[cclxxv]Pantun describing the effect of the Black Art
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Skeat, Walter William
Niyor manis, siamang bulan,
Kalapa tumboh di batu,
Si Anu menangis menentang bulan,
Dia kena hikmat aku.
For other charms connected with the human soul vide secs. vi–viii and ccxiii, ccxiv, supra.
Source notes
1 Di-sembor kapada yang kena. ↑
2i.e. rumah Pontianak. ↑
3 Orang yang kena Pontianak jadi hitam saperti jantong di-bembam. ↑
4 Qu. selimbar, a plant? ↑
5Tanah kang: explained as an allusion to that part of the lower jaw which is beneath the tongue (mulut di-bawah lidah), the intention evidently being to allude to the “pelesit’s” coming out of its owner’s mouth. In the next line but one, tanah dengkang is similarly explained as alluding to the roof of the owner’s month, so that asking the “pelesit” to return to it is tantamount to requesting it to fly back down its owner’s throat. And thus, three lines later, it is requested to return to its “embodiment” (jinjangan). ↑
6i.q. aruah Jin. ↑
7i.e. sa-habis-habis burok. ↑
8 Apparently a demi-god, descended (according to one account) from Batara Guru. ↑
9 In the case of a Raja’s child as much as ten (silver) dollars should be used, but for poor people even one cent will do. ↑
10 Cp. Report of Dutch Expedition to Mid-Sumatra, vol. i. p. 266. ↑
11 Or a small wallet (bujam), such as is often used by Malays to hold their supply of tobacco and betel. ↑
12 In the case of a boy, a piece of paper and a sugar-palm twig (such as the Malays use for writing with) may be added to the other objects. ↑
13 (?) Kau. ↑
14Mutatis mutandis. ↑
15 Qu. angkau. ↑
16 The Filer of Teeth explained that the file being of iron, and hence emblematic of earth, the bowl of water in which the file was to be dipped emblematic of water in general, and the limes emblematic of the vegetable creation, it was necessary to invoke the three “Prophets” who are supposed to be in charge of those departments of creation. The explanation, however, is not a satisfactory one, and it is more probable that these lines have taken the place of an older invocation now forgotten. Their Arabic character in itself is almost conclusive on this point. ↑
17 Qu. beratus or saratus? ↑
18 Qu. baruh. ↑
19 The neckbone. ↑
20 The breastbone. ↑
21 The backbone. ↑
22Em. Berchĕla chachat. ↑
23i.e. beriring, also biring. ↑
24 Qu. pernama or berlima? ↑
25Asam, which comes from the land, is mixed with salt, which comes from the sea, and the two bring out each other’s qualities. ↑
26Tengkuling, or tengguli, is said to be made with the squeezings of cocoa-nut pulp mixed with sugar, and cooked till the oil and sugar come out and float on the top; this is called tengguli. ↑
27V.l.
’Ku titek pinang ’ku titek
’Ku titek di-atas batu
’Ku makan pinang sadikit
Naik s’ri ka muka aku.
Titek, is from titekka to hammer, and so to smash, hence ‘ku titek = ‘ku kachipkan, I break with the betel-nut scissors?
Temuning, v. l. tengkuling or tengguli (v. supra).
Ta’ si kulita’ seqq. should probably be taken as meaning “Ta’ si kulita’ stands for Tepi laut bunyi guroh halilintar.”
Cp. “’Tah ’ting stands for patah ranting,” etc. ↑