“_Shāitān._”—From the Hebrew word “Shuttun,” to be hostile; hence the
Arabic “Shāitān,” opposition. According to Mahomedan tradition, he has
four lieutenants, viz., Muleeqa, Hamoos, Nabloot, and Yoosoof.
By some he is known as “Iblis” from the Arabic word “despair,” and the
wife of a “Shāitān” would be termed “Bhutnī” in Sanscrit. In Persian the
leader of evil is called “Ahurmun,” (Burhān-i-kāti), or the evil
principle.
Crooke classes “Shāitān” with Jinn, or Genii. Divided into the Janii,
who are the least powerful of all, the Jinn, the “Shāitān” or devils,
the “Ifrit” and the “Marīd,” or rebellious ones, the last of whom rule
the rest, Jan is sometimes identified with the Serpent, and sometimes
with “Iblis,” which has been imported direct from the Greek “Diābolos.”
Some have wings and fly; others move like snakes and dogs; others again
like men. (Vide “Folk-lore of Northern India.”)
Dennys, in his “Folk-lore of China,” says that the belief in the
existence of demon monsters is in full force in China. One of the
Emperors who flourished about A.D. 700, having been taken ill, dreamt he
saw a blue half-naked demon coming into his Palace.
He stole the Empress’s perfume bag, and also the Emperor’s flute inlaid
with precious stones, and flew off with them to the Palace roof.
Suddenly there appeared another blue devil, but of giant stature,
wearing a black leathern high boot on one foot, the other being bare,
and he had on a blue gown. One arm was like his foot bare, with which he
wielded a massive sword. His mouth was like that of a bull. This
fierce-looking monster seized the little one, and with a blow made an
end of him. The Emperor asked this monster demon what his name was. He
said his name was “Tsung Kivei,” and that he was a Colonel Commandant
over all imps, ogres, wraiths, hobgoblins, and the like, under heaven.
The Emperor was greatly flattered at the visit, and awoke to find his
illness gone. He called a painter to paint for him what he had seen, and
it was so faithfully executed that he ordered two hundred ounces of gold
to be given to him, and that copies of the painting should be
distributed through the Empire, so that all the people might know and
respect this blue bull-headed demon. To this day he holds a conspicuous
place in the temples of the people. According to other tradition the
name of the wife of “Shāitān” was Aw-wa, and she bore him nine sons, and
their names are given in Burton’s “Arabian Nights,” but as Crooke says,
which of these was the worthy of the text does not appear.
“_Tobâh! Tobâh!_”—From the Arabic, meaning penitence; when coupled
together it carries the signification of “Oh fie! I promise to sin no
more.”
“_Sick room._”—It is usual in the native palaces when anyone is sick to
have men waving a fan and a “chauri” over the head, to drive away evil
spirits who may be fluttering in the air, as well as to act as a
preventive to further disease. They are often seen in the hands of
attendants upon the gods. “Chauri” is the Hindustani for a whisk or
fly-flapper of hair.
“_Hookâh._”—The Hookâh as shewn in the illustration is the Indian pipe
and apparatus for smoking. The tobacco, or in the Hindustani language,
the “gurakoo” is put into the tobacco holder or “chillum,” and the smoke
is passed through the water in the Hookah and becomes cold and purified.
The flexible tube which conveys it to the mouth is called the “naicha,”
and the mouth-piece is of silver or amber. Hookhâs were much improved in
the reign of Akbar.
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