20: A fabulous “City of Wisdom.”21: A pun—about 3 lbs. avoir.119A Wise PhilosopherAsa rich trader journeyed to another province, he rested by the road under a tree, and, as he sat there, a poor young man approached and asked that he might accompany him.“Come,” said the trader, and, as they journeyed, they came to a place where there were many stones, indeed there was naught else to be seen.“Here are there no stones,” said the poor young man.“You are right, here are no stones,” replied the trader.Soon they reached the shade of a large forest, and the young man said,“Here are no trees.”“You are right, here are no trees,” the trader assented.When they reached a large village, the poor young man said,“Here are no people.”“You are right,” spake the trader, but he wondered what manner of man might he be who knows nothing and has neither eyes nor ears. However, as he returned home and the120poor young man begged to accompany him, he agreed and took him with him.And, as they approached the trader’s home his daughter called, “O father, what have you brought?”“Nothing but this foolish young man,” answered the trader.“Why do you call him a fool?” asked the daughter. “By his appearance and manner I would judge he were the god of wisdom come down in man’s form.”“I can see no wisdom in one who, when he can see but stones, says, ‘There are no stones here,’ or, when he is in the forest, says, ‘Here are no trees,’ or, when in the midst of a populous village, says, ‘There is no man here,’” replied the trader.“He meant, where the stones were all about, that none were precious; where the forest was, that there was no teak, no wood good for man’s use; and, where the village was, there were no people, as the people had all fallen away from the religion of Buddha, living but as beasts and making no merit for the future life,” argued the daughter.“If you esteem him so highly, take him for your husband,” said the trader.121“If your daughter will have me as her husband, ever will I endeavor to make the path on which she treads smooth and beautiful for her feet,” cried the poor young man.They were married and lived happily, and, upon a time, the head chow summoned the trader to come watch his house during the night. Greatly was the trader troubled. “I shall die this night,” cried the trader.“Why shall you die, my father?” asked the son-in-law, in great concern.“The chow has called me to watch this night and for some time past he has killed all who have watched for him; an evil spirit has possessed him and he loves to punish with death the watchmen, for, he falsely says they sleep and he has them killed but to satisfy the spirit in him,” answered the trader.“I will watch in thy stead,” said the son-in-law. And fearlessly did he go to the chow’s, and, when midnight was come and the chow descended secretly to see if the watchman slept, lo, the young man prayed aloud for the god of wisdom to come teach him what to do. The chow, hearing the sound of voices, listened, and heard one voice say, “The brave and the strong govern themselves, then have they the power to122govern others. The wise make themselves loved because they are good and true, and are served by others through love and not through fear,” and another voice steadily repeated the words. Three times during the night came the chow. Each time the voice was speaking and being answered, and, lo, when the eye of day opened in the East, the chow was found possessed of a kind and loving spirit and no longer desired to destroy his people. The young son-in-law of the trader was made a leader of the people, for the chow declared unto all that the spirit of the god of wisdom dwelt in the young man’s heart, and, it came to pass that the whole land was blessed because one young man had learned of the god of wisdom.The Boys Who Were Not AppreciatedOncethere were two brothers. The elder watched and tended the younger during the day, while their mother went to labor for food. It had happened that the father had died, and the mother had taken another husband who ever sought to teach the mother to dislike and neglect the brothers.123And it fell upon a day that the children waited and watched for their mother’s return until they were hungry, for all day had they had no food. When the eye of day closed, they sought food and found some green fruit. This they ate and then lay down to sleep.Long after darkness had settled, came the mother and her husband home, and the mother cooked rice which they sat down to eat.Awakened by the odor of the rice, the children heard the talking, and the elder led his younger brother to his mother and begged food, but the husband said, “Do not give them of our food,” and the mother beat them and drove them from home. The elder brother carried his little brother back to sleep under the house, but even thence were they driven. At last they sought and found shelter with a neighboring widow, who gave them mats to sleep on. As the eye of day opened, the two children set out to find a new home. For many days did they walk, and upon an evening they found asalanear the chief city of another province. There they slept. In the morning the elder boy sought food, and behold, he saw two snakes wrestling under thesala. Both were wounded. One, however, killed the other and then left it and ate some grass growing124near, and, lo, immediately the snake was whole as before. Waiting only until the restored snake had gone, the boy gathered some of the grass, and put it in the mouth of the dead snake, and forthwith it came to life and blessed the boy. Gathering more of the grass, the boy returned to his brother and they both ate of it and were strengthened.Not long after, a servant of the chow of the neighboring province came to thesala, and the boys asked, “For whom is the mourning in the city?” The servant replied, “The young daughter of the chow; and the chow mourns. If any one will restore her unto life, the chow declares, unto him will he give half of his province and goods.”Eager to try the wonderful grass, the boy carried his young brother and some of the grass even unto the chow’s house, where he sought permission to restore the child with the grass. Gladly the chow consented. The boy placed the magic grass in the maiden’s mouth, and immediately she came to life. Full of joy, the chow shared his province and goods with him and even gave his daughter in marriage, as promised.And upon a day after they had lived happily a long time in that province and had grown wise125and strong, the two young men thought of their mother, and said, “We will go and visit her and her husband.”They made ready joints of bamboo and closed them, after having filled them with gold, in such a way that no one could see the gold. When all was ready, with a great number of elephants and servants, they returned to their native province.On reaching their home, they gave of the bamboo joints to their friends and relatives, one each, but to their mother and her husband, gave they five of the largest joints, and two of the largest gave they to the kind widow.“The bamboo makes fine firewood,” they said to their mother. “Cut it up and burn it.”The mother and her husband were angry and would not speak to the sons who had brought but wood as a gift, and sorrowfully they returned to the other province.Upon a day the widow visited the mother and urged that she cut the bamboo joints.“Your sons say that the bamboo makes a good firewood. Where is yours?” the widow asked.The mother replied, “It is outside. Our children came from a great distance and brought to us but this firewood. We shall never touch it.”But the widow urged, “I would believe and126trust the love of my children. I beg that you cut up the wood.” At last they did so, and when the husband cut into the joints, lo, he found them all gold. Then ran they both to find the sons to thank them, but they were already too far distant. Unable to endure their remorse, there the mother and her husband died on the wayside.The Magic WellThechow of a large province lay ill. All the doctors of many provinces were summoned, but none could aid him, nor could any understand his malady. Lying in his house one day, an old man begged he might see him, saying he had a message from the spirits. Brought into the presence of the chow, the old man said, “Last night, as I lay on my bed, I had this vision. A spirit came to me and touched me and led me to the river’s brink. There I saw a boat prepared for my use. I entered the boat and it was rowed swiftly by unseen hands down the stream. After a little time, it stopped at the foot of a tall mountain. Up this the spirit led me, and through which was no path. We journeyed until we127reached the mountain’s top. On its summit were two great walls of rock, and between the walls was a gate, looking like a gate which led into a city. Leading me to the other side of the mountain, the spirit bade me ascend the rock where the foot of man had never before trod, and, far up in the face of the rock, I saw a small opening, like the mouth of a well. I lay down and stretched my arm to its full length, but failed to reach the bottom of the opening. By the side of this opening, on looking more closely, I beheld a cup tied to the end of a staff. With the cup I dipped pure water from the well. About to drink of the water, the spirit restrained me and commanded I should come to thee and tell thee this water, and this water alone, would heal thee. Therefore have I come, O prince, to lead thee unto this place.”The prince did not doubt him, but commanded the boats be prepared for his use. Taking with him a large retinue of servants, and guided by the aged man, they departed in search of the health-restoring well.After just such a journey as the man had described, at his bidding, the boats landed at the foot of a tall mountain, where he led them unerringly upward, although no path could be128seen; the chow, leaning on the arms of two strong men, followed.There indeed were the walls of rock and the gateway, as the guide had described, and, after a long and weary climb, they reached the opening in the rock.Taking the staff of the chow and binding his golden drinking-cup thereto, the aged man dipped from the well and gave it to the prince to drink. Having drank of the water, and having poured it on his head and hands, the chow was healed of his sickness, and was as a new man. And to this day, the water is used for the healing of the people.129XStrange Fortunes of Strange People130131The Fortunes of Ai PowloOnceupon a time a father and mother had a wicked son whose name was Ai Powlo. One day, while in the rice fields together, the father sent the son to his mother with a message. Instead, however, of delivering the message, Ai Powlo said his father had been eaten by a tiger. Leaving his mother in great distress, he returned to the rice fields and told his father that both his mother and the house were burned, and, for three days, did the father mourn for his wife, as he lay in the watchhouse.While the father was mourning, Ai Powlo moved his mother and the house to a new place and then sought his father, saying, “I saw a woman in a new house by the stream who resembles my mother. Would you like her for a wife?”“If my son seeks her for me, I would be thankful,” replied the father.Going to his mother, Ai Powlo said, “I have a man who would make thee a good husband. He would work in the rice fields. Will you take him for a husband?”132Thinking of the work, the mother said, “I will. Go, bring him to me, my son.”Lo, when the father and mother met, they recognized one another, and they knew their crafty son had deceived them!As Ai Powlo fled from the wrath of his mother and father, he journeyed many days, and, upon a day it happened he stole some pork from a Chinaman. Taking the pork, he sought the rice fields and there he saw an old man at work. Running up to him, he called, “Father, do you not hunger for some pork? I have some to share with you.”“I do, my son,” replied the old man.Together they went to the watchhouse to cook the pork, but found no pot there.“Whilst I make a fire, go thou, my son, to my house and ask my wife for a pot.”“Your husband wants you to give me all the money in the house, as he has heard of an elephant which he can buy now,” said Ai Powlo to the wife.The wife refused to give it to him and Ai Powlo called to the husband, who sat by the watchhouse waiting for the pot, “She will not give it to me.” The old man called back, as he was hungry for the pork, “Give it to him.133Make haste,” and receiving all their store, Ai Powlo fled into another province.Upon a day, as Ai Powlo walked by the highway, he saw four bald-headed men pouring water on their heads to cool themselves. Running up to them, he said, “I know a medicine which will make the hair grow. Rub your heads until the skin is broken, whilst I make the medicine.”Taking some red peppers, he pounded them to a soft paste, put some salt in it, and then handed it to the four simple-minded old men, who had already rubbed their heads until they bled.Having used the medicine, they suffered great pain and would have killed Ai Powlo, but he fled and took refuge with the chow, to whom he said, “I saw four old men on the way, who butted their heads together, trying to see which could overcome the other. All have much strength, and their heads are scratched and bleeding.” Even as Ai Powlo spoke to the chow, the chow espied the men, and, when they came up, he commanded them, saying, “If you are able thus to wrestle for your own pleasure, you can wrestle for my pleasure.” Not daring to disobey the command of the chow, the men painfully wrestled. While they struggled, Ai134Powlo, fearing their wrath, fled, and as he fled, he fell into a deep stream and was drowned.Many years after, two fishermen were fishing in the stream, and as they drew in the net, they found not a fish, but a skull, and lo, the skull both laughed and mocked!As the fishermen talked together of the curious skull, a man with a boat-load of goods approached, and they called to him, asking, “Did you ever see a skull which laughed and mocked?”“Never did I see such a skull, nor ever will I believe there is such a thing,” replied the man.“If we show you such a skull, what will you give unto us?” asked the fishermen.“All the goods in my boat,” laughingly answered the man.On beholding the skull, which, of a truth did both laugh and mock him, the boatman forfeited his goods, but, in his anger, he cut the skull and broke it into pieces, and, of these pieces he made dice with which to gamble, and was it not fitting, as Ai Powlo, whose skull it was, in life had but deceived, and ever done evil?135The Fortunes of a Lazy BeggarOnceupon a time a man lived who was never known to work. When the neighbors grew weary supplying him with food, he sought the forest, and lay down under a fig-tree so the ripe fruit might drop into his mouth. Often, when the food fell out of his reach, he would suffer hunger, rather than make an effort.It fell upon a day that a stranger passed that way, and the lazy man asked him to please gather some fruit and put it into his mouth, as he hungered. The wily stranger gathered a handful of earth and put it into his mouth, as he lay there with his eyes even closed. Tasting the earth, the lazy man was angry, and he threw figs after the retreating impostor, who ran away mocking him.Days after, a ripe fig fell into a stream near by and, floating down the stream, was seen and eaten by the daughter of a chow. Delicious to the taste, she grew dissatisfied with all other fruit and vowed that, from henceforth, she would eat of no other fruit, and that the man who had thrown the one beautiful fig should be her husband.136Angered by such a caprice, her father urged her to be guided by his judgment. Unable to restrain her, and, hoping to turn her desire elsewhere, the chow made an elaborate feast and bade all the people of the province to it. But, among all was not the one who had thrown the fig into the stream.“Is there not yet a man who has not come to the feast?” asked the chow.“None save the lazy beggar who lies at the fig-tree,” they said.“Bring him hither,” commanded the chow, determined to have his daughter see what manner of man she was selecting as her husband.Too lazy to walk, the lazy man was carried into the presence of the chow and his guests.Ashamed that his daughter sought such as her husband, and would have no other, as it was supposed that the lazy man alone had thrown the fig into the stream, and he was too lazy to deny it, the chow had a boat built for their use and commanded that they be floated down the stream to the sea. This he did, hoping his obstinate daughter and her lazy husband might be lost to the world forever.All day long the boat drifted; all day long spake the princess not one word to her husband,137nor would she have aught to eat. Fearing she would not live, if she did not eat, the beggar made a fire to cook some rice for her. Lazy as ever, he put but two stones under the kettle, and it tottered.“I cannot endure your lazy ways. Put three stones under the kettle,” cried his wife.The husband did so, glad she had spoken to him.And when the boat had drifted many days, it came to a place where once there had been a large rice field and there it remained.While the princess stayed in the boat, the once indolent beggar labored day after day in the rice fields that they might live; moreover, he had learned to love his princess wife.When the god, who looks to men’s deeds, from his home in the sky saw the man no longer loved his ease more than all else, but would toil for his wife, he said within himself, “the man deserves reward.” So he called to him six wild monkeys from his woods, and gave into their care six magic gongs, telling them to go beat them in the rice fields where the husband toiled.The husband heard the monkeys and the clanging of the gongs, but, at last, unable to endure the noise, finally caught the monkeys and secured138the gongs. He then threatened to kill the monkeys, but they plead that they were sent, by the god who looks to men’s deeds, with the gongs as a reward for his merit. “Having seen your efforts to provide for your wife, who loves not you, he sends you these gongs. If you strike this one, you will grow beautiful; that one, you will have wisdom. Another gives you lands and servants, and, another, if struck while holding it in your hands, will cause people to do you reverence as though you were a god,” they told the man.Having permitted the monkeys to go, he beat the gong of beauty, and his body grew straight and tall, also his face became most pleasant to look upon. Beating the gong of power, and taking the others with him, he sought his wife. She did not recognize him, and would have done him reverence, but he said, “Do me no reverence. I am thy husband,” and he told her of the god’s reward. When she heard of the magic gongs, she entreated him to return to her father that he might forgive her for not having heeded his counsel.Through the magic gongs, had they wealth, power and all benefits the gods could bestow, and the father loved them, and indeed gave his139son-in-law power above all the princes in his province. And the once lazy man thought within himself: “In former times the people derided me as a lazy man, because I would not work, now that I am possessed of wealth, they do me reverence; yet behold I am as lazy as ever, for I open my mouth and food is ready for my use. Thus it is, that when a poor man does not work, he is called a lazy beggar, but when a prince, or rich man, does not work, he has power, and people do him reverence.”A Laos Feast.Street in a Laos Town.The Misfortunes of Paw YanUpona day, Paw Yan22said to his wife, “Today I shall build a watch-tower in the rice fields.”“You will need four posts about the size of our children here,” replied the wife.Taking the four children with him to the rice fields, Paw Yan dug four post holes and made the children stand in them. Then he packed the earth about their feet to make them firm, took the beams and laid them on their shoulders, tied them in place, and went for more bamboo to finish the watch-tower.140The eye of day had closed in the West, yet the husband and the children returned not, so the wife, in distress, sought them in the fields, and, lo, when she reached them, there stood the four children as posts for the watch-tower.“Know you not anything? I said take four posts the size of our children,” cried the wife.And upon another day did Paw Yan attempt to build the tower, but so utterly did he fail that his wife said, “While I build the watch-tower you gather the food for the pigs, and, when the eye of day closes, give it to them.”Paw Yan watched until the eye of day was about to close, but forgot to gather the food for the pigs, so he took all the rice, which was the food for the family, and went out to the pigs. He called, “Ow, ow, ow,”23and the pigs ran about trying to find the food, but Paw Yan forgot to throw it to them, for, while he stood there, he saw ants running down the trunk of a tree, and he could think of nothing else. “That’s an easy way to get down a tree,” thought Paw Yan. “I’ll try it,” and, throwing the rice aside, he climbed the tree, and, head first, started down, but fell to the ground and broke his neck!22: Paw Yan—a blunderer.23: Ow—take.141An Unfortunate ShotTherewas once a poor man too ill to work, and he had no one to give him food. The chow of the province heard of him and sent for him to come to his house.When the man reached the house of the chow, the chow gave him a bow and arrow, saying, “Shoot upward toward the sky. When the arrow falls to the earth, if it fall making a hole in the earth, I will weigh the earth which the arrow digs up, and give thee the weight of it in gold. On whatsoever thy arrow falls, that will I weigh and give its weight unto thee in gold. If, in its fall, the arrow should make a hole in the ground six feet long and six feet deep, that earth will I weigh, and gold according to the weight thereof shall be thine.”The poor man was indeed glad, and, shooting with all his strength into the air, the arrow pierced a pomegranate seed, therefore the chow gave unto him gold but the weight of the seed!142143XIStories Gone Astray144145The Blind ManA manand a woman had a daughter to whom they ever taught, in selecting a husband, to take none but a man with rough hands, as then she might know he would work.Overhearing this advice, and desiring a wife, a blind man took some rice, pounded it, and having rubbed it over his hands, came to woo the maiden. Though utterly blind, the eyes of the blind man appeared even as the eyes of those who see, and the maiden loved him and gave herself to him in marriage. Never did she suspect the truth.Many days they lived happily, but upon a time the wife made curry of many kinds of meat, and her husband ate but of one kind. When she asked him why he ate but of the one kind, the husband replied, “If a man eat from a dish, that dish should he wash. If I eat but from one, I need wash but one.”Again, upon a day, as the husband plowed the rice field, he plowed up the ridges between the fields.“Why dost thou work after that fashion?” asked the wife.146“The places for planting the rice are small and narrow. I wish to make them larger,” replied the husband.When the rice had grown, the man went into the fields with his wife, and, as they walked, he fell over the ridges, in among the rice.“Why dost thou fall upon the rice?” asked the wife.“I do but measure the distance between the plants. If the rice be good this year, I will then know just how far apart to plant it next year,” he answered.And upon a time it happened the house was burning, and, as the wife fled, she saw her husband lingering and unable to find the door.“Come this way, the door is here,” cried the wife.“I know, I know. I but measure the house that we may build another of its size,” retorted the husband.Lo, as the husband left the burning house and was running, he fell into a well. His wife placed a ladder for him to climb out, but, behold, he climbed far above the mouth of the well.“Come down. Here is the ground,” called the wife.147“I know, I know. I am up here to see if the fire is out,” called down the husband.Long had the father of the wife suspected the husband was blind, and, upon a day, he came to test his eyes. Carrying a bell, such as a buffalo wears, the father hid in the bushes and rang the bell.“Go, bring the buffalo into the compound,”24directed the wife.Suspecting naught, the husband went to the bushes, and cried, “Yoo, yoo!”25The father struck him, but he freed himself and returned to the house and told his wife that the buffalo had been dangerous and had horned him. But the father, convinced the husband had deceived them all, drove him from the house.As the blind man walked, he met a man with palsied feet.“If thou wilt be eyes to me, I will be feet to thee,” called the blind man, and, forthwith, he put the palsied man on his back. As they journeyed, they met a wizard, who said, “Would you prosper, that which you grasp hold with a secure hand.”And upon a day, the man with the palsy saw148a bird’s nest; thinking there would be eggs therein, he bade the blind man go up the tree and bring them. When the blind man grasped the nest, the head of a venomous snake appeared, but his companion called, “Grasp it tightly,” and, as he held it, the snake cast of its venom in his eyes, and he saw all things. Just lingering to place the snake on his afflicted friend, and seeing him, too, restored, the husband hastened home to his wife, but as he ran, he beheld her coming out to him. With these kind words did she greet him, “O, my husband, come I will work for thee. I have ever loved thee!” but, when she beheld that his eyesight was restored, she was exceeding glad, and greatly did she rejoice.24: Enclosed grounds or yard—generally a place of residence.25: Yoo, yoo—stand still, be quiet.Heads I Win, Tails You LoseA manonce asked his newly-married son-in-law, “You will help me in the work that the chow gives me to do, now that you are one of us, will you not?”And the son-in-law replied, “I will promise this. Whenever you go, I will stay at home, and when I stay at home, you will go and work.”149Pleased with the ready promise, the father said, “I thank you, my son.”When the chow called the father, the son said, “This time you go, and I will stay at home,” and the father went.And when the chow again called, the son said, “Now, I will stay at home, whilst you go.”Then the father understood the promise of his son, and he did his government work alone until the day of his death.The Great BoasterTherelived in the south a man who so continually boasted of his strength and endurance that all the people called him, “Kee-oo-yai”—the great boaster. Never entered into his ear a tale of danger, but his mouth opened to speak of a greater one which had been his; never a feat of strength but he could tell of one requiring greater strength which he had done, so, when the men of the village talked together and saw him drawing near, they would derisively say, “There is the great boaster coming. We must flee from his face for, is not he as strong and brave as the elephant? And we, compared to him are but as150the dogs, or as the pigs.” And the company would separate, so when the boaster reached the place no one would be there.Once, a young boy came from a distant province, and, hearing of the boaster, said, “Verily, I can bring him to have a face of shame before his neighbors, for, in one thing I can excel any man almost. I can run for a short distance and my heart does not beat faster, neither can any man say that my heart is quicker than when I am but seated, doing no labor. I will challenge the boaster to run up a hill with me, breathing but four times until the top is reached.”The next day, the boy met and challenged the boaster to run to the top of a small hill, drawing breath but four times on the way. “If you can run and draw breath but four times, I can run the same distance and draw breath but twice,” the boaster said.When the race was run, many men ran along to see that neither of the runners deceived the other. The boaster ran but a short distance, when he shouted in pain and shame, “Had we been running down-hill, I am sure that I could have done more than you.”Then all the men mocked the boaster, saying,151“Your words are truly large, but your works are but small. Never again will we listen to you, for a young lad has overcome one who says that he is stronger than the strongest.” From that time never were they troubled, for, “Kee-oo-yai,”—the great boaster, was never heard to boast again.A Clever ThiefOncea man went into the field of a gardener and stole a melon. Before he had had time to eat it the gardener discovered him, took the melon and tied it to the neck of the thief, and led him to the home of the head man of the village.As they walked along, the thief took his scarf and covered his head and shoulders, and, as he was in front, he ate the melon without the gardener’s seeing him.When they reached the home of the head man, the gardener said, “This man stole a melon from me. It is tied to his neck under the cloth which covers his head and shoulders.”“I thought this man but walked along. I did not know he would accuse me of such a sin. If152I stole a melon, where is it?” asked the thief. He removed the scarf, and, lo, there was nothing to prove his guilt, and the head man said, “I see no sign of guilt in this man. Do not again falsely accuse one, or you will be punished.”Eyeless-Needle, Rotten-Egg, Rotten-Banana, Old-Fish and Broken-Pestle.Onceupon a time there were five men so lazy and wicked that no one would speak to them nor have anything to do with them. No one of their native province would speak to them at all, and, to show their contempt for them, the people had christened them by odious names. One was called, “Eyeless-Needle”; one, “Rotten-Egg”; one, “Rotten-Banana”; one, “Old-Fish,” and the fifth, “Broken-Pestle.”As there was neither shelter nor food for them in the village, they went to live in the woods, and one day they saw a cannibal building a fire. He had both a fine house and much goods, so one of the men said, “Let us go kill him, and take his goods.”“Eyeless-needle” said, “No, we must not153kill him now. When he sleeps we will kill him. I have planned just how it shall be done. You, ‘Rotten-Egg,’ go to the fireplace. You, ‘Old-Fish,’ jump into the water jar. ‘Rotten-Banana,’ lie down at the top of the stairs, and, you, ‘Broken-Pestle,’ lie at the foot.”As the eye of day had closed and the cannibal slept, “Eyeless-Needle,” from under the bed, pricked him. The cannibal thought insects were biting him, and, unable to sleep, he arose to build a fire. When he stooped to blow the flame, “Rotten-Egg” broke and flew up into his face; when he sought the water jar to wash his face, “Old-Fish” jumped and broke the jar and all the water was lost. Taking the dipper to go to the well for water, the cannibal slipped on “Rotten-Banana” and fell downstairs, where “Broken-Pestle” struck him on the head and killed him. Then, taking much goods, “Eyeless-Needle,” “Rotten-Banana,” “Rotten-Egg,” “Old-Fish,” and “Broken-Pestle” fled, and to this day, has no one either seen or heard of them.154155For Work Among ChildrenPractical Primary Plans.For Sabbath School Teachers. By Israel P. Black. Illustrated with diagrams. 16mo, cloth, $1.00.Object Lessons for Junior Work.Practical Suggestions, Object Lessons, and Picture Stories. By Ella N. Wood. 16mo, cloth, with designs and illustrations, 50 cents.The Children’s Prayer.By Rev. James Wells, D.D. Addresses to the Young on the Lord’s Prayer. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.Bible Stories Without Names.By Rev. Harry Smith, M.A. With questions at the end of each chapter and the answers in a separate booklet. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.Object Lessons for Children; or, Hooks and Eyes, Truth Linked to Sight. Illustrated. By Rev. C. H. Tyndall, Ph.D., A.M.2d edition.12mo, cloth, $1.25.Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story.By Mrs. A. M. Scudder. Introduction by Rev. F. E. 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Compiled by Mrs. Robert Pratt. 75 cents.Fleming H. Revell CompanyNew York: 158 Fifth AvenueChicago: 63 Washington StreetToronto: 154 Yonge Street156The Home and ChildrenChild Culture in the Home.By Martha B. Mosher. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.“Rarely has so helpful a book on the moral education of children appeared. The emotions, the senses, the will, as well as the training of the habits of the child and methods of training, are all considered.”—The Outlook.“It is written in a clear, straightforward manner, is rich in suggestions and illustrations, and is thoroughly wholesome in counsel.”—Cumberland Presbyterian.Studies in Home and Child-Life.By Mrs. S. M. I. Henry.Eighth thousand, 12mo, cloth, $1.00.“It is clear, concise and vigorous throughout, and has the charm of Mother love and God love from first to last. 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20: A fabulous “City of Wisdom.”
21: A pun—about 3 lbs. avoir.
Asa rich trader journeyed to another province, he rested by the road under a tree, and, as he sat there, a poor young man approached and asked that he might accompany him.
“Come,” said the trader, and, as they journeyed, they came to a place where there were many stones, indeed there was naught else to be seen.
“Here are there no stones,” said the poor young man.
“You are right, here are no stones,” replied the trader.
Soon they reached the shade of a large forest, and the young man said,
“Here are no trees.”
“You are right, here are no trees,” the trader assented.
When they reached a large village, the poor young man said,
“Here are no people.”
“You are right,” spake the trader, but he wondered what manner of man might he be who knows nothing and has neither eyes nor ears. However, as he returned home and the120poor young man begged to accompany him, he agreed and took him with him.
And, as they approached the trader’s home his daughter called, “O father, what have you brought?”
“Nothing but this foolish young man,” answered the trader.
“Why do you call him a fool?” asked the daughter. “By his appearance and manner I would judge he were the god of wisdom come down in man’s form.”
“I can see no wisdom in one who, when he can see but stones, says, ‘There are no stones here,’ or, when he is in the forest, says, ‘Here are no trees,’ or, when in the midst of a populous village, says, ‘There is no man here,’” replied the trader.
“He meant, where the stones were all about, that none were precious; where the forest was, that there was no teak, no wood good for man’s use; and, where the village was, there were no people, as the people had all fallen away from the religion of Buddha, living but as beasts and making no merit for the future life,” argued the daughter.
“If you esteem him so highly, take him for your husband,” said the trader.
“If your daughter will have me as her husband, ever will I endeavor to make the path on which she treads smooth and beautiful for her feet,” cried the poor young man.
They were married and lived happily, and, upon a time, the head chow summoned the trader to come watch his house during the night. Greatly was the trader troubled. “I shall die this night,” cried the trader.
“Why shall you die, my father?” asked the son-in-law, in great concern.
“The chow has called me to watch this night and for some time past he has killed all who have watched for him; an evil spirit has possessed him and he loves to punish with death the watchmen, for, he falsely says they sleep and he has them killed but to satisfy the spirit in him,” answered the trader.
“I will watch in thy stead,” said the son-in-law. And fearlessly did he go to the chow’s, and, when midnight was come and the chow descended secretly to see if the watchman slept, lo, the young man prayed aloud for the god of wisdom to come teach him what to do. The chow, hearing the sound of voices, listened, and heard one voice say, “The brave and the strong govern themselves, then have they the power to122govern others. The wise make themselves loved because they are good and true, and are served by others through love and not through fear,” and another voice steadily repeated the words. Three times during the night came the chow. Each time the voice was speaking and being answered, and, lo, when the eye of day opened in the East, the chow was found possessed of a kind and loving spirit and no longer desired to destroy his people. The young son-in-law of the trader was made a leader of the people, for the chow declared unto all that the spirit of the god of wisdom dwelt in the young man’s heart, and, it came to pass that the whole land was blessed because one young man had learned of the god of wisdom.
Oncethere were two brothers. The elder watched and tended the younger during the day, while their mother went to labor for food. It had happened that the father had died, and the mother had taken another husband who ever sought to teach the mother to dislike and neglect the brothers.
And it fell upon a day that the children waited and watched for their mother’s return until they were hungry, for all day had they had no food. When the eye of day closed, they sought food and found some green fruit. This they ate and then lay down to sleep.
Long after darkness had settled, came the mother and her husband home, and the mother cooked rice which they sat down to eat.
Awakened by the odor of the rice, the children heard the talking, and the elder led his younger brother to his mother and begged food, but the husband said, “Do not give them of our food,” and the mother beat them and drove them from home. The elder brother carried his little brother back to sleep under the house, but even thence were they driven. At last they sought and found shelter with a neighboring widow, who gave them mats to sleep on. As the eye of day opened, the two children set out to find a new home. For many days did they walk, and upon an evening they found asalanear the chief city of another province. There they slept. In the morning the elder boy sought food, and behold, he saw two snakes wrestling under thesala. Both were wounded. One, however, killed the other and then left it and ate some grass growing124near, and, lo, immediately the snake was whole as before. Waiting only until the restored snake had gone, the boy gathered some of the grass, and put it in the mouth of the dead snake, and forthwith it came to life and blessed the boy. Gathering more of the grass, the boy returned to his brother and they both ate of it and were strengthened.
Not long after, a servant of the chow of the neighboring province came to thesala, and the boys asked, “For whom is the mourning in the city?” The servant replied, “The young daughter of the chow; and the chow mourns. If any one will restore her unto life, the chow declares, unto him will he give half of his province and goods.”
Eager to try the wonderful grass, the boy carried his young brother and some of the grass even unto the chow’s house, where he sought permission to restore the child with the grass. Gladly the chow consented. The boy placed the magic grass in the maiden’s mouth, and immediately she came to life. Full of joy, the chow shared his province and goods with him and even gave his daughter in marriage, as promised.
And upon a day after they had lived happily a long time in that province and had grown wise125and strong, the two young men thought of their mother, and said, “We will go and visit her and her husband.”
They made ready joints of bamboo and closed them, after having filled them with gold, in such a way that no one could see the gold. When all was ready, with a great number of elephants and servants, they returned to their native province.
On reaching their home, they gave of the bamboo joints to their friends and relatives, one each, but to their mother and her husband, gave they five of the largest joints, and two of the largest gave they to the kind widow.
“The bamboo makes fine firewood,” they said to their mother. “Cut it up and burn it.”
The mother and her husband were angry and would not speak to the sons who had brought but wood as a gift, and sorrowfully they returned to the other province.
Upon a day the widow visited the mother and urged that she cut the bamboo joints.
“Your sons say that the bamboo makes a good firewood. Where is yours?” the widow asked.
The mother replied, “It is outside. Our children came from a great distance and brought to us but this firewood. We shall never touch it.”
But the widow urged, “I would believe and126trust the love of my children. I beg that you cut up the wood.” At last they did so, and when the husband cut into the joints, lo, he found them all gold. Then ran they both to find the sons to thank them, but they were already too far distant. Unable to endure their remorse, there the mother and her husband died on the wayside.
Thechow of a large province lay ill. All the doctors of many provinces were summoned, but none could aid him, nor could any understand his malady. Lying in his house one day, an old man begged he might see him, saying he had a message from the spirits. Brought into the presence of the chow, the old man said, “Last night, as I lay on my bed, I had this vision. A spirit came to me and touched me and led me to the river’s brink. There I saw a boat prepared for my use. I entered the boat and it was rowed swiftly by unseen hands down the stream. After a little time, it stopped at the foot of a tall mountain. Up this the spirit led me, and through which was no path. We journeyed until we127reached the mountain’s top. On its summit were two great walls of rock, and between the walls was a gate, looking like a gate which led into a city. Leading me to the other side of the mountain, the spirit bade me ascend the rock where the foot of man had never before trod, and, far up in the face of the rock, I saw a small opening, like the mouth of a well. I lay down and stretched my arm to its full length, but failed to reach the bottom of the opening. By the side of this opening, on looking more closely, I beheld a cup tied to the end of a staff. With the cup I dipped pure water from the well. About to drink of the water, the spirit restrained me and commanded I should come to thee and tell thee this water, and this water alone, would heal thee. Therefore have I come, O prince, to lead thee unto this place.”
The prince did not doubt him, but commanded the boats be prepared for his use. Taking with him a large retinue of servants, and guided by the aged man, they departed in search of the health-restoring well.
After just such a journey as the man had described, at his bidding, the boats landed at the foot of a tall mountain, where he led them unerringly upward, although no path could be128seen; the chow, leaning on the arms of two strong men, followed.
There indeed were the walls of rock and the gateway, as the guide had described, and, after a long and weary climb, they reached the opening in the rock.
Taking the staff of the chow and binding his golden drinking-cup thereto, the aged man dipped from the well and gave it to the prince to drink. Having drank of the water, and having poured it on his head and hands, the chow was healed of his sickness, and was as a new man. And to this day, the water is used for the healing of the people.
Onceupon a time a father and mother had a wicked son whose name was Ai Powlo. One day, while in the rice fields together, the father sent the son to his mother with a message. Instead, however, of delivering the message, Ai Powlo said his father had been eaten by a tiger. Leaving his mother in great distress, he returned to the rice fields and told his father that both his mother and the house were burned, and, for three days, did the father mourn for his wife, as he lay in the watchhouse.
While the father was mourning, Ai Powlo moved his mother and the house to a new place and then sought his father, saying, “I saw a woman in a new house by the stream who resembles my mother. Would you like her for a wife?”
“If my son seeks her for me, I would be thankful,” replied the father.
Going to his mother, Ai Powlo said, “I have a man who would make thee a good husband. He would work in the rice fields. Will you take him for a husband?”
Thinking of the work, the mother said, “I will. Go, bring him to me, my son.”
Lo, when the father and mother met, they recognized one another, and they knew their crafty son had deceived them!
As Ai Powlo fled from the wrath of his mother and father, he journeyed many days, and, upon a day it happened he stole some pork from a Chinaman. Taking the pork, he sought the rice fields and there he saw an old man at work. Running up to him, he called, “Father, do you not hunger for some pork? I have some to share with you.”
“I do, my son,” replied the old man.
Together they went to the watchhouse to cook the pork, but found no pot there.
“Whilst I make a fire, go thou, my son, to my house and ask my wife for a pot.”
“Your husband wants you to give me all the money in the house, as he has heard of an elephant which he can buy now,” said Ai Powlo to the wife.
The wife refused to give it to him and Ai Powlo called to the husband, who sat by the watchhouse waiting for the pot, “She will not give it to me.” The old man called back, as he was hungry for the pork, “Give it to him.133Make haste,” and receiving all their store, Ai Powlo fled into another province.
Upon a day, as Ai Powlo walked by the highway, he saw four bald-headed men pouring water on their heads to cool themselves. Running up to them, he said, “I know a medicine which will make the hair grow. Rub your heads until the skin is broken, whilst I make the medicine.”
Taking some red peppers, he pounded them to a soft paste, put some salt in it, and then handed it to the four simple-minded old men, who had already rubbed their heads until they bled.
Having used the medicine, they suffered great pain and would have killed Ai Powlo, but he fled and took refuge with the chow, to whom he said, “I saw four old men on the way, who butted their heads together, trying to see which could overcome the other. All have much strength, and their heads are scratched and bleeding.” Even as Ai Powlo spoke to the chow, the chow espied the men, and, when they came up, he commanded them, saying, “If you are able thus to wrestle for your own pleasure, you can wrestle for my pleasure.” Not daring to disobey the command of the chow, the men painfully wrestled. While they struggled, Ai134Powlo, fearing their wrath, fled, and as he fled, he fell into a deep stream and was drowned.
Many years after, two fishermen were fishing in the stream, and as they drew in the net, they found not a fish, but a skull, and lo, the skull both laughed and mocked!
As the fishermen talked together of the curious skull, a man with a boat-load of goods approached, and they called to him, asking, “Did you ever see a skull which laughed and mocked?”
“Never did I see such a skull, nor ever will I believe there is such a thing,” replied the man.
“If we show you such a skull, what will you give unto us?” asked the fishermen.
“All the goods in my boat,” laughingly answered the man.
On beholding the skull, which, of a truth did both laugh and mock him, the boatman forfeited his goods, but, in his anger, he cut the skull and broke it into pieces, and, of these pieces he made dice with which to gamble, and was it not fitting, as Ai Powlo, whose skull it was, in life had but deceived, and ever done evil?
Onceupon a time a man lived who was never known to work. When the neighbors grew weary supplying him with food, he sought the forest, and lay down under a fig-tree so the ripe fruit might drop into his mouth. Often, when the food fell out of his reach, he would suffer hunger, rather than make an effort.
It fell upon a day that a stranger passed that way, and the lazy man asked him to please gather some fruit and put it into his mouth, as he hungered. The wily stranger gathered a handful of earth and put it into his mouth, as he lay there with his eyes even closed. Tasting the earth, the lazy man was angry, and he threw figs after the retreating impostor, who ran away mocking him.
Days after, a ripe fig fell into a stream near by and, floating down the stream, was seen and eaten by the daughter of a chow. Delicious to the taste, she grew dissatisfied with all other fruit and vowed that, from henceforth, she would eat of no other fruit, and that the man who had thrown the one beautiful fig should be her husband.
Angered by such a caprice, her father urged her to be guided by his judgment. Unable to restrain her, and, hoping to turn her desire elsewhere, the chow made an elaborate feast and bade all the people of the province to it. But, among all was not the one who had thrown the fig into the stream.
“Is there not yet a man who has not come to the feast?” asked the chow.
“None save the lazy beggar who lies at the fig-tree,” they said.
“Bring him hither,” commanded the chow, determined to have his daughter see what manner of man she was selecting as her husband.
Too lazy to walk, the lazy man was carried into the presence of the chow and his guests.
Ashamed that his daughter sought such as her husband, and would have no other, as it was supposed that the lazy man alone had thrown the fig into the stream, and he was too lazy to deny it, the chow had a boat built for their use and commanded that they be floated down the stream to the sea. This he did, hoping his obstinate daughter and her lazy husband might be lost to the world forever.
All day long the boat drifted; all day long spake the princess not one word to her husband,137nor would she have aught to eat. Fearing she would not live, if she did not eat, the beggar made a fire to cook some rice for her. Lazy as ever, he put but two stones under the kettle, and it tottered.
“I cannot endure your lazy ways. Put three stones under the kettle,” cried his wife.
The husband did so, glad she had spoken to him.
And when the boat had drifted many days, it came to a place where once there had been a large rice field and there it remained.
While the princess stayed in the boat, the once indolent beggar labored day after day in the rice fields that they might live; moreover, he had learned to love his princess wife.
When the god, who looks to men’s deeds, from his home in the sky saw the man no longer loved his ease more than all else, but would toil for his wife, he said within himself, “the man deserves reward.” So he called to him six wild monkeys from his woods, and gave into their care six magic gongs, telling them to go beat them in the rice fields where the husband toiled.
The husband heard the monkeys and the clanging of the gongs, but, at last, unable to endure the noise, finally caught the monkeys and secured138the gongs. He then threatened to kill the monkeys, but they plead that they were sent, by the god who looks to men’s deeds, with the gongs as a reward for his merit. “Having seen your efforts to provide for your wife, who loves not you, he sends you these gongs. If you strike this one, you will grow beautiful; that one, you will have wisdom. Another gives you lands and servants, and, another, if struck while holding it in your hands, will cause people to do you reverence as though you were a god,” they told the man.
Having permitted the monkeys to go, he beat the gong of beauty, and his body grew straight and tall, also his face became most pleasant to look upon. Beating the gong of power, and taking the others with him, he sought his wife. She did not recognize him, and would have done him reverence, but he said, “Do me no reverence. I am thy husband,” and he told her of the god’s reward. When she heard of the magic gongs, she entreated him to return to her father that he might forgive her for not having heeded his counsel.
Through the magic gongs, had they wealth, power and all benefits the gods could bestow, and the father loved them, and indeed gave his139son-in-law power above all the princes in his province. And the once lazy man thought within himself: “In former times the people derided me as a lazy man, because I would not work, now that I am possessed of wealth, they do me reverence; yet behold I am as lazy as ever, for I open my mouth and food is ready for my use. Thus it is, that when a poor man does not work, he is called a lazy beggar, but when a prince, or rich man, does not work, he has power, and people do him reverence.”
A Laos Feast.
Street in a Laos Town.
Upona day, Paw Yan22said to his wife, “Today I shall build a watch-tower in the rice fields.”
“You will need four posts about the size of our children here,” replied the wife.
Taking the four children with him to the rice fields, Paw Yan dug four post holes and made the children stand in them. Then he packed the earth about their feet to make them firm, took the beams and laid them on their shoulders, tied them in place, and went for more bamboo to finish the watch-tower.
The eye of day had closed in the West, yet the husband and the children returned not, so the wife, in distress, sought them in the fields, and, lo, when she reached them, there stood the four children as posts for the watch-tower.
“Know you not anything? I said take four posts the size of our children,” cried the wife.
And upon another day did Paw Yan attempt to build the tower, but so utterly did he fail that his wife said, “While I build the watch-tower you gather the food for the pigs, and, when the eye of day closes, give it to them.”
Paw Yan watched until the eye of day was about to close, but forgot to gather the food for the pigs, so he took all the rice, which was the food for the family, and went out to the pigs. He called, “Ow, ow, ow,”23and the pigs ran about trying to find the food, but Paw Yan forgot to throw it to them, for, while he stood there, he saw ants running down the trunk of a tree, and he could think of nothing else. “That’s an easy way to get down a tree,” thought Paw Yan. “I’ll try it,” and, throwing the rice aside, he climbed the tree, and, head first, started down, but fell to the ground and broke his neck!
22: Paw Yan—a blunderer.
23: Ow—take.
Therewas once a poor man too ill to work, and he had no one to give him food. The chow of the province heard of him and sent for him to come to his house.
When the man reached the house of the chow, the chow gave him a bow and arrow, saying, “Shoot upward toward the sky. When the arrow falls to the earth, if it fall making a hole in the earth, I will weigh the earth which the arrow digs up, and give thee the weight of it in gold. On whatsoever thy arrow falls, that will I weigh and give its weight unto thee in gold. If, in its fall, the arrow should make a hole in the ground six feet long and six feet deep, that earth will I weigh, and gold according to the weight thereof shall be thine.”
The poor man was indeed glad, and, shooting with all his strength into the air, the arrow pierced a pomegranate seed, therefore the chow gave unto him gold but the weight of the seed!
A manand a woman had a daughter to whom they ever taught, in selecting a husband, to take none but a man with rough hands, as then she might know he would work.
Overhearing this advice, and desiring a wife, a blind man took some rice, pounded it, and having rubbed it over his hands, came to woo the maiden. Though utterly blind, the eyes of the blind man appeared even as the eyes of those who see, and the maiden loved him and gave herself to him in marriage. Never did she suspect the truth.
Many days they lived happily, but upon a time the wife made curry of many kinds of meat, and her husband ate but of one kind. When she asked him why he ate but of the one kind, the husband replied, “If a man eat from a dish, that dish should he wash. If I eat but from one, I need wash but one.”
Again, upon a day, as the husband plowed the rice field, he plowed up the ridges between the fields.
“Why dost thou work after that fashion?” asked the wife.
“The places for planting the rice are small and narrow. I wish to make them larger,” replied the husband.
When the rice had grown, the man went into the fields with his wife, and, as they walked, he fell over the ridges, in among the rice.
“Why dost thou fall upon the rice?” asked the wife.
“I do but measure the distance between the plants. If the rice be good this year, I will then know just how far apart to plant it next year,” he answered.
And upon a time it happened the house was burning, and, as the wife fled, she saw her husband lingering and unable to find the door.
“Come this way, the door is here,” cried the wife.
“I know, I know. I but measure the house that we may build another of its size,” retorted the husband.
Lo, as the husband left the burning house and was running, he fell into a well. His wife placed a ladder for him to climb out, but, behold, he climbed far above the mouth of the well.
“Come down. Here is the ground,” called the wife.
“I know, I know. I am up here to see if the fire is out,” called down the husband.
Long had the father of the wife suspected the husband was blind, and, upon a day, he came to test his eyes. Carrying a bell, such as a buffalo wears, the father hid in the bushes and rang the bell.
“Go, bring the buffalo into the compound,”24directed the wife.
Suspecting naught, the husband went to the bushes, and cried, “Yoo, yoo!”25The father struck him, but he freed himself and returned to the house and told his wife that the buffalo had been dangerous and had horned him. But the father, convinced the husband had deceived them all, drove him from the house.
As the blind man walked, he met a man with palsied feet.
“If thou wilt be eyes to me, I will be feet to thee,” called the blind man, and, forthwith, he put the palsied man on his back. As they journeyed, they met a wizard, who said, “Would you prosper, that which you grasp hold with a secure hand.”
And upon a day, the man with the palsy saw148a bird’s nest; thinking there would be eggs therein, he bade the blind man go up the tree and bring them. When the blind man grasped the nest, the head of a venomous snake appeared, but his companion called, “Grasp it tightly,” and, as he held it, the snake cast of its venom in his eyes, and he saw all things. Just lingering to place the snake on his afflicted friend, and seeing him, too, restored, the husband hastened home to his wife, but as he ran, he beheld her coming out to him. With these kind words did she greet him, “O, my husband, come I will work for thee. I have ever loved thee!” but, when she beheld that his eyesight was restored, she was exceeding glad, and greatly did she rejoice.
24: Enclosed grounds or yard—generally a place of residence.
25: Yoo, yoo—stand still, be quiet.
A manonce asked his newly-married son-in-law, “You will help me in the work that the chow gives me to do, now that you are one of us, will you not?”
And the son-in-law replied, “I will promise this. Whenever you go, I will stay at home, and when I stay at home, you will go and work.”
Pleased with the ready promise, the father said, “I thank you, my son.”
When the chow called the father, the son said, “This time you go, and I will stay at home,” and the father went.
And when the chow again called, the son said, “Now, I will stay at home, whilst you go.”
Then the father understood the promise of his son, and he did his government work alone until the day of his death.
Therelived in the south a man who so continually boasted of his strength and endurance that all the people called him, “Kee-oo-yai”—the great boaster. Never entered into his ear a tale of danger, but his mouth opened to speak of a greater one which had been his; never a feat of strength but he could tell of one requiring greater strength which he had done, so, when the men of the village talked together and saw him drawing near, they would derisively say, “There is the great boaster coming. We must flee from his face for, is not he as strong and brave as the elephant? And we, compared to him are but as150the dogs, or as the pigs.” And the company would separate, so when the boaster reached the place no one would be there.
Once, a young boy came from a distant province, and, hearing of the boaster, said, “Verily, I can bring him to have a face of shame before his neighbors, for, in one thing I can excel any man almost. I can run for a short distance and my heart does not beat faster, neither can any man say that my heart is quicker than when I am but seated, doing no labor. I will challenge the boaster to run up a hill with me, breathing but four times until the top is reached.”
The next day, the boy met and challenged the boaster to run to the top of a small hill, drawing breath but four times on the way. “If you can run and draw breath but four times, I can run the same distance and draw breath but twice,” the boaster said.
When the race was run, many men ran along to see that neither of the runners deceived the other. The boaster ran but a short distance, when he shouted in pain and shame, “Had we been running down-hill, I am sure that I could have done more than you.”
Then all the men mocked the boaster, saying,151“Your words are truly large, but your works are but small. Never again will we listen to you, for a young lad has overcome one who says that he is stronger than the strongest.” From that time never were they troubled, for, “Kee-oo-yai,”—the great boaster, was never heard to boast again.
Oncea man went into the field of a gardener and stole a melon. Before he had had time to eat it the gardener discovered him, took the melon and tied it to the neck of the thief, and led him to the home of the head man of the village.
As they walked along, the thief took his scarf and covered his head and shoulders, and, as he was in front, he ate the melon without the gardener’s seeing him.
When they reached the home of the head man, the gardener said, “This man stole a melon from me. It is tied to his neck under the cloth which covers his head and shoulders.”
“I thought this man but walked along. I did not know he would accuse me of such a sin. If152I stole a melon, where is it?” asked the thief. He removed the scarf, and, lo, there was nothing to prove his guilt, and the head man said, “I see no sign of guilt in this man. Do not again falsely accuse one, or you will be punished.”
Onceupon a time there were five men so lazy and wicked that no one would speak to them nor have anything to do with them. No one of their native province would speak to them at all, and, to show their contempt for them, the people had christened them by odious names. One was called, “Eyeless-Needle”; one, “Rotten-Egg”; one, “Rotten-Banana”; one, “Old-Fish,” and the fifth, “Broken-Pestle.”
As there was neither shelter nor food for them in the village, they went to live in the woods, and one day they saw a cannibal building a fire. He had both a fine house and much goods, so one of the men said, “Let us go kill him, and take his goods.”
“Eyeless-needle” said, “No, we must not153kill him now. When he sleeps we will kill him. I have planned just how it shall be done. You, ‘Rotten-Egg,’ go to the fireplace. You, ‘Old-Fish,’ jump into the water jar. ‘Rotten-Banana,’ lie down at the top of the stairs, and, you, ‘Broken-Pestle,’ lie at the foot.”
As the eye of day had closed and the cannibal slept, “Eyeless-Needle,” from under the bed, pricked him. The cannibal thought insects were biting him, and, unable to sleep, he arose to build a fire. When he stooped to blow the flame, “Rotten-Egg” broke and flew up into his face; when he sought the water jar to wash his face, “Old-Fish” jumped and broke the jar and all the water was lost. Taking the dipper to go to the well for water, the cannibal slipped on “Rotten-Banana” and fell downstairs, where “Broken-Pestle” struck him on the head and killed him. Then, taking much goods, “Eyeless-Needle,” “Rotten-Banana,” “Rotten-Egg,” “Old-Fish,” and “Broken-Pestle” fled, and to this day, has no one either seen or heard of them.
For Work Among ChildrenPractical Primary Plans.For Sabbath School Teachers. By Israel P. Black. Illustrated with diagrams. 16mo, cloth, $1.00.Object Lessons for Junior Work.Practical Suggestions, Object Lessons, and Picture Stories. By Ella N. Wood. 16mo, cloth, with designs and illustrations, 50 cents.The Children’s Prayer.By Rev. James Wells, D.D. Addresses to the Young on the Lord’s Prayer. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.Bible Stories Without Names.By Rev. Harry Smith, M.A. With questions at the end of each chapter and the answers in a separate booklet. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.Object Lessons for Children; or, Hooks and Eyes, Truth Linked to Sight. Illustrated. By Rev. C. H. Tyndall, Ph.D., A.M.2d edition.12mo, cloth, $1.25.Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story.By Mrs. A. M. Scudder. Introduction by Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D.3d thousand.8vo, cloth, $1.25.Pictured Truth.A Handbook of Blackboard and Object Teaching. By Rev. R. F. Y. Pierce. Introduction by R. H. Conwell, D.D. With illustrations by the author.3d thousand.12mo, cloth, $1.25.Children’s Meetings, and How to Conduct Them.By Lucy J. Rider and Nellie M. Carman. Introduction by Bishop J. H. Vincent. Cloth, illustrated,net, $1.00; paper covers,net, 50 cents.Talks to Children.By Rev. T. T. Eaton, D.D., with introduction by Rev. John A. Broadus, D.D., LL.D., 16mo, cloth, $1.00.Conversion of Children.By Rev. E. P. Hammond. A practical volume, replete with incident and illustration. Suggestive, important, and timely. Cloth, 75 cents;paper cover, 30 cents.Gospel Pictures and Story Sermons for Children.By Major D. W. Whittle. Profusely illustrated.47th thousand.12mo, cloth, 30 cents, net; paper, 15 cents.Seed for Spring-time Sowing.A Wall Roll for the use of Primary, Sabbath School and Kindergarten Teachers. Compiled by Mrs. Robert Pratt. 75 cents.Fleming H. Revell CompanyNew York: 158 Fifth AvenueChicago: 63 Washington StreetToronto: 154 Yonge Street
Practical Primary Plans.For Sabbath School Teachers. By Israel P. Black. Illustrated with diagrams. 16mo, cloth, $1.00.
Object Lessons for Junior Work.Practical Suggestions, Object Lessons, and Picture Stories. By Ella N. Wood. 16mo, cloth, with designs and illustrations, 50 cents.
The Children’s Prayer.By Rev. James Wells, D.D. Addresses to the Young on the Lord’s Prayer. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.
Bible Stories Without Names.By Rev. Harry Smith, M.A. With questions at the end of each chapter and the answers in a separate booklet. 16mo, cloth, 75 cents.
Object Lessons for Children; or, Hooks and Eyes, Truth Linked to Sight. Illustrated. By Rev. C. H. Tyndall, Ph.D., A.M.2d edition.12mo, cloth, $1.25.
Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story.By Mrs. A. M. Scudder. Introduction by Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D.3d thousand.8vo, cloth, $1.25.
Pictured Truth.A Handbook of Blackboard and Object Teaching. By Rev. R. F. Y. Pierce. Introduction by R. H. Conwell, D.D. With illustrations by the author.3d thousand.12mo, cloth, $1.25.
Children’s Meetings, and How to Conduct Them.By Lucy J. Rider and Nellie M. Carman. Introduction by Bishop J. H. Vincent. Cloth, illustrated,net, $1.00; paper covers,net, 50 cents.
Talks to Children.By Rev. T. T. Eaton, D.D., with introduction by Rev. John A. Broadus, D.D., LL.D., 16mo, cloth, $1.00.
Conversion of Children.By Rev. E. P. Hammond. A practical volume, replete with incident and illustration. Suggestive, important, and timely. Cloth, 75 cents;paper cover, 30 cents.
Gospel Pictures and Story Sermons for Children.By Major D. W. Whittle. Profusely illustrated.47th thousand.12mo, cloth, 30 cents, net; paper, 15 cents.
Seed for Spring-time Sowing.A Wall Roll for the use of Primary, Sabbath School and Kindergarten Teachers. Compiled by Mrs. Robert Pratt. 75 cents.
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The Home and ChildrenChild Culture in the Home.By Martha B. Mosher. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.“Rarely has so helpful a book on the moral education of children appeared. The emotions, the senses, the will, as well as the training of the habits of the child and methods of training, are all considered.”—The Outlook.“It is written in a clear, straightforward manner, is rich in suggestions and illustrations, and is thoroughly wholesome in counsel.”—Cumberland Presbyterian.Studies in Home and Child-Life.By Mrs. S. M. I. Henry.Eighth thousand, 12mo, cloth, $1.00.“It is clear, concise and vigorous throughout, and has the charm of Mother love and God love from first to last. We cannot conceive of a more helpful manual than this would be in the hands of young parents, and indeed of all who have to do with children.”—The Union Signal.“The book is one we can heartily commend to every father and mother to read and re-read, and ponder over and read again.”—The Observer.Child Culture; or, The Science of Motherhood.By Mrs. Hannah Whitall Smith,3rd edition, 16mo, decorated boards, 30 cents.“We have read nothing from the pen of this gifted woman which we have more enjoyed than this wisely-written booklet, as spiritual as it is practical, and as full of common sense as of exalted sentiment. Any mother having prayerfully read this heart message of a true woman will be a better mother.”—Cumberland Presbyterian.The Children for Christ.By Rev. Andrew Murray, D.D. Thoughts for Christian Parents on the Consecration of the Home Life. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.“The author seems to have had a Divine vocation in writing this book, and thousands of parents ought to derive blessings from it for their children.”—The Evangelist.Home Duties.Practical Talks on the Amenities of the Home. By Rev. R. T. Cross. 12mo, paper, 15 cents; cloth, 30 cents, net.Contents: Duties of Husbands. Duties of Wives. Duties of Parents. Duties of Children. Duties of Brothers and Sisters. The Duty of Family Worship. The Method of Family Worship. A Home for Every Family and How to Get It.“A model of what can be done in so brief a space.”—The Independent.Fleming H. Revell CompanyNew York: 158 Fifth AvenueChicago: 63 Washington StreetToronto: 154 Yonge Street
Child Culture in the Home.By Martha B. Mosher. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.
“Rarely has so helpful a book on the moral education of children appeared. The emotions, the senses, the will, as well as the training of the habits of the child and methods of training, are all considered.”—The Outlook.
“It is written in a clear, straightforward manner, is rich in suggestions and illustrations, and is thoroughly wholesome in counsel.”—Cumberland Presbyterian.
Studies in Home and Child-Life.By Mrs. S. M. I. Henry.Eighth thousand, 12mo, cloth, $1.00.
“It is clear, concise and vigorous throughout, and has the charm of Mother love and God love from first to last. We cannot conceive of a more helpful manual than this would be in the hands of young parents, and indeed of all who have to do with children.”—The Union Signal.
“The book is one we can heartily commend to every father and mother to read and re-read, and ponder over and read again.”—The Observer.
Child Culture; or, The Science of Motherhood.By Mrs. Hannah Whitall Smith,3rd edition, 16mo, decorated boards, 30 cents.
“We have read nothing from the pen of this gifted woman which we have more enjoyed than this wisely-written booklet, as spiritual as it is practical, and as full of common sense as of exalted sentiment. Any mother having prayerfully read this heart message of a true woman will be a better mother.”—Cumberland Presbyterian.
The Children for Christ.By Rev. Andrew Murray, D.D. Thoughts for Christian Parents on the Consecration of the Home Life. 12mo, cloth, $1.00.
“The author seems to have had a Divine vocation in writing this book, and thousands of parents ought to derive blessings from it for their children.”—The Evangelist.
Home Duties.Practical Talks on the Amenities of the Home. By Rev. R. T. Cross. 12mo, paper, 15 cents; cloth, 30 cents, net.
Contents: Duties of Husbands. Duties of Wives. Duties of Parents. Duties of Children. Duties of Brothers and Sisters. The Duty of Family Worship. The Method of Family Worship. A Home for Every Family and How to Get It.
“A model of what can be done in so brief a space.”—The Independent.
Fleming H. Revell CompanyNew York: 158 Fifth AvenueChicago: 63 Washington StreetToronto: 154 Yonge Street
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