NOTES AND aUERIES. 



Protective Charm 



If a child lias to be taken out late in tlie afternoon so that 

 it will probably be out at nig-htfall it is usual among Malays in 

 Malacca to put on the top of its head and just under and behind 

 the two ear-lobes a little red betel-juice, to ward off evil spirits. 



With this custom cf. Crooke, " An Introduction to the Pop- 

 ular Religion and Folklore of Northern India," p. 201. 

 '•Colours are scarers of evil spirits. They particularly dread 

 " yellow, black, red and white. . . The parting of the bride's hair 

 'Ms stained with vermilion, though here, perhaps, the practice is 

 " based on the symbolical belief in the blood covenant," and 

 ibid p. 197, where betel is mentioned as a scarer of evil spirits. 



It would be interesting- to learn whether this charm is used 

 in other parts of the Peninsula ? 



Earthquakes. 



Accordnig- to some Malays the earth rests between the 

 hours of a gigantic bull ; when he shakes himself, either through 

 lassitude or for some other reason, the result is an earthquake. 



Cf. Crooke, op cit. p. ID. " The common explanation of these 

 "occurrences in India is that Vishnu in hisVaraha or boar in- 

 " carnation is changing the burden of the world from one tusk 

 " to another. By another account this is done by the great bull 

 '• or elephant which supports the world." 



The South. 



Crooke, op cit. p. 2U), states " The South is the realm of death, 

 "and no one will sleep or have their house door opening toward 

 "that ill-omened ([uarter of the sky." 



Compare with this the following extract from a Malay 

 treatise on these matters : 



Bermula jika pintu rumah mengadap ka-mashrik baik. 



