The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 08 of 12)Frazer, James George
Religion
The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 08 of 12)
Frazer, James George
Magic; Mythology; Religion; Superstition
(M163) Among the Malays of Patani Bay, in Siam, there is a family whose
members may not kill a crocodile nor even be present when one of these
ferocious reptiles is captured. The reason alleged for this forbearance is
that the family claim kindred with a woman named Betimor, who was drowned
in the river and afterwards turned into a crocodile. After her
transformation she appeared to her father in a dream and told him what had
become of her; so he went down to the river and made offerings to her of
rice and wax tapers. There is a shrine on the spot where the woman was
transformed into a crocodile, and any one may dedicate offerings there and
pray to Toh Sri Lam; for so she has been called ever since her
metamorphosis. Members of the crocodile family call on her for help in
sickness and other misfortunes, and they will do so on behalf of other
people for a proper consideration. Rice and wax tapers are the usual
offerings.(610) In many islands of the Indian Archipelago, including Java,
Sumatra, Celebes, Timor, and Ceram, this belief in a kinship of men with
crocodiles assumes a peculiar form. The people imagine that women are
often delivered of a child and a crocodile at the same birth, and that
when this happens, the midwife carries the crocodile twin carefully down
to the river and places it in the water. The family in which such a birth
is thought to have happened, constantly put victuals into the river for
their amphibious relation; and in particular the human twin, so long as he
lives, goes down to the river at stated seasons to do his duty by his
crocodile brother or sister; and if he were to fail to do so, it is the
universal opinion that he would be visited with sickness or death for his
unnatural conduct. Large parties of these crocodile people periodically go
out in a boat furnished with great plenty of provisions and all kinds of
music, and they row backwards and forwards, with the music playing, in
places where crocodiles do most abound. As they do so they sing and weep
by turns, each of them invoking his animal kinsfolk, till the snout of one
of the brutes bobbs up from the water, whereupon the music stops, and
food, betel, and tobacco are thrown into the river. By these delicate
attentions they hope to recommend themselves to the formidable
creatures.(611)
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