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@@ -0,0 +1,3931 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Chinese Boy and Girl, by Isaac Taylor Headland + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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: The Chinese Boy and Girl + +Author: Isaac Taylor Headland + +Posting Date: September 13, 2008 [EBook #522] +Release Date: May, 1996 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHINESE BOY AND GIRL *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + +THE CHINESE BOY AND GIRL + + + +BY + +ISAAC TAYLOR HEADLAND + +OF PEKING UNIVERSITY + + + +Author of Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes + + + + + +PREFACE + +No thorough study of Chinese child life can be made until the wall of +Chinese exclusiveness is broken down and the homes of the East are +thrown open to the people of the West. Glimpses of that life however, +are available, sufficient in number and character to give a fairly good +idea of what it must be. The playground is by no means always hidden, +least of all when it is the street. The Chinese nurse brings her +Chinese rhymes, stories and games into the foreigner's home for the +amusement of its little ones. + +Chinese kindergarten methods and appliances have no superior in their +ingenuity and their ability to interest, as well as instruct. In the +matter of travelling shows and jugglers also, no country is better +supplied, and these are chiefly for the entertainment of the little +ones. + +To the careful observer of these different phases it becomes apparent +that the Chinese child is well supplied with methods of exercise and +amusement, also that he has much in common with the children of other +lands. A large collection of toys shows many duplicates of those common +in the West, and from the nursery rhymes of at least two out of the +eighteen provinces it appears that the Chinese nursery is rich in +Mother Goose. As a companion to the "Chinese Mother Goose," this book +seeks to show that the same sunlight fills the homes of both East and +West. If it also leads their far-away mates to look upon the Chinese +Boy and Girl as real little folk, human like themselves, and thus think +more kindly of them, its mission will have been accomplished. + + + +CONTENTS + + THE NURSERY AND ITS RHYMES + CHILDREN AND CHILD-LIFE + GAMES PLAYED BY BOYS + GAMES PLAYED BY GIRLS + THE TOYS CHILDREN PLAY WITH + BLOCK GAMES--KINDERGARTEN + CHILDREN'S SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENTS + JUVENILE JUGGLING + STORIES TOLD TO CHILDREN + + + +THE NURSERY AND ITS RHYMES + +It is a mistake to suppose that any one nation or people has exclusive +right to Mother Goose. She is an omnipresent old lady. She is Asiatic +as well as European or American. Wherever there are mothers, +grandmothers, and nurses there are Mother Gooses,--or; shall we say, +Mother Geese--for I am at a loss as to how to pluralize this old dame. +She is in India, whence I have rhymes from her, of which the following +is a sample: + + Heh, my baby! Ho, my baby! + See the wild, ripe plum, + And if you'd like to eat a few, + I'll buy my baby some. + +She is in Japan. She has taught the children there to put their fingers +together as we do for "This is the church, this is the steeple," when +she says: + + A bamboo road, + With a floor-mat siding, + Children are quarrelling, + And parents chiding, + +the "children" being represented by the fingers and the "parents" by +the thumbs. She is in China. I have more than 600 rhymes from her +Chinese collection. Let me tell you how I got them. + +One hot day during my summer vacation, while sitting on the veranda of +a house among the hills, fifteen miles west of Peking, my friend, Mrs. +C. H. Fenn, said to me: + +"Have you noticed those rhymes, Mr. Headland?" + +"What rhymes?" I inquired. + +"The rhymes Mrs. Yin is repeating to Henry." + +"No, I have not noticed them. Ask her to repeat that one again." + +Mrs. Fenn did so, and the old nurse repeated the following rhyme, very +much in the tone of, "The goblins 'll git you if you don't look out." + + He climbed up the candlestick, + The little mousey brown, + To steal and eat tallow, + And he couldn't get down. + He called for his grandma, + But his grandma was in town, + So he doubled up into a wheel, + And rolled himself down. + +I asked the nurse to repeat it again, more slowly, and I wrote it down +together with the translation. + +Now, I think it must be admitted that there is more in this rhyme to +commend it to the public than there is in "Jack and Jill." If when that +remarkable young couple went for the pail of water, Master Jack had +carried it himself, he would have been entitled to some credit for +gallantry, or if in cracking his crown he had fallen so as to prevent +Miss Jill from "tumbling," or even in such a way as to break her fall +and make it easier for her, there would have been some reason for the +popularity of such a record. As it is, there is no way to account for +it except the fact that it is simple and rhythmic and children like it. +This rhyme, however, in the original, is equal to "Jack and Jill" in +rhythm and rhyme, has as good a story, exhibits a more scientific +tumble, with a less tragic result, and contains as good a moral as that +found in "Jack Sprat." + +It is as popular all over North China as "Jack and Jill" is throughout +Great Britain and America. Ask any Chinese child if he knows the +"Little Mouse," and he reels it off to you as readily as an +English-speaking child does "Jack and Jill." Does he like it? It is a +part of his life. Repeat it to him, giving one word incorrectly, and he +will resent it as strenuously as your little boy or girl would if you +said, + + Jack and Jill + Went DOWN the hill + +Suppose you repeat some familiar rhyme to a child differently from the +way he learned it and see what the result will be. + +Having obtained this rhyme, I asked Mrs. Yin if she knew any more. She +smiled and said she knew "lots of them." I induced her to tell them to +me, promising her five hundred cash (about three cents) for every rhyme +she could give me, good, bad, or indifferent, for I wanted to secure +all kinds. And I did. Before I was through I had rhymes which ranged +from the two extremes of the keenest parental affection to those of +unrefined filthiness. The latter class however came not from the nurses +but from the children themselves. + +When I had finished with her I had a dozen or more. I soon learned +these so that I could repeat them in the original, which gave me an +entering wedge to the heart of every man, woman or child I met. + +One day, as I rode through a broom-corn field on the back of a little +donkey, my feet almost dragging on the ground, I was repeating some of +these rhymes, when the driver running at my side said: + +"Ha, you know those children's songs, do you?" + +"Yes do you know any?" + +"Lots of them," he answered. + +"Lots of them" is a favorite expression with the Chinese. + +"Tell me some." + +"Did you ever hear this one?" + + "Fire-fly, fire-fly, + Come from the hill, + Your father and mother + Are waiting here still. + They've brought you some sugar, + Some candy, and meat, + For baby to eat." + + +I at once dismounted and wrote it down, and promised him five hundred +cash apiece for every new one he could give me. In this way, going to +and from the city, in conversation with old nurses or servants, +personal friends, teachers, parents or children, or foreign children +who had been born in China and had learned rhymes from their nurses, I +continued to gather them during the entire vacation, and when autumn +came I had more than fifty of the most common and consequently the best +rhymes known in and about Peking. + +A few months after I returned to the city a circular was sent around +asking for subscriptions to a volume of Pekinese Folklore, published by +Baron Vitali, Interpreter at the Italian legation, which, on +examination, proved to be exactly what I wanted. He had collected about +two hundred and fifty rhymes, had made a literal--not +metrical--translation and had issued them in book form without +expurgation. + +Others learned of my collection, and rhymes began to come to me from +all parts of the empire. Dr. Arthur H. Smith, the well-known author of +"Chinese Characteristics" gave me a collection of more than three +hundred made in Shantung, among which were rhymes similar to those we +had found in Peking. Still later I received other versions of these +same rhymes from my little friend, Miss Chalfant, collected in a +different part of Shantung from that occupied by Dr. Smith. I then had +no fewer than five versions of + + "This little pig went to market," + +each having some local coloring not found in the other, proving that +the fingers and toes furnish children with the same entertainment in +the Orient as in the Occident, and that the rhyme is widely known +throughout China. + +These nursery rhymes have never been printed in the Chinese language, +but like our own Mother Goose before the year 1719, if we may credit +the Boston story, they are carried in the minds and hearts of the +children. Here arose the first difficulty we experienced in collecting +rhymes--the matter of getting them complete. Few are able to repeat the +whole of the + + "House that Jack built" + +although it has been printed many times and they learned it all in +their youth. The difficulty is multiplied tenfold in China where the +rhymes have never been printed, and where there have grown up various +versions from one original which the nurse had, no doubt, partly +forgotten, but was compelled to complete for the entertainment of the +child. + +A second difficulty in making such a collection is that of getting +unobjectionable rhymes. While the Chinese classics are among the purest +classical books of the world, there is yet a large proportion of the +people who sully everything they take into their hands as well as every +thought they take into their minds. Thus so many of their rhymes have +suffered. + +Some have an undertone of reviling. Some speak familiarly of subjects +which we are not accustomed to mention, and others are impure in the +extreme. + +A third difficulty in making a collection of Chinese nursery lore is +greater than either the first or the second,--I refer to the difficulty +of a metrical rendition of the rhymes. I have no doubt my readers can +easily find flaws in my translations of Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes +published during the past year. It is much easier for me to find the +flaws than the remedies. Many of the words used in the original have no +written character or hieroglyphic to represent them, while many others, +though having a written form, are, like our own slang expressions, not +found in the dictionary. + +Now let us turn to a more pleasant feature of this unwritten nursery +literature. The language is full of good rhymes, and all objectionable +features can be cut out without injury to the rhyme, as it was not a +part of the original, but added by some more unscrupulous hand. + +Among the nursery rhymes of all countries many refer to insects, birds, +animals, persons, actions, trades, food or children. In Chinese rhymes +we have the cricket, cicada, spider, snail, firefly, ladybug and +butterfly and others. Among fowls we have the bat, crow, magpie, cock, +hen, duck and goose. Of animals, the dog, cow, horse, mule, donkey, +camel, and mouse, are the favorites. There are also rhymes on the snake +and frog, and others without number on places, things and +persons,--men, women and children. + +Those who hold that the Chinese do not love their children have never +consulted their nursery lore. There is no language in the world, I +venture to believe, which contains children's songs expressive of more +keen and tender affection than some of those sung to children in China. + +When we hear a parent say that his child + + "Is as sweet as sugar and cinnamon too," + +or that + + "Baby is a sweet pill, + That fills my soul with joy" + +or when we see a father, mother or nurse--for nurses sometimes become +almost as fond of their little charge as the parents +themselves,--hugging the child to their bosoms as they say that he is +so sweet that "he makes you love him till it kills you," we begin to +appreciate the affection that prompts the utterance. + +Another feature of these rhymes is the same as that found in the +nursery songs of all nations, namely, the food element. "Jack Sprat," +"Little Jacky Horner," "Four and Twenty Black-birds," "When Good King +Arthur Ruled the Land," and a host of others will indicate what I mean. +A little child is a highly developed stomach, and anything which tells +about something that ministers to the appetite and tends to satisfy +that aching void, commends itself to his literary taste, and hence the +popularity of many of our nursery rhymes, the only thought of which is +about something good to eat. Notice the following: + + Look at the white breasted crows overhead. + My father shot once and ten crows tumbled dead. + When boiled or when fried they taste very good, + But skin them, I tell you, there's no better food. + + +In imagination I can see the reader raise his eyebrows and mutter, "Do +the Chinese eat crows?" while at the same time he has been singing all +his life about what a "dainty dish" "four and twenty blackbirds" would +make for the "king," without ever raising the question as to whether +blackbirds are good eating or not. + +We note another feature of all nursery rhymes in the additions made by +the various persons through whose hands,--or should we say, through +whose mouths they pass. + +When an American or English child hears how a certain benevolent dame +found no bone in her cupboard to satisfy the cravings of her hungry +dog, its feelings of compassion are stirred up to ask: "And then what? +Didn't she get any meat? Did the dog die?" and the nurse is compelled +to make another verse to satisfy the curiosity of the child and bring +both the dame and the dog out of the dilemma in which they have been +left. This is what happened in the case of "Old Mother Hubbard" as will +readily be seen by examining the meter of the various verses. The +original "Mother Hubbard" consisted of nothing more than the first six +lines which contain three rhymes. All the other verses have but four +lines and one rhyme. + +We find the same thing in Chinese Mother Goose. Take the following as +an example: + + He ate too much, + That second brother, + And when he had eaten his fill + He beat his mother. + + +This was the original rhyme. Two verses have been added without rhyme, +reason, rhythm, sense or good taste. They are as follows: + + His mother jumped up on the window-sill, + But the window had no crack, + She then looked into the looking-glass, + But the mirror had no back. + + Then all at once she began to sing, + But the song it had no end + And then she played the monkey trick + And to heaven she did ascend. + +The moral teachings of nursery rhymes are as varied as the morals of +the people to whom the rhymes belong. The "Little Mouse" already given +contains both a warning and a penalty. The mouse which had climbed up +the candle-stick to steal tallow was unable to get down. This was the +penalty for stealing, and indicates to children that if they visit the +cupboard in their mother's absence and take her sweetmeats without her +permission, they may suffer as the mouse did. To leave the mouse there +after he had repeatedly called for that halo-crowned grandmother, who +refused to come, would have been too much for the child's sympathies, +and so the mouse doubles himself up into a wheel, and rolls to the +floor. + +In other rhymes, children are warned against stealing, but the penalty +threatened is rather an indication of the untruthfulness of the parent +or nurse than a promise of reform in the child, for they are told that, + + If you steal a needle + Or steal a thread, + A pimple will grow + Upon your head. + + If you steal a dog + Or steal a cat, + A pimple will grow + Beneath your hat. + + +Boys are warned of the dire consequences if they wear their hats on the +side of their heads or go about with ragged coats or slipshod feet. + + If you wear your hat on the side of your head, + You'll have a lazy wife, 'tis said. + If a ragged coat or slipshod feet, + You'll have a wife who loves to eat. + +Those rhymes which manifest the affection of parents for children +cultivate a like affection in the child. We have in the Chinese Mother +Goose a rhyme called the Little Orphan, which is a most pathetic tale. +A little boy tells us that, + + Like a little withered flower, + That is dying in the earth, + I was left alone at seven + By her who gave me birth. + + With my papa I was happy + But I feared he'd take another, + But now my papa's married, + And I have a little brother. + + And he eats good food, + While I eat poor, + And cry for my mother, + Whom I'll see no more. + +Such a rhyme cannot but develop the pathetic and sympathetic instincts +of the child, making it more kind and gentle to those in distress. + +A girl in one of the rhymes urged by instinct and desire to chase a +butterfly, gives up the idea of catching it, presumably out of a +feeling of sympathy for the insect. + +Unfortunately all their rhymes do not have this same high moral tone. +They indicate a total lack of respect for the Buddhist priests. This is +not necessarily against the rhyme any more than against the priest, but +it is an unfortunate disposition to cultivate in children. There are +constant sallies at the shaved noddle of the priest. They speak of his +head as a gourd, and they class him with the tiger as a beast of prey. + +Some of the rhymes illustrate the disposition of the Chinese to +nickname every one, from the highest official in the empire to the +meanest beggar on the street. One of the great men of the present +dynasty, a prime minister and intimate friend of the emperor, goes by +the name of Humpbacked Liu. Another may be Cross-eyed Wang, another +Club-footed Chang, another Bald-headed Li. Any physical deformity or +mental peculiarity may give him his nickname. Even foreigners suffer in +reputation from this national bad habit. + +A man whose face is covered with pockmarks is ridiculed by children in +the following rhyme, which is only a sample of what might be produced +on a score of other subjects: + + Old pockmarked Ma, + He climbed up a tree, + A dog barked at him, + And a man caught his knee, + Which scared old Poxey + Until he couldn't see. + +A well-known characteristic of the Chinese is to do things opposite to +the way in which we do them. We accuse them of doing things backwards, +but it is we who deserve such blame because they antedated us in the +doing of them. We shake each other's hands, they each shake their own +hands. We take off our hats as a mark of respect, they keep theirs on. +We wear black for mourning, they wear white. We wear our vests inside, +they wear theirs outside. A hundred other things more or less familiar +to us all, illustrate this rule. In some of their nursery rhymes +everything is said and done on the "cart before the horse" plan. This +is illustrated by a rhyme in which when the speaker heard a disturbance +outside his door he discovered it was because a "dog had been bitten by +a man." Of course, he at once rushed to the rescue. He "took up the +door and he opened his hand." He "snatched up the dog and threw him at +a brick." The brick bit his hand and he left the scene "beating on a +horn and blowing on a drum." + +Tongue twisters are as common in Chinese as in English, and are equally +appreciated by the children. From the nature of such rhymes, however, +it is impossible to translate them into any other language. + +In one of these children's songs, a cake-seller informs the public in +stentorian tones that his wares will restore sight to the blind and that + + They cure the deaf and heal the lame, + And preserve the teeth of the aged dame. + +They will further cause hair to grow on a bald head and give courage to +a henpecked husband. A girl who has been whipped by her mother mutters +to herself how she would love and serve a husband if she only had one, +even going to the extent of calling that much-despised mother-in-law +her mother, and when overheard by her irate parent and asked what she +was saying, she answers: + + I was saying the beans are boiling nice + And it's just about time to add the rice. + +These are rather an indication of good cheer on the part of the +children than lack of filial affection. A parent must be cruel indeed +to make a girl willing to give up her mother for a mother-in-law. + +Another style of verses comes under the head of pure nonsense rhymes. +They are wholly without sense and I am not sure they are good nonsense. +They are popular, however, with the children, and critics may say what +they will, but the children are the last court of appeal in case of +nursery rhymes. Let me give one: + + There's a cow on the mountain, the old saying goes, + On her legs are four feet, on her feet are eight toes. + Her tail is behind on the end of her back, + And her head is in front on the end of her neck. + +The Chinese nursery is well provided with rhymes pertaining to certain +portions of the body. They have rhymes to repeat when they play with +the five fingers, and others when they pull the toes; rhymes when they +take hold of the knee and expect the child to refrain from laughing, no +matter how much its knee is tickled; rhymes which correspond to all our +face and sense; rhymes where the forehead represents the door and the +five senses various other things, ending, of course, by tickling the +child's neck. + +All of these have called forth rhymes among Chinese children similar to +"little pig went to market," "forehead bender, eye winker," etc. The +parent, or the nurse, taking hold of the toes of the child, repeats the +following rhyme, as much to the amusement of the little Oriental as the +"little pig" has always been to our own children: + + This little cow eats grass, + This little cow eats hay, + This little cow drinks water, + This little cow runs away, + This little cow does nothing, + Except lie down all day. + We'll whip her. + +And, with that, she playfully pats the little bare foot. If it is the +hand that is played with the fingers are taken hold of one after +another, as the parent, or nurse, repeats the following rhyme: + + This one's old, + This one's young + This one has + no meat; + This one's gone + To buy some hay, + And this one's on + the street. + +There are various forms of this rhyme, depending upon the place where +it is found. The above is the Shantung version. In Peking it is as +follows: + + A great, big brother, + And a little brother, too, + A big bell tower, + And a temple and a show, + And little baby wee, wee, + Always wants to go. + +The following rhyme explains itself: The nurse knocks on the forehead, +then touches the eye, nose, ear, mouth and chin successively, as she +repeats: + + Knock at the door, + See a face, + Smell an odor, + Hear a voice, + Eat your dinner, + Pull your chin, or + Ke chih, ke chih. + +Tickling the child's neck with the last two expressions. + +We have in English a rhyme: + + If you be a gentleman, + As I suppose you be, + You'll neither laugh nor smile + With a tickling of your knee. + +I had tried many months to find if there were any finger, face or body +games other than those already given. Our own nurse insisted that she +knew of none, but one day I noticed her grabbing my little girl's knee, +while she was saying: + + One grab silver, + Two grabs gold, + Three don't laugh, + And you'll grow old. + +There is no literature in China, not even in the sacred books, which is +so generally known as their nursery rhymes. These are understood and +repeated by the educated and the illiterate alike; by the children of +princes and the children of beggars; children in the city and children +in the country and villages, and they produce like results in the minds +and hearts of all. The little folks laugh over the Cow, look sober over +the Little Orphan, absorb the morals taught by the Mouse, and are sung +to sleep by the song of the Little Snail. + +Sometimes however they, like children in other lands, are skeptical as +to the reality of the stories told in the songs. Thus I remember once +hearing our old nurse telling a number of stories and singing a number +of songs to the little folk in the nursery. They had accepted one after +another the legends as they rolled off the old woman's tongue, without +question, but pretty soon she gave them a version of a Wind Song which +aroused their incredulity. She sang: + + Old grandmother Wind has come from the East. + She's ridden a donkey--a dear little beast. + Old mother-in-law Rain has come back again. + She's come from the North on a horse, it is plain. + + Old grandmother Snow is coming you know, + From the West on a crane--just see how they go. + And old aunty Lightning has come from the South, + On a big yellow dog with a bit in his mouth. + + +"There is no grandmother Wind, is there, nurse?" + +"No, of course not, people only call her grandmother Wind." + +"Why do they call the other mother-in-law Rain?" + +"I suppose, because mothers-in-law are often disagreeable, just like +rainy weather." + +"And why do they speak of snow and the crane, and lightning and a +yellow dog?" + +"I suppose, because a crane is somewhat the color of snow, and a yellow +dog swift and the color of lightning." + + + +CHILDREN AND CHILD-LIFE + +Before going to China, I could not but wonder, when I saw a Chinese or +Japanese doll, why it was they made such unnatural looking things for +babies to play with. On reaching the Orient the whole matter was +explained by my first sight of a baby. The doll looks like the child! + +Nothing in China is more common than babies. Nothing more helpless. +Nothing more troublesome. Nothing more attractive. Nothing more +interesting. + +A Chinese baby is a round-faced little helpless human animal, whose +eyes look like two black marbles over which the skin had been +stretched, and a slit made on the bias. His nose is a little kopje in +the centre of his face, above a yawning chasm which requires constant +filling to insure the preservation of law and order. On his shaved head +are left small tufts of hair in various localities, which give him the +appearance of the plain about Peking, on which the traveler sees, here +and there, a small clump of trees around a country village, a home, or +a cemetery; the remainder of the country being bare. These tufts are +usually on the "soft spot," in the back of his neck, over his ears, or +in a braid or a ring on the side of his head. + +The amount of joy brought to a home by the birth of a child depends +upon several important considerations, chief among which are its sex, +the number and sex of those already in the family, and the financial +condition of the home. + +In general the Chinese prefer a preponderance of boys, but in case the +family are in good circumstances and already have several boys, they +are as anxious for a girl as parents in any other country. + +The reason for this is deeper than the mere fact of sex. It is imbedded +in the social life and customs of the people. A girl remains at home +until she is sixteen or seventeen, during which time she is little more +than an expense. She is then taken to her husband's home and her own +family have no further control over her life or conduct. She loses her +identity with her own family, and becomes part of that of her husband. +This through many years and centuries has generated in the popular mind +a feeling that it is "bad business raising girls for other people," and +there are not a few parents who would prefer to bring up the girl +betrothed to their son, rather than bring up their own daughter. + +"Selfishness!" some people exclaim when they read such things about the +Chinese. Yes, it is selfishness; but life in China is not like ours--a +struggle for luxuries--but a struggle, not for bread and rice as many +suppose, but for cornmeal and cabbage, or something else not more +palatable. This is the life to which most Chinese children are born, +and parents can scarcely be blamed for preferring boys whose hands may +help provide for their mouths, to girls who are only an expense. + +The presumption is that a Chinese child is born with the same general +disposition as children in other countries. This may perhaps be the +case; but either from the treatment it receives from parents or nurses, +or because of the disposition it inherits, its nature soon becomes +changed, and it develops certain characteristics peculiar to the +Chinese child. It becomes t'ao ch'i. That almost means mischievous; it +almost means troublesome--a little tartar--but it means exactly t'ao +ch'i. + +In this respect almost every Chinese child is a little tyrant. Father, +mother, uncles, aunts, and grandparents are all made to do his bidding. +In case any of them seems to be recalcitrant, the little dear lies down +on his baby back on the dusty ground and kicks and screams until the +refractory parent or nurse has repented and succumbed, when he get up +and good-naturedly goes on with his play and allows them to go about +their business. The child is t'ao ch'i. + +This disposition is general and not confined to any one rank or grade +in society, if we may credit the stories that come from the palace +regarding the present young Emperor Kuang Hsu. When a boy he very much +preferred foreign to Chinese toys, and so the eunuchs stocked the +palace nursery with all the most wonderful toys the ingenuity and +mechanical skill of Europe had produced. As he grew older the toys +became more complicated, being in the form of gramophones, +graphophones, telephones, phonographs, electric lights, electric cars, +cuckoo clocks, Swiss watches and indeed all the great inventions of +modern times. The boy was t'ao ch'i, and the eunuchs say that if he +were thwarted in any of his undertakings, or denied anything he very +much desired, he would dash a Swiss watch, or anything else he might +have in his hand, to the floor, breaking it into atoms; and as there +was no chance of using the rod there was no way but to spoil the child. + +It is amusing to listen to the women in a Chinese home when a baby +comes. If the child is a boy the parents are congratulated on every +hand because of the "great happiness" that has come to their home. If +it is a girl, and there are more girls than boys in the family, the old +nurse goes about as if she had stolen it from somewhere, and when she +is congratulated, if congratulated she happens to be, she says with a +sigh and a funereal face, "Only a 'small happiness'--but that isn't +bad." + +When a child is born it is considered one year old, and its years are +reckoned not from its birthdays but from its New Year's days. If it has +the good fortune to be born the day before two days old it is reckoned +two years old being one year old when born and two years old on its +first New Year's day. + +The first great event in a child's life occurs when it is one month +old. It is then given its first public reception. Its head is shaved +amid kicking and screaming, its mother is up and around where she can +receive the congratulations of her friends, its grandmother is the +honored guest of the occasion, and the baby is named. + +All the relatives and friends are invited and every one is expected to +take dinner with the child, and, which is more important, to bring +presents. If the family is poor, this day puts into the treasury of +life a day of happiness and a goodly amount of filthy lucre. If the +family is rich the presents are correspondingly rich, for nowhere +either in Orient or Occident can there be found a people more lavish +and generous in their gifts than the Chinese. All the family can afford +is spent upon the dinner given on this occasion, with the assurance +that they will receive in presents and money more than double the +expense both of the dinner and the birth of the child. If they do not +"come" they are expected to "send" or they "lose face." Among the +middle-class, the presents are of a useful nature, usually in the form +of money, clothing or silver ornaments which are always worth their +weight in bullion. + +The name given the child is called its "milk" name until the boy enters +school. Whether boy or girl it may answer a good part of its life to +the place it occupies in the family whether first, second or third. + +If a girl she may be compelled to answer to "Little Slave," and if a +boy to "Baldhead." But the names usually given indicate the place or +time of birth, the hope of the parent for the child, or exhibit the +parent's love of beauty or euphony. + +A friend who was educated in a school situated in Filial Piety Lane and +who afterwards lived near Filial Piety Gate called his first son "Two +Filials." Another friend had sons whose names were "Have a Man," "Have +a Mountain," "Have a Garden," "Have a Fish." In conversation with this +friend about the son whose "milk" name was "Have a Man," I constantly +spoke of the boy by his "school" name, the only name by which I knew +him. The old man was perfectly blank--he knew not of whom I spoke, as +he had not seen his son since he got his school name. Finally, as it +began to dawn on him that I was talking of his son, he asked: + +"Whom are you talking about?" + +"Your son." + +"Oh, you mean 'Have a Man.'" + +This same man had a little girl called "Apple," not an ordinary apple, +but the most luscious apple known to North China. I have as I write a +list of names commonly applied to girls from which I select the +following: Beautiful Autumn, Charming Flower, Jade Pure, Lucky Pearl, +Precious Harp, Covet Spring; and the parent's way of speaking of his +little girl, when not wishing to be self-depreciative, is to call her +his "Thousand ounces of gold." + +The names given to boys are quite as humiliating or as elevating as +those given to girls. He may be Number One, Two or Three, Pig, Dog or +Flea, or he may be like Wu T'ing Fang a "Fragrant Palace," or like Li +Hung Chang, an "Illustrious Bird" or "Learned Treatise." + +During the summer-time in North China the child goes almost if not +completely naked. Until it is five years old, its wardrobe consists +largely of a chest-protector and a pair of shoes. In the winter-time +its trousers are quilted, with feet attached, its coat made in the same +way, and it is anything but "clean and sweet." The odor is not unlike +that of an up-stairs back room in a narrow alley at Five Points, in +which dwell a whole family of emigrants. + +When the Chinese child is ill he does not have the same kind of +hospital accommodations, nursing and medical skill at his command as do +we in the West. His bed is brick, his pillow stuffed with bran or +grass-seed, he has no sheets, his food is coarse and ill-adapted to a +sick child's stomach. While his nurse may be kind, gentle and loving +she is not always skillful, and as for the ability of his physician let +the following child's song tell us: + + My wife's little daughter once fell very ill, + And we called for a doctor to give her a pill. + He wrote a prescription which now we will give her, + In which he has ordered a mosquito's liver. + And then in addition the heart of a flea, + And half pound of fly-wings to make her some tea. + + +When the child begins to walk and talk it begins to be interesting. Its +father has a little push cart made by which it learns to walk, and the +nurse goes about the court with it repeating ba ba, ma ma, (notice that +these words for papa and mama are practically the same in Chinese as in +English, the b being substituted for p), and all the various words +which mean elder brother, younger brother, elder and younger sisters, +uncles, aunts, grandfathers, grandmothers, and cousins and all the +various relatives which may be found in its family, village or home. + +It is not an easy matter to learn the names of one's relatives in +China, as there is a separate name for each showing whether the person +whom we call uncle is father or mother's elder or younger brother or +the husband of their elder or younger sister. When it comes to learning +the names of all one's cousins it is quite a difficult affair. Suppose, +for instance, you were to introduce me to your cousin, and I wanted to +know which one, you might explain that he is the son of your mother's +elder brother. In China the word you used for cousin would express the +exact idea. The child begins his study of language by learning all +these relationships. + +These are for the most part taught them by the nurse, who is an +important element in the Chinese home and a useful adjunct to the +child. Each little girl in the homes of the better classes has her own +particular nurse, who teaches her nursery songs in her childhood, is +her companion during her youth, goes with her to her husband's home, +when she marries presumably to prevent her becoming lonesome, and +remains with her through life. In conversation with the granddaughters +of a duke and their old nurse, I discovered that the same games the +little children play upon the street, they play in the seclusion of +their green-tiled palace, and the same nursery songs that entice +Morpheus to share the mat shed of the beggar's boy, entice him also to +share the silken couch of the emperor in the palace. + +When a boy is old enough, he grows a queue, which takes the place in +the life of the Chinese boy which his first pair of trousers does in +that of the American or English boy. It is one of the first things he +lives for; and he should not be despised for wearing his hair in this +fashion, especially when we remember that George Washington and +Lafayette and their contemporaries wore their hair in a braid down +their backs. + +Besides the queue has a great variety of uses. It serves him in some of +the games he plays. When I saw the boys in geometry use their queues to +strike an arc or draw a circle, it reminded me of my college days when +I had forgotten to take a string to class. The laborer spreads a +handkerchief or towel over his head, wraps his queue around it and +makes for himself a hat. The cart driver whips his mule with it; the +beggar uses it to scare away the dogs; the father takes hold of his +little boy's queue instead of his hand when walking with him on the +street, or the child follows holding to his father's queue, and the +boys use it as reins when they play horse. I saw this amusingly +illustrated on the streets of Peking. Two boys were playing horse. Now +I have always noticed that when a boy plays horse, it is not because he +has any desire to be the horse, but the driver. He is willing to be +horse for a time, in order that he may be allowed to be driver for a +still longer time. A large boy was playing horse with a smaller one, +the latter acting as the beast of burden. This continued for some time, +when the smaller, either discovering that a horse is larger than a man, +or that it is more noble to be a man than a horse, balked, and said: + +"Now you be horse." + +The older was not yet inclined to be horse, and tried in vain, by +coaxing, scolding and whipping, to induce him to move, but the horse +was firm. The driver was also firm, and not until the horse in a very +unhorselike manner, gave away to tears, could the man be induced to let +himself down to the level of a horse. From all of which it will be seen +that the disposition of Chinese children is no exception to that +longing for superiority which prevails in every human heart. + +All kinds of trades, professions, and employments have as great +attraction for Chinese as for American children. A country boy looks +forward to the time when he can stand up in the cart and drive the +team. Children seeing a battalion of soldiers at once "organize a +company." This was amusingly illustrated by a group of children in +Peking during the Chinese-Japanese war. Each had a stick or a weed for +a gun, except the drummer-boy, who was provided with an empty +fruit-can. They went through various maneuvres, for practice, no doubt, +and all seemed to be going on beautifully until one of those in front +shouted, in a voice filled with fear: + +"The Japanese are coming, the Japanese are coming." + +This was the signal for a general retreat, and the children, in +imitation of the army then in the field, retreated in disorder and +dismay in every direction. + +The Chinese boys and girls are little men and women. At an early age +they are familiar with all the rules of behaviour which characterize +their after life and conduct. Their clothes are cut on the same +pattern, out of cloth as those of their parents and grandparents. There +are no kilts and knee-breeches, pinafores and short skirts, to make +them feel that they are little people. + +But they are little people as really and truly as are the children of +other countries. A gentleman in reviewing my "Chinese Mother Goose +Rhymes" speaks of some of the illustrations which "present the Chinese +children playing their sober little games." Why we should call such a +game as "blind man's buff," "e-ni-me-ni-mi-ni-mo," "this little pig +went to market" or "pat-a-cake" "sober little games," unless it is +because of preconceived notions of the Chinese people I do not +understand. The children are dignified little people, but they enjoy +all the attractions of child-life as much as other children do. + +It is a mistake to suppose that the life of Chinese children is a +doleful one. It is understood, of course, that their life is not the +same, nor to be compared with that of children in Europe or America: +and it should be remembered further that the pleasures of child-life +are not measured by the gratification of every childish whim. Many of +the little street children who spend a large part of their time in +efforts to support the family, when allowed to go to a fair or have a +public holiday enjoy themselves more in a single day than the child of +wealth, in a whole month of idleness. + +In addition to his games and rhymes, the fairs which are held regularly +in the great Buddhist temples in different parts of the cities, are to +the Chinese boy what a country fair, a circus or Fourth of July is to +an American farmer's boy or girl. He has his cash for candy or fruit, +his crackers which he fires off at New Year's time, making day a time +of unrest, and night hideous. Kite-flying is a pleasure which no +American boy appreciates as does the Chinese, a pleasure which clings +to him till he is three-score years and ten, for it is not uncommon to +find a child and his grandfather in the balmy days of spring flying +their kites together. He has his pet birds which he carries around in +cages or on a perch unlike any other child we have ever seen. He has +his crickets with which he amuses himself--not "gambles"--and his gold +fish which bring him days and years of delight. Indeed the Chinese +child, though in the vast majority of cases very poor, has ample +provision for a very good time, and if he does not have it, it must be +his own fault. + +Statements about the life of the children, however, may be nothing more +than personal impressions, and are usually colored as largely by the +writer's prejudices as by the conditions of the children. Some of us +are so constituted as to see the dark side of the picture, others the +bright. Let us go with the boys and girls to their games. Let us play +with their toys and be entertained by the shows that entertain them, +and see if they are not of the same flesh and blood, heart and +sentiment as we. We shall find that the boys and girls live together, +work together, study together, play together, have their heads shaved +alike and quarrel with each other until they are seven years old, the +period which brings to an end the life of the Chinese child. From this +period it is the boy or the girl. + + + +GAMES PLAYED BY BOYS + +Children's games are always interesting. Chinese games are especially +so because they are a mine hitherto unexplored. An eminent archdeacon +once wrote: "The Chinese are not much given to athletic exercises." A +well-known doctor of divinity states that, "their sports do not require +much physical exertion, nor do they often pair off, or choose sides and +compete, in order to see who are the best players," while a still more +prominent writer tells us that, "active, manly sports are not popular +in the South." Let us see whether these opinions are true. + +Two years ago a letter from Dr. Luther Gulick, at present connected +with the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., came to us while in Peking, +asking that we study into the character of Chinese children's games. +Dr. Gulick was preparing a series of lectures on the "Psychology of +Play." He desired to secure as much reliable information as possible +regarding the play-life of the children of the East, in order that he +might discover what relation exists between the games of Oriental and +those of Occidental children. By so doing he would learn the effect of +play on the mental and physical development as well as the character of +children, and through them upon the human race as a whole. We were +fortunate in having at our disposal a large number of students +connected with Peking University, the preparatory, intermediate and +primary schools, together with 150 girls in attendance at the girls' +high school. + +We received the letter at four o'clock, at which time the students had +just been dismissed from school, and were taking their afternoon meal, +but at 4:30 we went to the playground, notebook in hand, called +together some of our most interesting boys, explained to them our +object, and asked them to play for us. Some one may say that this was +the worst possible thing to do, as it would make the children +self-conscious and hence unnatural--the sequel, however, will show. + +At first that was exactly what happened. The children tittered, and +looked at each other in blank astonishment, then one of them walked +away and several others gathered about us. We repeated our explanation +in order to secure their interest, set their minds to work thinking up +games, and do away with the embarrassment, and it was only a few +minutes before an intelligent expression began to appear in the eyes of +some of the boys, and one of them, who was always ready for anything +new, turned to his companion and said: + +"You go and find Chi, and bring him here." + +"Who is Chi?" we inquired. + +"He is the boy who knows more games than any of the rest of us," he +explained. + +Away he ran and soon reappeared with a very unpromising looking boy +whom we recognized as a street waif that had been taken into what some +one called our "raggedy school" a few years before. He was a glum +looking boy--a boy without a smile. There was a set expression on his +face which might be interpreted as "life is not worth living," or, +which would be an equally legitimate interpretation in the present +instance, "these games are of no importance. If you want them we can +play any number of them for you, but what will you do with them after +you get them?" + +All the crowd began at once to explain to Chi what we wanted, and he +looked more solemn than ever, then we came to his rescue. + +"Chi," we asked, "what kind of games do boys play?" + +Slowly and solemnly Chi wound one leg around the other as he answered: + +"Lots of them." + +This is the stereotyped answer that will come from any Chinaman to +almost any question he may be asked about things Chinese. "For +instance?" we further inquired. + +"Forcing the city gates," he answered. + +"Play it for me." + +The boys at once appointed captains who chose sides and they formed +themselves into two lines facing each other, those of each line taking +fast hold of each other's hands. The boys on one side then sang: + + He stuck a feather in his hat, + And hurried to the town + And children met him with a horse + For the gates were broken down. + +Then one from the other side ran with all his force, throwing himself +upon the hands of the boys who had sung, the object being to "break +through," in which case he took the two whose hands had been parted to +"his side," while if he failed to break through he had to remain on +their side. The others then sang. One from this group tried to break +through their line, and thus they alternated until one side or the +other was broken up. + +The boys were panting and red in the face when the game was over, a +strong argument against the +Chinese-are-not-much-given-to-vigorous-exercise theory. + +"Now play something which does not require so much exercise," we +requested. + +Every one looked at Chi, not that the other boys did not know the +games, but simply because this matter-of-fact boy was their natural +leader in this kind of sport. + +"Blind man," he said quietly. + +At once a handkerchief was tied around the eyes of one of the boys who +was willing to be "blind man," and a game corresponding almost exactly +to our own "blind man's buff" was played, without the remotest +embarrassment, but with as much naturalness as though neither teacher +nor spectator was near them. + +"Have you any other games which require strength?" we inquired. + +"Man-wheel," said Chi in his monosyllabic way. + +"Play it, please." + +"Go and call Wei-Yuan," to one of the smaller boys. + +The boy ran off to find the one indicated, and Chi selected two other +middle-sized and two small boys. When Wei-Yuan, a larger but very +good-natured, kindly-dispositioned lad, came, the two middle-sized boys +stood beside him, one facing north, the other south, and caught each +other's hand over Wei-Yuan's shoulder. The two smaller boys then stood +beside these two, each of whom clutched hold of the small boys' +girdles, who in turn clutched their girdles and Wei-Yuan took their +disengaged hands. Thus the five boys were firmly bound together. The +wheel then began to turn, the small boys were gradually lifted from the +ground and swung or whirled around in an almost horizontal position. + +"This game requires more strength," Chi explained, "than any other +small boys' game." + +"Have you any games more vigorous than this?" + +"Pitching the stone lock, and lifting the stone dumb-bells, but they +are for men." + +"What is that game you were playing a few days ago in which you used +one stick to knock another?" + +"One is striking the stick, and another is knocking the stick." + +"Play one of them." + +Chi drew two lines on the ground eight feet apart, on one of which he +put a stick. He then threw another stick at it, the object being to +drive it over the other line. He who first succeeds in driving it over +the line wins the game. The sticks are ten to fifteen inches long. + +Striking the stick is similar to tip-cat which we have often seen +played by boys on the streets of New York. The children mark out a +square five or six feet on each side. The striker takes a position +inside, with his feet spread apart as wide as possible, to give him a +better command of the square. One of the others places the block in the +position which he supposes will be most difficult for the striker to +hit. The latter is then at liberty to twist around on one foot, placing +the other outside the square, in order if possible to secure a position +from which he can strike to advantage. He then throws a stick about +fifteen inches long at the block to drive it out of the square. If he +fails, the one who placed the block takes the stick, and another places +the block for him. If he succeeds he has the privilege of striking the +block three times as follows: He first strikes it perpendicularly, +which causes it to bound up two or three feet, when he hits it as one +would hit a ball, driving it as far as possible. This he repeats three +times, and if he succeeds in driving it the distance agreed upon, which +may be 20, 50, 200, 300, 500 or more feet, he wins the game. If not he +brings back the block and tries again, continuing to strike until he +fails to drive it out of the square. This game develops ingenuity in +placing the block and skill, in striking, and is one of the most +popular of all boys' games. + +When they had finished striking the stick one of the smaller children +went over to where Chi was standing and whispered in his ear. The +expression of his face remained as unchangeable as that of a stone +image, as he called out: + +"Select fruit." + +The boys danced about in high glee, selected two captains who chose +sides, and they all squatted down in two rows twenty feet apart. Each +boy was given the name of some kind of fruit, such as apples, pears, +peaches, quinces or plums, all of which are common about Peking. The +captain on one side then blindfolded one of his boys, while one from +the other group arose and stealthily walked over and touched him, +returning to his place among his own group and taking as nearly as +possible the position he had when the other was blindfolded. In case +his companions are uncertain as to whether his position is exactly the +same, they all change their position, in order to prevent the one +blindfolded from guessing who it was who left his place. + +The covering was then removed from his eyes, he went over to the other +side, examined carefully if perchance he might discover, from change of +position, discomfort in squatting, or a trace of guilt in the face or +eyes of any of them, a clue to the guilty party. He "made faces" to try +to cause the guilty one to laugh. He gesticulated, grimaced, did +everything he could think of, but they looked blank and unconcerned, or +all laughed together, allowing no telltale look to appear on their +faces. His pantomimes sometimes brought out the guilty one, but in case +they did not, his last resort was to risk a guess, and so he made his +selection. If he was right he took the boy to his side; if wrong, he +stayed on their side. One of their side was then blindfolded, and the +whole was repeated until one group or the other lost all its men. The +game is popular among girls as well as boys. + +"Do you have any other guessing games?" we asked Chi. + +"Yes, there is point at the moon or the stars," he answered, "and blind +man is also a guessing game." + +By this time the boys had become enthusiastic, and had entirely +forgotten that they were playing for us or indeed for any purpose. It +was a new experience, this having their games taken in a notebook, and +each was anxious not only that he play well, but that no mistake be +made by any one. The more Chi realized the importance of playing the +games properly the more solemn he became, if indeed it were possible to +be more solemn than was his normal condition. He now changed to a game +of an entirely different character from those already played. Those +developed strength, skill or curiosity; this developed quick reaction +in the players. + +"What shall we play?" inquired one of the boys. + +"Queue," answered Chi. + +Immediately every boy jerked his queue over his shoulder and began to +edge away from his companions. But as he walked away from one he drew +near another, and a sudden calling of his name would so surprise him +that in turning his head to see who spoke his short queue would be +jerked back over his shoulder and he received a dozen slaps from his +companions, all of whom were waiting for just such an opportunity. This +is the object of the game--to catch a boy with his queue down his back. +Some of the boys, more spry than others, would move away to a distance, +and then as though all unconsciously, allow their queue to hang down +the back in its natural position, depending upon their fleetness or +their agility in getting out of the way or bringing the queue around in +front. This game is peculiarly interesting and caused much hilarity. At +times even the solemn face of Chi relaxed into a smile. + +"Honor," called out Chi, and as in the circus when the ringmaster +cracks his whip, everything changed. The boys each hooked the first +finger of his right hand with that of his companion and then pulled +until their fingers broke apart, when they each uttered the word +"Honor." This must not be spoken before they broke apart, but as soon +as possible after, and he who was first heard was entitled to an +obeisance on the part of the other. Those who failed the first trial +sat down, and those who succeeded paired off and pulled once more, and +so on until only one was left, who, as in the spelling-bees of our +boyhood days, became the hero of the hour. + +Chi, however, was not making heroes, or was it that he did not want to +hurt the feelings of those who were less agile; at any rate he called +out "Hockey," and the boys at once snatched up their short sticks and +began playing at a game that is not unlike our American "shinny," a +game which is so familiar to every American boy as to make description +unnecessary--the principal difference between this and the American +game being that the boys all try to prevent one boy from putting a ball +into what they call the big hole, which, like the others, tended to +develop quickness of action in the boys. + + +I was familiar with the fact that there are certain games which tend to +develop the parental or protective instinct in children, while certain +others develop the combative and destructive, as for instance playing +with dolls develops the mother-instinct in girls; tea-parties, the love +of society; and paper dolls teach them how to arrange the furniture in +their houses; while on the other hand, wrestling, boxing, sparring, +battles, and all such amusements if constantly engaged in by boys, tend +to make them, if properly guided and instructed, brave and patriotic; +but if not properly led, cause them to be quarrelsome, domineering, +cruel, coarse and rough, and I wondered if the Chinese boys had any +such games. + +"Chi," I asked, "do you have any such games as host and guest, or games +in which the large boys protect the small ones?" + +"Host and guest," said Chi. + +The boys at once arranged themselves promiscuously over the playground, +and with a few peanuts, or sour dates which they picked up under the +date trees, with all the ceremony of their race, they invited the +others to dine with them. After playing thus for a moment, Chi called +out: + +"Roast dog meat." + +The children gathered in a group, put the palms of their hands +together, squatted in a bunch or ring, and placed their hands together +in the centre to represent the pot. The boy on the left of the +illustration represents Mrs. Wang, the guest of the occasion, while Chi +himself stands on the right with his hand on the head of one of the +boys. Chi walked around the ring while he sang: + + Roast, roast, roast dog meat, + The second pot smells bad, + The little pot is sweet, + Come, Mrs. Wang, please, + And eat dog meat. + +He then invited Mrs. Wang to come and partake of a dinner of dog meat +with him, and the following conversation ensued. + + I cannot walk. + I'll hire a cart for you. + I'm afraid of the bumping. + I'll hire a sedan chair for you. + I'm afraid of the jolting. + I'll hire a donkey for you. + I'm afraid of falling off. + I'll carry you. + I have no clothes. + I'll borrow some for you. + I have no hair ornaments. + I'll make some for you. + I have no shoes. + I'll buy some for you. + +This conversation may be carried on to any length, according to the +fertility of the minds of the children, the excuses of Mrs. Wang at +times being very ludicrous. All these, however, being met, the host +carries her off on his back to partake of the dainties of a dog meat +feast. + +"What were you playing a few days ago when all the boys lay in a +straight line?" + +"Skin the snake." + +The boys danced for glee. This was one of their favorite games. + +They all stood in line one behind the other. They bent forward, and +each put one hand between his legs and thus grasped the disengaged hand +of the boy behind him. + +Then they began backing. The one in the rear lay down and they backed +over astride of him, each lying down as he backed over the one next +behind him with the other's head between his legs and his head between +the legs of his neighbor, keeping fast hold of hands. They were thus +lying in a straight line. + +The last one that lay down then got up, and as he walked astride the +line raised each one after him until all were up, when they let go +hands, stood straight, and the game was finished. + + +"Have you any other games which develop the protective instinct in +boys?" we inquired of Chi. + +"The hawk catching the young chicks," said the matter-of-fact boy, +answering my question and directing the boys at the same time. + +The children selected one of their number to represent the hawk and +another the hen, the latter being one of the largest and best natured +of the group, and one to whom the small boys naturally looked for +protection. + +They formed a line with the mother hen in front, each clutching fast +hold of the others' clothing, with a large active boy at the end of the +line. + +The hawk then came to catch the chicks, but the mother hen spread her +wings and moved from side to side keeping between the hawk and the +brood, while at the same time the line swayed from side to side always +in the opposite direction from that in which the hawk was going. Every +chick caught by the hawk was taken out of the line until they were all +gone. + +One of the boys whispered something to Chi. + +"Strike the poles," exclaimed the latter. + +As soon as they began playing we recognized it as a game we had already +seen. + +The boys stood about four feet apart, each having a stick four or five +feet long which he grasped near the middle. As they repeated the +following rhyme in concert they struck alternately the upper and lower +ends of the sticks together, occasionally half inverting them and thus +striking the upper ends together in an underhand way. They struck once +for each accented syllable of the following rhyme, making it a very +rhythmical game. + + Strike the stick, + One you see. + I'll strike you and you strike me. + Strike the stick, + Twice around, + Strike it hard for a good, big sound. + Strike it thrice, + A stick won't hurt. + The magpie wears a small white shirt. + Strike again. + Four for you. + A camel, a horse, and a Mongol too. + Strike it five-- + Five I said, + A mushroom grows with dirt on its head. + Strike it six + Thus you do, + Six good horsemen caught Liu Hsiu. + Strike it seven + For 'tis said + A pheasant's coat is green and red. + Strike it eight, + Strike it right, + A gourd on the house-top blossoms white. + Strike again, + Strike it nine, + We'll have some soup, some meat and wine. + Strike it ten, + Then you stop, + A small, white blossom on an onion top. + +Chi did not wait for further suggestion from any one, but called out: + +"Throw cash." + +The boys all ran to an adjoining wall, each took a cash from his purse +or pocket, and pressing it against the wall, let it drop. The one whose +cash rolled farthest away took it up and threw it against the wall in +such a way as to make it bound back as far as possible. + +Each did this in turn. The one whose cash bounded farthest, then took +it up, and with his foot on the place whence he had taken it, he +pitched or threw it in turn at each of the others. Those he hit he took +up. When he missed one, all who remained took up their cash and struck +the wall again, going through the same process as before. The one who +wins is the one who takes up most cash. + +This seemed to call to mind another pitching game, for Chi said once +more in his old military way: + +"Pitch brickbats." + +The boys drew two lines fifteen feet apart. Each took a piece of brick, +and, standing on one line pitched to see who could come nearest to the +other. + +The one farthest from the line set up his brick on the line and the one +nearest, standing on the opposite line, pitched at it, the object being +to knock it over. + +If he failed he set up his brick and the other pitched at it. + +If he succeeded, he next pitched it near the other, hopped over and +kicked his brick against that of his companion, knocking it over. Then +he carried it successively on his head, on each shoulder, on back and +breast (walking), in the bend of his thigh and the bend of his knee +(hopping), and between his legs (shuffling), each time dropping it on +the other brick and knocking it over. + +Finally he marked a square enclosing the brick, eighteen inches each +side, and hopped back and forth over both square and brick ten times +which constituted him winner of the game. + +Chi had become so expert in pitching and dropping the brick as to be +able to play the game without an error. The shuffling and hopping often +caused much merriment. + +"What is that game," we inquired of Chi, "the boys on the street play +with two marbles?" + +Without directly answering my question Chi turned to the boys and said: + +"Kick the marbles." + +The boys soon produced from somewhere,--Chinese boys can always produce +anything from anywhere,--two marbles an inch and a half in diameter. +Chi put one on the ground, and with the toe of his shoe upon it, gave +it a shove. Then placing the other, he shoved it in the same way, the +object being to hit the first. + +There are two ways in which one may win. The first boy says to the +second, kick this marble north (south, east or west) of the other at +one kick. If he succeeds he wins, if he fails the other wins. + +If he puts it north as ordered, he may kick again to hit the other +ball, in which case he wins again. If he hits the ball and goes north, +as ordered, at one kick, he wins double. + +Each boy tries to leave the balls in as difficult a position as +possible for his successor; and here comes in a peculiarity which +leaves this game unique among the games of the world. If the position +in which the balls are left is too difficult for the other to play he +may refuse to kick and the first is compelled to play his own difficult +game--or like Haman--to hang on his own gallows. It recognizes the +Chinese golden rule of not doing to others what you would not have +them do to you. + +The boys spent a long time playing this game--indeed they seemed to +forget they were playing for us, and we were finally compelled to call +them off. + +Chi had turned the marbles over to the others as soon as he had fairly +started it, and stood in that peculiar fashion of his with one leg +wound around the other, and when we called to them, he simply said as +though it were the next part of the same game: + +"Kick the shoes." + +The boys all took off their shoes--an easy matter for an Oriental--and +piled them in a heap. At a given sign they all kicked the pile +scattering the shoes in every direction, and each snatched up, and, for +the time, kept what he got. Those who were very agile got their own +shoes, or a pair which would fit them, while those who were slow only +secured a single shoe, and that either too large or too small. It was +amusing to see a large-footed boy with a small shoe, and a boy with +small feet having a shoe or shoes much too large for him. + +The game was a good test of the boys' agility. + +On consulting our watch we found it would soon be time for the boys to +enter school, but asked them to play one more game. + +"Cat catching mice," said Chi. + +The children selected one of their company to represent the cat and +another the mouse. + +The remainder formed a ring with the mouse inside and the cat outside, +and while the ring revolved, the following conversation took place: + + "What o'clock is it?" + "Just struck nine." + + "Is the mouse at home?" + "He's about to dine." + +All the time the mouse was careful to keep as far as possible from the +cat. + +The ring stopped revolving and the cat popped in at this side and the +mouse out at the other. It is one of the rules of the game that the cat +must follow exactly in the footsteps of the mouse. They wound in and +out of the ring for some time but at last the mouse was caught and +"eaten," the eating process being the amusing part of the game. It is +impossible to describe it as every "cat" does it differently, and one +of the virtues of a cat is to be a good eater. + +The boys continued to play until the bell rang for the evening session. +They referred to many different games which they had received from +Europeans, but played only those which Chi had learned upon the street +before he entered school. This was repeated day after day, until we had +gathered a large collection of their most common, and consequently +their best, games, the number of which was an indication of the +richness of the play life of Chinese boys. + +Another peculiarly interesting fact was the leadership of Chi. The +Chinese boy, like the Chinese man is a genuine democrat and is ready to +follow the one who knows what he is about and is competent to take the +lead, with little regard to social position. It is the civil service +idea of a genuine democracy ingrained in childhood. + + + +GAMES PLAYED BY GIRLS + +After having made the collection of boys' games we undertook to obtain +in a similar way, fullest information concerning games played by the +girls. Of course, it was impossible to do it alone, for the appearance +of a man among a crowd of little girls in China is similar to that of a +hawk among a flock of small chicks--it results in a tittering and +scattering in every direction, or a gathering together in a dock under +the shelter of the school roof or the wings of the teacher. One of the +teachers, however, Miss Effie Young, kindly consented to go with us, +and a goodly number of the small girls, after a less than usual amount +of tittering and whispering, gathered about us to see what was wanted. +The smallest among them was the most brave, and Miss Young explained +that this was a "little street waif" who had been taken into the school +because she had neither home nor friends, with the hope that something +might be done to save her from an unhappy fate. + +"Do you know any games?" we asked her. + +She put her hands behind her, hung her head, shuffled in an embarrassed +manner, and answered: "Lots of them." + +"Play some for me." + +This small girl after some delay took control of the party and began +arranging them for a game, which she called "going to town," similar to +one which the boys called "pounding rice." Two of the girls stood back +to back, hooked their arms, and as one bent the other from the ground, +and thus alternating, they sang: + + Up you go, down you see, + Here's a turnip for you and me; + Here's a pitcher, we'll go to town; + Oh, what a pity, we've fallen down. + +At which point they both sat down back to back, their arms still +locked, and asked and answered the following questions: + + What do you see in the heavens bright? + I see the moon and the stars at night. + What do you see in the earth, pray tell? + I see in the earth a deep, deep well. + What do you see in the well, my dear? + I see a frog and his voice I hear. + What is he saying there on the rock? + Get up, get up, ke'rh kua, ke'rh kua. + +They then tried to get up, but, with their arms locked, they found it +impossible to do so, and rolled over and got up with great hilarity. + +This seemed to suggest to our little friend another game, which she +called "turning the mill." The girls took hold of each other's hands, +just as the boys do in "churning butter," but instead of turning around +under their arms they turn half way, put one arm up over their head, +bringing their right or left sides together, one facing one direction +and one the other; then, standing still, the following dialogue took +place: + + Where has the big dog gone? + Gone to the city. + Where has the little dog gone? + Run away. + +Then, as they began to turn, they repeated: + + The big dog's gone to the city; + The little dog's run away; + The egg has fallen and broken, + And the oil's leaked out, they say. + But you be a roller + And hull with power, + And I'll be a millstone + And grind the flour. + +As soon as this game was finished our little friend arranged the +children against the wall for another game. Everything was in +readiness. They were about to begin, when one of the larger girls +whispered something in her ear. She stepped back, put her hands behind +her, hung her head and thought a moment. + +"Go on," we said. + +"No, we can't play that; there is too much bad talk in it." This is one +of the unfortunate features of Chinese children's games and rhymes. +There is an immense amount of bad talk in them. + +She at once called out: + +"Meat or vegetables." + +Each girl began to scurry around to find a pair of old shoes, which may +be picked up almost anywhere in China, and putting one crosswise of the +other, they let them fall. The way they fell indicated what kind of +meat or vegetables they were. If they both fell upside down they were +the big black tiger. If both fell on the side they were double beans. +If one fell right side up and the other on its side they were beans. If +both were right side up they were honest officials. (What kind of meat +or vegetables honest officials are it is difficult to say, but that +never troubles the Chinese child.) If one is right side and the other +wrong side up they are dogs' legs. If the toe of one rests on the top +of the other, both right side up and at right angles, they form a dark +hole or an alley. + +The child whose shoes first form an alley must throw a pebble through +this alley--that is, under the toe of the shoe--three times, or, +failing to do so, one of the number takes up the shoes, and standing on +a line, throws them all back over her head. Then she hops to each +successively, kicking it back over the line, each time crossing the +line herself, until all are over. In case she fails another tries it in +the same way, and so on, till some one succeeds. This one then takes +the two shoes of the one who got the alley, and, hanging them +successively on her toe, kicks them as far as possible. The possessor +of the shoes, starting from the line, hops to each, picks it up and +hops back over the line with it, which ends the game. It is a vigorous +hopping game for little girls. + +The girls were pretty well exhausted when this game was over and we +asked them to play something which required less exercise. + +"Water the flowers," said the small leader. + +Several of them squatted down in a circle, put their hands together in +the centre to represent the flowers. One of their number gathered up +the front of her garment in such a way as to make a bag, and went +around as if sprinkling water on their heads, at the same time +repeating: + + "I water the flowers, I water the flowers, + I water them morning and evening hours, + I never wait till the flowers are dry, + I water them ere the sun is high." + +She then left a servant in charge of them while she went to dinner. +While she was away one of them was stolen. + +Returning she asked: "How is this that one of my flowers is gone?" + +"A man came from the south on horseback and stole one before I knew it. +I followed him but how could I catch a man on horseback?" + +After many rebukes for her carelessness, she again sang: + + "A basin of water, a basin of tea, + I water the flowers, they're op'ning you see." + +Again she cautioned the servant about losing any of the flowers while +she went to take her afternoon meal, but another flower was stolen and +this time by a man from the west. + +When the mistress returned, she again scolded the servant, after which +she sang: + + "A basin of water, another beside, + I water the flowers, they're opening wide." + +This was continued until all the flowers were gone. One had been taken +by a carter, another by a donkey-driver, another by a muleteer, another +by a man on a camel, and finally the last little sprig was eaten by a +chicken. The servant was soundly berated each time and cautioned to be +more careful, which she always promised but never performed, and was +finally dismissed in disgrace without either a recommendation, or the +wages she had been promised when hired. + +The game furnishes large opportunity for invention on the part of the +servant, depending upon the number of those to be stolen. This little +girl seemed to be at her wit's end when she gave as the excuse for the +loss of the last one that it had been eaten by a chicken. + +This game suggested to our little friend another which proved to be the +sequel to the one just described, and she called out: + +"The flower-seller." + +The girl who had just been dismissed appeared from behind the corner of +the house with all the stolen "flowers," each holding to the other's +skirts. At the same time she was calling out: + + "Flowers for sale, + Flowers for sale, + Come buy my flowers + Before they get stale." + +The original owner hereupon appeared and called to her: + +"Hey! come here, flower-girl, those flowers look like mine," and she +took one away. + +The flower-seller did not stop to argue the question but hurried off +crying: + + "Flowers for sale," etc. + +The original owner again called to her: + +"Ho! flower-seller, come here, those flowers are certainly mine," +whereupon she took them all and whipped the flower-seller who ran away +crying. + +As the little flower-seller ran away crying in her sleeve, she stumbled +over an old flower-pot that lay in the school court. This accident +seemed to act as a reminder to our little leader for she called out, + +"Flower-pot." + +The girls divided themselves into companies of three and stood in the +form of a triangle, each with her left hand holding the right hand of +the other, their hands being crossed in the centre. + +Then by putting the arms of two back of the head of the third she was +brought into the centre (steps into the well), and by stepping over two +other arms, she goes out on the opposite side, so that whereas she was +on the left side of this and the right side of that one, she now stands +on the right side of this and the left side of that girl. In the same +way the second and third girls go through, and so on as long as they +wish to keep up the game, saying or singing the following rhyme: + + You first cross over, and then cross back, + And step in the well as you cross the track, + And then there is something else you do, + Oh, yes, you make a flower-pot too. + +By this time the girls had lost most of their strangeness or +embarrassment and continued the flower-pot until we were compelled to +remind them that they were playing for us. Everybody let go hands and +the little general called out, + +"The cow's tail." + +One girl with a small stick in her hand squatted down pretending to be +digging and the others took a position one behind the other similar to +the hawk catching the chicks. They walked up to the girl digging and +engaged in the following conversation: + + "What are you digging?" + "Digging a hole." + "What is it for?" + "My pot for to boil." + "What will you heat?" + "Some water and broth." + "How use the water?" + "I'll wash some cloth." + "What will you make?" + "I'll make a bag." + "And what put in it?" + "A knife and a rag." + "What is the knife for?" + "To kill your lambs." + "What have they done?" + "They've eaten my yams." + "How high were they?" + "About so high." + "Oh, that isn't high." + "As high as the sky." + + + "What is your name?" + "My name is Grab, what is your name?" + "My name is Turn." + "Turn once for me." + +They all walked around in a circle and as they turned they sang: + + "We turn about once, + Or twice I declare, + And she may grab, + But we don't care." + + "Can't you grab once for us?" + "Yes, but what I grab I keep." + +She then ran to "grab" one of the "lambs" but they kept behind the +front girl just as the boys did in the hawk catching the chicks. After +awhile however, they were all caught. + +Why this game is called "cow's tail" and the girls called "lambs," we +do not know. We asked the girls why and their answer was, "There is no +reason." + +The girls were panting with the running before they were all caught and +we suggested that they rest awhile, but instead the little leader +called out: + +"Let out the doves." + +One of the larger girls took hold of the hands of two of the smaller, +one of whom represented a dove and the other a hawk. The hawk stood +behind her and the dove in front. + +She threw the dove away as she might pitch a bird into the air, and as +the child ran it waved its arms as though they were wings. She threw +the hawk in the same way, and it followed the dove. + +She then clapped her hands as the Chinese do to bring their pet birds +to them, and the dove if not caught, returned to the cage. This is a +very pretty game for little children. + +By this time the girls were all rested and our little friend said: + +"Seek for gold." + +Three or four of the girls gathered up some pebbles, squatted down in a +group and scattered them as they would a lot of jackstones. Then one +drew her finger between two of the stones and snapped one against the +other. If she hit it the two were taken up and put aside. + +She then drew her finger between two more and snapped them. + +If she missed, another girl took up what were left, scattered them, +snapped them, took them up, and so on until one or another got the most +of the pebbles and thus won the game. Our little friend was reminded of +another and she called out: + +"The cow's eye." + +Immediately the girls all sat down in a ring and put their feet +together in the centre. Then one of their number repeated the following +rhyme, tapping a foot with each accented syllable. + + One, two, three, and an old cow's eye, + When a cow's eye's blind she'll surely die. + A piece of skin and a melon too, + If you have money I'll sell to you, + But if you're without, + I'll put you out. + +The foot on which her finger happened to rest when she said "out" was +excluded from the ring. Again she repeated the rhyme excluding a foot +with each repetition till all but one were out. + +Up to this point all the children were in a nervous quiver waiting to +see which foot would be left, but now the fun began, for they took the +shoe off and every one slapped that unfortunate foot. This was done +with good-natured vigor but without intention to hurt. It was amusing +to see the children squirm as they neared the end of the game. + +This game finished, the little girl called out: + +"Pat your hands and knees." + +The girls sat down in pairs and, after the style of "Bean Porridge +Hot," clapped hands to the following rhyme: + + Pat your hands and knees, + On January first, + The old lady likes to go a sightseeing most. + Pat your hands and knees, + On February second, + The old lady likes a piece of candy it is reckoned. + Pat your hands and knees, + On March the third, + The old lady likes a Canton pipe I have heard. + Pat your hands and knees, + On April fourth, + The old lady likes bony fish from the north. + Pat your hands and knees, + The fifth of May, + The old lady likes sweet potatoes every day. + Pat your hands and knees, + The sixth of June, + The old lady eats fat pork with a spoon. + Pat your hands and knees, + The seventh of July, + The old lady likes to eat a fat chicken pie. + Pat your hands and knees, + On August eight, + The old lady likes to see the lotus flowers straight. + Pat your hands and knees, + September nine, + The old lady likes to drink good hot wine. + Pat your hands and knees, + October ten, + + The old lady, you and I, may meet hope again. + +This we afterwards discovered is very widely known throughout the north +of China. + +The foregoing are a few of the games played by the children in Peking. +In that one city we have collected more than seventy-five different +games, and have no reason to believe we have secured even a small +proportion of what are played there. Games played in Central and South +China are different, partly because of climatic conditions, partly +because of the character of the people. There, as here, the games of +children are but reproductions of the employments of their parents. +They play at farming, carpentry, house-keeping, storekeeping, or +whatever employments their parents happen to be engaged in. Indeed, in +addition to the games common to a larger part of the country, there are +many which are local, and depend upon the employment of the parents or +the people. + + + +THE TOYS CHILDREN PLAY WITH + +One day while sitting at table, with our little girl, nineteen months +old, on her mother's knee near by, we picked up her rubber doll and +began to whip it violently. The child first looked frightened, then +severe, then burst into tears and plead with her mother not to "let +papa whip dolly." + +Few people realize how much toys become a part of the life of the +children who play with them. They are often looked upon as nothing more +than "playthings for children." This is a very narrow view of their +uses and relationships. There is a philosophy underlying the production +of toys as old as the world and as broad as life, a philosophy which, +until recent years, has been little studied and cultivated. + +Playthings are as necessary a constituent of human life as food or +medicine, and contribute in a like manner to the health and development +of the race. Like the science of cooking and healing, the business of +toy-making has been driven by the stern teacher, necessity, to a rapid +self-development for the general good of the little men and women in +whose interests they are made. + +They are the tools with which children ply their trades; the +instruments with which they carry on their professions; the goods which +they buy and sell in their business, and the paraphernalia with which +they conduct their toy society. They are more than this. They are the +animals which serve them, the associates who entertain them, the +children who comfort them and bring joy to the mimic home. + +Toys are nature's first teachers. The child with his little shovels, +spades and hoes, learns his first lessons in agriculture; with his +hammer and nails, he gets his first lessons in the various trades; and +the bias of the life of many a child of larger growth has come from the +toys with which he played. Into his flower garden the father of +Linnaeus introduced his son during his infancy, and "this little garden +undoubtedly created that taste in the child which afterwards made him +the first botanist and naturalist of his age, if not of his race." + +No experiments in any chemical laboratory will excite more wonder or be +carried on with more interest, than those which the boy performs with +his pipe and basin of soapy water. The little girl's mud pies and other +sham confectionery furnish her first lessons in the art of preparing +food. Her toy dinners and playhouse teas offer her the first +experiences in the entertainment of guests. With her dolls, the +domestic relations and affections. + +No science has ever originated and been carried to any degree of +perfection in Asia. There is no reason why this statement should cause +the noses of Europeans and Americans to twitch in derision and pride, +for there is another fact equally momentous in favor of the +Asiatics,--viz., no religion that originated outside of Asia has ever +been carried to any degree of perfection. + +The above facts will indicate that we need not hope to find the +business of toy-making, or the science of child-education in a very +advanced state in China--the most Asiatic country of Asia. Child's play +and toy-making have been organized into a business and a science in +Europe, as astronomy, which had been studied so long in Asia, was +developed into a science by the Greeks. And so we find that what is +taught in the kindergarten of the West is learned in the streets of the +East; and the toys which are manufactured in great Occidental business +establishments, are made by poor women in Oriental homes, and the same +mistakes are made by the one as by the other. + +The same whistle by which the cock crows, enables the dog to bark, the +baby to cry, the horse to neigh, the sheep to bleat and the cow to low, +just as in our own rubber goods. The same end is accomplished in the +one case as in the other. The two, three or twenty cash doll does for +the Chinese girl what the two, three or twenty dollar one does for her +antipodal sister,--develops the instinct of motherhood, besides +standing a greater amount of rough handling. Nevertheless it usually +comes to the same deplorable end, departing this world, bereft of its +arms and legs, without going through the tedious process of a surgical +operation. + +Chinese toys are less varied, less complicated, less true to the +original, and less expensive than those of the West,--more perhaps like +the toys of a century or two ago. Nevertheless they are toys, and in +the hands of boys and girls, the drum goes "rub-a-dub," the horn +"toots," and the whistle squeaks. The "gingham dog and calico cat," +besides a score of other animals more nearly related to the soil of +their native place--being made of clay--express themselves in the +language of the particular whistle which happens to have been placed +within them. All this is to the entire satisfaction of "little Miss +Muffet" and "little boy Blue," just as they do in other lands. + +When the children grow older they have tops to spin that whistle as +good a whistle, and buzzers to buzz that buzz as good a buzz, and music +balls to roll, and music carts to pull, that emit sounds as much to +their satisfaction, as anything that ministered to the childish tastes +of our grandfathers; and these become as much a part of their business +and their life as if they were living, talking beings. Furthermore, +their dolls are as much their children as they themselves are the +offspring of their parents. + +Chinese toys embrace only those which involve no intricate scientific +principles. The music boxes of the West are unknown in China except as +they are imported. The Chinese know nothing about dolls which open and +shut their eyes, simple as this principle is, nor of toys which are +self-propelling by some mysterious spring secreted within, because, +forsooth, they know nothing about making the spring. + +There are some principles, however, which, though they may not +understand, they are nevertheless able to utilize; such, for instance, +as the expansion of air by heat, and the creation of air currents. This +principle is utilized in lanterns. In the top of these is a paper wheel +attached to a cross-bar on the ends of which are suspended paper men +and women together with animals of all kinds making a very interesting +merry-go-round. These lantern-figures correspond to the sawyers, +borers, blacksmiths, washers and others which twenty or more years ago +were on top of the stove of every corner grocery or country post-office. + +When we began the study of Chinese toys our first move was to call in a +Chinese friend whom we thought we could trust, and who could buy toys +at a very reasonable rate, and sent him out to purchase specimens of +every variety of toys he could find in the city of Peking. We ordered +him the first day to buy nothing but rattles, because the rattle is the +first toy that attracts the attention of the child. + +In the evening Mr. Hsin returned with a good-sized basket full of +rattles. Some were tin in the form of small cylinders, with handles in +which were small pebbles: others were shaped like pails; and others +like cooking pots and pans. + + +Some of the most attractive were hollow wood balls, baskets, pails and +bottles, gorgeously painted, with long handles, necks, or bails. The +paint was soon transferred from the face of the toy to that of the +first child that happened to play with it, which child was of course, +our own little girl. + +The most common rattles representing various kinds of fowls and animals +known and unknown are made of clay. Others are in the form of fat +little priests that make one think of Santa Claus, or little roly-poly +children that look like the little folks who play with them. + +As the child grows larger the favorite rattle is a drum-shaped piece of +bamboo or other wood, with skin--not infrequently fish skin, stretched +over the two ends, and a long handle attached. On the sides are two +stout strings with beads on the ends, which, when the rattle is turned +in the hand, strike on the drum heads. These rattles of brass or tin as +well as bamboo, are in imitation of those carried by street hawkers. + +We said to Mr. Hsin, "Foreigners say the Chinese do not have dolls, how +is that?" + +"They have lots of them," he answered in the stereotyped way. + +"Then to-morrow buy samples of all the dolls you can find." + +"All?" he asked with some surprise. + +"Yes, all. We want to know just what kind of dolls they have." + +The next evening Mr. Hsin came in with an immense load of dolls. He had +large, small, and middle sized rag dolls, on which the nose was sewed, +the ears pasted, and the eyes and other features painted. They were +rude, but as interesting to children as other more natural and more +expensive ones, as we discovered by giving one of them to our little +girl. In not a few instances Western children have become much more +firmly attached to their Chinese cloth dolls than any that can be found +for them in America or Europe. + +He had a number of others both large and small with paper mache heads, +leather bodies, and clay arms and legs. The body was like a bellows in +which a reed whistle was placed, that enabled the baby to cry in the +same tone as the toy dog barks or the cock crows. They had "real hair" +in spots on their head similar to those on the child, and they were +dressed in the same kind of clothing as that used on the baby in +summer-time, viz., a chest-protector and a pair of shoes or trousers. + +Mr. Hsin then took out a small package in which was wrapped a +half-dozen or more "little people," as they are called, by the Chinese, +with paper heads, hands and feet, exquisitely painted, and their +clothing of the finest silk. Attached to the head of each was a silk +string by which the "little people" are hung upon the wall as a +decoration. + +"But what are these, Mr. Hsin?" we asked. "These are not dolls." + +"No," he answered, "these are cloth animals. The children play with +these at the same time they play with dolls." + +He had gone beyond our instructions. He had brought us a large +collection of camels made of cloth the color of the camel's skin, with +little bunches of hair on the head, neck, hump and the joints of the +legs, similar to those on the camel when it is shedding its coat in the +springtime. He had elephants made of a grayish kind of cloth on which +were harnesses similar to those supposed to be necessary for those +animals. He had bears with bits of hair on neck and tail and a leading +string in the nose; horses painted with spots of white and red, matched +only by the most remarkable animals in a circus; monkeys with black +beads for eyes, and long tails; lions, tigers, and leopards, with +large, savage, black, glass eyes, with manes or tails suited to each, +and properly crooked by a wire extending to the tip. And finally he +laid the bogi-boo, a nondescript with a head on each end much like the +head of a lion or tiger. When not used as a plaything, this served the +purpose of a pillow. + +"Do the Chinese have no other kinds of toy animals?" we inquired. + +"Yes," he answered, "I'll bring them to-morrow." + +The following evening he brought us a collection of clay toys too +extensive to enumerate. There were horses, cows, camels, mules, deer, +and a host of others the original of which has never been found except +in the imagination of the people. He had women riding donkeys followed +by drivers, men riding horses and shooting or throwing a spear at a +fleeing tiger, and women with babies in their arms while grandmother +amused them with rattles, and father lay near by smoking an opium pipe. + +From the bottom of his basket he brought forth a nuber of small +packages. + +"What are in those?" + +"These are clay insects." + +They were among the best clay work we have seen in China. There were +tumble-bugs, grasshoppers, large beetles, mantis, praying mantis, toads +and scorpions, together with others never seen outside of China, and +some never seen at all, the legs and feelers all being made of wire. + +In another package he had a dozen dancing dolls. They were made of +clay, were an inch and a half long, dressed with paper, and had small +wires protruding the sixteenth of an inch below the bottom of the +skirt. He put them all on a brass tray, the edge of which he struck +with a small stick to make it vibrate, thus causing the dancers to turn +round and round in every direction. + +The next package contained a number of clay beggars. Two were fighting, +one about to smash his clay pot over the other's head: another had his +pot on his head for a lark, a third was eating from his, while others +were carrying theirs in their hand. One had a sore leg to which he +called attention with open mouth and pain expressed in every feature. + +From another package he brought out a number of jumping jacks, +imitations as it seemed of things Japanese. There were monkey acrobats +made of clay, wire and skin, fastened to a small slip of bamboo. A doll +fastened to a stick, with cymbals in its hands would clash the cymbals, +when its queue was pulled. Finally there was a large dragon which +satisfied its raging appetite by feeding upon two or three little clay +men specially prepared for his consumption. + +But, perhaps, among the most interesting of his toys were his clay +whistles. Some of these burnt or sun-dried toys were hollow and in the +shape of birds, beasts and insects. When blown into, they would emit +the shrillest kind of a whistle. In others a reed whistle had been +placed similar to those in the dolls, and these usually had a bellows +to blow them. Whether cock or hen, dog or child, they all crowed, +barked, cackled, or cried in the self-same tone. + +"What will you get to-morrow?" + +"Drums, knives, and tops," said Mr. Hsin. He was being paid by the day +for spending our money, and so had his plans well laid. + +The following evening he brought a large collection of toy drums, some +of which were in the shape of a barrel, both in their length and in +being bulged out at the middle. On the ends were painted gay pictures +of men and women clad in battle-array or festive garments, making the +drum a work of art as well as an instrument of torture to those who are +disturbed by noises about the house. + +He had large knives covered with bright paint which could easily be +washed off, and tridents, with loose plates or cymbals, which make a +noise to frighten the enemy. + +The tops Mr. Hsin had collected were by far the most interesting. +Chinese tops are second to none made. They are simple, being made of +bamboo, are spun with a string, and when properly operated emit a +shrill whistle. + +The ice top, without a stem, and simply a block of wood in shape of a +top, is spun with a string, but is kept going by whipping. + +Another toy which foreigners call a top is entirely different from +anything we see in the West. The Chinese call it a K'ung chung, while +the top is called t'o lo. It is constructed of two pieces of bamboo, +each of which is made like a top, and then joined by a carefully turned +axle, each end being of equal weight, and looking not unlike the wheels +of a cart. It is then spun by a string, which is wound once around the +axle and attached to two sticks. A good performer is able to spin it in +a great variety of ways, tossing it under and over his foot, spinning +it with the sticks behind him, and at times throwing it up into the air +twenty or thirty feet and catching it as it comes down. The principle +upon which it is operated is the quick jerking of one of the sticks +while the other is allowed to be loose. + +"To-morrow," said Mr. Hsin, as he ceased spinning the top, "I will get +you some toy carts." + +The Chinese cart has been described as a Saratoga trunk on two wheels. +This is, however, only one form--that of the passenger cart. There are +many others, and all of them are used as patterns of toy carts. They +all have a kind of music-box attachment, operated by the turning of the +axle to which the wheels of the toys, as well as those of some of the +real carts, are fixed. + +The toy carts are made of tin, wood and clay. Some of them are very +simple, having paper covers, while others possess the whole +paraphernalia of the street carts. When the mule of the toy cart is +unhitched and unharnessed, he looks like a very respectable mule. +Nevertheless, instead of devouring food, he becomes the prey of +insects. Usually he appears the second season, if he lasts that long, +bereft of mane and tail, as well as a large portion of his skin. + +The flat carts have a revolving peg sticking up through the centre, on +which a small clay image is placed which turns with the stick. Others +are placed on wires on the two sides, to represent the driver and the +passengers. + +These in Peking are the omnibus carts. Running from the east gate of +the Imperial city to the front gate, and in other parts of the city as +well, there are street carts corresponding to the omnibus or street +cars of the West. These start at intervals of ten minutes, more or +less, with eight or ten persons on a cart, the fare being only a few +cash. Toy carts of this kind have six or eight clay images to represent +the passengers. + +Mr. Hsin brought out from the bottom of his basket a number of neatly +made little pug dogs, and pressing upon a bellows in their body caused +them to bark, just as the hen cackled a few days before. + +What we have described formed only a small portion of the toys Mr. Hsin +brought. Cheap clay toys of all kinds are hawked about the street by a +man who sells them at a fifth or a tenth of a cent apiece. With him is +often found a candy-blower, who with a reed and a bowl of taffy-candy +is ready to blow a man, a chicken, a horse and cart, a corn ear, or +anything else the child wants, as a glass-blower would blow a bottle or +a lamp chimney. The child plays with his prize until he tires of it and +then he eats it. + + + +BLOCK GAMES--KINDERGARTEN + +It was on a bright spring afternoon that a Chinese official and his +little boy called at our home on Filial Piety Lane, in Peking. + +The dresses of father and child were exactly alike--as though they had +been twins, boots of black velvet or satin, blue silk trousers, a long +blue silk garment, a waistcoat of blue brocade, and a black satin +skullcap--the child was in every respect, even to the dignity of his +bearing, a vest-pocket edition of his father. + +He had a T'ao of books which I recognized as the Fifteen Magic Blocks, +one of the most ingenious, if not the most remarkable, books I have +ever seen. + +A T'ao is two or any number of volumes of a book wrapped in a single +cover. In this case it was two volumes. In the inside of the cover +there was a depression three inches square in which was kept a piece of +lead, wood or pasteboard, divided into fifteen pieces as in the +following illustration. + +These blocks are all in pairs except one, which is a rhomboid. They are +all exactly proportional, having their sides either half-inch, inch, +inch and a half, or two inches in length. + +They are not used as are the blocks in our kindergarten simply to make +geometrical figures, but rather to illustrate such facts of history as +will have a moral influence, or be an intellectual stimulus to the +child. + +He may build houses with them, or make such ancient or modern +ornaments, or household utensils, as may suit his fancy; but the +primary object of the blocks and the books, is to impress upon the +child's mind, in the most forcible way possible, the leading facts of +history, poetry, mythology or morals; while the houses, boats and other +things are simply side issues. + +The first illustration the child constructed for me, for I desired him +to teach me how it was done, was a dragon horse, and when I asked him +to explain it, he said that it represented the animal seen by Fu Hsi, +the original ancestor of the Chinese people, emerging from the Meng +river, bearing upon its back a map on which were fifty-five spots, +representing the male and female principles of nature, and which the +sage used to construct what are called the eight diagrams. + +The child tossed the blocks off into a pile and then constructed a +tortoise which he said was seen by Yu, the Chinese Noah, coming out of +the Lo river, while he was draining off the floods. On its back was a +design which he used as a pattern for the nine divisions of his empire. + +These two incidents are referred to by Confucius, and are among the +first learned by every Chinese child. + +I looked through the book and noticed that many of the designs were for +the amusement of the children, as well as to develop their ingenuity. +In the two volumes of the T'ao he had only the outlines of the pictures +which he readily constructed with the blocks. But he had with him also +a small volume which was a key to the designs having lines indicating +how each block was placed. This he had purchased for a few cash. Much +of the interest of the book, however, attached to the puzzling +character of the pictures. + +There was one with a verse attached somewhat like the following: + + The old wife drew a chess-board + On the cover of a book, + While the child transformed a needle + Into a fishing-hook. + +Chinese literature is full of examples of men and women who applied +themselves to their books with untiring diligence. Some tied their hair +to the beam of their humble cottage so that when they nodded with +sleepiness the jerk would awake them and they might return to their +books. + +Others slept upon globular pillows that when they became so restless as +to move and cause the pillow to roll from under their head they might +get up and study. + +The child once more took the blocks and illustrated how one who was so +poor as to be unable to furnish himself with candles, confined a +fire-fly in a gauze lantern using that instead of a lamp. At the same +time he explained that another who was perhaps not able to afford the +gauze lantern, studied by the light of a glowworm. + +"K'ang Heng," said the child, as he put the blocks together in a new +form, "had a still better way, as well as more economical. His house +was built of clay, and as the window of his neighbor's house was +immediately opposite, he chiseled a hole through his wall and thus took +advantage of his neighbor's light. + +"Sun K'ang's method was very good for winter," continued the child as +he rearranged the blocks, "but I do not know what he would do in +summer. He studied by the light reflected from the snow. + +"Perhaps," he went on as he changed the form, "he followed the example +of another who studied by the pale light of the moon." + +"What does that represent?" I asked him pointing to a child with a bowl +in his hand who looked as if he might have been going to the grocer's. + +"Oh, that boy is going to buy wine." + +The Chinese have never yet realized what a national evil liquor may +become. They have little wine shops in the great cities, but they have +no drinking houses corresponding to the saloon, and it is not uncommon +to see a child going to the wine shop to fetch a bowl of wine. The +Buddhist priest indulges with the same moderation as the official class +or gentry. Indeed most of the drunkenness we read about in Chinese +books is that of poets and philosophers, and in them it is, if not +commended, at least not condemned. The attitude of literature towards +them is much like that of Thackeray towards the gentlemen of his day. + +The child constructed the picture of a Buddhist priest, who, with staff +in hand, and a mug of wine, was viewing the beautiful mountains in the +distance. He then changed it to one in which an intoxicated man was +leaning on a boy's shoulder, the inscription to which said: "Any one is +willing to assist a drunken man to return home." + +"This," he went on as he changed his blocks, "is a picture of Li Pei, +China's greatest poet. He lived more than a thousand years ago. This +represents the closing scene in his life. He was crossing the river in +a boat, and in a drunken effort to get the moon's reflection from the +water, he fell overboard and was drowned." The child pointed to the +sail at the same time, repeating the following: + + The sail being set, + He tried to get, + The moon from out the main. + +I noticed a large number of boat scenes and induced the child to +construct some of them for me, which he was quite willing to do, +explaining them as he went as readily as our children would explain Old +Mother Hubbard or the Old Woman who Lived in her Shoe, by seeing the +illustrations. + +Constructing one he repeated a verse somewhat like the following: + + Alone the fisherman sat, + In his boat by the river's brink, + In the chill and cold and snow, + To fish, and fish, and think. + +Then he turned over to two on opposite pages, and as he constructed +them he repeated in turn: + + In a stream ten thousand li in length + He bathes his feet at night, + + + While on a mount he waves his arms, + Ten thousand feet in height. + + +The ten thousand li in one couplet corresponds to the ten thousand feet +in the other, while the bathing of the feet corresponds to the waving +of the arms. Couplets of this kind are always attractive to the Chinese +child as well as to the scholar, and poems and essays are replete with +such constructions. + +The child enjoyed making the pictures. I tried to make one, but found +it very difficult. I was not familiar with the blocks. It is different +now, I have learned how to make them. Then it seemed as if it would be +impossible ever to do so. When I had failed to make the picture I +turned them over to him. In a moment it was done. + +"Who is it?" I asked. + +"Chang Ch'i, the poet," he answered. "Whenever he went for a walk he +took with him a child who carried a bag in which to put the poems he +happened to write. In this illustration he stands with his head bent +forward and his hands behind his back lost in thought, while the lad +stands near with the bag." + +We have given in another chapter the story of the great traveller, +Chang Ch'ien, and his search for the source of the Yellow River. + +In one of the illustrations the child represented him in his boat in a +way not very different from that of the artist. + +Another quotation from one of the poets was illustrated as follows: + + Last night a meeting I arranged, + Ere I my lamp did light, + Nor while I crossed the ferry feared, + Or wind or rain or night. + +The child's eyes sparkled as he turned to some of those illustrating +children at play, and as he constructed one which represents two +children swinging their arms and running, he repeated: + + See the children at their play, + Gathering flowers by the way. + +"They are gathering pussy-willows," he added. + +In another he represented a child standing before the front gate, where +he had knocked in vain to gain admission. As he completed it he said, +pointing to the apricot over the door: + + Ten times he knocked upon the gate, + But nine, they opened not, + Above the wall he plainly saw, + A ripe, red apricot. + +He continued to represent quotations from the poets and explain them as +he went along. + +There was one which indicated that some one was ascending the steps to +the jade platform on which the dust had settled as it does on +everything in Peking; at the same time the verse told us that + + Step by step we reach the platform, + All of jade of purest green, + Call a child to come and sweep it, + But he cannot sweep it clean. + +"You know," he went on, "the cottages of many of the poets were near +the beautiful lakes in central China, in the wild heights of the +mountains, or upon the banks of some flowing stream. In this one the +pavilion of the poet is on the bank of the river, and we are told that, + + In his cottage sat the poet + Thinking, as the moon went by, + That the moonlight on the water, + Made the water like the sky." + +Changing it somewhat he made a cottage of a different kind. This was +not made for the picture's sake, but to illustrate a sentence it was +designed to impress upon the child's mind. The quotation is somewhat as +follows: + + The ringing of the evening bells, + The moon a crescent splendid, + The rustling of the swallow's wings + Betoken winter ended. + +The child looked up at me significantly as he turned to one which +represented a Buddhist priest. I expected something of a joke at the +priest's expense as in the nursery rhymes and games, but there was +none. That would injure the sale of the book. The inscription told us +that "a Buddhist lantern will reflect light enough to illuminate the +whole universe." + +Turning to the next page we found a priest sitting in front of the +temple in the act of beating his wooden drum, while the poet exclaims: + + O crystal pool and silvery moon, + So clear and pure thou art, + There's nought to which thou wilt compare + Except a Buddha's heart. + +The child next directed our attention to various kinds of flowers, more +especially the marigold. A man in a boat rows with one hand while he +points backward to the blossoming marigold, while in another picture +the poet tells us that, + + Along the eastern wall, + We pluck the marigold, + While on the south horizon, + The mountain we behold. + +"What is that?" I asked as he turned to a picture of an old man riding +on a cow. + +"That is Laotze, the founder of Taoism, crossing the frontier at the +Han Ku Pass between Shansi and Shensi, riding upon a cow. Nobody knows +where he went." + +There were other pictures of Taoist patriarchs keeping sheep. By their +magic power they turned the sheep into stones when they were tired +watching them, and again the inscriptions told us, "the stones became +sheep at his call." Still others represented them in search of the +elixir of life, while in others they were riding on a snail. + +The object of thus bringing in incidents from all these Buddhist, +Taoist, Confucian, and other sources is that by catering to all classes +the book may have wide distribution, and whatever the Confucianist may +say, it must be admitted that the other religions have a strong hold +upon the popular mind. + +The last twenty-six illustrations in Vol. I represent various incidents +in the life, history and employments of women. + +The first of these is an ancient empress "weaving at night by her +palace window." + +Another represents a woman in her boat and we are told that, "leaving +her oar she leisurely sang a song entitled, 'Plucking the Caltrops.'" + +Another represents a woman "wearing a pomegranate-colored dress riding +a pear-blossom colored horse." A peculiar combination to say the least. + +The fisherman's wife is represented in her boat, "making her toilet at +dawn using the water as a mirror." While we are assured also that the +woman sitting upon her veranda "finds it very difficult to thread her +needle by the pale light of the moon," which fact, few, I think, would +question. + +In one of the pictures "a beautiful maiden, in the bright moonlight, +came beneath the trees." This is evidently contrary to Chinese ideas of +propriety, for the Classic for girls tells us that a maiden should not +go out at night except in company with a servant bearing a lantern. As +it was bright moonlight, however, let us hope she was excusable. + +This sauntering about in the court is not uncommon if we believe what +the books say, for in the next picture we are told that: + + As near the middle summer-house, + The maiden sauntered by, + Upon the jade pin in her hair + There lit a dragon-fly. + +The next illustration represented the wife of the famous poet Ssu-Ma +Hsiang-Ju in her husband's wine shop. + +This poet fell in love with the widowed daughter of a wealthy merchant, +the result of which was that the young couple eloped and were married; +and as the daughter was disinherited by her irate parent, she was +compelled to wait on customers in her husband's wine shop, which she +did without complaint. In spite of their imprudent conduct, and for the +time, its unhappy results, as soon as the poet had become so famous as +to be summoned to court, the stern father relented, and, as it was a +case of undoubted affection, which the Chinese readily appreciate they +have always had the sympathy of the whole Chinese people. + +One of the most popular women in Chinese history is Mu Lan, the A +Chinese Joan of Arc. Her father, a great general, being too old to take +charge of his troops, and her brothers too young, she dressed herself +in boy's clothing, enrolled herself in the army, mounted her father's +trusty steed, and led his soldiers to battle, thus bringing honor to +herself and renown upon her family. + +We have already seen how diligent some of the ancient worthies were in +their study. This, however, is not universal, for we are told the +mother of Liu Kung-cho, in order to stimulate her son to study took +pills made of bear's gall and bitter herbs, to show her sympathy with +her boy and lead him to feel that she was willing to endure bitterness +as well as he. + +The last of these examples of noble women is that of the wife of Liang +Hung, a poor philosopher of some two thousand years ago. An effort was +made to engage him to Meng Kuang, the daughter of a rich family, whose +lack of beauty was more than balanced by her remarkable intelligence. +The old philosopher feared that family pride might cause domestic +infelicity. The girl on her part steadfastly refused to marry any one +else, declaring that unless she married Liang Hung, she would not marry +at all. This unexpected constancy touched the old man's heart and he +married her. She dressed in the most common clothing, always prepared +his food with her own hand, and to show her affection and respect never +presented him with the rice-bowl without raising it to the level of her +eyebrows, as in the illustration. + +It may be interesting to see some of the ornaments and utensils the +child made with his blocks. I shall therefore add three, a pair of +scissors, a teapot, and a seal with a turtle handle. + +Such is in general the character of the book the official's little boy +had with him. I afterwards secured several copies for myself and +learned to make all the pictures first shown me by the child, and I +discovered that it is but one of several forms of what we may call +kindergarten work, that it has gone through many editions, and is very +widely distributed. My own set contains 216 illustrations such as I +have given. + + + +CHILDREN'S SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENTS + +My little girl came running into my study greatly excited and +exclaiming: + +"Papa, the monkey show, the monkey show. We want the monkey show, may +we have it?" + +Now if you had but one little girl, and she wanted a monkey show to +come into your own court and perform for her and her little friends for +half an hour, the cost of which was the modest sum of five cents, what +would you do? + +You would do as I did, no doubt, go out with the little girl, call in +the passing showman and allow him to perform, which would serve the +triple purpose of furnishing relaxation and instruction for yourself, +entertainment for the children, and business for the showman. + +This however proved to be not the monkey show but Punch and Judy, a +species of entertainment for children, the exact counterpart of our own +entertainment of that name. It may be of interest to young readers to +know how this show originated, and I doubt not it will be a surprise to +some older ones to know that it dates back to about the year 1000 B. C. + +We are told that while the Emperor Mu of the Chou dynasty was making a +tour of his empire, a skillful mechanic, Yen Shih by name, was brought +into his presence and entertained him and the women of his seraglio +with a dance performed by automaton figures, which were capable not +only of rhythmical movements of their limbs, but of accompanying their +movements with songs. + +During and at the close of the performance, the puppets cast such +significant glances at the ladies as to anger the monarch, and he +ordered the execution of the originator of the play. + +The mechanic however ripped open the puppets, and proved to his +astonished majesty that they were only artificial objects, and instead +of being executed he was allowed to repeat his performance. This was +the origin of the play in China which corresponds to Punch and Judy in +Europe and America. + +To the question which naturally arises as to how the play was carried +to the West, I reply, it may not have been carried to Europe at all, +but have originated there. From marked similarities in the two plays +however, and more especially in the methods of their production, we may +suppose that the Chinese Punch and Judy was carried to Europe in the +following way: + +Among the many traders who visited Central Asia while it was under the +government of the family of Genghis Khan, were two Venetian brothers, +Maffeo and Nicolo Polo, whose wondering disposition and trading +interests led them as far as the court of the Great Khan, where they +remained in the most intimate relations with Kublai for some time, and +were finally sent back to Italy with a request that one hundred +European scholars be sent to China to instruct them in the arts of +Europe. + +This request was never carried out, but the two returned to the Khan's +court with young Marco, the son of one of them, who remained with the +Mongol Emperor for seventeen years, during which time he had a better +opportunity of observing their customs than perhaps any other foreigner +since his time. His final return to Italy was in 1295, and a year or +two later, he wrote and revised his book of travels. + +The art of printing in Europe was discovered in 1438, and the first +edition of Marco Polo's travels was printed about 1550-59. Our Punch +and Judy was invented by Silvio Fiorillo an Italian dramatist before +the year 1600. I have found no reference to the play in Marco Polo's +works, nevertheless, one cannot but think that, if not a written, at +least an oral, communication of the play may have been carried to +Europe by him or some other of the Italian traders or travellers. The +two plays are very similar, even to the tones of the man who works the +puppets. + +In passing the school court on one occasion I saw the students gathered +in a crowd under the shade of the trees. A small tent was pitched, on +the front of which was a little stage. A manager stood behind the +screen from which position he worked a number of puppets in the form of +men, women, children, horses and dragons. These were suspended by black +threads as I afterwards discovered from small sticks or a framework +which the manager manipulated behind the screen. When one finished its +part of the performance, it either walked off the stage, or the stick +was fastened in such a way as to leave it in a position conducive to +the amusement of the crowd. These were puppet shows, and were put +through entire performances or plays, the manager doing the talking as +in Punch and Judy. + +After the performance several of the students passed around the hat, +each person present giving one-fifth or one-tenth of a cent. + +As I came from school one afternoon, the children had called in from +the street a showman with a number of trained mice. He had erected a +little scaffolding just inside the gateway, at one side of which there +was a small rope ladder, and this with the inevitable gong, and the +small boxes in which the mice were kept constituted his entire outfit. + +In the boxes he had what seemed to be cotton from the milk-weed which +furnished a nest for the mice. These he took from their little boxes +one by one, stroked them tenderly, while he explained what this +particular mouse would do, put each one on the rope ladder, which they +ascended, and performed the tricks expected of them. These were going +through a pagoda, drawing water, creeping through a tube, wearing a +criminal's collar, turning a tread-mill, or working some other equally +simple trick. + +At times the mice had to be directed by a small stick in the hands of +the manager, but they were carefully trained, kindly treated, and much +appreciated by the children. + +Although less attractive, there is no other show which impresses itself +so forcibly on the child's mind as the monkey, dog and sheep show. + +The dog was the first to perform. Four hoops were placed on the corners +of a square, ten feet apart. The dog walked around through these hoops, +first through each in order, then turning went through each twice, then +through one and retracing his steps went through the one last passed +through. + +The showman drove an iron peg in the ground on which were two blocks +representing millstones. To the upper one was a lever by which the dog +with his nose turned the top millstone as if grinding flour. He was +hitched to a wheelbarrow, the handles of which were held by the monkey, +who pushed while the dog pulled. + +The most interesting part of the performance, however, was by the +monkey. Various kinds of hats and false faces were kept in a box which +he opened and secured. He stalked about with a cane in his hand, or +crosswise back of his neck, turned handsprings, went through various +trapeze performances, such as hanging by his legs, tail, chin, and +hands, or was whirled around in the air. + +The leading strap of the monkey was finally tied to the belt of the +sheep which was led away to some distance and let go. The monkey +bounded upon its back and held fast to the wool, while the sheep ran +with all its speed to the showman, who held a basin of broom-corn seed +as a bait. This was repeated as often as the children desired, which +ended the show. Time,--half an hour; spectators,--all who desired to +witness it; price,--five cents. + +The showmen in China are somewhat like the tramps and beggars in other +countries. When they find a place where there are children who enjoy +shows, each tells the other, and they all call around in turn. + +Our next show was an exhibition given by a man with a trained bear. + +The animal had two rings in his nose, to one of which was fastened a +leading string or strap, and to the other, while performing, a large +chain. A man stood on one end of the chain, and the manager, with a +long-handled ladle, or with his hand, gave the bear small pieces of +bread or other food after each trick he performed. + +The first trick was walking on his hind feet as if dancing. But more +amusing than this to the children was to see him turn summersaults both +forward and backward. These were repeated several times because they +were easily done, and added to the length of time the show continued. + +Children, however, begin to appreciate at an early age what is +difficult and what easy, and it was not until he took a carrying-pole +six feet long, put the middle of it upon his forehead and set it +whirling with his paws, that they began to say: + +"That's good," "That's hard to do," and other expressions of a like +nature. + +They enjoyed seeing him stand on his front feet, or on his head with +his hind feet kicking the air, but they enjoyed still more seeing him +put on the wooden collar of a convict and twirl it around his neck. The +manager gave him some bread and then tried to induce him to take it +off, but he whined for more bread and refused to do so. Finally he took +off the collar, and when they tried to take it from him he put it on +again. When he took it off the next time and offered it to them they +refused to receive it, but tried to get him to put it on, which he +stubbornly refused to do, and finally threw it away. + +His last trick was to sit down upon his haunches, stick up one of his +hind feet, and twirl a knife six feet long upon it as he had twirled +the carrying-pole upon his head. The manager said he would wrestle with +the men, but this was a side issue and only done when extra money was +added to the regular price, which was twelve cents. + +One of the most common showmen seen on the streets of Peking, goes +about with a framework upon his shoulder in the shape of a sled, the +runners of which are turned up at both ends. It seemed to me to be less +interesting than the other shows, but as it is more common, the +children probably look upon it with more favor, and the children are +the final critics of all things for the little ones. + +The show was given by a man and two boys, one of whom impersonated a +girl. Small feet, like the bound feet of a girl, were strapped on like +stilts, his own being covered by wide trousers, and he and the boy sang +songs and danced to the music of the drum and cymbals in the hands of +the showman. + +The second part of the performance was a boat ride on dry land. The +girl got into the frame, let down around it a piece of cloth which was +fastened to the top, and took hold of the frame in such a way as to +carry it easily. The boy, with a long stick, pushed as if starting the +boat, and then pulled as if rowing, and with every pull of the oar, the +girl ran a few steps, making it appear that the boat shot forward. All +the while the boy sang a boat-song or a love-ditty to his sweetheart. + +Again the scene changed. The head and hind parts of a papier mache +horse were fastened to the "tomboy" in such a way as to make it appear +that she was riding; a cloth was let down to hide her feet, and they +ran to and fro, one in one direction and the other in the other, she +jerking her unmanageable steed, and he singing songs, and all to the +music of the drum and the cymbals. + +It sometimes happens that while the girl rides the horse, the boy goes +beside her in the boat, the rapidity and character of their movements +being governed by the music of the manager. + +The best part of the whole performance was that which goes by the name +of the lion show. The girl took off her small feet and girl's clothes +and became a boy again. One of the boys stood up in front and put on an +apron of woven grass, while the other bent forward and clutched hold of +his belt. A large papier mache head of a lion was put on the front boy, +to which was attached a covering of woven grass large enough to cover +them both, while a long tail of the same material was stuck into a +framework fastened to the belt of the hinder boy. + +The manager beat the drum, the lion stalked about the court, keeping +step to the music, turning its large head in every direction and +opening and shutting its mouth, much to the amusement of the children. + +There is probably no country in the world that has more travelling +shows specially prepared for the entertainment of children than China. +Scarcely a day passes that we do not hear the drum or the gong of the +showmen going to and fro, or standing at our court gate waiting to be +called in. + + + +JUVENILE JUGGLING + +"How is that?" + +"Very good." + +"Can you do it?" asked the sleight-of-hand performer, as he rolled a +little red ball between his finger and thumb, pitched it up, caught it +as it came down, half closed his hand and blew into it, opened his hand +and the ball had disappeared. + +He picked up another ball, tossed it up, caught it in his mouth, +dropped it into his hand, and it mysteriously disappeared. + +The juggler was seated on the ground with a piece of blue cloth spread +out before him, on which were three cups, and five little red wax balls +nearly as large as cranberries. + +He continued to toss the wax balls about until they had all +disappeared. We watched him closely, but could not discover where they +had gone. He then arose, took a small portion of my coat sleeve between +his thumb and finger, began rubbing them together, and by and by, one +of the balls appeared between his digits. He picked at a small boy's +ear and got another of the balls. He blew his nose and another dropped +upon the cloth. He slapped the top of his head and one dropped out of +his mouth, and he took the fifth from a boy's hair. + +He then changed his method. He placed the cups' mouths down upon the +cloth, and under one of them put the five little balls. When he placed +the cup we watched carefully; there were no balls under it. When he +raised it up, behold, there were the five little balls. + +He removed the cups from one place to another, and asked us to guess +which cup the balls were under, but we were always wrong. + +There was a large company of us, ranging from children of three to old +men and women of seventy-five, and from Chinese schoolboys to a bishop +of the church, but none of us could discover how he did it. + +Later, however, I learned how the trick was performed. As he raised the +cup with his thumb and forefinger, he inserted two other fingers under, +gathered up all the balls between them and placed them under the cup as +he put it down. While in making the balls disappear, he concealed them +either in his mouth or between his fingers. + +The Chinese have a saying: + + In selecting his balls from north to south, + The magician cannot leave his mouth; + And in rolling his balls, you understand, + He must have them hidden in his hand. + +Of quite a different character are the jugglers with plates and bowls. +Not only children, but many of a larger growth delight to watch these. +Our only way of learning about them was to call them into our court as +the Chinese call them to theirs, and that is what we did. + +The performer first put a plate on the top of a trident and set it +whirling. In this whirling condition he put the trident on his forehead +where he balanced it, the trident whirling with the plate as though +boring into his skull. + +He next took a bamboo pole six feet long, with a nail in the end on +which he set the plate whirling. The plate, of course, had a small +indentation to keep it in its place on the nail. He raised the plate in +the air and inserted into the first pole another of equal length, then +another and still another, which put the plate whirling in the air +thirty feet high. + +Thus whirling he balanced it on his hand, on his arm, on his thumb, on +his forehead, and finally in his mouth, after which he tossed the plate +up, threw the pole aside and caught it as it came down. The old manager +standing by received the pole, but as he saw the plate tossed up, he +fell flat upon the earth, screaming lest the plate be broken. + +This same performer set a bowl whirling on the end of a chop-stick. +Then tossing the bowl up he caught it inverted on the chop-stick, and +made it whirl as rapidly as possible. In this condition he tossed it up +ten, then fifteen, then twenty or more feet into the air catching it on +the chop-stick as it came down. + +He then changed the process. He tossed the bowl a foot high, and struck +it with the other chop-stick one, two, three, four or five times before +it came down, and this he did so rapidly and regularly as to make it +sound almost like music. There is a record of one of the ancient poets +who was able to play a tune with his bowl and chop-sticks after having +finished his meal. He may have done it in this way. + +This trick seemed a very difficult performance. It excited the +children, and some of the older persons clapped their hands and +exclaimed, "Very good, very good." But when he tossed it only a foot +high and let go the chop-stick, making it change ends, and catching the +bowl, they were ready for a general applause. In striking the bowl and +thus manipulating his chop-sticks, his hands moved almost as rapidly as +those of an expert pianist. + +"Can you toss the knives?" piped up one of the children who had seen a +juggler perform this difficult feat. + +The man picked up two large knives about a foot long and began tossing +them with one hand. While this was going on a third knife was handed +him and he kept them going with both hands. At times he threw them +under his leg or behind his back, and at other times pitched them up +twenty feet high, whirling them as rapidly as possible and catching +them by the handles as they came down. + +While doing this he passed one of the knives to the attendant who gave +him a bowl, and he kept the bowl and two knives going. Then he gave the +attendant another knife and received a ball, and the knife, the ball +and the bowl together, the ball and bowl at times moving as though the +former were glued to the bottom of the latter. + +These were not all the tricks he could perform but they were all he +would perform in addition to his bear show for twelve cents--for this +was the man with the bear--so the children allowed him to go. + +Some weeks later they called in a different bear show. This bear was +larger and a better performer, but his tricks were about the same. + +The juggler in addition to doing all we have already described +performed also the following tricks. + +He first put one end of an iron rod fifteen inches long in his mouth. +On this he placed a small revolving frame three by six inches. He set a +bowl whirling on the end of a bamboo splint fifteen inches long, the +other end of which he rested on one side of the frame, balancing the +whole in his mouth. + +While the bowl continued whirling, he took the frame off the rod, stuck +the bamboo in a hole in the frame an inch from the end, resting the +other end of the frame on the rod, brought the bowl over so as to +obtain a centre of gravity and thus balanced it. + +He took two small tridents a foot or more in length, put the end of the +handle of one in his mouth, set the bowl whirling on the end of the +handle of the other, rested the middle prong of one on the middle prong +of the other and let it whirl with the bowl. Afterwards he set the +prong of the whirling trident on the edge of the other and let it whirl. + +He took two long curved boar's teeth which were fastened on the ends of +two sticks, one a foot long, the other six inches. The one he held in +his mouth, the other having a hole diagonally through the stick, he +inserted a chop-stick making an angle of seventy degrees. He set the +bowl whirling on the end of the chop-stick, rested one tooth on the +other, in the indentation and they whirled like a brace and bit. + +Finally he took a spiral wire having a straight point on each end. This +he called a dead dragon. He set the bowl whirling on one end, placing +the other on the small frame already referred to. As the spiral wire +began to turn as though boring, he called it a living dragon. These +feats of balancing excited much wonder and merriment on the part of the +children. + +The juggler then took an iron trident with a handle four and a half +feet long and an inch and a half thick, and, pitching it up into the +air, caught it on his right arm as it came down. He allowed it to roll +down his right arm, across his back, and along his left arm, and as he +turned his body he kept the trident rolling around crossing his back +and breast and giving it a new impetus with each arm. The trident had +on it two cymbal-shaped iron plates which kept up a constant rattling. + +This showman had with him three boy acrobats whose skill he proceeded +to show. + +"Pitch the balls," he said. + +The largest of the three boys fastened a cushioned band, on which was a +leather cup, around his head, the cup being on his forehead just +between his eyes. + +He took two wooden balls, two and a half inches in diameter, tossed +them in the air twenty feet high, catching them in the cup as they came +down. The shape of the cup was such as to hold the balls by suction +when they fell. He never once missed. This is the most dangerous +looking of all the tricks I have seen jugglers perform. + +"Shooting stars," said the showman. + +The boy tossed aside his cup and balls and took a string six feet long, +on the two ends of which were fastened wooden balls two and a half +inches in diameter. He set the balls whirling in opposite directions +until they moved so rapidly as to stretch the string, which he then +held in the middle with finger and thumb and by a simple motion of the +hand kept the balls whirling. + +He was an expert, and changed the swinging of the balls in as many +different ways as an expert club-swinger could his clubs. + +"Boy acrobats," called out the manager, as the manipulator of the +"shooting stars" bowed himself out amid the applause of the children. + +The two smaller boys threw off their coats, hitched up their +trousers--always a part of the performance whether necessary or +not--and began the high kick, high jump, handspring, somersault, wagon +wheel, ending with hand-spring, and bending backwards until their heads +touched the ground. + +One of them stood on two benches a foot high, put a handkerchief on the +ground, and bending backwards, picked it up with his teeth. + +The two boys then clasped each other around the waist, as in the +illustration, and each threw the other back over his head a dozen times +or more. + +Exit the bear show with the boy acrobats, enter the old woman juggler +with her husband who beats the gong. + +This was one of the most interesting performances I have ever seen in +China, perhaps because so unexpected. + +The old woman had small, bound feet. She lay flat on her back, stuck up +her feet, and her husband put a crock a foot in diameter and a foot and +a half deep upon them. She set it rolling on her feet until it whirled +like a cylinder. She tossed it up in such a way as to have it light +bottom side up on her "lillies,"[1] in which position she kept it +whirling. Tossing it once more it came down on the side, and again +tossing it she caught it right side up on her small feet, keeping it +whirling all the time. + +My surprise was so great that I gave the old woman ten cents for +performing this single trick. + +The tricks of sleight-of-hand performers are well-nigh without number. +Some of them are easily understood,--surprising, however, to +children--and often interesting to grown people, while others are very +clever and not so easily understood. + +Instead of the hat from which innumerable small packages are taken, the +Chinese magician had two hollow cylinders, which exactly fit into each +other, that he took out of a box and placed upon a cylindrical chest, +and from these two cylinders--each of which he repeatedly showed us as +being without top or bottom and empty--he took a dinner of a dozen +courses. + +He called upon the baker to bring bread, the grocer to bring +vegetables, and after each call he took out of the cylinders the thing +called for. He finally called the wine shop to bring wine, and removing +both cylinders, he exposed to the surprised children a large crock of +wine. + +As he brought out dish after dish, the children looked in open-mouthed +wonder, and asked papa, mama or nurse, where he got them all, for they +evidently were not in the cylinders. But papa saw him all the time +manipulating the crock in the cylinder which he did not show, and he +knew that all these things were taken from and then returned to this +crock, while instead of being full of wine, he had only a cup of wine +in a false lid which exactly fitted the mouth of the crock, and made it +seem full. + +When he had put away his crock and cylinders, he produced what seemed +to be two empty cups. + +He presented them to us to show that they were empty, then putting them +mouth to mouth, and placing them on the ground, he left them a moment, +when with a "presto change," and a wave of the hand, he removed the top +cup and revealed to the astonished children and some of the children of +a larger growth, a cup full of water with two or three little fish or +frogs therein. + +On inquiry I was told that he had the under cup covered with a thin +film of water-colored material, and that as he removed the top cup he +removed also the film which left the fish or frogs exposed to view. + +This same juggler performed many tricks of producing great dishes of +water from under his garments, the mere enumeration of which, might +prove to be tiresome. + +I was walking along the street one day near the mouth of Filial Piety +Lane where a large company of men and children were watching a juggler, +and from the trick I thought it worth while to invite him in for the +amusement of the children. He promised to come about four o clock, +which he did. + +He first proceeded to eat a hat full of yellow paper, after which, with +a gag and a little puff, he pulled from his mouth a tube of paper of +the same color five or six yards long. + +This was very skillfully performed and for a long time I was not able +to understand how he did it. But after awhile I discovered that with +the last mouthful of paper he put in a small roll, the centre of which +he started by puffing, and this he pulled out in a long tube. He did it +with so many groanings and with such pain in the region of the stomach, +that attention was directed either to his stomach or the roll, and +taken away from his mouth. + +"I shall eat these needles," said he, as he held up half a dozen +needles, "and then eat this thread, after which I shall reproduce them." + +He did so. He grated his teeth together causing a sound much like that +of breaking needles. He pretended to swallow them, working his tongue +back and forth in his tightly closed mouth, after which he drew forth +the thread on which all the needles were strung. + +He had a number of small white bone needles which he stuck into his +nose and pulled out of his eyes, or which he pushed up under his upper +lip and took out of his eyes or vice versa. How he performed the above +trick I was not able to discover. He seemed to put them through the +tear duct, but whether he did or not I cannot say. How he got them from +his mouth to his eyes unless he had punctured a passage beneath the +skin, is still to me a mystery. + +His last trick was to swallow a sword fifteen inches long. The sword +was straight with a round point and dull edges. There was no deception +about this. He was an old man and his front, upper teeth were badly +worn away by the constant rasping of the not over-smooth sword. He +simply put it in his mouth, threw back his head and stuck it down his +throat to his stomach. + +[1] Small feet of the Chinese woman. + + + +STORIES TOLD TO CHILDREN + +One hot summer afternoon as I lay in the hammock trying to take a nap +after a hard forenoon's work and a hearty lunch, I heard the same old +nurse who had told me my first Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes, telling the +following story to the same little boy to whom she had repeated the +"Mouse and the Candlestick." + +She told him that the Chinese call the Milky Way the Heavenly River, +and that the Spinning Girl referred to in the story is none other than +the beautiful big star in Lyra which we call Vega, while the Cow-herd +is Altair in Aquila. + + +THE HEAVENLY RIVER, WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DWELL THEREON. + +Once upon a time there dwelt a beautiful maiden in a quiet little +village on the shore of the Heavenly River. + +Her name was Vega, but the people of China have always called her the +Spinning Maiden, because of her faithfulness to her work, for though +days, and months, and years passed away, she never left her loom. + +Her diligence so moved the heart of her grandfather, the King of +Heaven, that he determined to give her a vacation, which she at once +decided to spend upon the earth. + +In a village near where the maiden dwelt there was a young man named +Altair, whom the Chinese call the Cow-herd. + +Now the Cow-herd was in love with the Spinning Girl, but she was always +so intent upon her work as never to give him an opportunity to confess +his affection, but now he determined to follow her to earth, and, if +possible, win her for his bride. + +He followed her through the green fields and shady groves, but never +dared approach her or tell her of his love. + +At last, however, the time came. He discovered her bathing in a limpid +stream, the banks of which were carpeted with flowers, while myriad +boughs of blossoming peach and cherry trees hid her from all the world +but him. + +He secretly crept near and stole away and hid her garments made of +silken gauze and finely woven linen, making it alike impossible for her +to resist his suit or to return to her celestial home. + +She yielded to the Cow-herd and soon became his wife, and as the years +passed by a boy and girl were born to them, little star children, +twins, such as are seen near by the Spinning Girl in her heavenly home +to-day. + +One day she went to her husband, and, bowing low, requested that he +return the clothes he had hid away, and he, thinking the presence of +the children a sufficient guaranty for her remaining in his home, told +her he had put them in an old, dry well hard by the place where she had +been bathing. + +No sooner had she secured them than the aspect of their home was +changed. The Cow-herd's wife once more became the Spinning Girl and +hied her to her heavenly abode. + +It so happened that her husband had a piece of cow-skin which gave him +power over earth and air. Snatching up this, with his ox-goad, he +followed in the footsteps of his fleeing wife. + +Arriving at their heavenly home the happy couple sought the joys of +married life. The Spinning Girl gave up her loom, and the Cow-herd his +cattle, until their negligence annoyed the King of Heaven, and he +repented having let her leave her loom. He called upon the Western +Royal Mother for advice. After consultation they decided that the two +should be separated. The Queen, with a single stroke of her great +silver hairpin, drew a line across the heavens, and from that time the +Heavenly River has flowed between them, and they are destined to dwell +forever on the two sides of the Milky Way. + +What had seemed to the youthful pair the promise of perpetual joy, +became a condition of unending grief. They were on the two sides of a +bridgeless river, in plain sight of each other, but forever debarred +from hearing the voice or pressing the land of the one beloved, doomed +to perpetual toil unlit by any ray of joy or hope. + +Their evident affection and unhappy condition moved the heart of His +Majesty, and caused him to allow them to visit each other once with +each revolving year,--on the seventh day of the seventh moon. But +permission was not enough, for as they looked upon the foaming waters +of the turbulent stream, they could but weep for their wretched +condition, for no bridge united its two banks, nor was it allowed that +any structure be built which would mar the contour of the shining dome. + +In their helplessness the magpies came to their rescue. At early morn +on the seventh day of the seventh moon, these beautiful birds gathered +in great flocks about the home of the maiden, and hovering wing to wing +above the river, made a bridge across which her dainty feet might carry +her in safety. But when the time for separation came, the two wept +bitterly, and their tears falling in copious showers are the cause of +the heavy rains which fall at that season of the year. + +From time immemorial it has been known that the Yellow River is neither +more nor less than a prolongation of the Milky Way, soiled by earthly +contact and contamination, and that the homes of the Spinning Maiden +and the Cow-herd are the centres of two of the numerous villages that +adorn its banks. It is not to be wondered at, however, that in an evil +and skeptical world there should be many who doubt these facts. + +On this account, and to forever settle the dispute, the great traveller +and explorer, Chang Ch'ien, undertook to discover the source of the +Yellow River. He first transformed the trunk of a great tree into a +boat, provided himself with the necessities of life and started on his +journey. + +Days passed into weeks, and weeks became months as he sailed up the +murky waters of the turbid stream. But the farther he went the clearer +the waters became until it seemed as if they were flowing over a bed of +pure, white limestone. Village after village was passed both on his +right hand and on his left, and many were the strange sights that met +his gaze. The fields became more verdant, the flowers more beautiful, +the scenery more gorgeous, and the people more like nymphs and fairies. +The color of the clouds and the atmosphere was of a richer, softer hue; +while the breezes which wafted his frail bark were milder and gentler +than any he had known before. + +Despairing at last of reaching the source he stopped at a village where +he saw a maiden spinning and a young man leading an ox to drink. He +alighted from his boat and inquired of the girl the name of the place, +but she, without making reply, tossed him her shuttle, telling him to +return to his home and inquire of the astrologer, who would inform him +where he received it, if he but told him when. + +He returned and presented the shuttle to the noted astrologer Chun +Ping, informing him at the same time where, when and from whom he had +received it. The latter consulted his observations and calculations and +discovered that on the day and hour when the shuttle had been given to +the traveller he had observed a wandering star enter and leave the +villages of the Spinning Girl and the Cow-herd, which proved beyond +doubt that the Yellow River is the prolongation of the Milky Way, while +the points of light which we call stars, are the inhabitants of Heaven +pursuing callings similar to our own. + +Chang Ch'ien made another important discovery, namely, that the +celestials, understanding the seasons better than we, turn the shining +dome in such a way as to make the Heavenly River indicate the seasons +of the year, and so the children sing: + + Whene'er the Milky Way you spy, + Diagonal across the sky, + The egg-plant you may safely eat, + And all your friends to melons treat. + + But when divided towards the west, + You'll need your trousers and your vest + When like a horn you see it float; + You'll need your trousers and your coat. + +It is unnecessary to state that I did not go to sleep while the old +nurse was telling the story of the Heavenly River. The child sat on his +little stool, his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his +hands, listening with open lips and eyes sparkling with interest. To +the old nurse it was real. The spinning girl and the cow-herd were +living persons. The flowers bloomed,--we could almost smell their +odor,--and the gentle breezes seemed to fan our cheeks. She had told +the story so often that she believed it, and she imparted to us her own +interest. + +"Nurse," said the child, "tell me about + + "'THE MAN IN THE MOON.'" + +"The man in the moon," said the old nurse, "is called Wu Kang. He was +skilled in all the arts of the genii, and was accustomed to play before +them whenever opportunity offered or occasion required. + +"Once it turned out that his performances were displeasing to the +spirits, and for this offense he was banished to the moon, and +condemned to perpetual toil in hewing down the cinnamon trees which +grow there in great abundance. At every blow of the axe he made an +incision, but only to see it close up when the axe was withdrawn. + +"He had another duty, however, a duty which was at times irksome, but +one which on the whole was more pleasant than any that falls to men or +spirits,--the duty indicated by the proverb that 'matches are made in +the moon.' + +"It was his lot to bind together the feet of all those on earth who are +destined to a betrothal, and in the performance of this duty, he was +often compelled to return to earth. When doing so he came as an old man +with long white hair and beard, with a book in his hand in which he had +written the matrimonial alliances of all mankind. He also carried a +wallet which contains a ball of invisible cord with which he ties +together the feet of all those who are destined to be man and wife, and +the destinies which he announces it is impossible to avoid. + +"On one occasion he came to the town of Sung, and while sitting in the +moonlight, turning over the leaves of his book of destinies, he was +asked by Wei Ku, who happened to be passing, who was destined to become +his bride. The old man consulted his records, as he answered: 'Your +wife is the daughter of an old woman named Ch'en who sells vegetables +in yonder shop.' + +"Having heard this, Wei Ku went the next day to look about him and if +possible to get a glimpse of the one to whom the old man referred, but +he discovered that the only child the old woman had was an ill-favored +one of two years which she carried in her arms. He hired an assassin to +murder the infant, but the blow was badly aimed and left only a scar on +the child's eyebrow. + +"Fourteen years afterwards, Wei Ku married a beautiful maiden of +sixteen whose only defect was a scar above the eye, and on inquiries he +discovered that she was the one foretold by the Old Man of the Moon, +and he recalled the proverb that 'Matches are made in heaven, and the +bond of fate is sealed in the moon.'" + +"Nurse, tell me about the land of the big people," whereupon the nurse +told him of + + THE LAND OF GIANTS. + +"There was in ancient times a country east of Korea which was called +the land of the giants. It was celebrated for its length rather than +for its width, being bounded on all sides by great mountain ranges, the +like of which cannot be found in other countries. It extends for +thousands of miles along the deep passes between the mountains, at the +entrance to which there are great iron gates, easily closed, but very +difficult to open. + +"Many armies have made war upon the giants, among which none have been +more celebrated than those of Korea, which embraces in its standing +army alone many thousands of men, but thus far they have never been +conquered. + +"Nor is this to be wondered at, for besides their great iron gates, and +numerous fortifications, the men are thirty feet tall according to our +measurement, have teeth like a saw, hooked claws, and bodies covered +with long black hair. + +"They live upon the flesh of fowls and wild beasts which are found in +abundance in the mountain fastnesses, but they do not cook their food. +They are very fond of human flesh, but they confine themselves to the +flesh of enemies slain in battle, and do not eat the flesh of their own +people, even though they be hostile, as this is contrary to the law of +the land. + +"Their women are as large and fierce as the men, but their duties are +confined to the preparation of extra clothing for winter wear, for +although they are covered with hair it is insufficient to protect them +from the winter's cold." + +While the old nurse was relating the tale of the giants I could not but +wonder whether there was not some relation between that and the +Brobdingnagians I had read about in my youth. But I was not given much +time to think. This seemed to have been a story day, for the nurse had +hardly finished the tale till the child said: + +"Now tell me about the country of the little people," and she related +the story of + + THE LAND OF DWARFS. + +"The country of the little people is in the west, where the sun goes +down. + +"Once upon a time a company of Persian merchants were making a journey, +when by a strange mishap they lost their way and came to the land of +the little people. They were at first surprised, and then delighted, +for they discovered that the country was not only densely populated +with these little people, who were not more than three feet high, but +that it was rich in all kinds of precious stones and rare and valuable +materials. + +"They discovered also that during the season of planting and +harvesting, they were in constant terror lest the great multitude of +cranes, which are without number in that region, should swoop down upon +them and eat both them and their crops. They soon learned, however, +that the little people were under the protecting care of the Roman +Empire, whose interest in them was great, and her arm mighty, and they +were thus guarded from all evil influences as well as from all danger. +Nor was this a wholly unselfish interest on the part of the Roman +power, for the little people repaid her with rich presents of the most +costly gems,--pearls, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones." + +I need not say I was beginning to be surprised at the number of tales +the old woman told which corresponded to those I had been accustomed to +read and hear in my childhood, nor was my surprise lessened when at his +request she told him how + + THE SUN WENT BACKWARD. + +"Once upon a time Lu Yang-kung was engaged in battle with Han Kou-nan, +and they continued fighting until nearly sundown. The former was +getting the better of the battle, but feared he would lose it unless +they fought to a finish before the close of day. The sun was near the +horizon, and the battle was not yet ended, and the former, pointing his +lance at the King of Day caused him to move backward ten miles in his +course." + +"When did that happen?" inquired the child. + +"The Chinese say it happened about three thousand years ago," replied +the old nurse. + +"Now tell me about the man who went to the fire star." + +The old woman hesitated a moment as though she was trying to recall +something and then told him the story of + + MARS, THE GOD OF WAR. + +"Once upon a time there was a great rebel whose name was Ch'ih Yu. He +was the first great rebel that ever lived in China. He did not want to +obey the chief ruler, and invented for himself warlike weapons, +thinking that in this way he might overthrow the government and place +himself upon the throne. + +"He had eighty-one brothers, of whom he was the leader. They had human +speech, but bodies of beasts, foreheads of iron, and fed upon the dust +of the earth. + +"When the time for the battle came, he called upon the Chief of the +Wind and the Master of the Rain to assist him, and there arose a great +tempest. But the Chief sent the Daughter of Heaven to quell the storm, +and then seized and slew the rebel. His spirit ascended to the +Fire-Star (Mars)--the embodiment of which he was while upon +earth,--where it resides and influences the conduct of warfare even to +the present time." + +"Tell me the story of the man who went to the mountain to gather +fire-wood and did not come home for such a long time." + +The old nurse began a story which as it progressed reminded me of + + RIP VAN WINKLE. + +"A long time ago there lived a man named Wang Chih, which in our +language means 'the stuff of which kings are made.' In spite of his +name, however, he was only a common husbandman, spending his summers in +plowing, planting and harvesting, and his winters in gathering +fertilizers upon the highways, and fire-wood in the mountains. + +"On one occasion he wandered into the mountains of Ch'u Chou, his axe +upon his shoulder, hoping to find more and better fire-wood than could +be found upon his own scanty acres, or the adjoining plain. While in +the mountains he came upon a number of aged men, in a beautiful +mountain grotto, intently engaged in a game of chess. Wang was a good +chess-player himself, and for the time forgot his errand. He laid down +his axe, stood silently watching them, and in a very few moments was +deeply interested in the game. + +"It was while he was thus watching them that one of the old men, +without looking up from the game, gave him what seemed to be a date +seed, telling him at the same time to put it in his mouth. He did so, +but no sooner had he tasted it, than he lost all consciousness of +hunger and thirst, and continued to stand watching the players and the +progress of the game, thinking nothing of the flight of time. + +"At last one of the old men said to him: + +"'You have been here a long time, ought you not to go home?' + +"This aroused him from his reverie, and he seemed to awake as from a +dream, his interest in the game passed away, and he attempted to pick +up his axe, but found that it was covered with rust and the handle had +moulded away. But while this called his attention to the fact that time +had passed, he felt not the burden of years. + +"When he returned to the plain, and to what had formerly been his home, +he discovered that not only years but centuries had passed away since +he had left for the mountains, and that his relatives and friends had +all crossed to the 'Yellow Springs,' while all records of his departure +had long since been forgotten, and he alone remained a relic of the +past. + +"He wandered up and down inquiring of the oldest people of all the +villages, but could discover no link which bound him to the present. + +"He returned to the mountain grotto, devoted himself to the study of +the occult principles of the 'Old Philosopher' until the material +elements of his mortal frame were gradually evaporated or sublimated, +and without having passed through the change which men call death, he +became an immortal spirit returning whence he came." + +Just as the old woman finished this story, my teacher, who always took +a nap after lunch, ascended the steps. + +"Ah, the story of Wang Chih." + +"Do you know any of these stories?" I asked him as I sat down beside +him. + +"All children learn these stories in their youth," he answered, and +then as if fearing I would try to induce him to tell them to me he +continued, "but nurses always tell these stories better than any one +else, because they tell them so often to the children, for whom alone +they were made." + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Chinese Boy and Girl, by Isaac Taylor Headland + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHINESE BOY AND GIRL *** + +***** This file should be named 522.txt or 522.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/522/ + +Produced by Charles Keller. 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