Seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo; a ... - Sabrizain.org

THE DYAK CHARACTER 65
Then she solemnly cursed the thief. She began in a calm
voice, but worked herself up into a frenzy. We all listened
horror-struck, and no one interrupted her. She began by
saying what had happened, and how these thefts had gone
on for some time. She had said nothing before, hoping
but the matter had
that the thief would mend his ways ;
gone on long enough, and she was going
to curse the
:hief, as nothing, she felt sure, would make him give up
nis evil ways. She called on all the spirits of the waters
and the hills and the ah to listen to her words and to aid
ler. She began quietly, but became more excited as she
went on. She said something of this kind :—
'
If the thief be a man, may he be unfortunate in all he
undertakes ! May he suffer from a disease that does not
kill him, but makes him — helpless always in —and pain a
burden to others. May his wife be unfaithful to him, and
his children become as lazy and dishonest as he is himself.
If he go out on the war-path, may he be killed, and his head
smoked over the enemy's fire. If he be boating, may his
boat be swamped and may he be drowned. If he be out
fishing, may an alligator kill him suddenly, and may his
relatives never find his body. If he be cutting down a
tree in the jungle, may the tree fall on him and crush him
to death. May the gods curse his farm so that he may
have no crops, and have nothing to eat, and when he begs
for food, may he be refused, and die of starvation.
'
If the thief be a woman, may she be childless, or if
she happen to be with child let her be disappointed, and
let her child be still-born, or, better still, let her die in
childbirth. May her husband be untrue to her, and
despise her and ill-treat her. May her children all desert
her if she live to grow old. May she suffer from such
diseases as are peculiar to women, and may her eyesight
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