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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India + +Author: Katherine Neville Fleeson + +Illustrator: W. A. Briggs + +Release Date: March 12, 2011 [EBook #35564] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAOS FOLK-LORE OF FARTHER INDIA *** + + + + +Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="main_text"> + +<div class="transcribers_note"> + +<h3>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</h3> + +<p>The <a href="#contents">Contents</a> are placed after the <a +href="#introduction">Introduction</a>, as in the original.</p> + +<p>Footnotes have been moved to the end of each story. The illustrations +(photographs) appeared in unnumbered pages in the printed book, in this version +they have been placed between stories too; the <a href="#illustrations">List of +Illustrations</a> contains the original placement of the plates. The +illustrations in this document are linked to larger versions, which can be +obtained by clicking on the images or otherwise following the link.</p> + +<p>Changes to the original publication (possible typographic errors or +inconsistencies) have been marked with <ins title="Example of change">a dotted +underline</ins>, and the printed text may appear in a “pop-up box” when hovering +the cursor on it. There is also a list of changes <a href="#tn_end">at the end +of the book</a>.</p> + +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_1">1 </a></span> + +<div class="booktitle"> +Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_2">2 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor no_p"><a id="plate_1">frontispiece </a></span> + +<div id="ill_1" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-01.jpg"><img src="images/image-01-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +A Group of Laos Girls. +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_3">3 </a></span> + +<div class="cover_page"> + +<div class="title"> +Laos Folk-Lore<br> +<small>of</small><br> +Farther India +</div> + +<div class="author"> +<span class="smallcaps">by</span><br> +Katherine Neville Fleeson +</div> + +<div> +<small>With Illustrations from Photographs taken by<br> +W. A. Briggs, M. D.</small> +</div> + +<div> +<img src="images/logo.png" alt="Publisher’s logo"> +</div> + +<div class="publisher"> +<span class="location"><span class="smallcaps">New York</span></span> +<span class="location"><span class="smallcaps">Chicago</span></span> +<span class="location"><span class="smallcaps">Toronto</span></span><br> +<big>Fleming H. Revell Company</big><br> +Publishers of Evangelical Literature +</div> + +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_4">4 </a></span> + +<div class="copyright_page"> +Copyright, 1899<br> +by<br> +FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_5">5 </a></span> + +<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2> + +<p><span class="firstword">These</span> Folk-Tales from the Laos country, a +part of the kingdom of Siam, in addition to +their intrinsic merit have the charm of complete +novelty. Until the translator of this volume collected +these stories, they were even unwritten, +with a single exception which was found in a +Laos manuscript. They are orally preserved in +the provinces which constitute the Laos country, +just as they have been handed down from generations +of ancestors, with slight variations in words +or incidents. The elders among the people tell +the stories at their merrymakings around the +camp-fires and within their primitive houses, to +amuse and instruct the youth and children.</p> + +<p>Living among the Laos in the friendly and +intimate relation of a missionary, the translator +has had the advantage of long residence and +unrivalled opportunity for understanding the +history, customs, religious ideas and aspirations +of this interesting people. Aptness in use of +their colloquial speech gave her special facility +for gathering the stories with exactness, as they +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_6">6 </a></span> +fell from the lips of the narrators in her hearing; +and for the delicate additional task of translating +them into English. The scholar, who is a student +of the world’s Folk-Lore, may be assured that he +has here, the Laos tales unobscured, just as they +are told to-day.</p> + +<p>Reflecting, as they do, thoughts, desires and +hopes common to our humanity, these stories at +the same time exhibit, in a pathetic way, the +need in Laos of the uplifting and transforming +power of the Christian religion.</p> + +<div class="signature"> +Willis G. Craig. +</div> + +<div class="address"> +McCormick Theological Seminary,<br> +Chicago. +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_7">7 </a></span> + +<h2 id="contents">Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" class="contents"> + +<tr> + <th></th> + <th>PAGE</th> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="chapter">I. <a href="#part-1">Tales of the Jungle</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_13">13</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-1-1">A Child of the Woods</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_15">15</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-1-2">The Enchanted Mountain</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_17">17</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-1-3">The Spirit-Guarded Cave</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_20">20</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-1-4">The Mountain Spirits and the Stone Mortars</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_23">23</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">II. <a href="#part-2">Fables from the Forest</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_25">25</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-2-1">Right and Might</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_27">27</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-2-2">Why the Lip of the Elephant Droops</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_29">29</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-2-3">How a Dead Tiger Killed the Princess</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_32">32</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-2-4">The Monkeys and the Crabs</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_33">33</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">III. <a href="#part-3">Nature’s Riddles and their Answers</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_35">35</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-3-1">The Man in the Moon</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_37">37</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-3-2">The Origin of Lightning</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_38">38</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-3-3">Why the Parrot and the Minor Bird but Echo + the Words of Man</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_41">41</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-3-4">The Fatherless Birds</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_44">44</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">IV. <a href="#part-4">Romance and Tragedy</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_47">47</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-4-1">The Lovers’ Leap</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_49">49</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-4-2">The Faithful Husband</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_51">51</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-4-3">The Faithful Wife</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_57">57</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-4-4">An Unexpected Issue</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_60">60</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">V. <a href="#part-5">Temples and Priests</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_63">63</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-5-1">The Giants’ Mountain and the Temple</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_65">65</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-5-2">Cheating the Priest</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_67">67</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-5-3">The Disappointed Priest</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_69">69</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-5-4">The Greedy Priest</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_71">71</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>5 <a href="#chapter-5-5">The Ambitious Priest</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_73">73</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter"><span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_8">8 </a></span>VI. <a href="#part-6">Moderation and Greed</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_75">75</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-6-1">The Wizard and the Beggar</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_77">77</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-6-2">A Covetous Neighbor</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_80">80</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-6-3">A Lazy Man’s Plot</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_83">83</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-6-4">The Ungrateful Fisherman</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_84">84</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>5 <a href="#chapter-6-5">The Legend of the Rice</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_85">85</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">VII. <a href="#part-7">Parables and Proverbs</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_87">87</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-7-1">“One Woman, in Deceit and Craft, is More + than a Match for Eight Men”</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_89">89</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-7-2">“The Wisest Man of a Small Village is Not + Equal in Wisdom to a Boy of the City + Streets”</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_93">93</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-7-3">“To Aid Beast is Merit; to Aid Man is But + Vanity”</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_95">95</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">VIII. <a href="#part-8">The Gods Know and the Gods Reward</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_99">99</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-8-1">Love’s Secrets</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_101">101</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-8-2">Poison-Mouth</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_103">103</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-8-3">Strife and Peace</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_105">105</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-8-4">The Widow’s Punishment</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_107">107</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>5 <a href="#chapter-8-5">Honesty Rewarded</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_109">109</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>6 <a href="#chapter-8-6">The Justice of In Ta Pome</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_111">111</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">IX. <a href="#part-9">Wonders of Wisdom</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_113">113</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-9-1">The Words of Untold Value</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_115">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-9-2">A Wise Philosopher</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_119">119</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-9-3">The Boys Who Were Not Appreciated</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_122">122</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-9-4">The Magic Well</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_126">126</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter">X. <a href="#part-10">Strange Fortunes of Strange People</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_129">129</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-10-1">The Fortunes of Ai Powlo</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_131">131</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-10-2">The Fortunes of a Lazy Beggar</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_135">135</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-10-3">The Misfortunes of Paw Yan</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_139">139</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-10-4">An Unfortunate Shot</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_141">141</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="chapter"><span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_9">9 </a></span>XI. <a href="#part-11">Stories Gone Astray</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_143">143</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>1 <a href="#chapter-11-1">The Blind Man</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_145">145</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>2 <a href="#chapter-11-2">“Heads, I Win. Tails, You Lose”</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_148">148</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>3 <a href="#chapter-11-3">The Great Boaster</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_149">149</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>4 <a href="#chapter-11-4">A Clever Thief</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_151">151</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td>5 <a href="#chapter-11-5">Eyeless-Needle, Rotten-Egg, Rotten-Banana, + Old-Fish and Broken-Pestle</a></td> + <td><a href="#pg_152">152</a></td> + +</table> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_10">10 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_11">11 </a></span> + +<h2 id="illustrations">List of Illustrations.</h2> + +<table summary="" class="illustrations"> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_1">A Group of Laos Girls</a></td> + <td colspan="3"><a href="#plate_1"><em>Frontispiece</em></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_2">Types of the Laos People</a></td> + <td colspan="2"><em>Facing page</em></td> + <td><a href="#plate_2">15</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_3">A Laos Forest-stream</a></td> + <td class="center">“</td> <td class="center">“</td> + <td><a href="#plate_3">28</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_4">The Laos Governor’s Wife at her Embroidery Frame</a></td> + <td class="center">“</td> <td class="center">“</td> + <td><a href="#plate_4">57</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_5">A Group of Buddhist Priests</a></td> + <td class="center bar" rowspan="2">“</td> <td class="center" rowspan="2">“</td> + <td rowspan="2"><a href="#plate_5">66</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_6">The Interior of a Buddhist Temple</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_7">Monastery Grounds at Chieng Tung, Laos</a></td> + <td class="center">“</td> <td class="center">“</td> + <td><a href="#plate_6">72</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_8">At Work in the Rice Fields</a></td> + <td class="center">“</td> <td class="center">“</td> + <td><a href="#plate_7">86</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_9">The ”Chow” and his Palace</a></td> + <td class="center">“</td> <td class="center">“</td> + <td><a href="#plate_8">96</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_10">A Laos Feast</a></td> + <td class="center bar" rowspan="2">“</td> <td class="center" rowspan="2">“</td> + <td rowspan="2"><a href="#plate_9">136</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td><a href="#ill_11">A Street in a Laos Town</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_12">12 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_13">13 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-1">I<br> +Tales of the Jungle</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_14">14 </a></span> + +<div id="ill_2" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-02.jpg" id="plate_2"><img src="images/image-02-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +Types of the Laos People +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_15">15 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-1-1">A Child of The Woods</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Deep</span> in the forest of the North there is a large +village of jungle people, and, among them is one +old woman, who is held in reverence by all. +The stranger who asks why she is honored as a +princess is thus answered by her:</p> + +<p><ins title="Note: this quote is never closed or continued, it has been left unchanged" id="cg_1">“</ins>Verily, I have much <em>boon</em>,<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-1" href="#fn-1">1</a> for I am but a +child of nature. When I was a young maiden, +it fell upon a day that my heart grew hot with +anger. For many days the anger grew until it +filled my whole heart, also were my eyes so red +that I could see but dimly, and no longer could I +live in the village or among my own people, for +I hated all men and I felt that the beasts of +the forest were more to me than my kindred. +Therefore, I fled from the face of man into the +jungle where no human foot had ever gone. All +day I journeyed, running as though my feet +would never weary and feeling no pangs of +hunger. When the darkness closed about me, I +was not afraid, but lay down under the shelter of +a tree, and, for a time, slept peacefully, as peacefully +as though in my own home. At length, I +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_16">16 </a></span> +was awakened by the breath of an animal, and, +in the clear light of the moon, I saw a large tiger +before me. It smelled of my face, my hands and +my feet, then seated itself by my head and +watched me through the night, and I lay there +unafraid. In the early morning, the tiger departed +and I continued my journey. Quieter +was my heart. Still, I disliked my own people +but had no fear of the beasts or the reptiles of +the forest.</p> + +<p>During the day I ate of the fruit which grew +wild in abundance, and at night I slept ’neath a +tree, protected and guarded by fierce, wild beasts +which molested not my sleep. For many days I +wandered thus, and the nights were secure; for +the wild beasts watched over and protected me. +Thus my heart grew cool in my bosom, and I no +longer hated my people; and, after one moon +had gone, I found myself near a village. The +people wondered to see me approach from the +jungle, dreaded as being the jungle of the man-eating +tiger. When I related my story, the people +were filled with wonder and brought rich +gifts to me. For a year and a day I abode +there, and no more the wild beasts molested +their cattle.</p> + +<p>But my heart yearned to see the face of my +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_17">17 </a></span> +kindred again, so, laden with silver, gold and +rich garments and seated in the howdah<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-2" href="#fn-2">2</a> of an +elephant, the people escorted me to my own village, +and here have I abode in content these one +hundred years.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-1"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-1">1</a>: Merit. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-2"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-2">2</a>: The car placed on the back of elephants. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-1-2">The Enchanted Mountain</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">The</span> hunters who are continually going about +from place to place, climbing up high hills, descending +into deep ravines and making ways +through jungles in search of the wild bison and +other game, tell strange tales of an enchanted +place away on the top of a lofty mountain. +There, is a beautiful lake, which is as bright and +clear as a drop of morning dew hanging on the +petal of the white water-lily, and, when you +drink of it, you are no longer aweary; new life +has come into you, and your body is more vigorous +than ever before. The flowers on the margin +of this enchanted lake are more beautiful +than those that grow in any other spot, and, +such is the love of the cherishing spirits for it, +that they care for it as for no other place in this +world. Bananas of a larger growth than can be +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_18">18 </a></span> +found in the gardens of man, and oranges, +sweeter to the taste than those we ever eat, are +there. The fruits of all trees, more beautiful to +the eye and richer than man can produce, are +there, free to those who can find them. All the +fowls usually nurtured by man and flocking +about his door are there, and they are not affrighted +by the presence of the hunter but come +at his call. Should the hunter wish to kill them, +his arrow cannot pierce their charmed bodies to +deprive them of life, but the arrow falls harmless +to the ground, because the spirits protect them +and their lives are sacred. Great fields of rice +are about this place, and the hunter marvels at +the size of the grains and at the strength of the +stalks. No field cared for by man has seen grain +like that which the spirits nourish.</p> + +<p>Many men, on hearing of this wonderful +mountain-top, have sought it, but all have returned +unsuccessful to their homes, saying, no +such place is on this earth. Only the hunter, +who has chased the game through the jungle, +o’er the streams and up the steep mountain-sides, +when tired and discouraged because the +coveted prize has gone far beyond his reach, is +rewarded for all his labor, when he finds himself +in the garden of fruit, or on the margin of the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_19">19 </a></span> +enchanted lake, whose waters give renewed +vigor to his wearied body.</p> + +<p>Often, when the hunter desires to eat of the +flesh of the fowls, he endeavors to kill the fowls, +but no effort of his can take their life, as the +spirits hold them in their care. No mortal can +harm them. Nor can the hunter take any of the +fruit away, for, as he leaves the spot, no matter +how he may hold it, it vanishes from his hand. +Thus, no man, who has not seen the place, has +eaten of the fruit nor drank of the water; so, +many doubt their existence, for such is the heart +of man that he must touch with his hands, see +with his eyes, or taste with his tongue, ere he +can believe. Nevertheless, on the top of the +lofty mountain there is the lake with the cool +waters, clear and beautiful, where the fowls +swim on its surface, or drink from its margin, +and the grain and the fruit ripen for those who +are loved of the spirits, and are led by them to +this cherished spot where they may rest and be +refreshed, and then return to their wives and +children and tell them of the care of the spirits. +The little ones, who have hearts free from guile, +believe.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_20">20 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-1-3">The Spirit-Guarded Cave</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">When</span> the people of the far north<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-3" href="#fn-3">3</a> were +molested by their foes and were in continual +fear, they consulted together, saying, “Our lives +are spent in trying to escape from our enemies +and no joy can be ours. Let us flee to the south +country<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-4" href="#fn-4">4</a> where, if the people make slaves of us, +we can, at least, know that our lives will be +spared, and life, even in slavery, is better than +this constant fear of our enemies destroying both +ourselves and our dwelling-places and taking our +cattle for their own.” Therefore, they gathered +together all their household goods, secreted their +money and jewels about their persons, and, loading +their cattle with rice, they commenced their +toilsome journey through the narrow jungle paths +and across the high mountains on their way to the +south, where they hoped for peace and safety. +The way was long and difficult, and the rice was +all eaten and the cattle killed and consumed before +they had nearly reached their journey’s end. +Then the fugitives commenced to use their +money to buy food that they might have strength +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_21">21 </a></span> +for the journey, and they whispered one to another +that the people looked with covetous +eyes on their hoard of money and jewels, and +they feared they would be slain because of the +greed of the people.</p> + +<p>One man, wiser than the others, said, “Why +do we endanger our lives for our possessions? +Can we not find some secret place in which to +leave our money and jewels, and when brighter +days come to us we can return and find them +even as we left them?”</p> + +<p>All the people cried, “Your words are wise. +Let us do accordingly,” and as these people were +loved of the spirits, they were led to a deep cave +in the midst of a wood where man seldom came, +and there they left their possessions in the care of +the spirits who promised to guard them until in +the days, when life being brighter and more +secure, the owners would come and claim them.</p> + +<p>The people journeyed on to the south country, +and there lived as slaves. Many generations of +them lived and died, but they could not escape +nor come to claim the vast wealth and jewels +which they had left in care of the spirits of the +cave.</p> + +<p>The story became known, and the inhabitants +of all the surrounding countries went to the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_22">22 </a></span> +cave and sought to secure the treasure. But such +was the care of the spirits that no man with +safety could enter the cave. A light was instantly +extinguished, if let down into the deep +pit leading into the chamber where the treasure +was, for the spirits blew their breath upon it and +it was no more. All devices were tried to obtain +the treasure, and from all parts of the country the +people came to try to overcome the charm +which the spirits had placed upon the cave, but +no one was able to break it. One man went +even into the treasure chamber and filled his +hands with the precious stones, but he was overcome +by a deadly sickness and was forced to +replace the jewels in the treasure chest and flee +for his life so as to escape the wrath of the +guarding spirits. Even the white, foreign +strangers, who have come into the land and +placed their strong hands on the elephants and +the trees<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-5" href="#fn-5">5</a> of the forest and claimed them for +their use, were baffled and driven back by the +faithful spirits when they endeavored to enter +the treasure chamber, and for all time this treasure +shall remain there, for, if the white foreigner, +by his wisdom, or by his craft, fails to obtain +it, verily it will remain untouched forever.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-3"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-3">3</a>: In China. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-4"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-4">4</a>: Siam. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-5"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-5">5</a>: Teak-wood. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_23">23 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-1-4">The Mountain Spirits and the Stone +Mortars</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">The</span> spirits, who lived in the mountains near a +large city, upon a time wanted money for some +purpose, and they brought down to the people +of the city a number of large and heavy stone +mortars which they commanded them to buy at +an exorbitant price.</p> + +<p>The men of the city said, “The price you ask +is too great; moreover, we have no need of your +mortars, as they are too large for us to use in +pounding out our rice, or for any other purpose. +Therefore, we do not wish to buy them.”</p> + +<p>The spirits were very angry because they did +not cheerfully agree to pay the money, and +answered, “If you will not buy these mortars +which we have brought for your use, you shall +carry them up to our home on the top of the +mountain, for the labor of bringing them down +has wearied us.”</p> + +<p>Not daring to incur the wrath of the spirits, and +yet being utterly unable to carry the huge mortars +to the high mountain, they paid the price, for, +they reasoned, “Is any price too great to risk our +falling under the displeasure of the evil spirits?”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_24">24 </a></span> + +<p>The spirits departed with the money, and to +this day, the stone mortars are scattered about +the streets of that city, and, when strangers ask +why they are there and what use is made of +them, this story will be told, and all people say +it is verily the truth, for do you not see them +with your eyes, and how else could they have +come here, had not the spirits brought them?</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_25">25 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-2">II<br> +Fables From the Forest</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_26">26 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_27">27 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-2-1">Right and Might</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">While</span> a deer was eating wild fruit, he heard +an owl call, “Haak, haak,”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-6" href="#fn-6">6</a> and a cricket cry, +“Wat,”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-7" href="#fn-7">7</a> and, frightened, he fled.</p> + +<p>In his flight he ran through the trees up into +the mountains and into streams. In one of the +streams the deer stepped upon a small fish and +crushed it almost to death.</p> + +<p>Then the fish complained to the court, and the +deer, owl, cricket and fish had a lawsuit. In the +trial came out this evidence:</p> + +<p>As the deer fled, he ran into some dry grass, +and the seed fell into the eye of a wild chicken, +and the pain of the seed in the eye of the chicken +caused it to fly up against a nest of red ants. +Alarmed, the red ants flew out to do battle, and +in their haste, bit a mon-goose. The mon-goose +ran into a vine of wild fruit and shook several +pieces of it on the head of a hermit, who sat +thinking under a tree.</p> + +<p>“Why didst thou, O fruit, fall on my head,” +cried the hermit.</p> + +<p>The fruit answered: “We did not wish to +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_28">28 </a></span> +fall; a mon-goose ran against our vine and +threw us down.”</p> + +<p>And the hermit asked, “O mon-goose, why +didst thou throw the fruit?”</p> + +<p>The mon-goose answered: “I did not wish +to throw down the fruit, but the red ants bit me +and I ran against the vine.”</p> + +<p>The hermit asked, “O ants, why did ye bite +the mon-goose?”</p> + +<p>The red ants replied: “The hen flew against +our nest and angered us.”</p> + +<p>The hermit asked, “O hen, why didst thou +fly against the red ants’ nest?”</p> + +<p>And the hen replied: “The seed fell into my +eyes and hurt me.”</p> + +<p>And the hermit asked, “O seed, why didst +thou fall into the hen’s eyes?”</p> + +<p>And the seed replied: “The deer shook me +down.”</p> + +<p>The hermit said unto the deer, “O deer, why +didst thou shake down the seed?”</p> + +<p>The deer answered: “I did not wish to do it, +but the owl called, frightening me and I ran.”</p> + +<p>“O owl,” asked the hermit, “why didst +thou frighten the deer?”</p> + +<p>The owl replied: “I called but as I am accustomed +to call—the cricket, too, called.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_29">29 </a></span> + +<p>Having heard the evidence, the judge said, +“The cricket must replace the crushed parts of +the fish and make it well,” as he, the cricket, had +called and frightened the deer.</p> + +<div class="break"></div> + +<p>The cricket was smaller and weaker than the +owl or the deer, therefore had to bear the +penalty.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-6"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-6">6</a>: Haak—a spear. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-7"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-7">7</a>: Wat—surrounded. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_3" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-03.jpg" id="plate_3"><img src="images/image-03-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +A Laos Forest-stream. +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-2-2">Why the Lip of the Elephant Droops</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the days when the earth was young lived a +poor man and his wife who had twelve daughters, +whom they no longer loved and no longer +desired. Day after day the father and mother +planned to be free of them, and upon a day, the +father made ready a basket; in the bottom he +placed ashes, but on the top he spread rice. +Taking this basket with him, he called his +daughters to come go to the jungle to hunt for +game.</p> + +<p>When the heat of the day had come, they all +sat down to eat, and, after they had eaten, the +father gave each daughter a bamboo joint, and +bade her get water for him. The joints were +so made that they would not hold water, and +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_30">30 </a></span> +while the maidens endeavored to make them so +they would, the father returned home. In vain +did the maidens try to make the joints hold the +water and after a time they sought their father, +but, lo, the father was gone and only the basket +remained! Examining the basket, they found +rice but on the top, and on the bottom filled with +ashes, so they knew their parents sought to be +free of them by leaving them in the trackless +jungle. Unable to find their way out, there they +slept peacefully, for the wild beasts molest not +those who fearlessly stay with them.</p> + +<p>As the eye of day opened in the East, the forlorn +maidens beheld, as they awakened, a beautiful +woman standing near, and of her they +sought help.</p> + +<p>“Come with me and be companions to my +little daughter. Often am I away from home +and she is lonely. Come home with me, play +with my daughter, and, in exchange I will give +you a home,” said the beautiful woman.</p> + +<p>Gladly the maidens consented and went with +the woman to her home far in the jungle. All +places save one small garden were they free to +enter. And upon a day, the fair woman said, +“I go to the jungle and will not return until the +eye of day has closed. Do not play in the small +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_31">31 </a></span> +garden.” Scarcely had she gone ere she returned, +but the maidens had not sought the garden.</p> + +<p>Again, upon a day, the fair woman said, “I go +to the jungle but for a short time. Go not to +play in the small garden.”</p> + +<p>Thinking she would this time be gone all day, +the maidens sought the small garden, and lo, it +was strewn with human bones! Then they knew +the fair woman was a cannibal. Full of fear, +they fled, and, as they fled they met a cow.</p> + +<p>“Protect us,” they cried.</p> + +<p>The cow opened its mouth and the maidens +jumped in. Thus they journeyed from the cannibal’s +home. As the cow returned, it met the fair +woman seeking the maidens.</p> + +<p>“Have you seen twelve maidens pass this +way?” asked she.</p> + +<p>“No,” answered the cow.</p> + +<p>“If you do not speak the truth, I’ll kill and eat +you,” cried she.</p> + +<p>“I saw them as they made haste in that way,” +replied the cow.</p> + +<p>The cannibal woman pursued that way.</p> + +<p>After the cow left them, the maidens hastened +on and as they hastened they met an elephant +and begged it to save them from the cannibal.</p> + +<p>The elephant opened its mouth and the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_32">32 </a></span> +maidens jumped in, but so slowly did one jump +that an edge of her garment hung out of the +mouth. As they journeyed the cannibal overtook +them.</p> + +<p>“Did you see twelve maidens hastening toward +the city?” asked the cannibal.</p> + +<p>“No,” answered the elephant.</p> + +<p>“From this time forth forever the lip of thy +mouth shall hang down as a garment,” cursed +the cannibal, for she had seen the edge of the +maiden’s garment hanging out of the elephant’s +mouth and knew it was protecting the twelve +maidens. And to this day doth the lip of the +elephant hang down like a garment.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-2-3">How a Dead Tiger Killed the Princess</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a king who had a daughter at +whose birth a wise man foretold that she would +be killed by a tiger when she was a maiden +grown. In order that no animal might approach +her, the king built her a house set upon one huge +pillar, and there she and her attendants ever +dwelt.</p> + +<p>And it fell upon a day, when the daughter was +well grown, that one of the hunters, whose labor +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_33">33 </a></span> +it was to kill the tigers of the country, brought a +dead one to the palace of the king. The princess, +seeing her dead enemy, came down from +her tower and plucked a whisker from the tiger, +and, as she blew her breath on it, she cried, “I +do not fear thee, O my enemy, for thou art +dead!” But the poison, which is in the whiskers +of a tiger, entered into the blood of the princess, +and she died.</p> + +<p>Then did the king make a proclamation, and +sent messengers throughout all his realm, commanding +that, when a tiger was killed, all his +whiskers be immediately pulled out and burned, +that a tiger may not be able to slay when dead; +and until this day, the people obey the command +of the king.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-2-4">The Monkeys and the Crabs</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">All</span> the monkeys which live in the forests near +the great sea in the south, watch the tide running +out, hoping to catch the sea-crabs which are left +in the soft earth. If they can find a crab above +the ground, they immediately catch and eat it.</p> + +<p>Sometimes, the crabs bury themselves in the +mud, and the monkeys, seeing the tunnels they +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_34">34 </a></span> +have made, reach down into them with their +long tails, and torment the crabs until they, in +anger, seizing the tormenting tail, are drawn out +and devoured by their cunning foes. But, sometimes, +alas, the crab fails to come out! No matter +with what strength the monkey pulls and +tugs, the crabs do not appear, and the poor +monkey is held fast, while the tide comes in and +drowns it. When the tide goes out again, leaving +the luckless monkey on the beach, the crabs +come out from their strongholds and feast on the +dead enemy.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_35">35 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-3">III<br> +Nature’s Riddles and Their Answers</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_36">36 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_37">37 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-3-1">The Man in the Moon</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was a blacksmith once, who complained: +“I am not well, and my work is too +warm. I want to be a stone on the mountain. +There it must be cool, for the wind blows and +the trees give a shade.”</p> + +<p>A wise man, who had power over all things, +replied, “Go thou, be a stone.” And he was +a stone, high up on the mountain-side.</p> + +<p>It happened a stone-cutter came that way for +stone, and, when he saw the one that had been +the blacksmith, he knew it was what he sought +and he began to cut it.</p> + +<p>The stone cried out: “This hurts. I no +longer want to be a stone. A stone-cutter I +want to be. That would be pleasant.”</p> + +<p>The wise man, humoring him, said, “Be a +cutter.” Thus he became a stone-cutter and, as he +went seeking suitable stone, he grew tired, and +his feet were sore. He whimpered, “I no longer +want to cut stone. I would be the sun, that +would be pleasant.”</p> + +<p>The wise man commanded, “Be the sun.” +And he was the sun.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_38">38 </a></span> + +<p>But the sun was warmer than the blacksmith, +than a stone, than a stone-cutter, and he complained, +“I do not like this. I would be the +moon. It looks cool.”</p> + +<p>The wise man spake yet again, “Be the +moon.” And he was the moon.</p> + +<p>“This is warmer than being the sun,” murmured +he, “for the light from the sun shines on +me ever. I do not want to be the moon. I +would be a smith again. That, verily, is the +best life.”</p> + +<p>But the wise man replied, “I am weary of +your changing. You wanted to be the moon; +the moon you are, and it you will remain.”</p> + +<p>And in yon high heaven lives he to this day.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-3-2">The Origin of Lightning</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a great chief who desired +above all things to be happy in the future life, +therefore he continually made feasts for the +priests and the poor; spending much money in +making merit. He had ten wives, nine of whom +helped him in all the merit-makings, but the +head wife, his favorite, would never take part. +Laughing, and making herself beautiful in soft +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_39">39 </a></span> +garments and jewels, she gave naught to the +priests.</p> + +<p>And on a day, when the great chief and his +nine merit-making wives were no more, but +had gone to live in the sky on account of their +merit-making, the great chief longed for his +favorite, and taking a glass, he looked down on +the earth to see her. After many days, he beheld +her as a crane hunting for food on the +border of a lake. The great chief, to try her +heart and to see if she had repented, came down +from his home in the sky in the form of a fish, +and swam to the crane. Seeing the fish, the +crane pecked at it, but the fish sprang out of the +water, and when the crane saw it was alive, she +would not touch it. Again the fish floated near +the crane and she pecked at it, but on finding it +was alive let it escape. Then was the heart of +the great chief glad, for he saw that his favorite +wife would not destroy life even to satisfy her +hunger, and he knew that her merit was such +she could be born in the form of a woman again.</p> + +<p>It happened on a day that the crane died, and, +when again born, had the form of a gardener’s +child. As the child grew in years and stature, +she was fairer than any other in the land, +and, when a maiden, the father and mother made +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_40">40 </a></span> +a feast, inviting all the people to come. During +the feast, they gave a wreath of beautiful flowers +to their daughter and said, “Throw this into the +air, and on whosesoever head it falls, that one +will be to thee a husband.”</p> + +<p>The great chief, her husband of old, seeking +her, came down to the earth in the form of an +old man, and, when the maiden cast the wreath +into the air, it fell on the head of this old man.</p> + +<p>Great sport was made of him, and tauntingly +the people cried, “Does this bent stick think he +is mate for our lotus flower?”</p> + +<p>But the fair maiden placed her hand in the old +man’s hand, and, together they rose into the air. +In vain they sought to detain them—the father +even shot at the old man, but they were soon lost +to sight, and to this day, when the people see the +chain lightning in the sky, they say it is the +wreath of the beautiful maiden; when the +lightning strikes, they say it is the gardener +shooting at the old man, and, when the heat +lightning flashes, they say it is the great chief +flashing his glass over the earth in search of his +favorite and beautiful wife.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_41">41 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-3-3">Why the Parrot and the Minor Bird but +Echo the Words of Man</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Long</span> ago people caught and nourished the sao +bird, because it learned the language of man +more readily than either the parrot or minor +bird. While they had to be taught with much +care, the sao bird had but to hear a word and it +could readily utter it; moreover, the sao bird could +utter its own thoughts.</p> + +<p>Upon a time a man of the north country, owning +a sao bird, stole a buffalo from his neighbor +and killed it. Part of the buffalo the man cooked +and ate; the rest he hid either in the rice bin or +over the rice house.</p> + +<p>Seeking the buffalo, next day, the neighbor +asked the man if he had seen it.</p> + +<p>The man replied, “No.” The sao bird, however, +cried out, “He killed it; part he hid in the +rice bin, part over the rice house.”</p> + +<p>The neighbor searched in both of these places +and found the parts just as the sao bird had said.</p> + +<p>“I did not steal the buffalo,” insisted the man.</p> + +<p>But the bird ever called, “He killed it and put +part into the rice bin, and part over the rice +house.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_42">42 </a></span> + +<p>Unable to decide between the words of the +man and the words of the bird, the neighbor +appealed to the court. And, it happened, the +night before the trial, that the man took the sao +bird, placed it in a jar, covered the jar and poured +water over the cloth and beat on the outside of +the jar. The noise of the beating was low and +rumbling. All that night was the bird kept in +the jar, and not once did it see the bright moonlight, +which was almost as bright as day, for it +was in the midst of the dry season and full moon. +When the eye of day opened, the man removed +the bird from the jar and placed it in its cage, and +then took it to the court as a witness.</p> + +<p>When the bird was called, it said, as before, +“He killed it; part he put in the rice bin, and part +over the rice house.”</p> + +<p>All people believed the bird.</p> + +<p>“Ask it another question. Ask it what manner +of night it was last night. Will you condemn +me to death on the word of a bird?” cried the +man.</p> + +<p>The question was put to the bird, but, remembering +its fear, during the night, of the +rumbling noise and the sound of running water, +it answered, “Last night the sky called and the +rain fell.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_43">43 </a></span> + +<p>Then the people cried, “Of a truth, the bird +cannot be believed. Because it has imperilled the +life of an innocent man, from this time forth, +the sao bird must not be cherished by man.”</p> + +<p>The thief was set free because there were but +the words of the bird to condemn him.</p> + +<p>No longer is the sao bird nourished by man, +but lives in the forest. Those who are full of +fear, when they hear them talking in the forest, +say, “it is the spirits.”</p> + +<p>When the sao bird saw the bright plumage of +the parrot, and the black and gold of the minor +bird, it knew they were strangers who had come +to dwell in the north, and it asked the crow and +the owl what manner of birds they were.</p> + +<p>“Beautiful in plumage, as thou canst readily +see,” answered they. “Moreover, they speak +the words of man.”</p> + +<p>“Speak the words of man,” echoed the sao +bird. “I’ll warn them. Come, let us greet +them.” And they went forth to meet the beautiful +strangers.</p> + +<p>And upon a day, as they all came together in +one place, the sao bird cried out, “We, the chief +birds of the north land, come to greet you and +to give you of our wisdom, as you are but +strangers in our land. It is told me you speak as +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_44">44 </a></span> +does man; even so can I. Nourished by the hand +of man many years, I did see with my eyes and +hear with my ears, and my tongue uttered not +only the things I beheld and heard, but things +displeasing to my masters. At one time, all +men spoke well of me, but afterward was I +cruelly punished and driven from the homes of +men. Therefore come I this day unto you to +warn you that, if man learns of your speaking +tongue, he will capture you and nourish you in +his home. Yet, should you speak other than he +teaches you, you will be punished and driven +from the homes of men, for man loves only to +hear <em>his</em> thoughts repeated and loves not even a +bird that has wisdom or truth greater than his +own.”</p> + +<div class="break"></div> + +<p>Fearful of uttering their thoughts, lest man resent +it, the parrot and minor bird but echo the +words of man.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_45">45 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-3-4">The Fatherless Birds</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">A mother</span> bird sat brooding on her nest. Her +heart was sad, for her mate had flown away in +the morning and had not returned. When the +little ones stirred and clamored for food, with +drooping wings she flew in quest of it that they +might not hunger.</p> + +<p>Day after day her heart grew sadder, for her +mate came not, and alone she struggled to provide +for her fledglings.</p> + +<p>When the little birds had grown strong and +were able to fly, sorrow and heart hunger had so +weakened the mother bird that she lay dying. +The little birds crowded about her asking what +they could do to aid her, and with her dying +breath she cried, “Call, oh, call your father.”</p> + +<p>The little birds, flying low over the plains, +cried, “Paw hüey, paw hüey,” and children, left +alone in their homes, while their parents labor in +the rice fields, hearing the wail of the birds, +wept, crying too, “Paw hüey, maa hüey.”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-8" href="#fn-8">8</a></p> + +<p>Never has the father bird been found, and, to +this day, flying low over the plains, the little +birds cry, in their plaintive voices, “Paw hüey, +paw hüey,” and lonely children echo, “Paw +hüey, maa hüey.”</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-8"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-8">8</a>: Paw hüey—Oh, father! Maa hüey—Oh, mother! +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_46">46 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_47">47 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-4">IV<br> +Romance and Tragedy</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_48">48 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_49">49 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-4-1">The Lovers’ Leap</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Many</span>, many years ago there lived, on the +mountains among the rapids of the Maa Ping, a +young man who loved a maiden and the maiden +loved him truly, but her father refused his consent +to their union and commanded that his +daughter see her lover no more, nor hold communication +with him. At all times and in all +ways the father of the maiden endeavored to +overcome her regard for her lover, but she would +think of no other, although many came to woo +her.</p> + +<p>Often did the young lovers seek to meet, but +so constantly were they watched it was impossible +and they could only wait patiently. Each +knew the other was true and each heart rested in +this assurance.</p> + +<p>And upon a time the father of the maiden +thought she had forgotten her lover, and, greatly +rejoiced, he made a feast and invited all the people +of the province to come and make merry +with him, and he reasoned, “Now that she has +forgotten her former lover, will she not consent +to marry a man I choose for her?”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_50">50 </a></span> + +<p>While they were feasting the maiden wandered +out to think of the one she had not seen +for so long and weary a time, and, suddenly, the +dark evening became to her as the bright noonday, +for her lover was before her. He entreated +her to come with him and to be his wife. Thinking +of the dreary days she had passed and the +more dreary ones to come, should she see her +heart’s choice no more, she consented. As they +were mounting his strong, young horse, a servant +saw them and ran to the house and gave the +alarm. Soon the father and all the men were in +pursuit of the lovers. For a time the young +horse kept far ahead of its pursuers, but, wearying +of its double burden, it began to lag just as it +reached the top of a lofty hill overhanging a +rushing torrent of the river far below.</p> + +<p>Nearer and nearer came the father and all the +men. The only escape, and a most desperate +venture was it, was to leap across the rushing +torrent to the hill on the other side. Looking +into each other’s eyes, then back at their approaching +pursuers, and then at the wide chasm, +they chose death together rather than life apart, +and, urging their jaded horse to the leap, they +missed the opposite cliff and were dashed to +pieces on the rocks of the rapids below.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_51">51 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-4-2">The Faithful Husband<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-9" href="#fn-9">9</a></h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Upon</span> a day in years long since gone by, Chow<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-10" href="#fn-10">10</a> +Soo Tome, wearied of the talking of his slaves, +wandered into the forest. As he walked in an +unfrequented path, he came to a lake where +seven beautiful winged nymphs were disporting +themselves in the water. One, Chow Soo Tome +readily saw was more beautiful than the others, +and he loved her and desired her for his wife. +On seeing the Chow, however, they all fled, but +the most beautiful one permitted herself to be +overtaken.</p> + +<p>“When I saw thee, my heart was filled with +love for thee. If thou dost not consent to be my +wife, of sorrow will I die,” cried Chow Soo +Tome.</p> + +<p>“Easily could I have escaped, had not love for +thee made me loath to leave thee,” replied the +nymph. And in great joy they returned to the +Chow’s home.</p> + +<p>“My son, let me take the wings of thy wife, +lest she fly and leave thee in sorrow,” urged the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_52">52 </a></span> +Chow’s mother, and, readily did the nymph wife +lay aside her wings.</p> + +<p>But it happened that the head chow heard of +the beauty of the wife of Chow Soo Tome, and +he coveted her, and seeking to do away with +Chow Soo Tome, he sent him to war, and commanded +that he lead the battle.</p> + +<p>The young nymph wife knew the design of +the head chow, and, as soon as her husband had +gone, she sought her mother-in-law and begged +that she give her back her wings.</p> + +<p>“I am filled with sorrow. Without Soo Tome +I cannot remain in the house. Give me my +wings that I may fly in the air and be comforted,” +pled the wife.</p> + +<p>“Consent that I tie a rope to thy feet. Then, +I will give thee the wings,” answered Soo Tome’s +mother.</p> + +<p>The young wife consented, but, having donned +her wings and flown up in the air, she cut the +rope fastened to her feet and was safe from the +head chow’s pursuit. Her freedom made her +think of the home of her father in the kingdom +of Chom Kow Kilat,<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-11" href="#fn-11">11</a> and thither she flew.</p> + +<p>Chow Soo Tome, unhurt and victorious, returned +from the war and found his home desolate +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_53">53 </a></span> +without his nymph wife, and would not be comforted +but determined to seek her. “Now, I +will go seek her in her father’s kingdom, Chom +Kow Kilat, though seven years, seven months +and seven days be required for the journey.”</p> + +<p>Through forest, over mountains and across +plains toiled Chow Soo Tome patiently. And, as +he journeyed, upon a day, he met an ape.</p> + +<p>“My friend, where do you go?” asked the ape.</p> + +<p>“To a land far away, where the love of my +heart abides, in the kingdom of Chom Kow +Kilat. The way I do not know, but my heart +guides me,” answered Chow Soo Tome.</p> + +<p>The ape pitied him and sought to aid him, and +what food he had or found he shared with Chow +Soo Tome gladly. Together they travelled many +days until they reached the sea. They had no +means of crossing, and when the ape realized he +could no longer aid Chow Soo Tome, he cried +bitterly, saying, “No longer can I aid thee, now; +therefore is my sorrow greater than I can bear,” +and, lo, he died! For three days did Chow Soo +Tome mourn this kind friend, and, as he +mourned, a fly came to eat of the ape.</p> + +<p>“I am but alive and fear I will die if I do not +have food at once,” said the fly. “The ape is dead +and can feel no pain. I am alive and hunger, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_54">54 </a></span> +thou art in trouble and need aid. If thou wilt +give me to eat of the flesh of the dead ape, +whenever thou needst me, think on me and I will +come to thee,” added the fly.</p> + +<p>“Eat,” said Chow Soo Tome, and then he +went on his way, but shortly after, sat down +under a tree. While there, he saw two eagles +alight on the tree.</p> + +<p>“When we are rested, we will fly across the +sea and eat of the feast which the king of Chom +Kow Kilat gives in honor of the return of his +beautiful daughter,” said one of the eagles to its +mate.</p> + +<p>Hearing these words, Chow Soo Tome cautiously +climbed into the tree and crept under the +wing of the larger eagle, who shortly after said +to its mate: “Before we fly hence, I must rid +myself of an insect which is under my wing +and annoys me.”</p> + +<p>“This is a sacred day, and, for some punishment +has the insect come under your wing; let it +remain,” counselled the other eagle, and then they +flew over the sea. When they rested in a tree +on the other shore, Chow Soo Tome crept from +under the wing and climbed down the tree. +After a time he reached a <em>sala</em><a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-12" href="#fn-12">12</a> near a large city. +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_55">55 </a></span> +Near the sala was a well, and, as Chow Soo +Tome rested, seven slaves of the king of Chom +Kow Kilat came from the city for water.</p> + +<p>“Why dost thou draw of the water?” asked +Chow Soo Tome of a slave.</p> + +<p>“We are this day glad, for the most beautiful +daughter of the king of Chom Kow Kilat hath +returned from the land of men and the water +will be poured over her head,” said the slave addressed.</p> + +<p>Approaching the seventh slave, Chow Soo +Tome asked that he might place a ring in her +water jar. Now, the ring was one which he had +received from his nymph wife, and he sought +thus to turn her thoughts to him again.</p> + +<p>“Pour your water in such a manner that, +when it falls, the ring will fall upon the hands of +the princess,” directed Chow Soo Tome.</p> + +<p>The slave did as directed, and, as the ring fell +on the hands of the young princess, she knew +her husband was near, and she asked the +slave who was at the well when she drew the +water.</p> + +<p>“A chow of a far country,” said the slave, +“who rests in the sala by the sacred well outside +the city gate.”</p> + +<p>In great haste and joy, did the young princess +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_56">56 </a></span> +seek her father. “Outside the city gate, in the +sala by the sacred well, doth my husband await +me. Let me go to him, father,” she pleaded.</p> + +<p>“I must first prove that he be thy husband. +Let all my daughters make ready a table spread +with the best of the feast, and hide themselves. +The man shall be called, and, if he selects thy table, +he is thy husband, but, if he knows not thy +table, he shall die,” replied the king.</p> + +<p>The tables were made ready, Chow Soo Tome +was summoned and commanded to select the +table prepared by the princess whom he claimed +as his wife. Sore perplexed, Chow Soo Tome +bethought himself of the fly’s promise, and he +called it to his aid. Immediately the fly appeared +and sat on the table prepared by the wife of +Chow Soo Tome, and there Chow Soo Tome sat +down.</p> + +<p>“Yet another test,” said the king. “Make +ready seven curtains and place my daughters behind +the seven curtains, allowing but one finger +of each princess to be seen. Then, from among +the fingers, select that of thy wife.”</p> + +<p>Immediately did the grateful fly rest upon the +curtain where lay the finger of the young wife, +and unhesitatingly Chow Soo Tome walked up +to the curtain and clasped the right finger.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_57">57 </a></span> + +<p>“It is enough. She is thy wife,” declared the +king, and so pleased was he that he made Chow +Soo Tome second in power in the kingdom of +Chom Kow Kilat.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-9"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-9">9</a>: This represents a very well-known märrchen. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-10"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-10">10</a>: Chow—a prince or high official. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-11"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-11">11</a>: A fabulous city. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-12"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-12">12</a>: A rest-house for guests. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_4" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-04.jpg" id="plate_4"><img src="images/image-04-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +The Laos Governor’s Wife at her Embroidery Frame. +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-4-3">The Faithful Wife</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">The</span> young and beautiful son of a head chow +sought of a wise man what manner of wife +should be his.</p> + +<p>“As you walked by the way, whom did you +meet?” asked the wizard.</p> + +<p>“No one,” replied the young man.</p> + +<p>“Nay, my son, you saw a slave of your father’s, +cutting grass in a garden. She is to be +your wife.”</p> + +<p>Distressed that such a woman should be his +wife, the young man fled from his own country.</p> + +<p>And it came to pass, that the chow saw the +slave girl that she was kind, noble, and beautiful, +and he took her to his house as a daughter, and +she became more kind, more noble, and more +beautiful.</p> + +<p>Years had gone by, and, upon a day the son +returned, and, seeing in the one-time slave a +most lovable and lovely woman, sought and +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_58">58 </a></span> +gained her as his wife. Word reached the +young man then that this was but a slave, and, +on learning the truth, he begged that he might +be released to go on a long journey. The young +wife consented.</p> + +<p>A boat was made ready, and the chow’s son +had it in his heart never to return. So, secretly, +the chow had a gold image hidden in the bottom +of the boat. When the day of departure had +come, the chow in haste sent his servants to inquire +of his son what he had in the boat.</p> + +<p>“I have but my possessions,” replied the son.</p> + +<p>“Nay, you have the image of gold, which is +the possession of my master, the chow,” insisted +the servants. “If we find it in the boat, what +will you do?” they asked.</p> + +<p>“Return with you as a slave to my father!” +exclaimed the son.</p> + +<p>All the goods were removed from the boat and +the image was found. Then the son returned as a +slave to his father and was made keeper of the +elephants.</p> + +<p>Upon a day, the young wife of the son came +to the chow and sought permission to go to the +forest to find her husband.</p> + +<p>Willingly did the chow say, “Go, my child,” +and forthwith he had a boat put in readiness for +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_59">59 </a></span> +her and sent with her many of his servants. +One servant was called, “Eye That Sees Well,” +another, “Ear That Hears Well.”</p> + +<p>Sailing down the river, they reached the province +where the young man was searching for +elephants, and there they remained.</p> + +<p>The chow of the province sent a servant secretly +to hide a golden image in the boat. But +the “Ear That Hears Well” heard and the “Eye +That Sees Well” saw, and together they took the +image from the boat and hid it in the sand.</p> + +<p>The following day, the chow sent a messenger +asking why the princess had taken the image.</p> + +<p>“I have not seen it,” were the words of the +princess.</p> + +<p>“If it is found in your boat, what will you +promise?” asked the chow’s messenger.</p> + +<p>“I and my servants will be slaves to him, if +the image be found in my boat,” replied the +princess, “but, should the image not be found +there, what will your master promise?”</p> + +<p>“All his goods and his province, if the image +be not found,” readily answered the messenger.</p> + +<p>A diligent search failed to discover the image +of gold, and, true to his word, the chow gave of +his goods and his province to the princess. Rejoicing, +and hoping thus to discover her husband, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_60">60 </a></span> +the princess gave a large feast, and bade all the +people. While all were feasting, lo, a man, in +soiled garments and carrying a heavy tusk of an +elephant, came towards them, and immediately +did the princess recognize her husband, and the +husband, realizing after what manner his wife +loved him, grew to love her, and together they +lived in her province for many, many years.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-4-4">An Unexpected Issue</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Far</span> away from other men, on the side of a +lonely mountain, a man and his wife were preparing +their ground that they might plant the +hill rice. Their work was hard, and they saw no +one from day to day, and, upon a time, when +tired of their labor, the husband said,</p> + +<p>“Let us play that we are young and unmarried, +and that I am coming to visit you to try to +gain you for a wife.”</p> + +<p>The wife dressed herself as a young maiden, +with flowers in her hair, and sat at the spinning-wheel.</p> + +<p>The husband came as though from a distance, +and in his hand he carried the stem of a banana +leaf, which he pretended was a musical instrument. +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_61">61 </a></span> +Playfully, he drew his fingers over it, +singing, “It is pleasant to be here. Where you +are, I am happy. Where you are not, I am but +of little heart and sad.” He drew near, and, as +he was not forbidden, he walked up into the +house and sat down by the maiden. Bowing +himself to the ground, he spoke, saying, “O +fair princess, I come but as your servant! May +I sit here near you?”</p> + +<p>Smilingly she answered, “To sit there is but +a waste of time.”</p> + +<p>“I am not sitting where another has sat. Tell +me, do I talk to one who has another lover?”</p> + +<p>“I fear that the one who loves you, and whom +you loved ere you came to me, will be angry +with me and curse me,” she coyly answered.</p> + +<p>Then he feigned anger, and moved away +quickly. In his haste he did not see where he +was going, and he fell down the steps of the +house, upon a stone. Though he lay there +groaning, and called, “O, help me!” his wife +thought him still in sport and sat quietly at her +wheel. Having waited some time, she arose and +went to him, and, lo, he lay there dead!</p> + +<p>“Had we worked and not played as children, +my husband would be yet alive,” lamented the +wife.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_62">62 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_63">63 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-5">V<br> +Temples and Priests</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_64">64 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_65">65 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-5-1">The Giants’ Mountain and the Temple</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the time long since gone by, when the +world was young, the men of a large province +desired to build a temple, a temple which might +be seen by men from afar. Their ground, however, +was low, and there was no lofty mountain +on which they might rear it, and it was deemed +wise by all to entreat the giants, who lived in the +far East, to help them bring the earth together in +one place for a mound.</p> + +<p>Willingly did the giants consent to aid them, +but asked, “Why labor to dig the earth and pile +it into a mound? Behold the high hills are ours, +with our strong arms we can remove the top +from one of them and bring it to you and you +may rear your beautiful temple thereon, and all +men can see it. Go, therefore, and make ready +your bricks and mortar, bringing to one place all +the materials which you will require, whilst we +carry one of our mountains to you for your use.”</p> + +<p>The giants went their way to bring a mountain-top +from the far East to the plains near the city. +Day after day they labored and moved the +mountain top a great distance, but the people +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_66">66 </a></span> +neither helped them nor did they even commence +to prepare the materials for the temple. As the +giants toiled, word was brought them that the +people were sitting in idleness on the ground.</p> + +<p>“Come help us, or gather the materials together,” +the giants sent word.</p> + +<p>“You, yourselves, offered to carry the mountain-top +to us. Your words are stronger than +your deeds. You say you will aid us, then ask +us to help you,” the people replied. This they +said, thinking to goad the giants on to the labor +of bringing the mountain-top to the desired +place.</p> + +<p>“We offered to aid you,” retorted the giants, +“but you sit and watch while we do all. Had +you done your part, we would have done ours. +Now, you shall labor, and we, from our high +mountain, will laugh at you.”</p> + +<p>Thereupon they left the work and sought their +homes, and wearily did the men of the plains dig +the earth, carrying it in small loads into one +place to build the mound, and sadly did they +look toward the East, where they could see the +mountain-top the giants had carried such a distance +to them, and most bitterly did they repent +not having done their share.</p> + +<p>The temple is builded now, and from afar the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_67">67 </a></span> +people can see the gleam of the spire when the +eye of day first opens in the East, or closes in the +West, and, to this day the mountain-top lies +there far distant from the mountain range and +equally far distant from the city of the plains, +and the people point it out to strangers, saying, +“If you ask aid from others, it is well to put +your own heart into the work.”</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_5" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-05.jpg" id="plate_5"><img src="images/image-05-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +A Group of Buddhist Priests. +</div> + +<div id="ill_6" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-06.jpg"><img src="images/image-06-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +The Interior of a Buddhist Temple. +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-5-2">Cheating the Priest</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Upon</span> a time a man and his wife went a day’s +journey from their village to the bazaar to sell +their wares, and it fell upon the day of their return +that it rained heavily, and as they hurried +along the highway, they sought shelter from the +head priest of a temple. He, however, would +not even let them enter. They begged to be +permitted to sleep in the sheltered place at the +head of the stairs, but this also the priest refused. +Angered, they went under the temple and there +rested.</p> + +<p>When the priest had lain down on his mat in +the room just over the place where the man and +his wife were hidden, he heard the man say to +his wife, “It will be good to be again with our +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_68">68 </a></span> +young and beautiful daughter. I trust all is well +with her.”</p> + +<p>Having heard these words, the priest arose +hastily and called, “Come up, good people, and +sleep in the temple. Here, too, are mats to rest +upon.” And, as they talked of their beautiful +daughter, the priest asked, “When I am out of +the temple, released from my vows, will you +give me your daughter to wife?”</p> + +<p>Looking at his wife, the husband replied, +“It is good in our sight.”</p> + +<p>When the morning came and they wished to +steam some rice for their breakfast, they had no +pot, but the priest freely offered the use of his +pot and insisted upon their using of the sacred +wood for their fire, the wood which was used in +propping the branches of the Po tree.<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-13" href="#fn-13">13</a></p> + +<p>Being ready to go on their way, the priest presented +them with gifts of food, silver and gold, +saying, “I will soon leave the priesthood and +come to marry your beautiful daughter.”</p> + +<p>But three days had passed, when the man and +his wife came again to the temple and told the +priest that their daughter was dead, and a long +time they all mourned together.</p> + +<p>“I will ever remain true to my love for your +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_69">69 </a></span> +daughter. Never will I leave the priesthood,” +vowed the priest, while the man and his wife returned +to their home, spent the silver and gold +the priest had given them, and cheerfully laughed +at him, for never had they had a daughter!</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-13"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-13">13</a>: The sacred tree of Buddhists. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-5-3">The Disappointed Priest</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> a temple of the north lived a priest who had +great greed for the betel nut.<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-14" href="#fn-14">14</a> One day, compelled +by his appetite, he inquired of a boy-priest +if no one had died that day, but the boy replied +he had heard of no death.</p> + +<p>A man, while worshipping in the temple, overheard +the priest’s words, and on his return to his +home, said, “The priest wants some one to die +so he can have betel to eat. Let us punish him, +because he loves the betel nut better than the life +of a man. Make me ready for the grave, then +wail with a loud voice and the priest will come.”</p> + +<p>When all was ready, they wailed with a loud +voice and the priest, filled with cheerful thoughts +of satisfying his appetite, came quickly.</p> + +<p>The people all said, “We must hasten to the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_70">70 </a></span> +grave with our dead brother. As it is already +evening, we will not have the feast until we return.”</p> + +<p>All hastened to the place of burning, and, upon +reaching it, they took one end of the cloth covering +the body and placed it in the hands of the +priest, while the other end they left on the body +of the supposed dead man.</p> + +<p>“While you ask blessings on our dead brother, +we will go prepare wood for the burning,” said +the people, and, leaving the priest praying, they +returned as they had come, cut thorns and briars +and placed them on and about the path, so the +priest could not escape unhurt. Then they hid +themselves.</p> + +<p>As the darkness closed about him, the priest +prayed fast and loud. Lo! the man stirred and +groaned, and the priest cried, “O, my father, I +am asking blessings on thee! Why movest +thou?”</p> + +<p>Again the man rose up and groaned even +louder, and the priest, terrified, ran away towards +the temple. Caught by the briars, he fell headlong, +cut and bleeding. With great effort, he at +last reached the temple, and with much pain had +his wounds dressed by the boy-priest. Not until +he had rested, did he inquire of the boy if the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_71">71 </a></span> +people of the dead man had brought any betel to +the temple in his absence.</p> + +<p>“No,” said the boy-priest. “Go to the house +of the dead man and eat with them.”</p> + +<p>But the priest most vehemently said, “If ten +or twenty men die, I will not go again. Die like +that man! I shall never go again.”</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-14"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-14">14</a>: Areca nut. Chewing this nut is a habit common among all +the peoples of Farther India and Malaysia. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-5-4">The Greedy Priest</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the compound of a temple in the south there +was a large fruit tree, the fruit of which was +coveted by all, as they passed, but the head +priest would permit no one to eat of it, because +he was greedy and selfish and wished but to +satisfy his own appetite.</p> + +<p>Two men, talking together, said they would +obtain fruit from the priest, and they would have +it without price.</p> + +<p>One came and asked for the fruit. The priest +refused him gruffly, saying, “I need it for my +own use.” The man replied, “I desired it to eat +with my venison curry, of which I have so much +that I want you to come and eat with me.” On +hearing this the priest said, “Take what you +want.” Filling his scarf with the coveted fruit, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_72">72 </a></span> +the man left the priest, saying, “I will call for +you as the eye of day closes.”</p> + +<p>Shortly after, the second man came and begged +for fruit and likewise was refused, until he said +he wished it to eat with his pork curry, and, that +as the eye of day closed, he would come for the +priest to eat with him, when the priest said, +“All you desire, take.” And the man filled a +large basket with the coveted fruit.</p> + +<p>As the eye of day closed, the two men called +together for the priest.</p> + +<p>When they reached a fork in the road, one laid +hold on the arm of the priest, and said, “Come +with me first, my house is down this way.”</p> + +<p>“Come with me first,” said the other, “my +family will already be eating.”</p> + +<p>Thus they disputed, drawing the greedy old +priest this way and that until he was bruised and +tired, when he said, “It is enough. I will +neither eat of the <ins title="Note: “vension” in the original" id="cg_2">venison</ins>, nor of the pork.”</p> + +<p>And the men went home and laughed, for +neither had the one venison nor the other pork.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_7" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-07.jpg" id="plate_6"><img src="images/image-07-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +Monastery Grounds at Chieng Tung, Laos. +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_73">73 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-5-5">The Ambitious Priest</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> is a tale of an old priest who prayed +each day that the gods would give him a jewel +of great price—one that had the power to make +him fly as a bird.</p> + +<p>A young priest in the temple hearing his +prayer, secured the eye of a fish and hid it in +his room, and when again the old priest prayed +for the jewel, the young priest brought the eye +of the fish and gave it to him. Then was the +old priest glad, “Now can I rise up as though on +wings and fly from this earth,” said he.</p> + +<p>Selecting two large palm leaves, thinking “I +must have wings first,” he tried to fly, but could +not.</p> + +<p>The young priest said, “From here you cannot +fly; it is not high enough. Go up to the roof of +the temple and fly from there.”</p> + +<p>Acting on this suggestion, the old priest went +up to the roof, but fell from his high place, and, +lo, when they came to him, he was dead!</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_74">74 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_75">75 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-6">VI<br> +Moderation and Greed</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_76">76 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_77">77 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-6-1">The Wizard and the Beggar</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> upon a time there was a poor man who +ever begged for food, and, as he walked along +the road he thought, “If any one will give me to +eat until I am satisfied, never will I forget the +grace or merit of that person.” Chanting these +words as he walked slowly along, he met a +wizard.</p> + +<p>“What do you say as you walk along, my +son?” asked the wizard.</p> + +<p>“If any one will give me to eat all I crave, I +will never forget the grace or merit of that person,” +said the poor man.</p> + +<p>“My son, the people of this day are ever careless +and ungrateful. They forget benefits,” replied +the wizard.</p> + +<p>“I will not forget,” vowed the poor man.</p> + +<p>“Go on, my son,” said the wizard.</p> + +<p>Chanting as before, the poor man went on his +way, and as he walked he met a dog.</p> + +<p>“What do you say as you go along, my +son?” asked the dog.</p> + +<p>“Whosoever will give me to eat to my satisfaction, +the grace or merit of that person will I +never forget,” replied the poor man.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_78">78 </a></span> + +<p>“Men are prone to forget. None remember +favors. When I was young and strong, I +guarded my master’s house and grounds; now, +when I am old, he will not permit me to enter +his gate, but curses and beats me and gives me +no food. By him are all my services forgotten,” +said the dog.</p> + +<p>Ever chanting, the poor man walked on, and +as he walked he met a buffalo.</p> + +<p>“What do you say as you walk along, my +son?” asked the buffalo. And the poor man repeated +what he had told the wizard and the +dog.</p> + +<p>“Man is ever ungrateful. When I was young +and strong, I plowed the fields so my master +could have rice and my master was grateful to +me. Now that I cannot work, I am driven out +to die,” said the buffalo. And the poor man, +discouraged, sought the wizard again.</p> + +<p>“My son, will you ever remember benefits?” +asked the wizard.</p> + +<p>“Never would I forget a benefit,” vowed the +poor man, vehemently.</p> + +<p>“Then here are two jewels; one, if held in +your mouth, will enable you to fly as a bird; the +other, if held in the mouth, will give you your +desires, and this second one I now give to you,” +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_79">79 </a></span> +said the wizard, and he handed the second jewel +to the poor man.</p> + +<p>“Your grace and merit will ever be remembered +by me. More than tongue can utter, do I +thank you. Ever will I wish you health and +happiness and pray for blessings on your head,” +declared the poor man. Having thus spoken, +the once poor man sought his home and, through +the virtue of the wishing jewel he had every wish +for wealth gratified.</p> + +<p>“How do you secure your desires?” asked the +neighbors of the once poor, begging man.</p> + +<p>“A wizard gave me a wishing-jewel and, by +simply placing it in my mouth, all I wish to possess +is mine,” answered he. “Listen to me,” he +continued, “the wizard has yet another jewel, +which, if placed in the mouth, will enable one to +fly as a bird. Come, let us go and kill him that +we may all possess it together.”</p> + +<p>With one accord they agreed, and, as they approached +the home of the wizard, the wizard, +espying the man he had so benefited, called to +him,</p> + +<p>“Why have you not visited me, my son?”</p> + +<p>“There was no time, much work have I had to +do,” replied the ungrateful man.</p> + +<p>Now the wizard of course knew the intent +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_80">80 </a></span> +of the wicked fellow, that he, with his neighbors, +had come to secure the second jewel, and +he asked,</p> + +<p>“Why do you desire to kill me?”</p> + +<p>“Give to me the jewel you have, else I shall +kill you, you old wizard,” cried the ungrateful +fellow.</p> + +<p>“Have you the wishing-jewel with you? If +so, show it to me first,” said the wizard.</p> + +<p>Eagerly did the greedy fellow thrust it toward +the old wizard, but he, having already placed the +flying-jewel in his mouth, seized the wishing-jewel +and instead of giving the rascal the <ins title="Note: “flying jewel” in the original" id="cg_3">flying-jewel</ins>, +flew away, leaving both the man and his +neighbors without either.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-6-2">A Covetous Neighbor</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was a poor and lonely man who had +but a few melon seeds and grains of corn which +he planted; tenderly did he care for them, as the +garden would furnish his only means of a living. +And it came to pass that the melons and corn +grew luxuriantly, and the apes and the monkeys +from the neighboring wilderness, seeing them, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_81">81 </a></span> +came daily to eat of them, and, as they talked of +the owner of the garden, wondered just what +manner of man he might be that he permitted +them unmolested to eat of his melons. But the +poor man, through his sufferings, had much +merit, and charitably and willingly shared his +abundant fruit with them.</p> + +<p>And upon a day, the man lay down in the +garden and feigned death. As the monkeys and +apes drew near, seeing him so still, his scarf +lying about his head, with one accord they cried, +“He is already dead! Lo, these many days have +we eaten of his fruit, therefore it is but just that +we should bury him in as choice a place as we +can find.”</p> + +<p>Lifting the man, they carried him until they +came to a place where two ways met, when one +of the monkeys said, “Let us take him to the +cave of silver.” Another said, “No, the cave of +gold would be better.”</p> + +<p>“Go to the cave of gold,” commanded the head +monkey. There they carried him and laid him +to rest.</p> + +<p>Finding himself thus alone, the man arose, +gathered all the gold he could carry and returned +to his old home, and, with the gold thus easily +gained, he built a beautiful house.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_82">82 </a></span> + +<p>“How did you, who are but a gardener, gain +all this gold?” asked a neighbor, and freely the +man told all that had befallen him.</p> + +<p>“If you did it, I, too, can do it,” said the +neighbor, and forthwith, he hastened home, +made a garden, and waited for the monkeys to +feast in it. All came to pass as the neighbor +hoped; when the melons were ripe great numbers +of monkeys and apes came to the garden +and feasted. And upon a day, they found the +owner lying as one dead in the garden. +Prompted by gratitude, the monkeys made ready +to bury him, and while carrying him to the place +of burial, they came to the place in the way +where the two roads met. Here they disputed +as to whether they should place the man in the +cave of silver, or the cave of gold. Meanwhile, +the man was thinking thus, “I’ll gather gold +all day. When I have more than I can carry in +my arms, I’ll draw some behind me in a basket I +can readily make from bamboo,” and, when the +head monkey said, “Put him in the cave of silver,” +he unguardedly cried out, “No, put me in +the cave of gold.”</p> + +<p>Frightened, the monkeys dropped the man and +fled, whilst he, scratched and bleeding, crept +painfully home.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_83">83 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-6-3">A Lazy Man’s Plot<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-15" href="#fn-15">15</a></h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Upon</span> a day a beggar, who was too lazy to +work, but ever lived on the bounty of the people, +received a great quantity of rice. He put it in +a large jar and placed the jar at the foot of his +bed, then he lay down on the bed and thus +reasoned:</p> + +<p>“If there come a famine, I will sell the rice, +and with the money, buy me a pair of cows, and +when the cows have a calf, I’ll buy a pair of +buffaloes. Then, when they have a calf, I’ll sell +them, and with that money, I’ll make a wedding +and take me a wife. And, when we have a +child large enough to sit alone, I’ll take care of it, +while my wife works the rice fields. Should +she say, ‘I will not work,’ I’ll kick her after this +manner,” and he struck out his foot, knocking +the jar over, and broke it. The rice ran through +the slats of the floor, and the neighbors’ pigs +ate it, leaving the lazy plotter but the broken jar.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-15"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-15">15</a>: The motive corresponds to that of the venerable story of the +Milkmaid. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_84">84 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-6-4">The Ungrateful Fisherman</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">It</span> happened on a time that a poor fisherman +had caught nothing for many days, and while he +was sitting thinking sadly of his miserable fortune, +Punya In, the god of wisdom, came from +his high home in heaven in the form of a crow, +and asked him, “Do you desire to escape from +this life of a fisherman, and live in ease?” And +the fisherman replied, “Greatly do I desire to +escape from this miserable life.”</p> + +<p>Beckoning him to come to him and listen, the +crow told him of a far distant province, whose +chow lay dead.</p> + +<p>“Both the province and all the chow’s former +possessions will I give thee, if thou wilt promise +ever to remember the benefits I bestow,” said the +crow.</p> + +<p>Readily did the fisherman promise, “Never, +never will I forget.”</p> + +<p>Immediately the crow took the fisherman on +his back and flew to the far distant province. +Leaving the fisherman just outside the city gate, +the crow entered the city, went to the chow’s +home, and took the body of the chow away, and, +in the place put the fisherman.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_85">85 </a></span> + +<p>When the fisherman moved, the watchers +heard, and rejoicing, they all cried, “Our chow +is again alive.”</p> + +<p>Great was the joy of the people, and, for many +years, the fisherman ruled in the province and +enjoyed the possessions of the former chow.</p> + +<p>But, as time went by, the fisherman forgot the +crow had been the author of all his good fortune, +that all were the gifts of a crow, and he drove all +crows from the rice fields. Even did he attempt +to banish them from the province. Perceiving +this, the god of wisdom again assumed the form +of a crow and came down and sat near the one-time +fisherman.</p> + +<p>“O, chow, wouldst thou desire to go where +all is pleasure and delight?” asked the crow.</p> + +<p>“Let me go,” replied the chow. And the +crow took him on his back and flew with him to +the house where, as a fisherman he had lived in +poverty and squalor, and ever had he to remain +there.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-6-5">The Legend of the Rice</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the days when the earth was young and all +things were better than they now are, when men +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_86">86 </a></span> +and women were stronger and of greater beauty, +and the fruit of the trees was larger and sweeter +than that which we now eat, rice, the food of +the people, was of larger grain. One grain was +all a man could eat, and in those early days, +such, too, was the merit of the people, they +never had to toil gathering the rice, for, when +ripe, it fell from the stalks and rolled into the +villages, even unto the granaries.</p> + +<p>And upon a year, when the rice was larger and +more plentiful than ever before, a widow said to +her daughter, “Our granaries are too small. We +will pull them down and build larger.”</p> + +<p>When the old granaries were pulled down and +the new one not yet ready for use, the rice was +ripe in the fields. Great haste was made, but +the rice came rolling in where the work was going +on, and the widow, angered, struck a grain +and cried, “Could you not wait in the fields until +we were ready? You should not bother us now +when you are not wanted.”</p> + +<p>The rice broke into thousands of pieces and +said, “From this time forth, we will wait in the +fields until we are wanted,” and, from that time +the rice has been of small grain, and the people +of the earth must gather it into the granary from +the fields.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_8" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-08.jpg" id="plate_7"><img src="images/image-08-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +At Work in the Rice Fields. +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_87">87 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-7">VII<br> +Parables and Proverbs</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_88">88 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_89">89 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-7-1">“One Woman in Deceit and Craft is More +Than a Match for Eight Men”</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Chum Paw</span> was a maiden of the south country. +Many suitors had she, but, by her craft and devices, +each suitor thought himself the only one. Constantly +did each seek her in marriage, and, upon +a day as one pressed her to name the time of +their nuptials, she said, “Build me a house, and +I’ll marry you when all is in readiness.” To the +others, did she speak the same words.</p> + +<p>Each man sought the jungle for bamboo for a +house, and, it happened, while they were in the +jungle that they all met.</p> + +<p>“What seekest thou?” they asked one another. +“What seekest thou?” The one answer +was, “I have come to fell wood for my house.”</p> + +<p>And, as they ate their midday meal together, +each had a bamboo stick, filled with chicken and +rice. Now, it happened that Chum Paw had +given the bamboo sticks to the men, and, lo, on +investigation, they found the pieces in their various +sticks were the parts of one chicken, and +with one accord, they cried, “Chum Paw has deceived +us. Come, let us kill her. Each has she +promised to marry; each has she deceived.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_90">90 </a></span> + +<p>All were exceedingly angry and vowed they +would kill the deceitful woman.</p> + +<p>Chum Paw, seeing the men return together, +knew her duplicity was known and realized they +sought to kill her.</p> + +<p>“I entreat that you spare my life, but take and +sell me as a slave to the captain of the ship lying +at the mouth of the river.”</p> + +<p>Relenting, the suitors took her to the captain. +She, however, running on before, privately told +the captain she had seven young men, her +slaves, whom she would sell him for seven hundred +pieces of silver. Seeing the young men +were desirable, the captain gave Chum Paw the +silver, and she fled while the seven lovers were +placed in irons.</p> + +<p>Chum Paw fled to the jungle, but, frightened +by the wild beasts, she sought refuge in a tree. +And it came to pass that the suitors escaped from +the ship and they, too, sought refuge in the +jungle. Unable to sleep and also frightened, one +of them climbed a tree that he might be safe +from the wild beasts, and, lo, it was the same +tree in which Chum Paw had taken refuge.</p> + +<p>“Be silent, make no noise, lest the others hear +us,” whispered Chum Paw. “I love you and +knew you were wise and would escape from the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_91">91 </a></span> +ship. I only desired the silver for us to spend +together.”</p> + +<p>The unfortunate man believed, and sought to +embrace her, but, as he threw up his arms, Chum +Paw threw him down, hoping thus to kill him. +The others, hearing the commotion, feared a +large bear was in the tree and hastily fled. Uninjured +the suitor, whom Chum Paw had thrown +from the tree, fled with them.</p> + +<p>Chum Paw seeing that they all fled ran +behind, as she knew no beast would attack her +while there was so great a commotion. As the +suitors looked back, they saw her, but mistook +her for a bear and ran but the faster, and finally, +they all, the seven suitors and Chum Paw reached +their homes.</p> + +<p>Knowing the suitors would again seek her life, +Chum Paw made a feast of all things they most +liked and bade the young men to come. (All +the food was prepared by Chum Paw and +poisoned.) “I want but to make me <em>boon</em> before +I die, so I beg you eat of my food and forgive +me, for I merit death,” said the maiden, as +they sat in her house. All ate; and all died.</p> + +<p>Chum Paw carried six bodies into the inner +part of the house, and one she prepared for the +grave. Weeping and wailing, she ran to the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_92">92 </a></span> +nearest neighbor, crying, “I want a man to +come bury my husband. He died last night. +As he had smallpox, fifty pieces of silver will I +give to the one who buries him.”</p> + +<p>A man who loved money said, “I will bury +him.” When he came to the house, Chum Paw +said, “Many times has he died and come back to +life. If he comes back again, no money shall you +have.”</p> + +<p>The man took the body, made a deep grave, +buried the man and returned for his silver. Lo, +on the mat lay the body! He made a deeper +grave and again buried it. Six times he buried, +as he supposed, the body, and, on returning and +finding it a seventh time, he angrily cried, “You +shall never return again.” Taking the body with +him, he built a fire, placed the body on it, and, +while it burned, went to the stream for water. +When he returned, lo, a charcoal man was standing +there, black from his work.</p> + +<p>Filled with wrath, the man ran up to him crying, +“You will come back again, will you? will +cause me this trouble again, will you?”</p> + +<p>The charcoal burner replied, “I do not understand.” +Not a word would the man hear, but +fought the burner, and as they struggled, they +both fell into the fire and were burned to death.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_93">93 </a></span> + +<p>Chum Paw built a beautiful home and spent +the silver as she willed.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-7-2">“The Wisest Man of a Small Village is +Not Equal in Wisdom to a Boy +of the City Streets”</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> a boy of the city, watching a buffalo outside +the gate of the largest city in the province, +saw three men approaching. Each was the +wisest man of the village from whence he came. +The boy called to them, “Where go ye, old +men?”</p> + +<p>The men angrily replied, “Wherefore dost +thou, who art but a child, speak thus to us who +are old and the judges of the villages from whence +we come?”</p> + +<p>The boy replied, “There is no cause for anger. +How was I to know ye were wise men? To +me, ye seem but as other men from a country +place,—the wisest of whom are but fools.”</p> + +<p>The three men were very angry, caught the +boy and said, “We will not enter into the city, +but will go to another province and sell this +insolent boy, because he neither reverences age +nor wisdom.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_94">94 </a></span> + +<p>The boy refused to walk, so they carried him. +All day they walked along the road, carrying the +boy, and at night they slept by the roadside. In +the morning, when they craved water and bade +the boy go to a brook, he refused, saying, “If +I go, ye will run and leave me. I will not go.”</p> + +<p>Thirst drove one of the wise men for the +water, and the boy drank of it freely.</p> + +<p>Several days’ journey brought them to a wall +of a large city, and night was spent at a <em>sala</em> near +the wall. Seeking to rid themselves of the boy, +they bade him go to the city for fire to cook food. +Realizing their motive, he answered, “Should I +go, ye will leave me. I will not go, though, if +ye let me tie ye to the posts of the <em>sala</em>, then will +I go.”</p> + +<p>With one accord they agreed, saying, “Do +thou even so. We are weary carrying thee and +cannot go for the fire.”</p> + +<p>Tying them all, the boy ran to the city, where +he met a man whom he asked, “Dost thou wish +to purchase three slaves? Come with me.”</p> + +<p>The man returned with the boy, saw the men, +and gave him full value for each.</p> + +<p>Having thus disposed of his captors, the cunning +little fellow joined some men going to his native +city, and as he walked along, he thought, “I was +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_95">95 </a></span> +ever wanting to see other places, and now I have +been carried a long journey, and have silver to +last me many days ... surely, I have much +<em>boon</em>.”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-16" href="#fn-16">16</a></p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-16"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-16">16</a>: Merit. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-7-3">“To Aid Beast is Merit; To Aid Man is +but Vanity”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-17" href="#fn-17">17</a></h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">A hunter</span>, walking through a jungle, saw a +man in a pit unable to escape. The man called +to him, “If thou wilt aid me to escape from this +snare, always will I remember thy grace and +merit.” The hunter drew him out of the pit, and +the man said, “I am goldsmith to the head chow, +and dwell by the city’s gate. Shouldst thou ever +want any benefit, come to me, and gladly will I +aid thee.”</p> + +<p>As the hunter travelled, he met a tiger caught +in a snare set for an elephant, and the tiger cried, +“If thy heart prompts thee to set me free, thy +aid will ever be remembered by me.” He helped +the tiger from the snare, and it said, “If ever +thou needest aid, call and I will come to thee.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_96">96 </a></span> + +<p>Then again the hunter went on his way, and +came to a place where a snake had fallen into a +well and could not get out, and the snake cried, +“If thou wilt aid me, I can aid thee also in the +time soon to come,” and he assisted the snake. +“When the time comes that thou needest me, +think of me, and I will come to thee with +haste,” said the snake.</p> + +<p>Now, it had happened that on the day that the +hunter had rescued the tiger it had killed the +chow’s child, but of this the hunter knew nothing. +And it came to pass that three days after, +the hunter desiring to test the words of the tiger, +went to the forest. Upon calling it, the tiger +came to him immediately and brought with him +a long golden chain, which he gave to the hunter. +The hunter took the chain home, and, wishing to +sell it, sought the goldsmith whom he had befriended. +But the goldsmith, seeing it, said, +“You are the man who has killed the chow’s +child.” And he had his men bind the hunter with +strong cords and took him to the chow in the +hope of gaining the reward offered to any who +might find him who had killed the child.</p> + +<p>The chow put the hunter in chains and commanded +he die on the morrow. The hunter +begged for seven days’ respite, and it was granted +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_97">97 </a></span> +him. In the night he thought of the snake he +had helped, and immediately the snake came, +bringing with him a medicine to cure blindness. +While the household of the chow slept, the snake +entered and cast of its venom in the eyes of the +chow’s wife, and she was blind.</p> + +<p>Throughout all the province the chow sought +for some one to restore the eyes of his afflicted +wife, but no one was found.</p> + +<p>It happened on a day, that word came to the +chow’s ears that the hunter he had in chains for +the death of his child, was a man of wisdom and +knew the merit of all the herbs of the field, therefore +he sent for him.</p> + +<p>When the hunter came into the presence of the +chow unto where the wife sat, he put the medicine +which the snake had brought him into the +eyes of the princess, and sight, even like unto +that of a young maiden, was restored unto +her.</p> + +<p>Then the chow desired to reward the hunter, +and the hunter told him how he had come into +possession of the golden chain, of the medicine +which the serpent had given him because he had +aided it in its time of trouble, and of the goldsmith, +who had not only forgotten benefits received, +but had accused him so he might gain a +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_98">98 </a></span> +reward. And when the chow learned the truth, +he had the ungrateful goldsmith put to death, but +to the hunter did he give half of his province, for +had he not restored the sight of the princess?</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-17"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-17">17</a>: This only of the Folk Tales has been written before. It is +taken from an ancient temple book and is well-known in all +the Laos country. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_9" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-09.jpg" id="plate_8"><img src="images/image-09-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +The “Chow” and his Palace. +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_99">99 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-8">VIII<br> +The Gods Know and the Gods Reward</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_100">100 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_101">101 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-1">Love’s Secrets</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a poor woodsman, who went +to the jungle to cut wood, so he might sell it and +buy food for his wife and child. And upon a day, +when the cool evening had come, wearied, the +man lay down to rest and fell into a deep sleep.</p> + +<p>From his home in the sky, the god who looks +after the destiny of man was hot-hearted<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-18" href="#fn-18">18</a> when +he saw the man did not move, and he came +down to see if he were dead. When he spake +in the wood-cutter’s ear, he awoke and arose, +and the fostering god led him home. As they +came near the gate, the god said, “Stand here, +whilst I go and see to the welfare of thy wife.” +Listening without, the god heard the fond wife +say to the little child, “I fear some evil hath +befallen thy kind father. Ever doth he return as +it darkens about us.”</p> + +<p>The god knew from her words that the wife +was good, and taught the child love and reverence +for its father, therefore was he pleased, and +returning to the woodsman, sent him in haste to +his home, and said, “I, myself, will lay the +wood in its place.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_102">102 </a></span> + +<p>The next morning, when the eye of day +opened, the fond wife went for wood to build a +fire that her husband might eat of hot food ere +he went to his daily labor, and, lo, when she saw +the wood which her husband had brought home, +all was turned into gold! Thus had the cherishing +god rewarded a husband faithful in his work, +and a wife loving and thoughtful.</p> + +<p>Leaving the house of the worthy woodsman, +the god met a man tardily wending his way +home with a small, poorly-made bundle of sticks. +Approaching him, the god said, “Wait at the +steps. I will go first and see how it is with thy +wife.” And the god went up unseen, and heard +the wife say to her son, “Ever is it thus. Thy +father thinks naught of us; he stays away so he +need be with us but little.”</p> + +<p>Sadly the god returned to the laggard, took the +bundle from him, and bade him go to his wife +and child, saying he would put the wood in its +place.</p> + +<p>Late the following day, long after the husband +had gone to his work, the wife went for some +wood, and, lo, found all the wood had turned to +venomous snakes! Then was she afraid, and +she grew kinder of heart and strove to make her +husband better and happy.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-18"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-18">18</a>: Anxious. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_103">103 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-2">Poison-Mouth</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a poor father and mother who +had a little daughter, called “Poison-Mouth.”</p> + +<p>And it happened on a day that a great number +of cows came into the garden, and when the +mother saw them she cried angrily, “You but +destroy our garden. I would you were all dead.”</p> + +<p>“Poison-Mouth” hearing her mother’s angry +words, called out, “Die, all of you, for you are +destroying our garden.” And immediately all +the cattle dropped dead.</p> + +<p>Upon another day, the bees were swarming +and great companies flew over the house, and +the mother said complainingly, “Why do you +never come to us that we may have honey?”</p> + +<p>Little “Poison-Mouth” called: “Come to us +that we may have honey.” And, lo, before the +eye of day had closed, the house was filled with +bees and the poor people had more honey than +they could use.</p> + +<p>Word of “Poison-Mouth” reached a great +chow, and, prompted by the god of love to +sweeten the poisoned mouth, he sent ten men +with this message to the child’s parents: “Take +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_104">104 </a></span> +good care of your child; let her hear no evil, and +when she is old enough, I will take her to wife.”</p> + +<p>When the men approached the home of +“Poison-Mouth” they said, “O, poor people,” +but the mother would not permit them to finish, +as their words angered her, and she exclaimed, +“You are bad dogs!” And the men were no +longer men, but dogs, snapping and snarling, +for little “Poison-Mouth” had also cried, “Bad +dogs are you.”</p> + +<p>Though greatly distressed, the chow sent yet +again twenty men with his message. And again, +when the mother beheld these men, she exclaimed, +“See, the dogs coming yonder!” +“Poison-Mouth” echoed, “Yes, twenty dogs are +coming now,” and they also changed into dogs, +fighting on the streets.</p> + +<p>“Who can help me?” cried the chow, distressed +though not despairing.</p> + +<p>An old man answered, “I will help you. I +will go to the child.” And, while the mother +was absent, he sought the little one, and thus +softly said, “My child, thy tongue is given thee +to bless with, and not to curse. Come with me, +and learn only that which is good.” The little +one answered, “I will come,” and the old man +took her to the chow, who, from that time forth, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_105">105 </a></span> +spoke no evil, and, little “Poison-Mouth,” hearing +none but beautiful and good words, grew +beautiful and good, and her words brought blessings +ever.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-3">Strife and Peace</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a husband and wife who ever +quarrelled. Never were they pleasant with each +other.</p> + +<p>A wealthy man sought to see if they could +spend but a day in peace, so he sent two men +with one hundred pieces of silver to them, saying, +“If this day be spent without strife, this +silver shall be yours.” Then the two men hid +themselves near the house to watch after what +fashion they spent the day.</p> + +<p>“If we are to earn the reward, it were better +thou shouldst hold thy tongue with thy hand, +else thou canst not endure throughout the day,” +said the husband.</p> + +<p>“Ever am I quiet. It is well known of all the +neighbors that thou, and thou alone, art ever +quarrelsome,” retorted the wife.</p> + +<p>And thus they disputed until both grew angry, +and the quarrel was so loud that all the people +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_106">106 </a></span> +living near heard it. Thereupon the two men +came forth from their hiding-place, and said, +“The silver does not belong to you, of a certainty.”</p> + +<div class="break"></div> + +<p>Determined to find virtue, the rich man sent +the two men with the silver to a husband and +wife who never quarrelled, and bade them say, +“If this day, you will strive one with the other, +these one hundred pieces of silver shall be +yours.”</p> + +<p>The husband greatly desired the money and +sought to anger his wife. He wrought a basket +which she wanted to use in sunning the cotton, +with the strands of bamboo so wide apart that +the least wind would blow all the cotton out of +the basket. Yet, when he handed it to his wife, +she pleasantly said, “This is just the right kind +of a basket. The sun can come in all about the +cotton, as though it were not in a basket at all.”</p> + +<p>Again, the husband made a basket so narrow +at the top that it was difficult to put anything into +it, and also the mouth was of rough material so +that the hand would be scratched in putting in or +taking out the cotton. “Surely, this will anger +her,” thought the husband.</p> + +<p>Turning it from side to side, the wife said, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_107">107 </a></span> +“Now, this, too, is just right, for when the wind +blows, the cotton will be caught on the rough +wood at the mouth and cannot blow away.”</p> + +<p>The two men in hiding all day heard nothing +but gentle words, so, in the evening, they returned +to the rich man, saying, for they knew +not the efforts of the husband to provoke his +wife, “Those two know not how to quarrel.”</p> + +<p>Gladdened, the seeker for virtue commanded +them to be given the silver, for they loved peace.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-4">The Widow’s Punishment</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> there lived a woman who had a son and +a nephew living with her. And upon a day they +came to her desiring money that they might go +and trade in the bazaar. She gave each a piece +of silver of equal value, and bade them so to +trade and cheat that they might bring home much +money.</p> + +<p>At the bazaar, one bought a large fish, the +other, the head and horns of a buffalo, and, as +they rested by the roadside on their way home, +they tied the large, living fish and the buffalo +head together, and threw them in a muddy +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_108">108 </a></span> +stream. When they threw the stones at the fish, +it jumped, thus causing the buffalo head to move +as though it were alive.</p> + +<p>A man saw the head in the water and desired +to buy the buffalo. The boys named the price of +a live animal, and, having received it, they fled.</p> + +<p>As they went along, not long after, they found +a deer which a wild dog had killed, but had not +eaten of it. It they took with them, and, a +drover, seeing it, asked where they had found it.</p> + +<p>“Our dog,” said the boys, “is so trained, it +goes to the jungle and catches the wild animals +for our food.”</p> + +<p>The drover desired to buy the dog.</p> + +<p>“No,” said the boys, “we will not sell it.”</p> + +<p>Their words but made the drover more eager +to possess the dog, and he offered ten of his best +cattle in exchange. The exchange pleased the +boys, and, having received the cattle for their +useless dog, they hastened to a large city, where +they sold them for much money and returned +home. On reaching it, they divided the money +equally, but the mother was dissatisfied and +desired that her son have the larger portion, +therefore she insisted that they make an offering +to the spirit in the hollow tree near by, before the +money could be rightly divided.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_109">109 </a></span> + +<p>While the boys were preparing the offering, +the mother ran and hid in the hollow tree, and +when they had made their offering and asked the +spirit, “What division must we make of the +money?” a voice replied, “Unto the son of the +widow, give two portions—unto the nephew of +the widow, give one portion.”</p> + +<p>Greatly angered, the nephew put wood all +about the tree and set fire to it. Though he +heard the voice of his aunt, saying, “I beg that +thou have mercy on me and set me free,” he +would not recognize it, and the widow and the +tree perished. Thus, she who had taught him +to cheat, by her own pupil was destroyed.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-5">Honesty Rewarded</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the far north country there lived a father, +mother, and son. So poor and desolate were they +that their only possession was an old ax. Each +morning, as the eye of day opened on the earth, +they went to the woods and there remained until +the evening, cutting the wood, which, when +sold, furnished their only source of a living.</p> + +<p>Upon a day, when the cutting was done, they +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_110">110 </a></span> +placed the ax near the wood and went deeper +into the jungle for vines to bind the wood. It +happened the chow of the province came that +way with twelve of his men; one of whom bore +an ax of gold, another bore an ax of silver and +both belonged to the chow. Yet, when the chow +saw the old, wooden-handled ax lying near the +wood, he commanded that it be taken home with +them.</p> + +<p>The family returning found their ax gone. +Deeply distressed, they sat down and wept, and +thus in trouble, did the chow and his men find +them as they came that way again.</p> + +<p>“Why are your hearts thus troubled?” inquired +the chow.</p> + +<p>They answered: “O chow, we had but one +ax and it is gone and no other means of earning +food have we!”</p> + +<p>The chow replied: “I found your ax. Here +it is.” And he commanded they be given the ax +of silver, whose handle even was silver.</p> + +<p>“That is not ours,” they cried, “not ours.”</p> + +<p>The chow commanded the ax of gold be +given them. Yet they wept but the more, saying, +“The golden ax is not ours. Ours was +old, ’twas but of steel and the handle of wood, +but ’twas all we had.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_111">111 </a></span> + +<p>Their honesty gladdened the heart of the chow +and he commanded that not only their own ax be +returned, but the ax of gold, the ax of silver, and +even a pun<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-19" href="#fn-19">19</a> of gold be given them. Thus was +merit rewarded.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-19"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-19">19</a>: About 3 lbs. avoir. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-8-6">The Justice of In Ta Pome</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Men</span> of three countries wanted a chemical to +change stones and metals into gold, and they all +came together to worship In Ta Pome, one of the +gods. One man was from China, one from +India, and one from Siam. They all worshipped +at the feet of In Ta Pome, saying, “We beg +thee, O In Ta Pome, give unto us the chemical +which will change all stones and metals into +gold.”</p> + +<p>In Ta Pome replied, “Each of you kill one of +your children, cut him into pieces and put him +into a jar. Cover this with a new, clean cloth, +and bring it unto me.”</p> + +<p>The Chinaman feared to kill his child, so killed +a pig, cut it up and placed it in a jar, over which +he tied a close cover.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_112">112 </a></span> + +<p>The Siamese did the same with a dog, but the +Indiaman believed in In Ta Pome, and killed +his only son, put him into a jar, and covered it.</p> + +<p>All returned to the god with their several +jars.</p> + +<p>In Ta Pome sprinkled the jar of the Chinaman +first, saying, “Whatsoever is silver, let it be +silver; whatsoever is gold, let it be gold,” but +the pig grunted, as pigs do, and In Ta Pome said, +“From this time forth, you shall take care of +pigs and kill them to gain gold.” Sprinkling the +jar of the Siamese, the god again said, “Whatsoever +is silver, let it be silver; whatsoever is gold, +let it be gold,” but the dog barked, as dogs do, and +In Ta Pome said, “You must plow the earth, and +only by the sweat of your brow shall you have +enough to keep you in food.”</p> + +<p>Taking the jar of the Indiaman, and having +sprinkled it, In Ta Pome cried, “Whatsoever is +silver, let it be silver, and whatsoever is gold, let +it be gold,” and lo, the child came to life! And +to the Indiaman did In Ta Pome give the chemical +that changes all stones and metals into gold, because +he had believed, and had not tried to mock +and deceive the gods.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_113">113 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-9">IX<br> +Wonders of Wisdom</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_114">114 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_115">115 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-9-1">The Words of Untold Value</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">In</span> the days long since gone by, a young man, +a son of a poor widow, desired to go with two +of his friends to Tuck Kasula,<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-20" href="#fn-20">20</a> the country where +one could learn the wisdom of all the world, but +he had no gold with which to buy the wisdom, +for does not every one know that wisdom is +difficult to obtain, and is therefore of great price.</p> + +<p>Now, the two young friends had each two +puns<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-21" href="#fn-21">21</a> of gold, but the widow’s son had but two +hairs of his mother’s, which, when he wept because +he had no money, the widow had given +him, saying, “I have naught but these two fine +hairs to give thee, my son, but go with thy +friends, each hair will be to thee as a pun of +gold.”</p> + +<p>Then the son placed the two hairs in a package +with his clothing, and sealed the package with +wax, and set out with his friends to visit Tuck +Kasula.</p> + +<p>After they had travelled some time, they grew +hungry, and on arriving in a village, they entered +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_116">116 </a></span> +a house for food. The widow’s son left his +package and his other goods on the veranda. +While he was within the house a hen ran away +with the package and lost it. The owners of the +hen offered the son anything they had either of +food or clothing to replace his loss, but he would +be content with nothing but the hen, and they +gave it to him.</p> + +<p>And again when they entered another house +for food, the widow’s son tied the hen to a small +bush in the compound, and, lo, an elephant +stepped upon it and killed it!</p> + +<p>The people offered the young man many things +to make good his loss, but he would be content +with nothing but the elephant, and they gave +him the elephant.</p> + +<p>At last they reached Tuck Kasula, and while +his two friends, with their gold, sought the house +of the teachers, the widow’s son stayed under a +tree where he could hear the teachers instructing +their disciples.</p> + +<p>“If you wish to know others, sleep. If you +wish to see, go and look,” said a wise man. +“These words are of untold value, but, for only +two puns of gold will I give them unto you,” he +added.</p> + +<p>The widow’s son knew he had heard without +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_117">117 </a></span> +price the wisdom for which his two friends +would each have to pay two puns of gold, so he +quietly turned the elephant and returned home.</p> + +<p>“I will buy your words of wisdom, if you +will sell them,” said the judge to the widow’s +son.</p> + +<p>“For two puns of gold I will sell them,” answered +the widow’s son.</p> + +<p>“Two puns of gold will I give thee,” said the +judge.</p> + +<p>“‘If you wish to know others, sleep. If you +wish to see, go and look,’” said the widow’s +son, when he had in his possession the two puns +of gold.</p> + +<p>The judge, desiring to test the truth of the +words, as he understood them, called unto him +his four wives, and said, “I am not well. Give +me water to drink, and fan me.” Soon he +seemed to be asleep, and his wives talked thus +together in low voices:</p> + +<p>“It is not pleasant to be the wife of this foolish +man,” said the first.</p> + +<p>“I like another man better,” said the second.</p> + +<p>“I wish I could steal his goods and flee while +he sleeps,” said the third.</p> + +<p>“I would like to make him a savory dish with +poison in it to kill him,” said the fourth.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_118">118 </a></span> + +<p>Then the judge sprang up and cruelly punished +his wives and put them in chains.</p> + +<p>And upon another day, the judge arose early +and went out to see how his slaves worked. +Under the house, hunting for something, he saw +a man.</p> + +<p>“What do you seek?” asked the judge.</p> + +<p>“I have just stolen from the judge all of his +silver, and, in trying to get it through a small +opening, I broke my finger-nail. If I do not find +it, the judge will die and all his possessions will +be destroyed, for, as thou knowest, ever is it +thus, if a finger-nail falls near a house.”</p> + +<p>When the man had found the broken nail, the +judge said, “I, who stand here, am the judge. +I will but take from you the silver which you +have stolen and no punishment shall be yours, +because of the truth which you have told.” Then +the judge said to himself, “The two puns of +gold was a small price to pay for the wisdom +which I have obtained.”</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-20"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-20">20</a>: A fabulous “City of Wisdom.” +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-21"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-21">21</a>: A pun—about 3 lbs. avoir. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_119">119 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-9-2">A Wise Philosopher</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">As</span> a rich trader journeyed to another province, +he rested by the road under a tree, and, as he sat +there, a poor young man approached and asked +that he might accompany him.</p> + +<p>“Come,” said the trader, and, as they journeyed, +they came to a place where there were +many stones, indeed there was naught else to be +seen.</p> + +<p>“Here are there no stones,” said the poor +young man.</p> + +<p>“You are right, here are no stones,” replied +the trader.</p> + +<p>Soon they reached the shade of a large forest, +and the young man said,</p> + +<p>“Here are no trees.”</p> + +<p>“You are right, here are no trees,” the trader +assented.</p> + +<p>When they reached a large village, the poor +young man said,</p> + +<p>“Here are no people.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” spake the trader, but he +wondered what manner of man might he be +who knows nothing and has neither eyes nor +ears. However, as he returned home and the +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_120">120 </a></span> +poor young man begged to accompany him, he +agreed and took him with him.</p> + +<p>And, as they approached the trader’s home +his daughter called, “O father, what have you +brought?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing but this foolish young man,” answered +the trader.</p> + +<p>“Why do you call him a fool?” asked the +daughter. “By his appearance and manner I +would judge he were the god of wisdom come +down in man’s form.”</p> + +<p>“I can see no wisdom in one who, when he +can see but stones, says, ‘There are no stones +here,’ or, when he is in the forest, says, ‘Here are +no trees,’ or, when in the midst of a populous +village, says, ‘There is no man here,’” replied +the trader.</p> + +<p>“He meant, where the stones were all about, +that none were precious; where the forest was, +that there was no teak, no wood good for man’s +use; and, where the village was, there were no +people, as the people had all fallen away from +the religion of Buddha, living but as beasts and +making no merit for the future life,” argued the +daughter.</p> + +<p>“If you esteem him so highly, take him for +your husband,” said the trader.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_121">121 </a></span> + +<p>“If your daughter will have me as her husband, +ever will I endeavor to make the path on +which she treads smooth and beautiful for her +feet,” cried the poor young man.</p> + +<p>They were married and lived happily, and, +upon a time, the head chow summoned the +trader to come watch his house during the night. +Greatly was the trader troubled. “I shall die +this night,” cried the trader.</p> + +<p>“Why shall you die, my father?” asked the +son-in-law, in great concern.</p> + +<p>“The chow has called me to watch this night +and for some time past he has killed all who have +watched for him; an evil spirit has possessed +him and he loves to punish with death the +watchmen, for, he falsely says they sleep and he +has them killed but to satisfy the spirit in him,” +answered the trader.</p> + +<p>“I will watch in thy stead,” said the son-in-law. +And fearlessly did he go to the chow’s, +and, when midnight was come and the chow +descended secretly to see if the watchman slept, +lo, the young man prayed aloud for the god of +wisdom to come teach him what to do. The +chow, hearing the sound of voices, listened, and +heard one voice say, “The brave and the strong +govern themselves, then have they the power to +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_122">122 </a></span> +govern others. The wise make themselves loved +because they are good and true, and are served +by others through love and not through fear,” +and another voice steadily repeated the words. +Three times during the night came the chow. +Each time the voice was speaking and being answered, +and, lo, when the eye of day opened in +the East, the chow was found possessed of a +kind and loving spirit and no longer desired to +destroy his people. The young son-in-law of +the trader was made a leader of the people, for +the chow declared unto all that the spirit of the +god of wisdom dwelt in the young man’s heart, +and, it came to pass that the whole land was +blessed because one young man had learned of +the god of wisdom.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-9-3">The Boys Who Were Not Appreciated</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> there were two brothers. The elder +watched and tended the younger during the day, +while their mother went to labor for food. It +had happened that the father had died, and the +mother had taken another husband who ever +sought to teach the mother to dislike and neglect +the brothers.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_123">123 </a></span> + +<p>And it fell upon a day that the children waited +and watched for their mother’s return until they +were hungry, for all day had they had no food. +When the eye of day closed, they sought food +and found some green fruit. This they ate and +then lay down to sleep.</p> + +<p>Long after darkness had settled, came the +mother and her husband home, and the mother +cooked rice which they sat down to eat.</p> + +<p>Awakened by the odor of the rice, the children +heard the talking, and the elder led his younger +brother to his mother and begged food, but the +husband said, “Do not give them of our food,” +and the mother beat them and drove them from +home. The elder brother carried his little brother +back to sleep under the house, but even thence +were they driven. At last they sought and found +shelter with a neighboring widow, who gave +them mats to sleep on. As the eye of day +opened, the two children set out to find a new +home. For many days did they walk, and upon +an evening they found a <em>sala</em> near the chief city +of another province. There they slept. In the +morning the elder boy sought food, and behold, +he saw two snakes wrestling under the <em>sala</em>. +Both were wounded. One, however, killed the +other and then left it and ate some grass growing +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_124">124 </a></span> +near, and, lo, immediately the snake was whole +as before. Waiting only until the restored snake +had gone, the boy gathered some of the grass, +and put it in the mouth of the dead snake, and +forthwith it came to life and blessed the boy. +Gathering more of the grass, the boy returned to +his brother and they both ate of it and were +strengthened.</p> + +<p>Not long after, a servant of the chow of the +neighboring province came to the <em>sala</em>, and the +boys asked, “For whom is the mourning in the +city?” The servant replied, “The young daughter +of the chow; and the chow mourns. If any +one will restore her unto life, the chow declares, +unto him will he give half of his province and +goods.”</p> + +<p>Eager to try the wonderful grass, the boy carried +his young brother and some of the grass +even unto the chow’s house, where he sought +permission to restore the child with the grass. +Gladly the chow consented. The boy placed the +magic grass in the maiden’s mouth, and immediately +she came to life. Full of joy, the chow +shared his province and goods with him and even +gave his daughter in marriage, as promised.</p> + +<p>And upon a day after they had lived happily a +long time in that province and had grown wise +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_125">125 </a></span> +and strong, the two young men thought of their +mother, and said, “We will go and visit her and +her husband.”</p> + +<p>They made ready joints of bamboo and closed +them, after having filled them with gold, in such +a way that no one could see the gold. When all +was ready, with a great number of elephants and +servants, they returned to their native province.</p> + +<p>On reaching their home, they gave of the bamboo +joints to their friends and relatives, one each, +but to their mother and her husband, gave they +five of the largest joints, and two of the largest +gave they to the kind widow.</p> + +<p>“The bamboo makes fine firewood,” they said +to their mother. “Cut it up and burn it.”</p> + +<p>The mother and her husband were angry and +would not speak to the sons who had brought +but wood as a gift, and sorrowfully they returned +to the other province.</p> + +<p>Upon a day the widow visited the mother and +urged that she cut the bamboo joints.</p> + +<p>“Your sons say that the bamboo makes a good +firewood. Where is yours?” the widow asked.</p> + +<p>The mother replied, “It is outside. Our children +came from a great distance and brought to +us but this firewood. We shall never touch it.”</p> + +<p>But the widow urged, “I would believe and +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_126">126 </a></span> +trust the love of my children. I beg that you cut +up the wood.” At last they did so, and when +the husband cut into the joints, lo, he found them +all gold. Then ran they both to find the sons to +thank them, but they were already too far distant. +Unable to endure their remorse, there the +mother and her husband died on the wayside.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-9-4">The Magic Well</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">The</span> chow of a large province lay ill. All the +doctors of many provinces were summoned, but +none could aid him, nor could any understand +his malady. Lying in his house one day, an old +man begged he might see him, saying he had a +message from the spirits. Brought into the +presence of the chow, the old man said, “Last +night, as I lay on my bed, I had this vision. A +spirit came to me and touched me and led me to +the river’s brink. There I saw a boat prepared +for my use. I entered the boat and it was rowed +swiftly by unseen hands down the stream. +After a little time, it stopped at the foot of a tall +mountain. Up this the spirit led me, and through +which was no path. We journeyed until we +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_127">127 </a></span> +reached the mountain’s top. On its summit +were two great walls of rock, and between the +walls was a gate, looking like a gate which led +into a city. Leading me to the other side of the +mountain, the spirit bade me ascend the rock +where the foot of man had never before trod, +and, far up in the face of the rock, I saw a small +opening, like the mouth of a well. I lay down +and stretched my arm to its full length, but +failed to reach the bottom of the opening. By +the side of this opening, on looking more closely, +I beheld a cup tied to the end of a staff. With +the cup I dipped pure water from the well. +About to drink of the water, the spirit restrained +me and commanded I should come to thee and +tell thee this water, and this water alone, would +heal thee. Therefore have I come, O prince, to +lead thee unto this place.”</p> + +<p>The prince did not doubt him, but commanded +the boats be prepared for his use. Taking with +him a large retinue of servants, and guided by +the aged man, they departed in search of the +health-restoring well.</p> + +<p>After just such a journey as the man had +described, at his bidding, the boats landed at the +foot of a tall mountain, where he led them unerringly +upward, although no path could be +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_128">128 </a></span> +seen; the chow, leaning on the arms of two +strong men, followed.</p> + +<p>There indeed were the walls of rock and the +gateway, as the guide had described, and, after +a long and weary climb, they reached the opening +in the rock.</p> + +<p>Taking the staff of the chow and binding his +golden drinking-cup thereto, the aged man +dipped from the well and gave it to the prince to +drink. Having drank of the water, and having +poured it on his head and hands, the chow was +healed of his sickness, and was as a new man. +And to this day, the water is used for the healing +of the people.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_129">129 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-10">X<br> +Strange Fortunes of Strange People</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_130">130 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_131">131 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-10-1">The Fortunes of Ai Powlo</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> upon a time a father and mother had a +wicked son whose name was Ai Powlo. One +day, while in the rice fields together, the father +sent the son to his mother with a message. +Instead, however, of delivering the message, Ai +Powlo said his father had been eaten by a tiger. +Leaving his mother in great distress, he returned +to the rice fields and told his father that both his +mother and the house were burned, and, for +three days, did the father mourn for his wife, as +he lay in the watchhouse.</p> + +<p>While the father was mourning, Ai Powlo +moved his mother and the house to a new place +and then sought his father, saying, “I saw a +woman in a new house by the stream who +resembles my mother. Would you like her for a +wife?”</p> + +<p>“If my son seeks her for me, I would be +thankful,” replied the father.</p> + +<p>Going to his mother, Ai Powlo said, “I have a +man who would make thee a good husband. +He would work in the rice fields. Will you take +him for a husband?”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_132">132 </a></span> + +<p>Thinking of the work, the mother said, “I +will. Go, bring him to me, my son.”</p> + +<p>Lo, when the father and mother met, they +recognized one another, and they knew their +crafty son had deceived them!</p> + +<p>As Ai Powlo fled from the wrath of his mother +and father, he journeyed many days, and, upon +a day it happened he stole some pork from a +Chinaman. Taking the pork, he sought the rice +fields and there he saw an old man at work. +Running up to him, he called, “Father, do you +not hunger for some pork? I have some to share +with you.”</p> + +<p>“I do, my son,” replied the old man.</p> + +<p>Together they went to the watchhouse to +cook the pork, but found no pot there.</p> + +<p>“Whilst I make a fire, go thou, my son, to my +house and ask my wife for a pot.”</p> + +<p>“Your husband wants you to give me all the +money in the house, as he has heard of an elephant +which he can buy now,” said Ai Powlo to +the wife.</p> + +<p>The wife refused to give it to him and Ai +Powlo called to the husband, who sat by the +watchhouse waiting for the pot, “She will not +give it to me.” The old man called back, as he +was hungry for the pork, “Give it to him. +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_133">133 </a></span> +Make haste,” and receiving all their store, Ai +Powlo fled into another province.</p> + +<p>Upon a day, as Ai Powlo walked by the highway, +he saw four bald-headed men pouring +water on their heads to cool themselves. Running +up to them, he said, “I know a medicine +which will make the hair grow. Rub your +heads until the skin is broken, whilst I make the +medicine.”</p> + +<p>Taking some red peppers, he pounded them to +a soft paste, put some salt in it, and then handed +it to the four simple-minded old men, who had +already rubbed their heads until they bled.</p> + +<p>Having used the medicine, they suffered great +pain and would have killed Ai Powlo, but he fled +and took refuge with the chow, to whom he +said, “I saw four old men on the way, who +butted their heads together, trying to see which +could overcome the other. All have much +strength, and their heads are scratched and +bleeding.” Even as Ai Powlo spoke to the +chow, the chow espied the men, and, when they +came up, he commanded them, saying, “If you +are able thus to wrestle for your own pleasure, +you can wrestle for my pleasure.” Not daring +to disobey the command of the chow, the men +painfully wrestled. While they struggled, Ai +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_134">134 </a></span> +Powlo, fearing their wrath, fled, and as he fled, +he fell into a deep stream and was drowned.</p> + +<div class="break"></div> + +<p>Many years after, two fishermen were fishing +in the stream, and as they drew in the net, they +found not a fish, but a skull, and lo, the skull +both laughed and mocked!</p> + +<p>As the fishermen talked together of the curious +skull, a man with a boat-load of goods approached, +and they called to him, asking, “Did +you ever see a skull which laughed and +mocked?”</p> + +<p>“Never did I see such a skull, nor ever will I +believe there is such a thing,” replied the man.</p> + +<p>“If we show you such a skull, what will you +give unto us?” asked the fishermen.</p> + +<p>“All the goods in my boat,” laughingly answered +the man.</p> + +<p>On beholding the skull, which, of a truth did +both laugh and mock him, the boatman forfeited +his goods, but, in his anger, he cut the skull and +broke it into pieces, and, of these pieces he made +dice with which to gamble, and was it not fitting, +as Ai Powlo, whose skull it was, in life +had but deceived, and ever done evil?</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_135">135 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-10-2">The Fortunes of a Lazy Beggar</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> upon a time a man lived who was never +known to work. When the neighbors grew +weary supplying him with food, he sought the +forest, and lay down under a fig-tree so the ripe +fruit might drop into his mouth. Often, when +the food fell out of his reach, he would suffer +hunger, rather than make an effort.</p> + +<p>It fell upon a day that a stranger passed +that way, and the lazy man asked him to please +gather some fruit and put it into his mouth, as he +hungered. The wily stranger gathered a handful +of earth and put it into his mouth, as he lay +there with his eyes even closed. Tasting the +earth, the lazy man was angry, and he threw figs +after the retreating impostor, who ran away +mocking him.</p> + +<p>Days after, a ripe fig fell into a stream near by +and, floating down the stream, was seen and +eaten by the daughter of a chow. Delicious to +the taste, she grew dissatisfied with all other +fruit and vowed that, from henceforth, she would +eat of no other fruit, and that the man who had +thrown the one beautiful fig should be her husband.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_136">136 </a></span> + +<p>Angered by such a caprice, her father urged +her to be guided by his judgment. Unable to +restrain her, and, hoping to turn her desire elsewhere, +the chow made an elaborate feast and +bade all the people of the province to it. But, +among all was not the one who had thrown the +fig into the stream.</p> + +<p>“Is there not yet a man who has not come to +the feast?” asked the chow.</p> + +<p>“None save the lazy beggar who lies at the fig-tree,” +they said.</p> + +<p>“Bring him hither,” commanded the chow, +determined to have his daughter see what manner +of man she was selecting as her husband.</p> + +<p>Too lazy to walk, the lazy man was carried into +the presence of the chow and his guests.</p> + +<p>Ashamed that his daughter sought such as her +husband, and would have no other, as it was +supposed that the lazy man alone had thrown the +fig into the stream, and he was too lazy to deny +it, the chow had a boat built for their use and +commanded that they be floated down the stream +to the sea. This he did, hoping his obstinate +daughter and her lazy husband might be lost to +the world forever.</p> + +<p>All day long the boat drifted; all day long +spake the princess not one word to her husband, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_137">137 </a></span> +nor would she have aught to eat. Fearing she +would not live, if she did not eat, the beggar +made a fire to cook some rice for her. Lazy as +ever, he put but two stones under the kettle, +and it tottered.</p> + +<p>“I cannot endure your lazy ways. Put three +stones under the kettle,” cried his wife.</p> + +<p>The husband did so, glad she had spoken to +him.</p> + +<p>And when the boat had drifted many days, it +came to a place where once there had been a +large rice field and there it remained.</p> + +<p>While the princess stayed in the boat, the once +indolent beggar labored day after day in the rice +fields that they might live; moreover, he had +learned to love his princess wife.</p> + +<p>When the god, who looks to men’s deeds, +from his home in the sky saw the man no longer +loved his ease more than all else, but would toil +for his wife, he said within himself, “the man +deserves reward.” So he called to him six wild +monkeys from his woods, and gave into their +care six magic gongs, telling them to go beat +them in the rice fields where the husband toiled.</p> + +<p>The husband heard the monkeys and the clanging +of the gongs, but, at last, unable to endure +the noise, finally caught the monkeys and secured +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_138">138 </a></span> +the gongs. He then threatened to kill the monkeys, +but they plead that they were sent, by the +god who looks to men’s deeds, with the gongs as +a reward for his merit. “Having seen your efforts +to provide for your wife, who loves not +you, he sends you these gongs. If you strike +this one, you will grow beautiful; that one, you +will have wisdom. Another gives you lands and +servants, and, another, if struck while holding it +in your hands, will cause people to do you reverence +as though you were a god,” they told the +man.</p> + +<p>Having permitted the monkeys to go, he beat the +gong of beauty, and his body grew straight and +tall, also his face became most pleasant to look +upon. Beating the gong of power, and taking +the others with him, he sought his wife. She did +not recognize him, and would have done him +reverence, but he said, “Do me no reverence. I +am thy husband,” and he told her of the god’s +reward. When she heard of the magic gongs, +she entreated him to return to her father that he +might forgive her for not having heeded his +counsel.</p> + +<p>Through the magic gongs, had they wealth, +power and all benefits the gods could bestow, +and the father loved them, and indeed gave his +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_139">139 </a></span> +son-in-law power above all the princes in his +province. And the once lazy man thought within +himself: “In former times the people derided +me as a lazy man, because I would not work, +now that I am possessed of wealth, they do me +reverence; yet behold I am as lazy as ever, for I +open my mouth and food is ready for my use. +Thus it is, that when a poor man does not work, +he is called a lazy beggar, but when a prince, or +rich man, does not work, he has power, and people +do him reverence.”</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<div id="ill_10" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-10.jpg" id="plate_9"><img src="images/image-10-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +A Laos Feast. +</div> + +<div id="ill_11" class="illustration"> +<a href="images/image-11.jpg"><img src="images/image-11-min.jpg" alt=""></a><br> +Street in a Laos Town. +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-10-3">The Misfortunes of Paw Yan</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Upon</span> a day, Paw Yan<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-22" href="#fn-22">22</a> said to his wife, “Today +I shall build a watch-tower in the rice fields.”</p> + +<p>“You will need four posts about the size of +our children here,” replied the wife.</p> + +<p>Taking the four children with him to the rice +fields, Paw Yan dug four post holes and made +the children stand in them. Then he packed the +earth about their feet to make them firm, took +the beams and laid them on their shoulders, tied +them in place, and went for more bamboo to finish +the watch-tower.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_140">140 </a></span> + +<p>The eye of day had closed in the West, yet the +husband and the children returned not, so the +wife, in distress, sought them in the fields, and, +lo, when she reached them, there stood the four +children as posts for the watch-tower.</p> + +<p>“Know you not anything? I said take four +posts the size of our children,” cried the wife.</p> + +<p>And upon another day did Paw Yan attempt to +build the tower, but so utterly did he fail that his +wife said, “While I build the watch-tower you +gather the food for the pigs, and, when the eye +of day closes, give it to them.”</p> + +<p>Paw Yan watched until the eye of day was +about to close, but forgot to gather the food for +the pigs, so he took all the rice, which was the +food for the family, and went out to the pigs. +He called, “Ow, ow, ow,”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-23" href="#fn-23">23</a> and the pigs ran +about trying to find the food, but Paw Yan forgot +to throw it to them, for, while he stood +there, he saw ants running down the trunk of a +tree, and he could think of nothing else. “That’s +an easy way to get down a tree,” thought Paw +Yan. “I’ll try it,” and, throwing the rice aside, +he climbed the tree, and, head first, started down, +but fell to the ground and broke his neck!</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-22"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-22">22</a>: Paw Yan—a blunderer. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-23"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-23">23</a>: Ow—take. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_141">141 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-10-4">An Unfortunate Shot</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> was once a poor man too ill to work, +and he had no one to give him food. The chow +of the province heard of him and sent for him to +come to his house.</p> + +<p>When the man reached the house of the chow, +the chow gave him a bow and arrow, saying, +“Shoot upward toward the sky. When the +arrow falls to the earth, if it fall making a hole +in the earth, I will weigh the earth which the +arrow digs up, and give thee the weight of it in +gold. On whatsoever thy arrow falls, that will I +weigh and give its weight unto thee in gold. If, +in its fall, the arrow should make a hole in the +ground six feet long and six feet deep, that earth +will I weigh, and gold according to the weight +thereof shall be thine.”</p> + +<p>The poor man was indeed glad, and, shooting +with all his strength into the air, the arrow +pierced a pomegranate seed, therefore the chow +gave unto him gold but the weight of the seed!</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_142">142 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_143">143 </a></span> + +<h2 id="part-11">XI<br> +Stories Gone Astray</h2> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_144">144 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_145">145 </a></span> + +<h3 id="chapter-11-1">The Blind Man</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">A man</span> and a woman had a daughter to whom +they ever taught, in selecting a husband, to take +none but a man with rough hands, as then she +might know he would work.</p> + +<p>Overhearing this advice, and desiring a wife, a +blind man took some rice, pounded it, and having +rubbed it over his hands, came to woo the +maiden. Though utterly blind, the eyes of the +blind man appeared even as the eyes of those +who see, and the maiden loved him and gave +herself to him in marriage. Never did she suspect +the truth.</p> + +<p>Many days they lived happily, but upon a time +the wife made curry of many kinds of meat, and +her husband ate but of one kind. When she +asked him why he ate but of the one kind, the +husband replied, “If a man eat from a dish, that +dish should he wash. If I eat but from one, I +need wash but one.”</p> + +<p>Again, upon a day, as the husband plowed the +rice field, he plowed up the ridges between the +fields.</p> + +<p>“Why dost thou work after that fashion?” +asked the wife.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_146">146 </a></span> + +<p>“The places for planting the rice are small and +narrow. I wish to make them larger,” replied +the husband.</p> + +<p>When the rice had grown, the man went into +the fields with his wife, and, as they walked, he +fell over the ridges, in among the rice.</p> + +<p>“Why dost thou fall upon the rice?” asked +the wife.</p> + +<p>“I do but measure the distance between the +plants. If the rice be good this year, I will then +know just how far apart to plant it next year,” +he answered.</p> + +<p>And upon a time it happened the house was +burning, and, as the wife fled, she saw her husband +lingering and unable to find the door.</p> + +<p>“Come this way, the door is here,” cried the +wife.</p> + +<p>“I know, I know. I but measure the house +that we may build another of its size,” retorted +the husband.</p> + +<p>Lo, as the husband left the burning house and +was running, he fell into a well. His wife +placed a ladder for him to climb out, but, behold, +he climbed far above the mouth of the +well.</p> + +<p>“Come down. Here is the ground,” called +the wife.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_147">147 </a></span> + +<p>“I know, I know. I am up here to see if the +fire is out,” called down the husband.</p> + +<p>Long had the father of the wife suspected the +husband was blind, and, upon a day, he came to +test his eyes. Carrying a bell, such as a buffalo +wears, the father hid in the bushes and rang the +bell.</p> + +<p>“Go, bring the buffalo into the compound,”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-24" href="#fn-24">24</a> +directed the wife.</p> + +<p>Suspecting naught, the husband went to the +bushes, and cried, “Yoo, yoo!”<a class="fn_call" id="fn_call-25" href="#fn-25">25</a> The father +struck him, but he freed himself and returned to +the house and told his wife that the buffalo had +been dangerous and had horned him. But the +father, convinced the husband had deceived +them all, drove him from the house.</p> + +<p>As the blind man walked, he met a man with +palsied feet.</p> + +<p>“If thou wilt be eyes to me, I will be feet to +thee,” called the blind man, and, forthwith, he +put the palsied man on his back. As they +journeyed, they met a wizard, who said, +“Would you prosper, that which you grasp +hold with a secure hand.”</p> + +<p>And upon a day, the man with the palsy saw +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_148">148 </a></span> +a bird’s nest; thinking there would be eggs +therein, he bade the blind man go up the tree +and bring them. When the blind man grasped +the nest, the head of a venomous snake appeared, +but his companion called, “Grasp it tightly,” and, +as he held it, the snake cast of its venom in his +eyes, and he saw all things. Just lingering to +place the snake on his afflicted friend, and seeing +him, too, restored, the husband hastened home +to his wife, but as he ran, he beheld her coming +out to him. With these kind words did she +greet him, “O, my husband, come I will work +for thee. I have ever loved thee!” but, when +she beheld that his eyesight was restored, she +was exceeding glad, and greatly did she rejoice.</p> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-24"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-24">24</a>: Enclosed grounds or yard—generally a place of residence. +</div> + +<div class="fn" id="fn-25"> +<a class="fn_mark" href="#fn_call-25">25</a>: Yoo, yoo—stand still, be quiet. +</div> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-11-2">Heads I Win, Tails You Lose</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">A man</span> once asked his newly-married son-in-law, +“You will help me in the work that the +chow gives me to do, now that you are one of +us, will you not?”</p> + +<p>And the son-in-law replied, “I will promise +this. Whenever you go, I will stay at home, +and when I stay at home, you will go and +work.”</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_149">149 </a></span> + +<p>Pleased with the ready promise, the father +said, “I thank you, my son.”</p> + +<p>When the chow called the father, the son +said, “This time you go, and I will stay at +home,” and the father went.</p> + +<p>And when the chow again called, the son +said, “Now, I will stay at home, whilst you go.”</p> + +<p>Then the father understood the promise of his +son, and he did his government work alone until +the day of his death.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-11-3">The Great Boaster</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">There</span> lived in the south a man who so continually +boasted of his strength and endurance +that all the people called him, “Kee-oo-yai”—the +great boaster. Never entered into his ear a +tale of danger, but his mouth opened to speak of +a greater one which had been his; never a feat of +strength but he could tell of one requiring greater +strength which he had done, so, when the men of +the village talked together and saw him drawing +near, they would derisively say, “There is the +great boaster coming. We must flee from his +face for, is not he as strong and brave as the +elephant? And we, compared to him are but as +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_150">150 </a></span> +the dogs, or as the pigs.” And the company +would separate, so when the boaster reached the +place no one would be there.</p> + +<p>Once, a young boy came from a distant +province, and, hearing of the boaster, said, +“Verily, I can bring him to have a face of +shame before his neighbors, for, in one thing I +can excel any man almost. I can run for a short +distance and my heart does not beat faster, +neither can any man say that my heart is +quicker than when I am but seated, doing no +labor. I will challenge the boaster to run up a +hill with me, breathing but four times until the +top is reached.”</p> + +<p>The next day, the boy met and challenged the +boaster to run to the top of a small hill, drawing +breath but four times on the way. “If you can +run and draw breath but four times, I can run +the same distance and draw breath but twice,” +the boaster said.</p> + +<p>When the race was run, many men ran along +to see that neither of the runners deceived the +other. The boaster ran but a short distance, +when he shouted in pain and shame, “Had we +been running down-hill, I am sure that I could +have done more than you.”</p> + +<p>Then all the men mocked the boaster, saying, +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_151">151 </a></span> +“Your words are truly large, but your works are +but small. Never again will we listen to you, +for a young lad has overcome one who says that +he is stronger than the strongest.” From that +time never were they troubled, for, “Kee-oo-yai,”—the +great boaster, was never heard to +boast again.</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-11-4">A Clever Thief</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> a man went into the field of a gardener +and stole a melon. Before he had had time to +eat it the gardener discovered him, took the +melon and tied it to the neck of the thief, and +led him to the home of the head man of the +village.</p> + +<p>As they walked along, the thief took his scarf +and covered his head and shoulders, and, as he +was in front, he ate the melon without the +gardener’s seeing him.</p> + +<p>When they reached the home of the head man, +the gardener said, “This man stole a melon from +me. It is tied to his neck under the cloth which +covers his head and shoulders.”</p> + +<p>“I thought this man but walked along. I did +not know he would accuse me of such a sin. If +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_152">152 </a></span> +I stole a melon, where is it?” asked the thief. +He removed the scarf, and, lo, there was nothing +to prove his guilt, and the head man said, “I see +no sign of guilt in this man. Do not again +falsely accuse one, or you will be punished.”</p> + +<div class="separator"> +<img src="images/separator.png" alt=""> +</div> + +<h3 id="chapter-11-5">Eyeless-Needle, Rotten-Egg, Rotten-Banana, +Old-Fish and Broken-Pestle.</h3> + +<p><span class="firstword">Once</span> upon a time there were five men so lazy +and wicked that no one would speak to them +nor have anything to do with them. No one of +their native province would speak to them at all, +and, to show their contempt for them, the people +had christened them by odious names. One was +called, “Eyeless-Needle”; one, “Rotten-Egg”; +one, “Rotten-Banana”; one, “Old-Fish,” and +the fifth, “Broken-Pestle.”</p> + +<p>As there was neither shelter nor food for them +in the village, they went to live in the woods, +and one day they saw a cannibal building a fire. +He had both a fine house and much goods, so +one of the men said, “Let us go kill him, and +take his goods.”</p> + +<p>“Eyeless-needle” said, “No, we must not +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_153">153 </a></span> +kill him now. When he sleeps we will kill him. +I have planned just how it shall be done. You, +‘Rotten-Egg,’ go to the fireplace. You, ‘Old-Fish,’ +jump into the water jar. ‘Rotten-Banana,’ +lie down at the top of the stairs, and, +you, ‘Broken-Pestle,’ lie at the foot.”</p> + +<p>As the eye of day had closed and the cannibal +slept, “Eyeless-Needle,” from under the bed, +pricked him. The cannibal thought insects were +biting him, and, unable to sleep, he arose to +build a fire. When he stooped to blow the +flame, “Rotten-Egg” broke and flew up into +his face; when he sought the water jar to wash +his face, “Old-Fish” jumped and broke the jar +and all the water was lost. Taking the dipper to +go to the well for water, the cannibal slipped on +“Rotten-Banana” and fell downstairs, where +“Broken-Pestle” struck him on the head and +killed him. Then, taking much goods, “Eyeless-Needle,” +“Rotten-Banana,” “Rotten-Egg,” +“Old-Fish,” and “Broken-Pestle” fled, and to +this day, has no one either seen or heard of +them.</p> + +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_154">154 </a></span> +<br> +<span class="page_anchor"><a id="pg_155">155 </a></span> + +<div class="ads"> + +<h3>For Work Among Children</h3> + +<p class="first"><b>Practical Primary Plans.</b> For Sabbath School Teachers. +By Israel P. Black. Illustrated with diagrams. 16mo, cloth, +$1.00.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Object Lessons for Junior Work.</b> Practical Suggestions, +Object Lessons, and Picture Stories. By Ella N. Wood. 16mo, +cloth, with designs and illustrations, 50 cents.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>The Children’s Prayer.</b> By Rev. James Wells, D.D. +Addresses to the Young on the Lord’s Prayer. 16mo, cloth, +75 cents.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Bible Stories Without Names.</b> By Rev. Harry Smith, M.A. +With questions at the end of each chapter and the answers in a +separate booklet. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Object Lessons for Children</b>; or, Hooks and Eyes, Truth +Linked to Sight. Illustrated. By Rev. C. H. Tyndall, Ph.D., +A.M. <em>2d edition.</em> 12mo, cloth, $1.25.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story.</b> By Mrs. A. M. +Scudder. Introduction by Rev. F. E. 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Cloth, 75 cents<ins title="Note: “.” in the original" id="cg_4">;</ins> paper cover, +30 cents.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Gospel Pictures and Story Sermons for Children.</b> By +Major D. W. Whittle. Profusely illustrated. <em>47th thousand.</em> +12mo, cloth, 30 cents, net; paper, 15 cents.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Seed for Spring-time Sowing.</b> A Wall Roll for the use of +Primary, Sabbath School and Kindergarten Teachers. Compiled +by Mrs. Robert Pratt. 75 cents.</p> + +<div class="footer"> + +<p class="title">Fleming H. 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We cannot conceive +of a more helpful manual than this would be in the hands of young +parents, and indeed of all who have to do with children.”—<em>The +Union Signal</em>.</p> + +<p>“The book is one we can heartily commend to every father and +mother to read and re-read, and ponder over and read again.”—<em>The +Observer</em>.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Child Culture; or, The Science of Motherhood.</b> By Mrs. +Hannah Whitall Smith, <em>3rd edition</em>, 16mo, decorated +boards, 30 cents.</p> + +<p>“We have read nothing from the pen of this gifted woman which +we have more enjoyed than this wisely-written booklet, as spiritual +as it is practical, and as full of common sense as of exalted sentiment. +Any mother having prayerfully read this heart message of a true +woman will be a better mother.”—<em>Cumberland Presbyterian</em>.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>The Children for Christ.</b> By Rev. Andrew Murray, D.D. +Thoughts for Christian Parents on the Consecration of the +Home Life. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.</p> + +<p>“The author seems to have had a Divine vocation in writing +this book, and thousands of parents ought to derive blessings from +it for their children.”—<em>The Evangelist</em>.</p> + +<p class="first"><b>Home Duties.</b> Practical Talks on the Amenities of the +Home. By Rev. R. T. Cross. 12mo, paper, 15 cents; +cloth, 30 cents, net.</p> + +<p><span class="smallcaps">Contents</span>: Duties of Husbands. Duties of Wives. Duties +of Parents. Duties of Children. Duties of Brothers and Sisters. +The Duty of Family Worship. The Method of Family Worship. +A Home for Every Family and How to Get It.</p> + +<p>“A model of what can be done in so brief a space.”—<em>The +Independent</em>.</p> + +<div class="footer"> + +<p class="title">Fleming H. 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