Chin
Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade, Lewis Jesse Bridgman


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Our Little Siamese Cousin






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Preface
Many years ago there came to America
two young men who were looked upon as the
greatest curiosities ever seen in this country.
They belonged to another race than ours.
In fact, they were of two races, for one of
their parents was a Chinese, and therefore of
the Yellow Race, while the other was a Siamese,
belonging to the Brown Race.
These two young men left their home in
far-away Siam and crossed the great ocean for
the purpose of exhibiting the strange way in
which nature had joined them together. A
small band of flesh united them from side to
side.
Thus it was that from the moment they
were born to the day of their death the twin
v


vi Preface
brothers played and worked, ate and slept,
walked and rode, at the same time.
Thousands of people became interested in
seeing and hearing about these two men.
Not only this, but they turned their atten-
tion to the home of the brothers, the won-
derful land of Siam, with its sacred white
elephants and beautiful temples, its curious
customs and strange beliefs.
Last year the young prince of that country,
wishing to learn more of the life of the white
people, paid a visit to America. He was
much interested in all he saw and heard while
he was here.
Now let us, in thought, return his visit, and
take part in the games and sports of the
children of Siam.
We will attend some of their festivals, take
a peep into the royal palace, enter the temples,
and learn something about the ways and habits
of that far-away eastern country.


Contents
CHAPTER PAGB
I. The First Birthday .... 9
II. Little Chie Lo 25
III. Night on the River 36
IV. Work and Play 47
V. New Year's 55
VI. White Elephants 61
VII. In the Temple 67
VIII. The Legend of the Peace - Offering . 78
IX. Queer Sights 8 7
X. The Queen's City 98
XI. The Monsoon 104





List of Illustrations
PAGE
Chin Frontispiece
Chin's Home 29
The Great Temple at Bangkok . . . .40
"They carried some of their flowers to the
statue of Buddha" 57
"' They would pick up the logs with their
trunks'" 63
Siamese Actors 92





Our Little Siamese Cousin
CHAPTER I.
THE FIRST BIRTHDAY
If you had seen Chin when he was born,
you would have thought his skin yellow
enough to suit anybody.
But his mother wasn't satisfied, for the
baby's nurse was told to rub him with a
queer sort of paste from top to toe. This
paste was made with saffron and oil, and had a
pleasant odour. It made Chin's skin yellower
and darker than ever.
It did not seem to trouble him, however,
for he closed his big brown eyes and went
9


io Our Little Siamese Cousin
to sleep before the nurse had finished her
work.
After this important thing had been done,
the tiny baby was laid in his cradle and cov-
ered over. This does not appear very strange
until you learn that he was entirely covered.
Not even the flat little nose was left so the
boy could draw in a breath of fresh air.
It is a wonder that he lived, for his home
is very near the equator and the weather is
extremely warm there all the time. But he
did live, and grew stronger and healthier every
day. Each morning he was rubbed afresh and
stowed away under the covers of his crib.
He had one comfort, although he did not
realize it. The mosquitoes could not reach
him, and that was a greater blessing than you
can, perhaps, imagine. There are millions of
these insects in Siam, — yes, billions, trillions,
— and the people of that country are not
willing to kill one of them!


The First Birthday 11
"Destroy the life of a living creature! It
is a dreadful idea," Chin's mother would ex-
claim. "Why, it is against the laws of our
religion. I could never think of doing such
a thing, even if my darling boy's face were
covered with bites."
If she were to see one of Chin's American
cousins killing a fly or a spider, she would
have a very sad opinion of him.
She was only fourteen years old when Chin
was born. People in our country might still
call her a little girl, yet she kept house for her
husband, and cooked and sewed and spun, and
watched over her new baby with the most
loving care.
The father was only a little older than the
mother. He was so glad that his first baby
was a boy that he hardly knew what to do.
He was quite poor and had very little money,
but he said:
"I am going to celebrate as well as I can.


12 Our Little Siamese Cousin
Rich people have grand parries and entertain-
ments at such rimes. I will hire some actors
to give a little show, at any rate."
He invited his friends, who were hardly
more than boys themselves, to come to the
show. The actors dressed themselves up in
queer costumes, and went through with a
play that was quite clever and witty. Every
one laughed a great deal, and when it was
over the guests told the new father they had
enjoyed themselves very much.
After a few months, Chin had grown strong
enough to walk alone. He did not need to
be covered and hidden away any longer. His
straight black hair was shaved off, with the
exception of a round spot on the top of
his head, and he was allowed to do as he
pleased after his morning bath in the river
was over.
The bath did not last long, and was very
pleasant and comfortable. There was no


The First Birthday 13
rubbing afterward with towels, for the hot
sunshine did the drying in a few moments.
Nor was there any dressing to be done, for
the brown baby was left to toddle about in
the suit Dame Nature had given him. It
was all he could possibly desire, for clothing
is never needed in Siam to keep one from
catching cold.
Chin's mother herself wears only a wide
strip of printed cloth fastened around her
waist and hanging down to the knees. Some-
times, but not always, she has a long scarf
draped across her breast and over one
shoulder.
There are no shoes on her little feet, nor is
there a hat on her head except in the hottest
sunshine. There are many ornaments shining
on her dark skin, even though she is not rich;
and baby Chin did not have his toilet made
till a silver bracelet had been fastened on his
arms, and rings placed on his fingers.


14 Our Little Siamese Cousin
After a year or two the boy's ears were
bored so that gilt, pear-shaped earrings could
be worn there. Soon after that a kind rela-
tive made him a present of silver anklets, and
then he felt very much dressed indeed. Few
boys as poor as he could boast of as much
jewelry.
Chin was born on the river Meinam in a
house-boat. There was nothing strange about
that, for the neighbours and friends of the
family had homes like his. It was cool and
pleasant to live on the water. It was conven-
ient when one wished to take a bath, and it
was easy for the children to learn to swim
so near home.
Yes, there were many reasons why Chin's
parents preferred to make their home on the
water. Perhaps the strongest one of all was
that they did not have to pay any rent for the
space taken up by the boat. A piece of land
would have cost money. Then, again, if they


The First Birthday 15
should not like their neighbours, they could
very easily move to a new place on the river.
Chin's father built the house, or the boat,
just before he was married. He had some
help from his friends, but it was not such hard
work that he could not have done it all alone.
A big raft of bamboo was first made. This
served as the floating platform on which the
house should stand. The framework of the
little home was also made of bamboo, which
could be got from the woods not far away, and
was very light and easy to handle.
How should the roof be protected from the
heavy rains that fell during a portion of the
year? That could be easily managed by
getting quantities of the leaves of the atap
palm-tree for thatching. These would make
a thick, close covering, and would keep out
the storms for a long time if they were care-
fully cemented with mud.
The broad, overhanging eaves would give


16 Our Little Siamese Cousin
shade to baby Chin when he was old enough
to play in the outdoor air, and yet not strong
enough to bear the burning sunshine.
Of course, there were many windows in the
little house, you would think. There were
openings in the walls in the shape of windows,
certainly, but they were openings only, for
they were not filled with glass, nor any other
transparent substance. Chin's father would
say:
"We must have all the air we can get. At
night-time, when the rain falls heavily, we can
have shutters on the windows. They are
easily taken down whenever we wish."
Why, the whole front of the house was
made so it could be opened up to the air and
sunshine, as well as the view of passers-by.
The family have few secrets, and do not mind
letting others see how they keep house.
At this very moment, perhaps, Chin's
mother is sitting on the edge of the bamboo


The First Birthday 17
platform, washing her feet in the river; his
grandmother may be there preparing the vege-
tables for dinner; or, possibly, Chin himself
is cleaning his teeth with a stick of some soft
wood.
The boy's mother has taught him to be
very careful of his teeth. It is a mark of
beauty with her people to have them well
blacked. They will tell you, "Any dog can
have white teeth." But there is nothing they
admire more than bright red gums showing
plainly with two rows of even, dark-coloured
teeth.
How do they make their gums such a fiery
red? It is caused by chewing a substance
called betel, obtained from a beautiful kind of
palm-tree very common in Siam.
Many of Chin's brown cousins chew betel,
as well as the people of his own land. It is
even put in the mouths of babies. Betel-
chewing grows to be such a habit with them


18 Our Little Siamese Cousin
that they become unhappy and uncomfortable
if long without it. Even now, although Chin
is only ten years old, he would say:
"I can go without food for a long time, if
need be, but I must have my betel."
Let us go back to the boy's home.
If we should count the windows, we should
find their number to be uneven. The Siamese
believe something terrible would be sure to
happen if this were not so. They seem to
think "There is luck in odd numbers," for
not only the steps leading to the houses, but
the stairs leading from one floor to another
must be carefully counted and made uneven.
There are three rooms in Chin's home.
First, there is the sitting-room, where friends
are received, although there is much less visit-
ing done in Siam than in many other countries.
It took little time and money to furnish the
room. There are no pictures or ornaments
here. There are two or three mats on which


The First Birthday 19
one may sit, and there is a tray filled with
betel from which every one is invited to help
himself.
If callers should arrive and the betel were
not offered to them, they would feel insulted
and would go away with the intention of
never coming to that house again.
The second room is that set apart for sleep-
ing. Very little furniture is found here, as
well, for all that Chin's father had to prepare
was a number of long, narrow mattresses,
stuffed with tree-cotton. Some pillows were
made in the shape of huge bricks. They
were also packed full of tree-cotton, and were
stiff, uncomfortable-looking things; but Chin
and his parents like them, so we should cer-
tainly not find fault.
You remember there are great numbers of
mosquitoes in the country. How do they
manage to sleep when the air around them is
filled with the buzzing, troublesome creatures?


20 Our Little Siamese Cousin
Coarse cotton curtains hang from the roof
down over the beds. While these keep the
mosquitoes away from the sleepers, they also
keep out the air, so it is really a wonder that
one can rest in any comfort.
When Chin is in the house during the day,
he spends most of his time in the kitchen,
which is also the eating-room. But, dear me!
it is a smoky place, for the boy's father never
thought of building a chimney.
The cooking is done over a little charcoal
stove and, as the flames rise, the smoke rises,
too, and settles on the ceiling and walls. Chin
has had many good meals cooked over the
little fire, and eaten as the family squatted
around the tiny table.
Just think! It stands only four inches
above the floor, and is not large enough to
hold many dishes. That does not matter,
for each one has his own rice-bowl on the
floor in front of him. Chin has been brought


The First Birthday 21
up so that he is satisfied with one or two
things at a time. The little table is quite large
enough to hold the dish of curried fish or
meat from which each one helps himself.
Chin is a very nice boy, yet I shall have to
confess that he usually eats with his fingers!
Yes, not only he, but his father and mother
and sister, and even grandmother, do the same
thing. One after another helps himself from
the same dish and thinks nothing of it.
People who are a little richer use pretty
spoons of mother-of-pearl; Chin's mother
owns one of these useful articles herself, but
of course, that won't serve for five persons,
so it is seldom seen on the table. As for
knives and forks, she never even saw any.
One of her friends once watched a stranger
from across the great ocean eating with these
strange things. She laughed quietly when she
told of it, and said:
"It must take a long, long time before one


22 Our Little Siamese Cousin
can get used to them. They are very
clumsy."
As Chin squats at his dinner he can look
down through the split bamboos and see the
water of the river beneath the house. It does
not matter if he drops some crumbs or grains
of rice. They can be easily pushed through
the cracks, when down they will fall into the
water to be seized by some waiting fish.
The good woman doesn't even own a
broom. Her house-cleaning is done in the
easiest way possible. Anything that is no
longer useful is thrown into the river, while
the dirt is simply pushed between the wide
cracks of the floor.
The dish-washing is a simple matter, too.
Each one has his own rice-bowl, and after the
meal is over it is his duty to clean it and then
turn it upside down in some corner of the
kitchen. It is left there to drain until it is
needed again.


The First Birthday 23
Chin's mother cooks such delicious rice
that he wonders any one can live without it.
He needs no bread when he can have that,
for it is a feast in itself. When poured out,
it looks like a mountain of snow; each grain
is whole and separate from the others.
It is cooked in an earthen pot with the
greatest care, and, when it is done, never fails
to look beautiful and delicate. Chin's mother
would think herself a very poor housekeeper
if she should make a mistake in preparing the
rice.
When a dish of rat or bat stew is added to
the meal, Chin feels that there is nothing more
in the world that he could wish. He knows
that the rich people in the city often have
feasts where twenty or thirty different dainties
are served. But he does not envy them. A
person can taste only one thing at a time, and
nothing can be better than a stew with plenty
of curry and vegetables to flavour it. We


24 Our Little Siamese Cousin
don't need to think of the rats and bats if it is
an unpleasant idea.
As for Chin, if he had seen you shudder
when they were spoken of, he could not have
imagined what was the matter.


CHAPTER II.
LITTLE CHIE LO
"Chie Lo! Chie Lo! come out quickly,
or you won't see it before it passes," called
Chin to his sister.
She was playing with her dolls in the sitting-
room, but when she heard Chin calling she
put them down and came out on the platform
where her brother sat dangling his feet in the
water and holding his pet parrot.
"Chie Lo! Chie Lo!" screamed the par-
rot, when she appeared. He was a bright-
looking bird with a shining coat of green
feathers and a red tuft on his head. He
must have loved Chie Lo, for he reached up
for her to pat him as she squatted beside her
brother.


26 Our Little Siamese Cousin
"Look, look," said Chin, "isn't that
grand?"
The boy pointed to a beautiful boat moving
rapidly down the river.
"It is the king's, you know," he whispered.
"Do you see him there under the canopy,
with his children around him?"
"Yes, yes, Chin, but don't talk; I just
want to look."
It was no wonder that Chie Lo wished to
keep still, for it was a wonderful sight. The
boat was shaped like a huge dragon, whose
carved head, with its fierce eyes, could be
seen reaching out from the high bow. The
stern was made in the shape of the monster's
tail. The sides of the royal barge were
covered with gilded scales, inlaid with pearls,
and these scales shone and sparkled in the
sunlight.
A hundred men dressed in red were rowing
the splendid boat, and they must have had


Little Chie Lo 27
great training, for they kept together in per-
fect time.
"Isn't the canopy over the king the loveli-
est thing you ever saw?" said Chin, who
could not keep still. "It is made of cloth-of-
gold, and so are the curtains. Look at the
gold embroidery on the king's coat. Oh,
Chie Lo, it doesn't seem as though he could
be like us at all. I feel as though he must
be a god.
"The young prince who took the long
journey across the ocean last year is there
with him," Chin went on. "Father told me
that he visited strange lands where all the
people have skins as white as pearls, and that
he has seen many wonderful sights. But,
Chie Lo, there is nothing in the world grander
than our king and his royal boat, I'm sure."
As the barge drew nearer, the children threw
themselves face downward on the platform
until it had passed down the river. It was


28 Our Little Siamese Cousin
their way of showing honour to the ruler
of the land.
In the olden times all who came into the
presence of the king, did so in one way only.
They crawled. Even his own little children
were obliged to do this. No one dared to
stand in his presence.
But such things have been changed now.
The king loves his people and has grown
wiser since he has learned the ways of other
countries. When he was a little boy, an Eng-
lish lady was his teacher for a long time, and
she taught him much that other Kings of Siam
had never known.
It is partly because of this that he is the
best ruler Chin's people have ever had.
The royal barge was decorated with beautiful
white and yellow umbrellas, many stories high.
There was also a huge jewelled fan, such as no
boat was allowed to carry except the king's.
Other dragon-shaped boats followed the



chin's home.


;


Little Chie Lo 29
royal barge, but they were smaller and less
beautiful. They were the king's guard-boats,
and moved along in pairs.
Many other interesting sights could be seen
on the river this morning. Vessels were just
arriving from distant lands, while here and
there Chinese junks were scattered along the
shores. Chin and his sister can always tell
such boats from any others. An eye is always
painted on the bow.
A Chinaman who was once asked why he
had the eye there, answered, "If no have
eye, how can see?"
It is so much pleasanter outside, it is no
wonder that Chin and his sister do not spend
much time indoors.
After the royal procession had passed out
of sight, Chie Lo went into the house and
brought out her family of dolls. Of course
they did not look like American dolls; you
wouldn't expect it.


30 Our Little Siamese Cousin
Some of them were of baked mud and wore
no clothes. Others were of stuffed cotton and
made one think of the rag dolls of Chie Lo's
white cousins. The father and mother dolls
were dressed in strips of cloth wound around
their bodies, just like the real grown-up people
of Siam, but the baby dolls had no more
clothes than the children of the country.
Chie Lo talked to her dolls and sang queer
little songs to them. She "made believe"
they were eating, just as other little girls play,
far away across the great ocean. Then she
kissed them and put them to bed on tiny
mattresses under the shady eaves of the
house.
Perhaps you wouldn't have known that
Chie Lo was kissing them, however, for the
fashions of Siam are quite different from those
of our country. She simply touched the dolls'
noses with her own little flat one and drew in
a long breath each time she did so. That was


Little Chie Lo
31
her way of showing her love, — gentle little
Chie Lo.
Chin didn't laugh, of course. He was used
to seeing his sister playing with her dolls, and
as for the kissing, that was the only way of
doing it that he knew himself.
"Chie Lo, I saw some beautiful dolls in a
store yesterday," he said, as he stopped work-
ing for a minute. He was making a new shut-
tlecock for a game with his boy friends the
next day.
"What kind were they, Chin?" asked his
sister.
"They were lovely wooden ones. Only
rich children could buy them, for they cost
a great deal. I wish I could get one for you,
Chie Lo, but you know I haven't any
money."
"What else did you see, Chin?"
"There were doll-temples in the store, and
boats filled with sailors, and lovely ivory fur-


Little Chie Lo 33
and followed his sister into the kitchen a mo-
ment later.
Every one was thirsty, and the jug was
passed from one to another for each to help
himself. There were no tumblers nor cups.
Chin had made small dishes for his mother
by cutting cocoanuts in halves and scooping
out the delicious cream from the inside; but
they did not use them for drinking the water.
Nor did they put their lips to the jug.
Each one cleverly twisted a palm leaf into the
shape of a funnel and received the water
through this. It was done more quickly than
I can tell you about it.
Chin and his sister thought it was a fine
dinner. The evening dews were falling, and a
gentle breeze came floating down the river.
The terrible heat of the day was over and it
was the very time to enjoy eating.
In the first place, there was the dish of
steaming rice. There was also a sort of stew


34 Our Little Siamese Cousin
made of meat chopped very fine and seasoned
with red pepper. If you had tasted it, you
would probably have cried:
"Oh dear, my mouth is burnt; give me a
drink of water at once."
But Chin and Chie Lo thought it very nice
indeed, and not a bit too hot.
"Isn't this pickled turnip fine?" said
Chin's mother. "I bought it this morning
from a passing store."
What could she mean by these words? It
was a very common thing for these little
brown cousins to see not only houses but
stores moving past them down the river. The
storekeepers were always ready to stop and sell
their goods to any one who wished them.
Chin's mother never made bread, nor pies,
nor cake, nor puddings. She bought most of
the vegetables already cooked from the float-
ing stores, so you can see she had quite an
easy time in preparing her meals.


Little Chie Lo 35
But to-day, after the rice and stew had been
cooked, she laid bananas to roast in the hot
coals, and these were now taken out and
handed to her family as they squatted on the
mats around the table.
If the children had no bread with their
dinner, they ought to have had milk, you
think. But they never drink it. The cows
of Siam are not milked at all, and so the rich
children of the country are brought up in the
same way as Chin and his sister.
When the meal was finished, Chie Lo did
not forget that her dear pussy must still be
fed. It was an odd-looking little creature.
Although it was a grown-up cat, yet its eyes
were as blue as those of a week-old American
kitten. It had a funny little tail twisted up
into a knot. It was better off than many
other cats of Siam, however, who go about
with none at all.


CHAPTER III.
NIGHT ON THE RIVER
After Chie Lo had watched her pussy eat
all the fish she could possibly wish, the chil-
dren went outdoors again to sit in the cool
evening air.
The night was already pitch-dark, for there
was no moon, and there is no long twilight in
the tropics at any season of the year.
But what a beautiful sight now met the
children's eyes! It seemed almost like fairy-
land, there were so many lights to be seen in
every direction.
Their home stood just below the great city
of Bangkok, and along the shores of the river
the houses and palaces and temples could be
seen almost as plainly as in the daytime.
36


Night on the River 37
Floating theatres were passing by, each one
lighted with numbers of coloured paper lan-
terns.
"Look! look!" cried Chin. "There are
some actors giving a show outside. They
want to tempt people to stop and come in to
the play. See the beautiful pointed finger-
nails on that one. What fine care he must
take of them!"
It is no wonder Chin noticed the man's
finger-nails, for they were at least five inches
long.
"See the wings on the other actor, Chin,"
said his sister. "I suppose he represents
some strange being who does wonderful deeds.
I should like to go to the play. Look! there
is a party of people who are going on board
of the theatre."
The children now turned their eyes toward
the small boat of a Chinaman who was calling
aloud to the passers-by:


38 Our Little Siamese Cousin
"Come here and buy chouchou; it is a fine
dish, indeed."
A moment afterward he was kept so busy
that he had no time to call. His canoe was
fairly surrounded by other boats, for many
people were eager to taste the delicious soup
he served from an odd little stove in front of
him.
It is hard to tell how chouchou is made.
Many kinds of meat and all sorts of vege-
tables are boiled down to jelly and seasoned
with salt and pepper. He must have had
a good recipe, for every one that tasted his
chouchou seemed to like it and want more.
"Listen to the music, Chie Lo," said her
brother, as he turned longingly away from the
chouchou seller.
It seemed more like noise than music. Two
men stood on a bamboo raft causing loud,
wailing sounds to come from some queer reed
instruments. A third player was making the


40 Our Little Siamese Cousin
of Waters." It is well named, for many
canals reach out from it in different direc-
tions.
If a person is going to a temple to worship,
if he has shopping to do, or a visit to make,
he does not take a car or carriage, nor does he
often walk. He steps into a boat, and after a
pleasant sail or row, he finds himself at his
journey's end.
"Let's go down the river before we go to
bed," said Chin, who had grown tired of sitting
still.
He stepped from the platform into his own
little canoe and Chie Lo followed him.
The children looked very much alike.
Their faces were of the same shape, their
eyes were of the same colour, and the two
little round heads were shaved in exactly the
same way. A tuft of hair had been , left on
the top of each and was coiled into a knot.
When Chin grew a little older there would



THE GREAT TEMPLE AT BANGKOK.





Night on the River 41
be a great celebration over the shaving of his
tuft. It would mark his "coming of age,"
but that would not be for two or three years
yet. He was only eleven years old now and
was left to do much as he pleased.
The little canoe made its way in and out
among the big boats and soon left the city
behind. Tall palm-trees lined the banks of
the river and waved gently in the evening
breeze.
Suddenly there was a loud sound, like a
big drum, in the water directly under the
boat. "Tom, torn! Tom, torn!" It startled
Chie Lo, and she exclaimed:
"What is it, Chin? What is it?"
"It must be a drum-fish, Chie Lo. Noth-
ing else could make a sound like that."
"Of course, Chin. It was all so quiet, and
then the sound was so sudden, I didn't think
for a moment what it could be."
They had often seen this ugly-looking fish,


42 Our Little Siamese Cousin
which is never eaten by the people of their
country. It is able to make a loud noise by
means of a sort of bladder under its throat,
and it is well called the "drum-fish."
The children still went onward, keeping
time with their sculls. Suddenly the air
around them blazed with countless lights, and
a moment afterward the darkness seemed
blacker than ever. Then, again the lights
appeared, only to be lost as suddenly, while
Chin and his sister held their oars and
watched.
"Aren't they lovely?" said Chie Lo. "I
never get tired of looking at the fireflies."
It is no wonder she thought so. The fire-
flies of Siam are not only very large and bril-
liant, but they are found in great numbers.
And, strange to say, they seem fond of gath-
ering together on certain kinds of trees
only. There they send forth their light and
again withdraw it at exactly the same moment.


44 Our Little Siamese Cousin
saw a crocodile ahead of us, lying close to the
shore. His wicked mouth was wide open and
his eyes were glittering.
"All at once I saw what was the matter.
A chain of monkeys was hanging from a tree-
top above him. They were having sport with
the monster. The lowest monkey would sud-
denly strike out with his paw and touch the
crocodile's head when he was off his guard.
Then the whole chain of monkeys would
swing away as quick as a flash, and the croco-
dile would snap too late.
"Oh, he did get so angry after awhile, it
made me laugh, Chie Lo. The monkeys
grew bolder after awhile, and chattered more
and more loudly.
"Then the crocodile began to play a game
himself. He shut his eyes and pretended to
be asleep. Down swung the monkeys, straight
over his head. His jaws opened suddenly in
time to seize the little fellow who had been


46 Our Little Siamese Cousin
She raised a loud cry and started after the
men. Her friends and relatives joined her,
crying and screaming.
"But this was not all, for every other
monkey in the forest seemed to get the idea
of battle. On they came by the hundreds
and the thousands. Do you think those men
weren't scared? They hurried along as fast as
they could, stumbling over bushes and floun-
dering in the mud. They were only too glad to
reach the bank of the river, where they jumped
into the canoes and paddled quickly away. The
monkeys crowded on the shore and screamed
at them. I wish I could have seen them."
Chin lay back and laughed as he finished
the story.
"We mustn't stop to talk any more, for it is
getting late," said Chie Lo. "But I love to
hear you tell these stories, Chin. I hope you
will remember some more to-morrow night.
Now we must paddle home as fast as we can go."


CHAPTER IV.
WORK AND PLAY
The next morning the children were awak-
ened early by the cawing of large flocks of
crows. These noisy birds were leaving their
resting-places in the trees near by, and start-
ing out to search for breakfast in the fields
and gardens of the country.
Chie Lo and her brother jumped out of
bed, and a moment afterward were taking a
refreshing swim in the waters of the river.
The water felt cool and pleasant before the
hot sunshine had warmed it.
"Come to breakfast," called their mother,
as they were in the midst of a game of chase
around the platform. "Come and eat the
47


48 Our Little Siamese Cousin
fine hoppers I have just bought from the
baker."
The children did not need to be called
twice, for they loved the delicious cakes made
of rice flour and cocoanut milk. The break-
fast was soon eaten, and then Chin and his
sister made haste to load Chie Lo's boat with
the fruit she must sell on the river.
The mangosteens were placed in the first
pile. They would surely be sold, because
they were not only beautiful to look at, but
fragrant to smell and delicious to taste. You
may look for them in many parts of the world,
but you will fail to find them unless you visit
Chin and Chie Lo in their own country, or go
to the islands near by.
The rind is of a brownish purple that
changes its tints in the sunlight. Cut the
fruit carefully in halves and you will find a
creamy, white pulp, with a dark-red rim.
"They look too good to eat," you say.


Work and Play 49
But if you have once tasted them, you will
long for more.
Chin and his sister are very fond of man-
gosteens, and so is nearly every person who
has the pleasure of eating them.
But Chie Lo likes the durions better still.
When she sorted the boat-load this morning,
she was very careful to place this fruit so it
should not touch any other kind. What an
odour came from it! Ugh! It makes one think
of bad eggs and everything else unpleasant.
But people who stop to-day to buy from
the little girl will not consider that. If they
have lived in the country for only a short
time, they have grown to think of it as the
finest of all fruits.
Picture the nicest things you have ever
eaten, — walnuts, and cream and strawberries,
and a dozen other delicious things, — they
are all mingled together in the flavour of the
durion.


50 Our Little Siamese Cousin
Besides the durions and the mangosteens,
there were great luscious oranges, noble pine-
apples, mangoes and bananas, breadfruit and
sour-sops. Chie Lo would certainly have no
trouble in selling her goods.
When she had rowed away from the house,
Chin went inside and got his shuttlecock.
He must find his boy friends and have a
game before the day grew too hot. You
mustn't blame him for letting his sister work
while he played. It is the way of his people,
and the idea never entered his head that girls
should have, at least, as easy a life as boys.
Yet this cousin of ours is gentle and good-
natured and loving.
An hour after Chie Lo had gone away,
Chin and his friends were having a lively
game in the shade of some tall palm-trees,
near the bank of the river. It was great
sport. The shuttlecock was made of bamboo
and was very light and easy to toss. But it


Work and Play 51
took great skill to keep it moving through
the air for ten minutes at a time. The boys
did not once touch it with their hands. As it
came bounding toward Chin, he held the sole
of his foot to receive it, and kicked it off in
another direction. Perhaps the next boy
struck at it with his heel, and the next with
the side of his ankle or his knee. Forward
and back it flew from one to another.
These naked boys of Siam were wonderfully
graceful in their play. They must have spent
many days of their short lives in gaining such
skill as this.
There was little noise about it. There are
places in the world where children think they
are not having much fun unless there is a good
deal of shouting and yelling. Siam is not
such a country, and Chin is not that kind of a
boy. He has many good times and many
pleasures, although he enjoys them in a quiet
manner.


52 Our Little Siamese Cousin
How was Chie Lo getting along with her
load of fruit this morning? She paddled
down the river among the vessels which had
come to anchor there.
"Fine oranges! Ripe durions!" her sweet
voice called. And the people on the decks of
the English steamers and the queer Chinese
boats looked down at the little girl in her
canoe.
Many of them smiled at the tiny fruit-
seller, and beckoned to her to bring some
of her fruit on board.
By noontime her wares were all sold and
Chie Lo started homeward with a bag of odd-
looking coins to give her father. It was very
hot and the sunlight was so bright as it
sparkled on the river that the little girl kept
shutting her eyes.
All at once she felt a tremendous thump
and the next moment she found herself far
down under the surface of the water. The


54 Our Little Siamese Cousin
All that Chie Lo thought of was her pre-
cious coins, and those were safe in the little
bag hanging around her neck. The next day
would be a holiday and she knew her father
would wish the money to spend.


CHAPTER V.
NEW YEAR'S
It was the 27th of March, but to Chin and
his sister it was the first day of a new year.
They woke up happy and smiling, for they
would have much fun for three whole days.
It is all very well for some people to be satis-
fied with a festival which lasts only twelve
hours, but it is not so with the Siamese.
They think they cannot do justice to such
a joyful time unless they frolic and feast
three times as long as that, at least.
On the first day the children must go to the
temple and carry offerings. This duty should
certainly not be forgotten. But before they
left home that morning they helped their
mother give dishes of rice to the yellow-robed
55


56 Our Little Siamese Cousin
priests who rowed slowly down the river as
the sun was rising.
These priests in their long yellow gowns
looked alike. Each one held before him a
begging-bowl. He did not ask for food or
money. It was the duty of the people to feed
him and give what was needed to keep him
from want.
This was what Chin and those of his coun-
try believed. And so, when each night was
over, the priests left their cells and entered
their boats. They passed along the river and
through the canals. Some people gave to
one, and some to another; some gave money,
and some, food. But each one thought as he
gave, "I am gaining merit by this deed of
kindness." And he felt better for doing so.
When the priests had passed along, Chin
and his sister began to think of their friends.
They had presents of sweetmeats for them.
They had saved all their spare coins for many


New Year's 57
days to buy them. These sweetmeats looked
very tempting as they divided them up and
placed them in tiny baskets they had woven
out of grasses.
Some of them were made of sugar and
cocoanut. Others were rich with glutinous
rice and peanuts. Their friends would be
delighted with their gifts.
Before the day was over, Chin and Chie Lo
had received many presents themselves, for
the poorest people in the country manage to
remember the New Year's festival.
The day was noisier than usual. The chil-
dren laughed and shouted more than Siamese
children commonly do. They danced and
they sang. They went into the country
and gathered flowers. They made wreaths
and garlands. They carried some of their
flowers to the statue of Buddha and placed
them in the open palms of their saint.
They played tricks on each other. Chin


58 Our Little Siamese Cousin
and Chie Lo were both caught by their play-
mates before the day was over and their faces
blackened, and then they were shoved into the
river. But they took the joke with perfect
good nature, and laughed over it as merrily as
their friends.
The best sport of the day was with their
dear old grandmother. As she sat on the
platform by the water's edge, Chin came up
suddenly and dashed water all over her.
After that, he sprinkled her with perfume and
a sweet-smelling powder.
But this was not all, for he ran into the
house and brought her out a new waist-cloth
and a scarf to throw over her old shoulders.
At the same time Chie Lo pressed two silver
coins into her hand, and shouted with delight
at the smile on the dear grandmother's face.
Without doubt the New Year's festival was
very merry. Best of all, the children were
allowed to do just as they pleased for the three


New Year's 59
long, happy days. It is no wonder they were
sorry when it was over.
"It is even better than the Swing Days,"
Chie Lo said to her brother, as they settled
themselves for a good night's rest.
"Yes, I think so, too, yet we have a great
deal of fun then," answered her brother,
sleepily.
Girls never take part in the exercises of the
Swing Days, but Chin had been training for
two or three years to try his skill when he
should be a little older.
A part of the city is set aside for the enter-
tainment, and it is there that the swings are
set up on high poles. A short distance away
stands another pole marked with a waving
banner. Just below this banner hangs a purse
filled with gold.
Each person who enters the swing is allowed
to work it back and forth till he brings him-
self near the precious purse. He has one


6o Our Little Siamese Cousin
chance given him to reach out and seize it in
his mouth. If he succeeds, it is his to keep,
and he goes down to the ground on a rope
ladder by the side of the pole, while the by-
standers greet him with shouts and cheers.
If he fails, however, he is obliged to jump
from the swing and slide down to the ground
on the pole, while every one joins in a laugh
at his awkwardness.
On Swing Days there are many processions
through the streets. Banners and flags are
waving everywhere, no work is done, and
every one is gaily dressed and full of joy.


62 Our Little Siamese Cousin
the bamboo top keeps off the hot sun nicely.
Doesn't it ever slip on the elephant's back,
Chin?"
"Of course not. It is fastened behind by
a crupper that goes under the tail, while it is
held in front by a band of rattan passed
around the neck. So it is perfectly safe."
"Elephants are very wise animals, and I
love them. Mother told me that a long time
ago there was an elephant in the city that used
to ladle out rice to the priests as they came
out of the temple. He did it every morning,
and was as careful about it as any person
could be. He made no mistakes, for he
never gave the rice to any people unless they
were priests. Wasn't that wonderful, Chin?"
"It was very wise, at any rate, Chie Lo.
But, of course, he could tell the priests be-
cause of their long yellow robes. I've heard
more wonderful stories than that, though.
"I've watched elephants at work in a lum-



'THEY WOULD PICK UP THE LOGS WITH THEIR
TRUNKS.'"


White Elephants 63
ber yard, myself. They would pick up the
logs with their trunks, and carry them to the
place where they were to be piled up. Then
they would lay them down, one on top of
another, and each time they would place them
in such good order that the ends of the pile
would be kept perfectly even. They are very
careful workers; men couldn't do any better."
"Weren't you afraid when you crossed the
river on the elephant's back, Chin? I heard
you speaking about it to father when you got
home."
"Not the least bit. The water grew deeper
until at last only my howdah and the animal's
head were above the surface. But he went on
slowly and surely, and as he felt safe, I did,
too. In a few minutes we were on dry land
again, and climbed up the steep bank without
stopping to rest.
"It was great fun whenever we went down
hill. The big clumsy fellow knelt on his fore


64 Our Little Siamese Cousin
legs, and actually slid down, with his hind legs
dragging behind him."
"What good times you have, Chin. I wish
I were a boy !" and Chie Lo sighed again.
"They say that the white elephants are
going to march through the streets to-day.
Let's go up in the city to see them," said
Chin.
He was always glad to have his sister go
about with him.
The home of our Siamese cousins is a
strange country. It is often spoken of as
the "Land of the White Elephant." You
shall hear the reason.
Whenever a white elephant is seen in the
forests, word is at once sent to the king, and
parties of hunters go forth to secure him. He
is looked upon as a sacred animal, for many
of the people believe that the soul of some
great and wise person has come back to dwell
for 9, while in his body.


White Elephants 65
In the olden times there was a great cele-
bration after a white elephant had been caught
and was brought into the city. The king and
his nobles, as well as hundreds of priests, went
out to meet him with bands of music. He
was led to the royal stables, and large pictures
of the forests were hung around him, so he
should not grow lonesome and long for his
home in the jungle.
It is even said that he was fed from golden
dishes, and that only the sweetest sugar-cane,
the ripest bananas, and the tenderest grasses
were given him as food. He was loaded with
gifts.
The ways of the people are changing now,
however, and both the king and his people
are wiser than they used to be. Yet the
white elephants are still treated with honour,
and kept in the royal stables, while on great
days they march in state through the streets
of the city.


66 Our Little Siamese Cousin
It is hardly right, however, to speak of
them as white. Some of them are of a pale,
pinkish gray colour. Others are ashy gray.
Their eyes look washed-out and dull. They
are not nearly as grand and noble-looking as
their brothers, for it seems as though Mother
Nature were tired and had not finished her
work, when one looks at them.


CHAPTER VII.
IN THE TEMPLE
After the children had watched the proces-
sion of white elephants, Chin said:
"Let us go to the temple, Chie Lo. It
will be a pleasant walk. And, besides, father
said we ought to go to-day. He gave me
these coins to carry there." Chin held up
two pieces of silver. "One of them is for
you, Chie Lo, and the other is for me."
The place where the temple stood had been
set apart from the rest of the city. It was
divided up into large fields surrounded by
walls. In each of these fields there was at
least one large temple, and several small ones,
besides the buildings where the priests lived
with their pupils. Such a place is called a wat.
67


In the Temple 69
but his own honest little heart and good deeds
would bring him happiness and success.
And now the children passed through the
gateway and into the beautiful grounds.
Stately trees grew on every side, and flower-
ing plants were to be seen in every direction.
Here and there stood large stone statues.
They were ugly-looking figures, but were sup-
posed to be the guardians of this holy place.
"After we come out, let's have a game
of hide-and-seek with those children," said
Chin.
He pointed to some boys and girls playing
among the trees and statues, and having a
merry time.
As the children turned toward the buildings,
they passed under some trees from whose
branches hung pieces of wood, stone, and
porcelain.
"People hung those offerings there because
they are going to build a home," said Chin.


72 Our Little Siamese Cousin
the pictures now. They joined one of the
groups sitting cross-legged upon the floor.
A moment afterward their heads were bent,
and their small hands were pressed together in
prayer.
From time to time, one of the worshippers
rose and stepped over to a big bronze bell,
and rung it violently. This was because he
felt that his prayers were not heard, and he
wished to call attention.
Listen! A priest is reading from a palm-
leaf book; and now he chants a prayer with
his face hidden behind a big fan. He keeps
time by striking a bell, or beating on a block
of wood. The people rise upon their knees
and bow to the ground as he chants. There
is no music in the strange service.
As Chin got up to go away, he turned to
Chie Lo and whispered:
"I love to look at the bronze elephants
carved on the walls. They look very wise


In the Temple 73
and strong. They are the symbols of the
Buddha, who taught men to be patient and
faithful."
"I always love to look at the flag of our
country, too," answered Chie Lo. "The great
white elephant pictured on the red cloth makes
me think of the same thing."
"I believe I shall like it when I am old
enough to come here to study with the
priests," her brother went on. "I shall like
to serve them, and they will teach me many
good things. But I don't believe I shall ever
be a priest myself."
It is the custom of Chin's country for all the
boys to live awhile in the wats, as soon as they
are old enough to have their heads shaved.
They help the priests in the temples, and
serve them in different ways. They are also
taught to write and cipher. After they have
stayed a certain time, they may choose for
themselves what they will do. They may


In the Temple 75
know an odd number of pieces when she has
finished.
You remember the Siamese seem to be
afraid of even numbers in anything what-
soever.
As for geography, or history, or any other
pleasant study, such as you have, very few of
the children of that country have even heard
of them. I doubt if Chin and his sister know
anything about the great, beautiful country on
the other side of the world, where their Amer-
ican cousins are living.
But Siam is slowly changing, and, as I have
already said, the king who now rules is wiser
than those before him. He will help his
people to become wiser, too.
As the children went on their way home,
they fell to talking about their ruler. They
spoke of him as "The Lord of the Celestial
Elephant," and other queer titles.
"He worships in the temple of the Emerald


CHAPTER VIII.
THE LEGEND OF THE PEACE - OFFERING
It was a beautiful moonlight night. The
stars shone faintly in the clear sky.
"They do not look as though they felt as
happy as usual," said Chin to Chie Lo, who
sat beside him on the platform of the house.
"They are jealous because the moon is hiding
them by her brightness. Here comes father;
now we can ask him."
"Father, will you tell us the story of
Rosy Dawn?" said his son, as the boat drew
up beside the platform and the man jumped
out.
"As soon as I fill my betel-box, Chin,"
was the answer.


Legend of the Peace - Offering 79
Five minutes afterward, the family gathered
around the story-teller by the side of the quiet
river.
"Once upon a time," he began, "Father
Sun was much nearer the earth than he is now.
He was ever ready to advise his younger
brother, the king of our country, and would
even order his officers, the stars, to do any-
thing which might help this blessed land.
"It was long, long ago that all this happened.
Everything was so different then from what it
is now, that there was no sickness nor sorrow
in the land. People lived to be hundreds of
years old. Why, my children, the King of
Siam himself was looked upon as a very
young man, although he was at least one
hundred and sixty years old.
"His father, the old king, was still alive, but
had grown tired of ruling after two hundred
years of such work. He had given it into his
son's hands, and now took his ease.


80 Our Little Siamese Cousin
"His only daughter, a beautiful maiden
named Rosy Dawn, spent most of her time
in cheering him and making his life happy.
No one had ever looked upon her sweet face
except her own family. She was as good and
simple as she was beautiful. Her days must
have passed very quietly, for her only amuse-
ments were singing her old father to sleep
and wandering alone through the fields and
woods.
"A sad thing happened about this time.
The naughty stars grew jealous of their lord,
the Sun. They did not like it because he
chose to keep awake all the time, and was
having such pleasure with the earth and its
people that he never thought of sleeping.
"Day and night, summer and winter, he gave
his bright light to the world; he seemed afraid
that something ill might happen to his young
brother the king, if he left him for a moment.
Of course, the stars had no chance of showing


Legend of the Peace - Offering 83
"The Sun's great chariot flew through the
heavens as his noble steeds were spurred on-
ward. It seemed as though he could not wait
a moment longer before he should come to the
charming girl he had just seen.
"You ask me if he won Rosy Dawn's love
in return. Ah, yes! And, sad to say, trouble
followed after.
"You remember that the jealous stars were
watching their lord's movements. After
a while they discovered that he was making
love to Rosy Dawn. They followed him
one day when the two were fondly talking
together in their favourite resting-place, the
cavern.
"Alas ! the chariot was outside. The wicked
stars seized it and carried it off", and the fright-
ened steeds ran away. They did not turn
their heads until they had reached home.
"The angry stars did not stop here. They
raised a great shout against their ruler, and


84 Our Little Siamese Cousin
declared they would be his subjects no longer.
The poor old Sun began to tremble, and shed
tears of gold.
"The mountains were truly sorry for him.
They opened up a passageway through which
he might return home. They promised him
that he might drive through this cavern every
day and be perfectly safe. Again he wept,
and more plentifully still.
"At last he started on his way homeward,
and, as he journeyed along, his tears fell and
formed pools of gold. Those pools are now
the gold mines of Siam.
"It took twelve hours for Old Sol to reach
home, after which he went out every day; but
he came back regularly at night-time by way
of the cavern that the mountains had given
him.
"After this poor Rosy Dawn wandered
sadly about through the caves and mountains.
She, too, wept, and her tears were very plenti-


86 Our Little Siamese Cousin
and fire off guns at such times," said the chil-
dren's mother. "It is to shame the Sun, and
to make him stop such conduct at once. Of
course it takes some time for the sounds to
reach him, but as soon as he hears, he seems
to be ashamed, for the eclipse soon passes by."
"When I was a boy, I went on a pilgrim-
age to the very cavern where the Sun first met
Rosy Dawn," said the father. "I was careful
to carry both a silver coin and a gold one.
When we reached the place, I threw the
money into the cavern. Every one else did
likewise. We offered these coins in hopes of
making merit for ourselves."


88 Our Little Siamese Cousin
might float away, — or, at least, the people
inside would be flooded, unless they had been
careful to build high enough to prepare for
such times.
The fine houses were of brick or wood, but
the poorer ones were much like Chin's house-
boat, woven of bamboo and thatched with
leaves.
The boy and his father soon left the main
part of the river and turned into one of the
canals. They were now in a part of the city
where a good deal of business was going on.
They left the boat, after fastening it to the
bank, and walked along through the narrow
street.
The fronts of the houses here were ail open
and everything within could be plainly seen.
In this one was a big counter, almost filling
the room, and the merchant himself sat cross-
legged upon it with his goods around him.
There was a bakery where the cakes and


Queer Sights 89
bread were made and baked in sight of every-
one who passed. Chin liked to stop and look
at the various workmen. There was much to
see and learn. The metal-workers were pound-
ing and hammering away, and, as the boy
watched them, he could see bracelets and ank-
lets shaped, and sheets of copper formed into
various dishes.
In many places the families of the store-
keepers lived in the one room that was both
store and dwelling, but they did not seem to
be troubled when they noticed Chin's black
eyes following them.
In one store a hammock hung from the
ceiling and a baby was swinging there. What
did he care if he was brought up on the
street, as one might say? Care! He seemed
to think the coming and going of so many
people was meant all for him, and he laughed
and crowed at each new face.
"Do look, father," said Chin, as they


Queer Sights 91
"We will have great sport in flying it this
afternoon," said Chin. "Chie Lo must enjoy
it with us."
He had finished speaking when he caught
sight of a procession coming in that direction.
A moment before there had been so many
children, dogs, and cats in the street they
seemed to block the way of everything else;
but now the children quickly turned aside
and ran into the doorways.
As the procession drew near, a great shout-
ing and beating of drums could be heard.
"Father, look quickly," said Chin. "The
men are carrying a statue of Buddha on a
litter. Isn't it beautiful? It is all covered
with gilt. I wonder where they will carry it.
Oh, now I see; they have stopped at that
open place and are going to have a play.
There are the actors themselves."
"Some rich man is doing this," said Chin's
father. "He has probably hired the actors,


Queer Sights 93
The place they soon entered was different
from any dry-goods store you ever saw. The
room was fitted with pigeonholes, in each of
which was folded a strip of cloth one yard
wide, and three yards long. Some of these
pa-nungs, or waist-cloths, were of silk, and
others of cotton. Some were striped, and
others figured. They form, as you know,
the principal part of the dress of both men
and women in Siam.
After Chin's father had looked at a number
of the cotton waist-cloths, he finally decided on
one that was gaily striped. It was of no use
for him to examine anything made of silk. It
would cost more than the poor man could
afford.
"Now, for the tailor's," he said. "I must
buy thread and needles."
A few steps brought them to the tiny shop
where the tailor sat, working busily, but on
the watch for customers at the same time. He


94 Our Little Siamese Cousin
held the cloth on which he was sewing be-
tween his toes! That did not seem strange
to Chin. He had often watched carpenters
use their toes to hold boards in place. As
to himself, his own toes were put to every
possible use, so that you would almost call
him four-handed.
As his feet were always bare, why shouldn't
he make them useful in other ways than
walking and running, swimming and playing
games? There was no reason at all.
"I'm getting hungry, and we are a good
ways from home, father. I wish we could
buy some cakes."
Chin looked longingly at a stand under a
stone archway where two men stood in front
of a movable furnace. Square griddles were
on the furnace, and the men were busily bak-
ing cakes. Each one was made in the shape
of the figure 8. Curlicue cakes, they were
called.


Queer Sights 97
It is much like an open buggy on two
wheels and is drawn by men. It is more
common in the land of Chin's Japanese
cousins, however, than in his country.
Then, again, if any of Chin's people are in
a great hurry (but that very seldom happens),
they may hire gharries, which are very light and
have canvas tops. These are drawn by small
horses brought from China.
"The gharries are strange things," thinks
Chin's father; "the idea of using them must
have been given by those queer white people,
who do not seem to enjoy life as we Siamese
do. They move so much faster, and are not
satisfied to do things in the quiet, happy way
of my countrymen."


The Queen's City 99
Her real name was almost forgotten, but,
poor child, she didn't enjoy hearing herself
called Pome Yik any more than if it had been
"double-toe" or "hunchback," or the name
given to any kind of deformed person by the
people of her country.
"We went several miles before we stopped,"
Chie Lo went on. "We passed that big rice
plantation, Chin, where you often go on
errands for father. Then we came to a field
flooded with water and covered with lotus
blossoms. They had been raised for market
and the people were busy gathering them.
"See, Chin, they gave me these to bring
home. Aren't they beautiful?"
Chie Lo held up a bunch of the great, deli-
cate lilies for her brother to admire. Their
hearts were golden; the petals, which were of
a faint pink near the centre, were of a deep,
bright red toward the tips.
The flower had a great meaning to these


The Queen's City 101
buy the seeds, which they grind and make
into cakes. The stems could be cooked and
served as a delicious vegetable; the fibres of
the leaf-stalks would furnish lamp-wicks.
The plant has many uses in the country
where it is raised.
"Father says the king has beautiful lotus
ponds in the grounds near the palace," said
Chin, as he smelled the flowers. "He has
seen them, as well as the fountains and statues
and lovely gardens."
"It must be a grand thing to be a king,"
replied Chie Lo, thoughtfully. "They say
that the palace is even more wonderful than
the grounds around it.
"Just think of it! the floors are paved with
marble and the tables are also of marble.
There are all sorts of couches to lie and sit on.
These are covered with silks and satins of
beautiful colours, and there are pictures on the
walls that have been painted to look just like


io2 Our Little Siamese Cousin
people the king has known. Ah! what a
sight it must be!"
Chie Lo shut her eyes, as though she might
then be able to see what she had been describ-
ing.
"The city of the royal women is inside
all the rest of the king's grounds," said
Chin. "You know that one must pass
through three walls before one can enter it.
No man can go there except the king and
the priests."
"Yes, mother has told me about it," an-
swered Chie Lo. "It is a real city, too, for it
contains stores and temples, theatres and mar-
kets. There are all sorts of lovely trees and
plants, ponds and summer houses. The chil-
dren must have a fine time in such a lovely
place. It must be a grand thing to be born in
a king's family." Chie Lo sighed.
"Tell me what else you saw beside the lily-
fields this morning," said Chin, who was quite


The Queen's City 103
satisfied to be a free, careless, happy boy, and
envied nobody.
"When we were still quite a distance from
home, we saw some men fishing in the river.
They were filling their boats very fast, for they
had a wheel set up near the bank. As one of
them turned the wheel, their nets were spread
out and sunk in the water. The other men
darted right and left in their boats, shouting
and beating drums, and making a great noise.-
The frightened fishes must have been driven
into the nets in great numbers, for the men
were obliged to pull hard to lift them into the
boats."
"That is an easy way," said Chin. "There
is a good deal of sport in it, too, for father and
I fished with a wheel once, and I liked it for a
change. But see, there's father now. Let's
go to meet him."


108 Our Little Siamese Cousin
deep forests. They had chased the wildcat,
and had had narrow escapes from the rhinoc-
eros and the deadly cobra.
"Did you ever see a cobra yourself, father?"
asked Chin, as he listened to the stories with
wide-open eyes.
"Yes, indeed. It was only the other day
that I watched a snake-charmer, who wound a
cobra around his arm."
"Please tell us about it," cried his son. "I
wish I could have seen him. Wasn't he the
least bit afraid?"
"If he had been, he would probably have
lost his life," was the answer. "He charmed
the creature with music, while he swayed his
body back and forth as he played. The ser-
pent followed his motions as it listened to the
strange sounds. Of course the man played
with only one hand. He seized the cobra's
neck with the other, after which he took out
its teeth and venom-bag. When this was


no Our Little Siamese Cousin
nut and a cup containing pieces of money.
Music will come next."
"It will be the great time of my life, father.
I must think about it and get ready for it."
"There are many kinds of people in our
city, Chin. There are the Chinese, who live
here in great numbers; there are Hindus with
pride in themselves; there are the white peo-
ple who come here on business, or to teach
their religion to those who will listen. But
Chin, we are Siamese, and we like the ways of
our own country. We hear of different fash-
ions, but ours are still the best to us."
THE END.


THE LITTLE COUSIN SERIES
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Each one vol., 12mo, decorative cover, cloth, with six or more
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Our Little African Cousin
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Our Little Siamese Cousin
Our Little Spanish Cousin
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
Our Little Swedish Cousin
By Claire M. Coburn
Our Little Swiss Cousin
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COSY CORNER SERIES
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The numerous illustrations in each book are by well-
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The Giant Scissors.
This is the story of Joyce and of her adventures
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and in later volumes shares with her the delightful ex-
periences of the " House Party" and the " Holidays."
Two Little Knights of Kentucky.
Who Were the Little Colonel's Neighbors.
In this volume the Little Colonel returns to us like an
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being taken by the " two little knights."
Mildred's Inheritance.
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use of her eyes, and thus finally her life becomes a busy
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L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY'S
By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON (C*ntinuid)
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In this story Mrs. Johnston relates the story of Dago,
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The Quilt That Jack Built.
A pleasant little story of a boy's labor of love, and
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L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY'S
By OUIDA (Louise de la Ramie)
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This beautiful story has never before been published
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Curious little sketches describing the early lifetime,
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BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS
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By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON
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The Little Colonel's Hero.
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