11 



n. PAXTANGS. 



The following Pantangs were collected at Tamboh, chiefly from 

 the Batin. 



Sickness Pantang. — No stranger or ])ei'sori from another house 

 may go to a liouse where a man is lying sick. 



The reason iov this would appear obvious. A man not belonging 

 to the house might bring with him evil influences oi' spirits whicli 

 would attack the sick man and j)revent his recovei\y. 



Padi Pantangs. — 



1. Patitang Tikus — Wlien padi is being planted no one must 



fold his coat back over his head. If the pantang is 

 bi'oken i-ats will eat the crop. 



2. Pantang Bahi and Pantang Rum — When the padi has been 



planted a man who is going into the jungle must both 

 leave and retui^n to the clearing by the same path ; 

 otherwise the deer and pig will enter the crop by one 

 path and after going through the wliole and damaging it 

 will leave by another road. 



A man Avho breaks this lyantang is therefore symbolically 

 bringing the pigs right through the crops. Probably, also, 

 there is an element of common sense underlying the 

 superstition for if there are many paths leading to a 

 clearing game will become accustomed to using them and 

 so to frequenting the clearing itseK. 



3. Pantangs with regard to new clearings — When a new clearing 



is being made the coat must not he turned back ovei- the 

 head. 



A parang must not be left sticking into the top of a stump. 

 If it is animals will come and eat the crop or it will not 

 grow properly. 



After the people have worked for the fii'st three days on a new 

 clearing they must stop work for a day. This is to propitiate the 

 hantu sheitan. 



Fishing Pantangs. — The crocodile must not be mentionoil by his 

 leal name at sea but must be called ])aiiiang lavf.^ 



Fish must not be cut up on a half-burnt log (i.e., one which the 

 fire has eaten) or crocodiles will get into the blat^ and eat the fish. 



Pantangs for women after childbirth. — A woman who has 

 given birth may not eat salt, pepper, fish or the flesh of wild animals 

 for three days after delivery. 



I was informed that tliere are no pantangs for a nian whose wife is 

 with child. 



* The wissard of the sea. - A kind of large st«ke trap for fish. 



