Domingo and his sister Marikena live in a warm, sunny land. It is the land of Brazil, where there are fruits and flowers all the year, and it is always summer.
Domingo and Marikena love the sunshine, and the birds and flowers.
They like to play out of doors in the early morning and at night, but at noon it is too hot, and every one takes a nap.
When they go to the woods they do not see crows and blue jays and woodpeckers. Instead, there are gorgeous parrots and beautiful humming-birds that are almost as large as robins.
Perhaps they see monkeys in the palm trees; and, instead of acorns, they find cocoanuts.
In their schoolroom they sing all their lessons. Is not that a merry way? But it would seem strange to you because you could not understand one wordthey say. You see, they do not speak English, and they could not talk with you.
Every morning the two children are up very early and out on the balcony watching for something. Soon they call out, “leite, leite,” which means, “milk, milk.”
And what do you suppose they see? Not a wagon filled with glass jars or tin cans. Oh, no! It is only two or three cows being driven down the street by a woman.
The woman stops the cows in front of Domingo’s house, and milks one of them while the children watch her. How sweet and fresh this milk is! I wish you could have some every morning, too!
Domingo and Marikena are going with their mother to visit their cousin.
They have had their afternoon nap and it is not too hot out of doors now, as it is nearly four o’clock.
If you were going to pay a visit you would walk or ride in a car or carriage, would you not?
But Domingo and Marikena are not going in either of those ways. It is too hot to walk, and the streetcars do not go up the hill where their aunt lives, so they will ride in a chair.
Children carrying a litter
The chairs are large and have big, soft cushions. They have a cover overhead and curtains on all sides, and are carried by four men.
The two children ride in one chair; their mother in another. The curtains are drawn down, but Domingo peeps out as they ride through the city streets.
When they reach the cousin’s house they do not rap on the door or ring a bell. The mother claps her hands, and when the aunt sees them she says, “Enter and welcome. The house and all it contains is yours.”
Is not that a strange way of saying, “I am glad to see you. Will you come in?”
They sit in the parlor and while they talk they sip coffee from tiny cups. Before they come away they walk in the garden, where there are beautiful flowers and fountains, tall palm trees, and rubber trees with blossoms like yellow lilies.
The chair-men wait and the children ride home again, but it is dark, and they can see only the lights in the houses. The chair swings back and forth like a cradle as the men trot down the hill into the city.
They sing as they go, and the song is a low, sweet tune like a lullaby. Marikena puts her head on the cushions and almost falls asleep.
Domingo nods and dreams of the fruit and the flowers and the funny pet monkey his cousin had in the garden. Oh! the days are long and happy in Brazil, and the children have merry times.
“The Carnival, the Carnival,” shouted Domingo one morning. “This is the first day of the Carnival.”
Then he ran to find Marikena. “Look, Sister,” he cried, “I am a clown this year. What are you?”
“I am a fairy,” she replied. “See my cap and wand. And here is a bag full of sugarplums and sweetmeats. I can hang the bag over my shoulder.”
“See these big pockets,” said her brother. “They are bigger than a bag and they are just full of goodies. I like to be a clown, because I can have such big pockets. Take that!” and he threw a handful of sugarplums into her lap.
Just then there was a clapping of hands at the door and the children ran to the balcony.
In Brazil the Carnival is held on the three daysbefore Lent, and every one has a holiday. The cities are beautifully decorated, and men, women and children wear odd costumes and masks.
Some of them are dressed to look like monkeys, some like parrots, and some like clowns. Some wear gay dresses and funny masks, and others wear ugly skins of animals and hideous masks.
dressed as a clown and a pixie
The children often carry wreaths and garlands of flowers; and there is always music and feasting and dancing in the streets.
Every one has pockets, bags, or baskets full of sugarplums, sweetmeats, bonbons and flowers.
These they throw at every one they meet, laughing merrily if they make a good hit.
The children think it is great fun to pelt each other with sugarplums and flowers. It is as good as snow-balling, only they can never have snow battles because they never have any snow.
The Carnival is the best time of all the year in Brazil, or at least Domingo and Marikena think so.
Where do Domingo and Marikena live?
When do they play out of doors?
What do they see in the woods?
How is the milk brought to their house?
When they go visiting, what do they ride in?
What did their aunt say when they went to call on her? What did they do at their aunt’s house?
What do some of the people wear on Carnival days?
What do they carry in their pockets? What do they throw at each other?