with strips of the wild bread-fruit bark (tali trap) in seven places, each a thumb’s
breadth from the next (pengukor ibu tangan). Saffron (turmeric) and a piece of
charcoal (arang saketut) are now laid upon a coin,^9 over which the cord is drawn
tightly; and, finally, the cord is severed at a point between the second and third
bindings, by means of a splinter (sembilu) of bamboo. The severed ends are now
cooled with betel-leaf water (di-jelum dengan ayer sirih), rubbed with pounded
garlic mixed with fine dust (bawang puteh di-giling-nya dengan hati abu),
plugged with a roasted peppercorn^10 and covered (di-tekup) with mengkudu
leaves, after which the child is swaddled (di-bedong). Within from three to seven
days the dead end of the cord will fall off (tanggal tali pusat), and the pepper
which had previously been inserted will be poured out (di-chichir). The caul
(uri) is deposited in a small rice-bag (sumpit)^11 with salt, black pepper, and
asam gelugor. The bag is then tied up and roasted in a split stick (sepit) such as
is used for cooking fish. After this it is dried by being kept near the fire in the
back premises (where it is subjected from time to time to the sembor sirih
treatment). When the child can walk, the uri is buried in a hole in the ground,
with the nail, candle-nut, brazil-wood, etc., mentioned elsewhere.^12 In this case a
cocoa-nut is usually planted to mark the spot where it was buried. Sometimes,
however, the bag with its contents is merely thrown into the nearest river or the
sea.
[cxlix] If the Labour is difficult
Kalau sakit benar, di-kemam asam garam, katakan:—
Bena mudik ka hulu,
Kĕr’pok-kĕr’pak pematah paku,
Ambil ijok ’kau pengikat si alu-alu
De’ tujoh bukit, tujoh kuala.
Berkuak bersiah-lah angkau!
Aku ’nak menengo’ anak Si Anu lalu.
Kabul-lah pengajar guru-’ku mestajap kapada ’ku
Dengan berkat la-ilaha-illa-’llah.