MALAY S UPERS TITIONS. 



Every division of the » uman ™? e J 



are an m om , habitation it 



r^dlathlosf^onlofthein.ate. 

 Supposing a Malay walks along a road 

 ^suddenly a black cat crosses before 

 him, he will at once turn back and walk 

 Song another path. The crossing, of 

 the black cat signifies danger involving 

 the loss of life ! - . . 



You seldom see Malays bite their 

 nails, because this action is likely to 

 lead the doer into poverty. If a Malay 

 sees a pig or a Chinese funeral before 

 the sun rises, say at 5 30 a.m., be knows 

 that he is lucky and whatever he does 

 en this day he is sure to '.meet with 

 f access. Dreaming of jumping a brook- 

 let assures the dreamer that death 

 vrill ensue in a short time, and in 

 this case the unhappy man generally 

 distributes alms to the poor so that his 

 life may be prolonged. To see a monkey 

 ia the morning is an ill omen and 

 signifies that the seer will lose money 

 heavily in trade. If bees make their 

 bive on or near your house, it is a good 

 omen and signifies that the inmates 

 v\\\ be prosperous. This superstition 

 saems to have some foundation, owing 

 to the fact that for two consecutive 

 years, 1902 and 1903, two swarms of 

 bees invaded the Free School and 

 otayed on the School buildings for some 

 hours. Soon after the arrival of the 

 good-omened bees, news was received 

 from England to the effect that the 

 »ree School boys had gained the 

 Queen's Seholar-shipB ; so the bees 

 hrought prosperity ! Malays always 

 revere the bees and whenever a swarm 

 visits their abode they are always ready 

 to make room for them. 



You can scarcely ever get your money 

 from a Malay on Friday, because they 

 helieve that if they pay their creditors 

 cq a Friday, they will be overtaken by 

 penury. Malays never shave or cut their 

 nails on Saturday or Tuesday, because 

 these are unlucky days, and if they do 

 part with their hair or nails on these 

 (iays they believe that they will be 

 always in trouble or will die quickly 

 The Malay never sleeps in the after- 

 noon, for such an action shortens life! 

 When a rat bites a Malay's clothes, it 

 signifies ill luck, and usually the rat- 

 bitten clothes are given aw=>v to the 

 poor. There is a kind of bin ^called by 

 the Malays Rowk-rowk which does not 

 build a nest, and lives in fields. The 

 Malays say that whoever obtains 

 Eowk-rowk's nest will become invisible 

 as soon as he puts the nest on his 

 head ! Of course, the Malays believe 

 that there is such a neBt, despite the 

 fact that the bird never builds one. If 

 a Malay feels that his right hand 

 hshy, he is glad because he will recei . _ 

 a large ;sum of money, and if he feels 

 that his right eye moves, he knows that 

 he will see a foreign friend. If tears 

 issue from either eye, he understands 

 that a relation of his will die, and if 

 too often forgets his promises to hiB 

 many friends, he is aware that he will 

 die and will shed tear rathers profusely. 



■ PAtUBMnCDC D »,W„r. 



