Polong

(POE-long)

In Malaysia witches can create a vampiric familiar out of the blood of a murdered man. They take the blood and place it in a bottle, then perform a magical ceremony that can last as long as two weeks. During the ceremony, a bond develops between the witch and the developing famil-iar. Finally, when the sound of chirping is heard coming from within the bottle, the spell is complete and the vampiric familiar known as a polong is finally created. Before the creature is released from the bottle, the witch must let the polong bite her finger and drink her blood to permanently seal the bond between them. It will continue to feed from her daily. When not in use by the witch, it will stay inside its bottle home.

The polong looks like a one-inch-tall womanand is a trickster and a liar. Witches who have a polong oftentimes have another familiar, a type of vampire called a PELESIT. Together, the two familiars will attack whomever the witch sends them after. The PELESIT will cut a hole with its sharp tail in the victim and the polong will crawl inside, causing sickness and insanity in the person. Aperson who is ill because of a polong will have many unexplained bruises on his body as well as blood around his mouth.

A polong is resistant to the magic of other people, unless it is completely overwhelmed. It can be captured and with the use of powerful magic be forced to tell the name of its witch. Charms can also be made to neutralize and destroy a captured polong.

Source: Endicott, Analysis of Malay Magic, 57­59; Folklore Society of Great Britain, Folklore, vol. 13, 1 50 ­51, 157; Kadir, Hikayat Abdullah, 113­17; Masters, Natural History of the Vampire, 62