Malay Magic: Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay PeninsulaSkeat, Walter William
Religion
Malay Magic: Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay Peninsula
Skeat, Walter William
Magic -- Malay Peninsula; Malays (Asian people) -- Folklore; Malays (Asian people) -- Social life and customs
The theory already mentioned, viz. that the Black King of the Genii
gradually came to be identified with Kala, and later came gradually
to be established as a separate personality, appears to be the only
one which will satisfactorily explain the relations subsisting between
the Black and White Genii, who are on the one hand distinctly declared
to be brothers, whilst the White Genie is in another passage declared
to be Maharaja Dewa or Mahadewa, which latter is, as we have already
seen, a special name of Shiva.
This White Genie is said to have sprung, by one account, from the
blood-drops which fell on the ground when Habil and Kabil bit their
thumbs; by another, from the irises of the snake Sakatimuna's eyes
(benih mata Sakatimuna), and is sometimes confused with the White
Divinity ('Toh Mambang Puteh), who lives in the sun.
The name of his wife is not mentioned, as it is in the case of
the Black Genie, but the names of three of his children have been
preserved, and they are Tanjak Malim Kaya, Pari Lang (lit. kite-like,
i.e. "winged" Skate), and Bintang Sutan (or Star of Sutan). [170]
On the whole, I may say that the White Genie is very seldom mentioned
in comparison with the Black Genie, and that whereas absolutely no
harm, so far as I can find out, is recorded of him, he is, on the
other hand, appealed to for protection by his worshippers.
A very curious subdivision of Genii into Faithful (Jin Islam) and
Infidel (Jin Kafir) is occasionally met with, and it is said, moreover,
that Genii (it is to be hoped orthodox ones) may be sometimes bought
at Mecca from the "Sheikh Jin" (Headman of Genii) at prices varying
from $90 to $100 a piece. [171]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account