Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/72

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TRADITIONS OF THE MENTRA, OR ABORIGINES OF

some believe in a warning voice, which is said to be heard when any of the Colclough family are near death. They always kill some animal on the eve of St. Martin's day; the very poor kill a cock or a hen. They never spin wool or flax on the afternoon of Saturday, or the eve of any holiday, and many will not yoke a plough after twelve o'clock on Saturday.—(pp. 491-492.)

Tullaroan, county Kilkenny.

The family spirit of clanship, descending lineally, and collaterally spreading itself, is particularly strong among the population of this parish Among the tribes of Galway this feeling is powerfully predominant, and in Scotland it is unnecessary to state that every man bearing the same name regards himself as a kinsman to his laird or chief. In Grace's county, Tullaroan, the feeling is not less strong and fixed. The patriotism of this sentiment was condensed by the compression of hostilities in the royal Milesian septs of FitzPatrick, who were placed close in their neighbourhood with every possible convenience for frequent battles. The tales of these exploits are the tales most dear to the descendants of the combatants engaged in these encounters, and they cannot remember one single occasion when they were worsted.—(p. 589, note.)




THE TRADITIONS OF THE MENTRA,[1] OR ABORIGINES
OF MALACCA AND THE ADJOINING STATES.

BEFORE entering upon the subject of this paper, it would, perhaps, be as well to explain the system upon which the numerous native names occurring in it are spelt.

Shortly it may be stated that the consonants, with the exception of some of those occurring in words borrowed from the

  1. Sansk.: "mantra," a prayer, and then a charm. These tribes are much feared by the Malays owing to their supposed powers in the way of charms and incantations, &c. The spittle of one tribe called "Kěnâboi" is believed to have