Malay Magic by Walter William Skeat

1. WIND AND WEATHER CHARMS

388 words | Chapter 43

Not the least important attribute of the Malay magician in former days was his power of controlling the weather--a power of which Malay magic incantations still preserve remarkable traces. Thus when the wind fails and the sails of a boat are flapping (kalau layer k'lepek-k'lepek), a Selangor magician would not unfrequently summon the wind in the following terms:-- "Come hither, Sir, come hither, my Lord, Let down your locks so long and flowing." And if the wind is contrary he would say:-- "Veer round, Wind, a needle or twain (of the compass), A needle to (let me) fetch Kapar. [212] However heavy the merchandise that I carry unassisted, Let me repair to Klang for the (morning) meal, And Langat for the (evening) bathe. Come hither, Sir, come hither, my Lord, And let down your locks so long and flowing." Again, if the wind grew violent he would say:-- "Eggs of the House-lizard, Eggs of the Grass-lizard, Make a trio with Eggs of the Tortoise. I plant this pole thus in the mid-stream (That) Wind and Tempest may come to naught. Let the White (ones) turn into Chalk, And the Black (one) into Charcoal. [213] Sometimes the magician will fasten a rice-spoon (chemcha) [214] horizontally to the mast of the vessel, and repeat some such charm as the following:-- "The bird 'Anggau-anggau' flies To perch on the house of Malim Palita. May you die as you lean, may you die from a push, May you die by this 'sending' of 'Prince Rice-spoon's.'" [215] Of rain-making ceremonies in Selangor there now remains little but tradition. Yet a Langat Malay told me that if a Malay woman puts upon her head an inverted [216] earthenware pan (b'langa), and then, setting it upon the ground, fills it with water and washes the cat in it until the latter is more than half drowned, heavy rain will certainly ensue. [217] On the other hand the recital of the following charm will, it is believed, effectually stop the heaviest downpour:-- "Though the stem of the Meranti tree [218] rocks to and fro (in the storm), Let the Yam leaves be as thick as possible, [219] That Rain and Tempest may come to naught." With the foregoing should be classed such charms as are used by the Malays to dispel the yellow sunset glow. [220]

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. CHAPTER I 3. CHAPTER II 4. CHAPTER III 5. CHAPTER IV 6. CHAPTER V 7. 2. Birds and Bird Charms 109 8. 4. Minerals and Mining Charms 250 9. 4. Fishing Ceremonies 306 10. CHAPTER VI 11. 12. Divination and the Black Art 532 12. 7. Heptacle on which the Seven-Square is based 558 13. 11. Fig. 1.--Bridal Bouquets 375 14. 12. Fig. 1.--Bridegroom's Headdress 378 15. 20. Fig. 1.--Musical Instruments 508 16. 23. Fig. 1.--Hanuman 516 17. 24. Fig. 1.--Weather Chart 544 18. 28. Fig. 1.--Wax Figures 570 19. CHAPTER I 20. CHAPTER II 21. 3. The two royal Swords; one on the right hand and one on the left 22. 4. The royal "Fringed" Umbrella (payong ubor-ubor), carried behind 23. 5. The royal "Cuspadore," carried behind the left-hand 24. 7. The eight royal tufted Lances (tombak bendrang or bandangan), 25. 6. The royal Ceiling-cloth and Hangings (tabir, langit-langit 26. 7. The "Moving Mountains" (gunong dua berangkat), perhaps the 27. 8. The royal Drums (gendang naubat); said to be "headed" with the 28. 9. The royal Trumpet (lempiri or | 29. 12. The royal rebab or Malay fiddle. 30. CHAPTER III 31. 1. Leaves of the grass called sambau dara, which is said to be the 32. 2. The leaves of the selaguri, which appears to be "a shrub or 33. 3. The leaves of the pulut-pulut (the exact identity of which I have 34. 4. The leaves of the gandarusa (Insticia gandarusa, L., Acanthaceæ), 35. 5. The leaves of the gandasuli (which I have not yet been able to 36. 7. The leaves of the lenjuang merah, or "the common red dracæna" 37. 8. The leaves of the sapenoh (unidentified), a plant with big round 38. 9. To the above list may be perhaps added the satawar, sitawar 39. 10. The satebal (Fagræa racemosa, Jack., Loganiaceæ). 40. CHAPTER IV 41. introduction to Muhammadan influences, the only ones of importance 42. CHAPTER V 43. 1. WIND AND WEATHER CHARMS 44. 2. BIRDS AND BIRD CHARMS 45. 1. BUILDING CEREMONIES AND CHARMS 46. 2. BEASTS AND BEAST CHARMS 47. 3. VEGETATION CHARMS 48. 8. The falling of the leaves in old trees. 49. 8. Wangkang. 50. 4. A plant of saffron (kunyit). 51. 12. A large iron nail. 52. 1. Sapenoh. 2. Sapanggil. 3. Jenjuang (or lenjuang) merah (the Red 53. 1. A strip of white cloth (folded up and lying at the bottom of 54. 7. Five cubits of red cloth by means of which the soul-basket was to 55. 1. Money, rice, salt, oil, tame animals, etc., were forbidden to 56. 4. The reapers, till the end of the reaping, were forbidden to let 57. 5. The light placed near the head of the Rice-child's bed might not 58. 1. A basket-work stand (one of those used for the cooking-pots, 59. 2. A bowl of water deposited upon this stand and intended "for the 60. 5. Six trodden-out rice "heads," a couple of which tied in a slip knot 61. 4. MINERALS AND MINING CHARMS 62. 1. PURIFICATION BY WATER 63. 2. THE SEA, RIVERS, AND STREAMS 64. 3. REPTILES AND REPTILE CHARMS 65. 4. FISHING CEREMONIES 66. 1. PRODUCTION OF FIRE 67. 2. FIRE CHARMS 68. CHAPTER VI 69. 1. BIRTH-SPIRITS 70. 2. BIRTH CEREMONIES 71. 3. ADOLESCENCE 72. 4. Personal Ceremonies and Charms 73. 5. BETROTHAL 74. 6. MARRIAGE 75. 7. FUNERALS [638] 76. 8. MEDICINE 77. 2. "Neutralisatory" Ceremonies for destroying the evil principle 78. 3. "Expulsory" Ceremonies (for the casting out of the evil 79. 4. "Revivificatory" Ceremonies (for recalling a sick person's soul, 80. 3. If the rice floats in a line across the sun's path (berator 81. 4. If you see a solitary grain travelling by itself (bersiar) 82. 5. If the parched rice travels towards the right of the jar the 83. 6. If it travels towards the left of the jar he will recover, 84. 7. If, however, it floats right underneath the candle it is 85. 1. If they take the shape either of a boat or a crocodile, this 86. 2. If they take a square shape, a tray of offerings (anchak) 87. 3. If they take the shape of a house, a 'state-hall' (balei) 88. 1. If the rice is lumped together (bulat or berlubok) it is a 89. 2. If it extends itself crosswise (panjang melintang) it is a 90. 3. If it takes the shape of a spirit-boat (lanchang) you must 91. 4. If it keeps travelling either to the left or the right, it is 92. 5. If it takes the shape of a crocodile, or anything of that sort, 93. 9. DANCES, SPORTS, AND GAMES 94. 6. Bidak, the Pawns. [707] 95. 1. In the game called sakopong all cards from two to six are cast 96. 2. Main chabut is a species of vingt-et-un, and is played with either 97. 2. Kachang di-rendang di-tugalkan, i.e. two aces; a very convenient 98. 3. Lunas sa-glabat, or sagaji ampat-b'las, i.e. angkong dengan daun 99. 5. Ace and two, which is the best of all. 100. 3. Daun tiga 'lei or Pakau is played here as follows:-- 101. 10. THEATRICAL EXHIBITIONS

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