Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. VI SAKAI {' BLANDAS') 245
must return to the grave in three days' time.
The use of the fire is to show it the way. If
after the three days it finds no new home, it sits by
the fire at night, eating and drinking the contents of
the " anchak " or tray, and sleeping throughout the day-
time, and having continued in this state for seven
days, it dies outright and vanishes for ever. Hence
after seven days no more food is put in the tray.
While it is alive and being fed it is harmless, and
does no harm to the survivors, who visit the grave
either to bring it food or to attend to the fire. As the
Grave Demon is invisible, no one can tell whether
the deceased left behind him a Grave Demon or
not. Therefore the fire is lit and the food offered
on behalf of all the members of the tribe, both big
and little.^
Deinons of the Atmosphere.
In Vaughan- Stevens' class of invisible demons
there are many kinds of demons of the atmosphere
which work through the agency of rain, heat, moun-
tains, lakes, stones, and trees. These are, however,
not very dangerous, and seldom kill.
The Demon Huntsman (Hantu Seburu) is a lost
soul that has been excluded from the " Cloud-Husks "
(" Kelonsong Awan "), and sent back to earth by
Granny Lanyut. Like the " Lofty Demon," it re-
sembles a jungle-man, and disappears from sight the
moment it is seen. It is never far from water, and
is sometimes swallowed in drinking and thus introduced
into the blood. It also resembles the Baunan
Demon, except in form, which in the case of the
latter is that of a huge black human figure.
1 Vaughan-S levens, ii. 141. Cp. ib. 83 «., for a " Hantu " with " vampire "
proclivities.