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MAGIC 673
In this use of stones, although it is classed as mu/elnggil, there
seems to be a vague conception that they have spirits who may
be persuaded or constrained to do the magicians will. A magical
method in which there is no spirit to cajole is to make a model
of a heart, name it after 0ne’s lady-love, and then pinch or
twist it so that she may feel a pain in her heart—a pain of longing
for her lover. Certain other ways of winning a woman seem to
be in the nature of signs expressive of desire rather than magical
acts to create it, but it is clear that by the natives these too are
classed as m1:/elnggil. In one of these, when a man secs the woman
he wants, he takes a piece of wood of the tree called mzai ndzmmiem
(alter which this particular magic is named), puts it in his mouth,
and chews it slightly while he gazes at the woman, She, seeing
this, spite. The man still gazing at her, now gulps down his
spittle. If the woman intends to accept his overtures, she in her
turn swallows her spittle and the man replies approvingly by
Spitting. Knowing each other to be of the same mind they now
lay plans as to how and where to meet to satisfy their desire.
This, like m'mb1r/i tartar is much used at dances.
Needless to say the practice of love-magic is fraught with
many dangers. It may be that the woman resents the man's
advances, prefers to be faithful to her husband, and betrays the
man to him ; or pcrchance when she and her lover are lying in
each other's arms the angered husband may discover them.
For this reason, before beginning to charm a woman, a man
performs a rite to guard himself against mishaps. He goes down
to a river or pool, divests himself of all his clothes and ornaments,
including his penis-sheath, and enters the water to bathe. While
he is doing so he utters a loud cry. He remains in the water until
someone answers his cry. Then he comes out and dons new
garments, making a new penis-sheath for himself. By means of
this ceremony he has transferred to the unfortunate person who
answered his cry all the possible evil and ill-luck which might
have bcfallen him while carrying out his love-magic. Such
a transference of misfortune is termed for malis. When he has
won the woman's favour and arranged for a meeting with her
in the bush, he will protect himself still further by means of yet
another rite which wil.l ensure him a safe and free passage to the
rendezvous. He goes to a bastard cotton tree and plueks a number
of the unopened leaves, muttering over each as he does so the
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