Malay Magic by Walter William Skeat

is demanded. Now take all kinds of fragrant flowers and shred them (buat bunga rampai), add the shredded blossoms of four which are scentless (for instance, blossoms of the selaguri, pulut-pulut, bali-adap, and kedudok), mix them and throw them into the jars, then plant in each jar the flower-spathe of an areca-palm (mayang pinang). Throw into each a "jar-stone" (i.e. a dollar), and the jars will be ready. You should then read the foregoing charms over each of them. The extra jar which is filled with a sort of big nosegay (gumba) represents a pleasure-garden (taman bunga), and is intended to attract the soul (semangat) of the sick man. Now take parched rice and hold it over the incense (di-ganggang) saying:-- "Peace be with you, O Wheat, You I wish to command, your co-operation I invoke In 'inspecting' the sickness of So-and-so. Break neither plighted faith nor solemn promise, But inspect the sickness of this grandson of Adam, This follower of the Prophet Muhammad, of the race of the sons of men, So-and-so; If anything should supervene, Do you 'stir' within this pure heart (of mine)." Now scatter the parched rice upon the surface of the water in the jars, and watch for the signs:--