First pages into Malay Magic

So. Work. Kids. Time flies by, as do good intentions. Nonetheless, I did read some pages of "Malay Magic" by W. W. Skeat.

I started with the preface (by a certain Mr. Blagden) and I must say: Damn, I forgot how politically incorrect the language around this time could be by modern standards. Savages, "other breeds" and similar terms are used frequently when he talks about the malaysian natives. Not that they are used disrespectfully per se, they sound awful, though.

Then, some pages into chapter one ("Nature")...

The Mountains of Caucasus are usually called by 
Malays Bukit Kof (i.e. Kaf), or the Mountains of Kaf 
(which latter is their Arabic name). These mountains are 
not unfrequently referred to in Malay charms, e.g. in in- 
vocations addressed to the Rice-Spirit. The Mountains 
of Kaf are to the Malays a great range which serves 
as a " wall " (dinding) to the earth, and keeps off both 
excessive winds and beasts of prey. This wall, how- 
ever, is being bored through by people called Yajuj 
and Majuj (Gog and Magog), and when they succeed 
in their task the end of all things will come.

Awesome.

Then, under "Natural Phenomena" - the tides...

" The Pusat tasek, or Navel of the Seas, supposed 
to be a huge hole in the ocean bottom. In this hole 
there sits a gigantic crab which twice a day gets out 
in order to search for food. While he is sitting in the 
hole the waters of the ocean are unable to pour down 
into the under world, the whole of the aperture being 
filled and blocked by the crab's bulk. The inflowing 
of the rivers into the sea during these periods are 
supposed to cause the rising of the tide, while the 
downpouring of the waters through the great hole 
when the crab is absent searching for food is supposed 
to cause the ebb." 

Again, awesome.

This book is actually more then I was looking for. It is full of instantly gameable content! I hope I'll have time to read more, soon...

F