from Vikram Seth's "A Suitable Boy":

There was even a pavement stall with books about birds. Ishaq picked up a flimsy, blunt-typed paperback about owls and spells, and looked idly through it to see what uses this unlucky bird could be put to. It appeared to be a book of Hindu black magic, The Tantra of Owls, though it was printed in Urdu. He read:

"Sovereign Remedy to Obtain Employment.
Take the tail-feathers of an owl and a crow, and burn them together in a fire made from mango wood until they form ash. Place this ash on your forehead like a caste-mark when you go to seek employment, and you will most certainly obtain it."

He frowned and read on:

"Method of Keeping a Woman in Your Power.
If you want to keep a woman in your control, and wish to prevent her from coming under the influence of anyone else, then use the technique described below:
Take the blood of an owl, the blood of a jungle fowl and the blood of a bat in equal proportions, and after smearing the mixture on your penis have intercourse with the woman. Then she will never desire another man."

Ishaq felt almost sick.