examine the significance of medicine man in chapter 3. how does this character contribute to the same theme of 'poverty' village by the sea

The medicine man comes with a cow decorated with tassels and beads; local people feed the cow grass, which is supposed to make their prayers come true. The medicine man has a reputation for magic, which makes the girls nervous, but they welcome him. Lila explains that her mother has been ill for a long time, and asks for medicine. The man demands water and grass for his cow, and the girls oblige. Lila makes him tea and tells him the story of her mother’s illness, and how she is much worse now. The man makes a fire and throws packets of flowers on it which make smoke; he chants in Sanskrit, and then when the fire is out he makes a paste of the ash and puts it on their mother’s tongue, claiming it will purify her and drive away the demons making her sick. He then makes the girls gather up the rest of the ash and ties it in a sack, telling them to put it under their mother’s pillow. Then he demands payment. Lila gives him her mother’s precious silver ring, which has been kept in hiding. The three girls are left staring at the bag of ash, feeling slightly duped. This is an example of poverty feeding on poverty: poor people exploiting each other.