Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/483

 Folklore of the Algerian Hills and Deso't. 175

believed to cause epidemics, striking down by scores and hundreds the inhabitants of the villages they attack. In the winter of 1918-19 a very serious outbreak of influenza at Djemora, the central village of one of the sub-tribes of the Ulad Zian nomads, was attributed to Jenun, but I have heard no suggestion that this attack was provoked by the people as were the attacks on individuals referred to above. In describing to me the origin and uses of written charms as protection against Jenun, a well-known Shawiya writer of these amulets gave me some details of the organization of the demon world.

He stated that he had learned from old Arabic books, mainly from the Ta] el muluk of Mohammed ben el Haj el Kebir (who wrote on a great variety of subjects in addition to magic), that once, when wandering alone by night, Mohammed the Prophet encountered an old, ugly, and gigantic woman whom he rightly guessed to be a Jinn. Upon the Prophet mentioning the name of Allah, the woman evinced signs of fear. She then informed him that her title was " Mother of the Night," and that she was accustomed to slay and devour mortals and to destroy their flocks and herds. She further stated that she was chieftainess of all the Jenun, who wrought mischief at her behest, but that if the followers of Mohammed would wear upon their persons certain written charms, her minions would leave them unharmed, and that the wearer of such charms could even dispense with the invocation of Allah when he met a demon. " Mother of the Night " is assisted in her control of the Jenun by a male demon, by name Dokuyush, who acts as her chief of staff, and by one thousand subordinate officers or " elders." When the pos- sessor of a written charm is about to undertake an enter- prise or finds himself in any difficulty he merely taps his amulet, when Dokuyush immediately applies to " Mother of the Night " for instructions. The chieftainess, thus reminded of her promise to Mohammed, ordains that her