THE LOVE LIFE OF THE BALINESE

Those used by men (pipis ardjuna) have an image in low relief of their semi-divine, romantic hero Ardjuna, while those used by women are the socalled " moon-coins " (pipis bulan) . The moon-coins I had occasion to observe seemed to me simple old kepengs in which the border was not properly centred, producing an accidental design like a new moon.

These coins, in reality ancient amulets, are believed to have been made by the gods and not by humans; I was told that they are found lying around the temple at night if it is the wish of the gods to present one with a magic coin. the lucky owners often lend them or rent them to prospective lovers for rather high prices. They are kept wrapped in a little rag covered with ointments and flower petals so that they will not " die " and become useless.

In more difficult cases an infatuated person has recourse powerful love magic (guna pengasih) ; incantations that resemble other sorts of secret magic and that consist of a char: (serana) and a spoken formula (mantra) . Typical charms twin coconuts or twin bananas, and even more effective are the saliva of a snake, the tears of a child, the oil from a coconut that has been dragged around by a child, or that from a coconut tree under which a pregnant woman has sat. " The silken net " (i djaring sutra), " the crawling serpent " (i naga bilad) , and the "constant weeping" (i tuntung tanggis) are among the names of formulas used to obtain a difficult girl. The desired person must be anointed inadvertently with the above-mentioned charms after the corresponding magic formula has been recited over them.

There are other ways to get a girl, such as the pengatjap, " stealing her thoughts through concentrated mental effort " (kenah) ; thinking of the beloved at all times: when eating, putting food aside for her, and on going to sleep calling her mentally until she is made so unhappy and uncomfortable that she cannot work, eat, or sleep until she is with the man who operates the magic.

I was told of a special magic way to obtain a girl for " only one night," which is to remain throughout the night looking intensely at the flame of a lamp made out of a new coconut, freshly made oil, and a new wick, remembering the girl's face. On the following day she will not be able to refuse the man. A girl will also fall in love with a man who succeeds in feeding her a sirih leaf (to chew with betel-nut) on which has been inscribed an image of a tjintia, " the Unthinkable God," with enormously exaggerated sexual organs.