122 JOURNAL R. A. S. CEYLON, [Vol. VII. , Pt. II. 



kaliko' dumarM bavvai hikkai tin duvas vimai nagaigen gos mucin 

 alani kaku feuu eli nama balai fonuvani fulu fenu eli nama audei. 



Translation. 



" Write (the name of) a desirable woman ; pluck an unopened 

 bud of the screw-pine flower ; sharpen a new knife ; on one side of 

 this flower write Al Kadr Sura :* on the other side write Vajahatu ;f 

 make an image out of this flower ; write particulars of the horoscope ; 

 write Al Rahman Sura\ from beginning to end ; tie (the image) in 

 five places with left-hand-(twisted) coir ;§ cut the throat of a blood- 

 sucker (lizard) ; || smear its blood (on the image) ; place it on a loft ; 

 dry (it) for three days ; (then) take it and enter the sea — if (you) go 

 in knee-deep (she) will send a message; if (you) go in to the waist (she) 

 will come." 



* " Verily we sent down the Koran in the night of Al Kadr. And what 

 shall make thee understand how excellent the night of Al Kadr is ? The 

 night of Al Kadr is better than a thousand months. Therein do the Angels 

 descend, and the spirit Gabriel also, by the permission of their Lord, with 

 his decrees concerning every matter. It is peace until the rising of the 

 morn." — Sale's Koran, Chap, xcvii, p. 451. 



f The Vajahatu is always recited by Muslims before commencing prayers. 

 It forms part of Al Bakr ("Cattle") Sura :— "I direct my face unto him 

 who hath created the heavens and the earth ; I am orthodox, and not one 



of the idolaters Say, Verily my prayers, and my worship, and my life, 



and my death, are dedicated unto God, the Lord of all creatures; He hath 

 no companion. This have I been commanded : I am the first Moslem." — 

 Sale's Koran, Chap, vi, pp. 96, 104. 



| The Sura entitled " The Merciful," containing 78 verses. It somewhat 

 resembles Psalm cvii, but is vitiated by including adoration for blessings 

 of a sensuous paradise assured to 'the faithful.' — "Which, therefore, of 

 your Lord's benefits will ye ungratefully deny ?" See Sale's Koran, 

 Chap, lv, pp. 394-6. 



§ Vd, vdi or vdtu rdnu, is coir twisted by the left hand upon the right : 

 as opposed to right-hand-twisted coir called kandi or kandtu rdnu. 



(| A blood-sucker or a chameleon plays a part in the Sinhalese huniyam 

 charm called Le kdma handhanaya [®^J -8333® §)<3&teoa]; 



