Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/208

200 them at least, easily recognisable as the Arabic names for several of the months, but for many centuries naturalised among the Malagasy; and these, as already mentioned, are the Arabic names for the Signs of the Zodiac, while others seem to be those of the Moon-stations, Mr. Dahle has minutely examined the list of Hova names, some of which are Malagasy, but obscure in meaning, while most of them appear to be of Arabic origin, and several are also evidently derived from astrology; among others, the constellations Virgo, Aries, Aquarius, Sagittarius, Pisces, and Capricornus seem to be denoted.

III.— (literally, "The Sixteen Mothers of Sikìdy"). To the sixteen figures, or various combinations of the beans or seeds by ones and twos in the sikìdy, correspond the sixteen columns (called by Mr. Dahle "rubrics"), places, or rows, in which they are arranged in working the oracle; one figure being placed in each column, not, however, that all the figures must necessarily occur. The same figure may occur more than once, and some of the sixteen figures may not occur at all in the sixteen columns, as that is purely a matter of chance. If the columns are arranged in the manner usual in the practice of sikìdy, we get the combination of squares given on the next page.

It will be seen at a glance, however, that we have got more than sixteen names here, although the rows or columns are really not more than twelve, corresponding probably to the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. If a skilful diviner is asked for Ny sikìdy 16 rèny, he will only enumerate the names given in the first (top) row (Talé—Vòhitra), the four to the right of it (Zatòvo—Fàhavàlo), and the eight below (Tràno—Fàhasìvy), giving us the sixteen complete. The others seem to be considered as accessory and of secondary importance. Some of them are simply repetitions, with this difference, that they refer to things in another person's house, not in that of the inquirer for whom the sikìdy operation in question is undertaken