Malay Magic Being an introduction to the folklore and...

26 The Pontianak and Pĕnanggalan are childbirth spirits (vide pp. 327, 328, infra). ↑

27 The Jin is the genie of the “Arabian Nights” (vide pp. 93–97, supra). ↑

28 The Pelisit or Pĕlĕsit, like the Polong, is a familiar spirit (vide pp. 329–331, infra). ↑

29 The Mambangs are inferior Malay divinities (vide pp. 88 n., 91–93, supra). ↑

30 The Hantu Pĕmburu is the Spectre Huntsman (vide pp. 113–120, infra), for whom Hantu Rimba is probably a mere synonym. ↑

31 The Jadi-jadian is the Were-tiger (vide pp. 160–163, infra). ↑

32 The Bengkus I have not yet been able to identify. ↑

33 The Bota, Gargasi, and Raksasa (not raksaksa) are giants. ↑

34 The Nenek Kabayan does not appear to be a ghost at all; it may, however, possibly be a rare synonym for some well-known character in Malay folklore (such as the wife of the Man in the Moon). It is not so explained in the best Dutch dictionaries, however, but simply as the village messenger (dorpsbode) who sells flowers and carries lovers’ messages. ↑

35 The Himbasan I have not yet identified. ↑

36 The Sawan (i.e. Hantu Sawan) is the demon or devil which is believed to cause convulsions. ↑

37 The Hantu (orang) mati di-bunoh is the ghost of a murdered man. ↑

38 The Bajang is a familiar spirit (vide pp. 320–325, infra). ↑

39 The Hantu katagoran, sempak-kan, and puput-kan I have not been able to identify, and as the two last possess the verbal suffix it is clear that each is the name of a state or process and not of a ghost or demon. In fact, v. d. Wall gives (under sampok), kĕsampokan, which he explains as meaning “door een’ boozen geest getroffen zijn,” to be attacked or possessed by an evil spirit, which is doubtless the correcter form of the word. So with puput-kan, which is also a verbal form meaning (acc. to v. d. W.) “to blow (tr.),” to “sound a wind instrument.” It would seem that ʿAbdullah’s list of “ghosts” is not very systematically drawn up. ↑

40 The ʿefrit is a spirit of Arabian origin. ↑

41 The Jĕmalang (Jĕmbalang) is a Malay earth-spirit. ↑

42Tĕrkĕna is a past participial form used of people who are thought to be “struck by” or “affected by” one of the foregoing demons. ↑

43Ubat guna is a love-philtre. ↑

44Gagah (usually pĕnggagah) is the art of making one’s self bold or courageous. ↑

45Pĕnundok, the art of making one’s enemy yield (tundok). ↑

46Pĕngasih, the art of making one’s self beloved by another. ↑

47Kĕbal (pĕngĕbal) the art of making one’s self invulnerable. ↑

48Kasaktian, the art of acquiring magic powers. ↑

49Tuju (pĕnuju), the art called “sending.” ↑

50ʿAlimun, the art of making one’s self invisible. ↑

51Pĕndĕras, the art of making one’s self swift-footed. ↑

52Pĕrahuh (a misprint for pĕruah = pĕruang?) that of keeping water at a distance from one’s face when diving, and also, it is said, of walking on the water without sinking below the ankles. ↑

53Chucha is, I believe, a love charm. ↑

54Pĕlali, is the art of numbing or deadening pain. ↑

55Pĕrangsang, the art of exciting or whetting the temper of the dogs when hunting. ↑

56Hik. Abdullah, p. 143. [Maxwell in J.R.A.S., S.B., No. ii N. and Q., No. 4, sec. 98.] ↑

57 Newbold, op. cit. vol.ii. p. 191. ↑

58 The name of this demon is probably connected with the Malay dongak, which means to “look upwards.” It is sometimes identified with the Hantu Pĕmburu, or wild huntsman, who, after hunting the earth, harked on his dogs through the sky, and whose head, from his continually looking upwards, became fixed in that position. ↑

59 The Hantu Raya is sometimes said to dwell in the centre of four cross-roads. There is a sea-spirit of the same name, Si Raya, which should, however, probably be identified with Batara Guru. ↑

60Malay Sketches, p. 197. ↑

61 The name of this Demon (songkei = sa-ungkei?) is no doubt connected with the Malay ungkei or rungkei, which means to undo or unloose a knot. The only traps which it is said to interfere with are snares and rope-traps, and as the most obvious way in which they could be “interfered” with would be by untying or loosening their knots, the connection between the name of this spirit and the Malay rungkei to unloose or undo, is sufficiently obvious. The name, therefore, would appear to mean the “Untying” or “Loosening Demon,” naturally a most vexatious spirit to have anywhere near your snares or nooses. ↑