72 



HOONITANT CHARMS. 



hour, in which some planet or planets appear to threaten him with 

 some calamity, and regulating the time of performing the Hooniyan 

 accordingly. 



Hooniyan charms are considered to be so powerful, that, even if 

 a person other than the one for whom the charm was intended 

 happen to be the first to " pass over " the buried image, he too is 

 injured in some degree; the diseases produced in such a case being 

 generally sores, boils, and itches on the feet, especially on the soles. 

 A man, who sees a boil on the sole of his foot, and knows that he 

 has not been treading on anyjungle thorns, immediately suspects 

 that he must have been u passing over " a buried Hooniyan charm, 

 intended either for himself, or for somebody else; and so the Cat- 

 tadiya and his Hooniyan kapeema ceremony are soon put in re- 

 quisition, together with the assistance of the physician, the Capua, 

 the Astrologer, the Balicaraya, the Buddhist priest and the Sooth- 

 sayer; who, each in his own way, contribute to the desired result; 

 for the creed of a Singhalese is, not to wait for a cure from one 

 source alone, but to avail himself of all within his reach, although 

 the art of Sorcery is positive in its dogma, that an evil caused by 

 that art can be remedied by it alone, and by none other. 



The following are the names of a few Hooniyan charms, consi- 

 dered to be unfailing in their effects, together with a brief descrip- 

 tion of the nature of these effects. 



1. Marulu Pennuma. — Causes madness — burning heat every 



where in the body — frequent deprivation of the 

 senses — running into words and streams — shouting, 

 weeping, using violent and abusive language — pa- 

 roxysms of rage — fainting fits — eventual death. 



2, Dala Reeri Watey. — Causes the demon to be always in the 



company of the man, which is a source of perpetual 

 disease of every kind which at last results in death. 



3, Reeri Cuppey. — Sickness till death — the demon's influence 



never leaves the man till after death. 



4. Maha Sohon Gini Maruluwa. — Lays desolate whole vil- 



lages, depopulating them by sickness or death, 



