As to the origin of these Genii, one magician told me that all “Jins” came from
the country “Ban Ujan,” which may possibly be Persia;^19 other magicians,
however, variously derive them from the dissolution of various parts of the
anatomy of the great snake “Sakatimuna,” of the “First Great Failure” to make
man’s image (at the creation of man); from the drops of blood which spirted up
to heaven when the first twins, Abel and Cain (in the Malay version Habil and
Kabil) bit their thumbs; from the big cocoa-nut monkey or baboon (bĕrok bĕsar),
and so on.
The theory already mentioned, viz. that the Black King of the Genii gradually
came to be identified with Kala, and later came gradually to be established as a
separate personality, appears to be the only one which will satisfactorily explain
the relations subsisting between the Black and White Genii, who are on the one
hand distinctly declared to be brothers, whilst the White Genie is in another
passage declared to be Maharaja Dewa or Mahadewa, which latter is, as we have
already seen, a special name of Shiva.
This White Genie is said to have sprung, by one account, from the blood-drops
which fell on the ground when Habil and Kabil bit their thumbs; by another,
from the irises of the snake Sakatimuna’s eyes (bĕnih mata Sakatimuna), and is
sometimes confused with the White Divinity (’Toh Mambang Puteh), who lives
in the sun.
The name of his wife is not mentioned, as it is in the case of the Black Genie, but
the names of three of his children have been preserved, and they are Tanjak
Malim Kaya, Pari Lang (lit. kite-like, i.e. “winged” Skate), and Bintang Sutan
(or Star of Sutan).^20
On the whole, I may say that the White Genie is very seldom mentioned in
comparison with the Black Genie, and that whereas absolutely no harm, so far as
I can find out, is recorded of him, he is, on the other hand, appealed to for
protection by his worshippers.
A very curious subdivision of Genii into Faithful (Jin Islām) and Infidel (Jin
Kafir) is occasionally met with, and it is said, moreover, that Genii (it is to be
hoped orthodox ones) may be sometimes bought at Mecca from the “Sheikh Jin”
(Headman of Genii) at prices varying from $90 to $100 a piece.^21