Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

358 CULTIVATION -
part
ii
a thud upon a third piece of bamboo which was fixed
ready to receive it. The same writer added that the
Sakai employed the " whistHng " (or " AiloHan ")
bamboo a good deal for the same purpose, but said
that this " fog-bell " of theirs was better.'
III.
—
Jakun.
Blandas.—No record has hitherto been obtained of
the actual rice-planting ceremonies practised by the
Blandas in K. Langat. But the agricultural rites of
all these tribes, as might be expected, are borrowed
almost in their entirety from their Malay neighbours,
and hence there is reason to believe that they cannot
differ greatly from the ceremonies just described.
That this is the case is borne out to some extent by
the text of two padi - planting charms, which were
given me by the Blandas in this same district. The
first, which corresponds to the Malay tree-felling in-
vocations, may be rendered as follows :
—
Charm to expel Earth-demons on opening up- a Clearing.
Leaves of "kreduk" and "selimbar,"''
Tree-shoots that entwine and dangle,
Dangle till they reach down earthwards,
Therewith chase I you, Earth-demons ;
Ely to- leftward, fly to rightward,
I have chos'n this spot as lodging
For Bananas, Yams, and Rice-plants.
Lords of hill, and hill-locked basin.
Drive we back these foul Earth -demons !
The second of these charms is to be used for
calling the Rice-soul home at harvest-time (" panggil
semangat padi ").^ It runs as follows :
' "Queensland" in Sel. J. vol. i. ^ a big climbing parasite (Klin-
No, 15, p. 230. kert).
also.
2 "Menetau"; so-called in Malay '' Cp. Malay Magic, p. 235 seqq.