Malay Magic by Walter William Skeat

Not the least important attribute of the Malay magician in former days was his power of controlling the weather--a power of which Malay magic incantations still preserve remarkable traces. Thus when the wind fails and the sails of a boat are flapping (kalau layer k'lepek-k'lepek), a Selangor magician would not unfrequently summon the wind in the following terms:-- "Come hither, Sir, come hither, my Lord, Let down your locks so long and flowing." And if the wind is contrary he would say:-- "Veer round, Wind, a needle or twain (of the compass), A needle to (let me) fetch Kapar. [212] However heavy the merchandise that I carry unassisted, Let me repair to Klang for the (morning) meal, And Langat for the (evening) bathe. Come hither, Sir, come hither, my Lord, And let down your locks so long and flowing." Again, if the wind grew violent he would say:-- "Eggs of the House-lizard, Eggs of the Grass-lizard, Make a trio with Eggs of the Tortoise. I plant this pole thus in the mid-stream (That) Wind and Tempest may come to naught. Let the White (ones) turn into Chalk, And the Black (one) into Charcoal. [213] Sometimes the magician will fasten a rice-spoon (chemcha) [214] horizontally to the mast of the vessel, and repeat some such charm as the following:-- "The bird 'Anggau-anggau' flies To perch on the house of Malim Palita. May you die as you lean, may you die from a push, May you die by this 'sending' of 'Prince Rice-spoon's.'" [215] Of rain-making ceremonies in Selangor there now remains little but tradition. Yet a Langat Malay told me that if a Malay woman puts upon her head an inverted [216] earthenware pan (b'langa), and then, setting it upon the ground, fills it with water and washes the cat in it until the latter is more than half drowned, heavy rain will certainly ensue. [217] On the other hand the recital of the following charm will, it is believed, effectually stop the heaviest downpour:-- "Though the stem of the Meranti tree [218] rocks to and fro (in the storm), Let the Yam leaves be as thick as possible, [219] That Rain and Tempest may come to naught." With the foregoing should be classed such charms as are used by the Malays to dispel the yellow sunset glow. [220]