Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/362

 324 Occtilt Power's of Healing in the Panjab.

The power of the spoken word occurs again in the following singularly close parallel to a well-known English cure, which is, by the way, the only mention of whooping- cough in the notes : —

" Whooping-cough can be cured by asking a man who is riding on a black mare for a remedy, and whatever he may prescribe will be efficacious." (Sialkot.)

Next, some cases may be noted in which the repetition of a charm-formula is associated with breathing on the patient : —

"The Rajputs of Khandhala, a village in JuUundur Tahsil, have the inherited power of curing snakebite by blowing on the place and reciting mantras ' in a peculiar language ' over it."

"The Jats of Nangal Shayan in this Tahsil can cure wind or phlegm by blowing on the part affected with charms on three successive Sundays. The patient must not eat, drink, or smoke, or even remain, in the village, but he may return after the blowing." (JuUundur.)

" In JuUundur city a Sayyid family cures hydrophobia by blowing on the bite a secret charm, and making the patient pass under his (the healer's) legs."

These rather suggest that the charm derives its virtue from the breath or voice of the speaker, an idea which is borne out by the following case, in which the charm and the breathing are treated as alternatives to each other : —

"The Kanga^^ sept of Kekri Sher Shah village possess the power of curing hydrophobia, either with a charm or by blowing on a piece of bread by way of incantation and giving it to the dog to eat. Sometimes they give a purgative (also)." (Mont- gomery District.)

On the other hand, it is sometimes expressly stated that a charm has been communicated and is not hereditary, clearly implying that the inana resides in the words and not in the speaker. The following are cases in which the charm stands alone and unassisted : —

^^ Probably Khagga is meant.