Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra85861922roya).pdf/449

 goes there to execute his promise. He cuts (sĕmběleh) the promised goats or whatever it may be; cooks some saffroned-rice (nasi kunyit), invites people to eat, has prayers of thanksgiving (do'a sĕlamat) read for him by some lĕbai, (cf. Skeat, Malay Magic, p. 42), and fires some big crackers as expression of peace and joy. Thus he "pays his vow," discharging himself of the binding promise he made to the spirit of the grave. If he fails to do so the spirit will appear to him in a dream demanding fulfilment, and in case of further default some toward event is certain to follow.

One more story about the tiger-akuan will finish the matter. A man living in Mĕmpanas, an outlying corner of Kuala Pilah, on the right bank of the Muar River, told me that he once had a long illness. No effort of the medicine-men was spared to restore him to health, and yet he did not recover. But he had a tiger-akuan which, by the way, he is believed to have even now. During his delirium the animal appeared to him and told him that his affection had become clironic and that his only chance of life would be in having his body licked by it. On coming to himself, he told this to his people and asked to be exposed the following night in the open verandah without any light. This was done. The door was bolted and the people kept themselves inside breathlessly watching what was to happen. The tiger came, stripped him naked and began to lick all over his body, so that the "lip-lap" sound of its tongue was clearly heard. Then it went away leaving him drenched with its salivary fluid. Two days after, he was completely cured.

The akuan in the shape of any other animals than tiger is probably very rare. I have heard only of one single case, occuring in Jnasseh, where a certain man is reported to have a crocodile-akuan, living in the river opposite his house. He feeds it, treats it kindly and at his call the animal comes up to the surface. Не is even said to ride upon the animal's back when necessary. Nobody but he dares to bathe in that part of the river. The crocodile is always there. According to his own story, the spirit came to him in a dream asking to be "owned" and protected (běla) in return for which it would look after the water-supply of his paddy-fields, bring him luck and protect him and his family from evil spirits. He accepted the offer and was told that he could always find the new friend in the shape of a crocodile in the river opposite his house. The next day he found this to be true, and thenceforward he has been the "owner" of the crocodile. The terms of agreement seem to have been faithfully adhered to by both. The man gathers in a good harvest every year,—quite above the average,—is always at ease and contented, and never gets ill, neither any member of his household. One striking fact about this case is that the "owner" is no medicine-man. The animal is not to be harmed, or all the benefits accruing from its friendship will be withdrawn, and some disaster threatened to the unfaithful "owner." Before the animal came to this man it had offered