It would probably be wrong to assume the foregoing expressions to have always been merely figurative. Rather, perhaps, we should consider them as part of a singularly complete and consistent animistic system formerly invented and still held by the Malays. Again, from the above ideas it follows that if you call a soul in the right way it will hear and obey you, and you will thus be able either to recall to its owner's body a soul which is escaping (riang semangat), or to abduct the soul of a person whom you may wish to get into your power (mengambil semangat orang), and induce it to take up its residence in a specially prepared receptacle, such as (a) a lump of earth which has been sympathetically connected by direct contact with the body of the soul's owner, or (b) a wax mannikin so connected by indirect means, or even (c) a cloth which has had no such connection whatever. And when you have succeeded in getting it into your power the abducted and now imprisoned soul will naturally enjoy any latitude allowed to (and suffer from any mutilation of) its temporary domicile or embodiment. [102] Every man is supposed (it would appear from Malay charms) to possess seven souls [103] in all, or, perhaps, I should more accurately say, a sevenfold soul. [104] This "septenity in unity" may perhaps be held to explain the remarkable importance and persistency of the number seven in Malay magic, as for instance the seven twigs of the birch, and the seven repetitions of the charm (in Soul-abduction [105]), the seven betel leaves, the seven nights' duration of the ceremony, the seven blows administered to the soul (in other magical and medical ceremonies), and the seven ears cut for the Rice-soul in reaping. [106] And, finally, it might explain why the lime-branch which is hung up in the mosquito-curtain (in another form of soul-abduction [107]) is required to possess seven fruits on a single stalk, i.e. to ensure there being a separate receptacle for each one of the seven souls. At the present day the ordinary Malay talks usually of only a single soul, although he still keeps up the old phraseology in his charms and charm-books. For the rest, it would appear that there may be some method in the selection and arrangement of colours. The "lump of earth from the victim's footprint" used in one form of the soul-abduction ceremony [108] is to be wrapped up in three thicknesses of cloth, which must be red, black, and yellow respectively, the yellow being outside. Again (in the ceremony of casting out "the mischief" from a sick man), a white cosmetic is assigned for use in the morning, a red cosmetic for mid-day, and black for sundown. [109]