Ritual against evil eyes and evil spirits (turkey magic)
Ateš Sondurmek. "extinguishing a fire" or "reducing a fever". This curing ritual is performed somewhat similarly to kuršun dokmek, but an ocakli or izinli person is not required. Should a member of a family become sick with a fever (Turk, "ateš'") that is believed to have been caused by the evil eye, any senior female member of the household can apply this remedy. She takes three hot pieces of charcoal from the brazier and drops them into a bowl of water held first over the feverish person's head, then his or her midsection, and lastly his feet. As she drops the coals into the water she says: In the name of Allah. [I do this] not with my hand, but with the hand of Aisha Fatma." This involves a form of sympathetic magic and symbolic transference. For as the fire "ateš" is extinguished, the fever "ateš" is supposed to subside.
Šerbet Dokmek: "to pour a sweet fruit drink". When an individual is troubled by a ruh "soul", akil "mental", or sinir "nervous" disorder which is associated with or follows a fall, his family believes evil spirits are the underlying cause and must be propitiated before health can be restored. Either the ill person, himself, or a member of his family prepares a sweet fruit drink (Turk, "šerbet") in the ordinary fashion. Then a person who can either read or recite the Quran comes to the home and says the Sure-i Ihlas — 112t sura of the Quran — three times and the Fatiha once. Next, he blows over the šerbet. At about midnight, the ill person secretly takes the sweet drink either to the spot where he presumably collided with evil spirits and fell, or to a crossroad where he pours it on the ground, saying, "Take my troubles, give me my health. We give flavor to your mouth, give flavor to ours in return" (we please you, please us in return). The ill person must then return home quickly without looking back.
Šerbet Dokmek: "to pour a sweet fruit drink". When an individual is troubled by a ruh "soul", akil "mental", or sinir "nervous" disorder which is associated with or follows a fall, his family believes evil spirits are the underlying cause and must be propitiated before health can be restored. Either the ill person, himself, or a member of his family prepares a sweet fruit drink (Turk, "šerbet") in the ordinary fashion. Then a person who can either read or recite the Quran comes to the home and says the Sure-i Ihlas — 112t sura of the Quran — three times and the Fatiha once. Next, he blows over the šerbet. At about midnight, the ill person secretly takes the sweet drink either to the spot where he presumably collided with evil spirits and fell, or to a crossroad where he pours it on the ground, saying, "Take my troubles, give me my health. We give flavor to your mouth, give flavor to ours in return" (we please you, please us in return). The ill person must then return home quickly without looking back.
