Page 224 - Malay sketches

MALAY SKETCHES

moving his fingers up and down the blade. After
a little while a few drops of water fall from the
point of the kris, and these drops quickly develop
into a stream that will fill a The " "
cup. pawang
will then hand round the blade and tell you to bend
it this you will find no difficulty in doing, but by
;
making two or three passes over the kris the
" "
pawang can render it again so hard that it cannot
be bent.
The drawback to this trick or miracle
only is
that the process ruins the temper of the steel, and a
kris that has been thus treated is useless.
One evening I was discussing these various
with the Sultan of I did
superstitions Perak, and
not notice that the spiritual teacher of His Highness
had entered and was waiting to lead the evening
The or no doubt heard the
prayer. guru, teacher,
end of our conversation and was
duly scandalised,
for the next day I received from him a letter, of
which the following is the translation :
"
First praise to God, the Giver of all good, a
Fountain of Compassion to His servants.
From Haji Wan Muhammad, Teacher of His
11
Highness the Sultan of Perak, to the Resident who
administers the Government of Perak.
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