy

They hate goats and pigs, and will lay babies out in the street to see if their births are "fortunate" or not; 34 they are unique, I believe, in the whole world in having no kind of organized religion - no priests, no shrines or temples - but they worship a tree or a stone if they feel like it, or personal household gods called sampy, or charms, like the famous idol Rakelimalaza, which consists of three dirty little bits of wood wrapped in silk - I've seen it.

Flashman's Lady Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1977