. Siam . animals and babiesârolling about togetherin the most laughable fashion. Names are often changed,so that a boy who is Leam to-day may be called Chua to-morrow. Sometimes the name is changedbecause it is thought to be unlucky. If Chua is ill,the chances are that there are certain spirits who do notlike his name, so the parents alter his name to Mee,or something else, and then he gets well again. Smoking is commenced at a very early age, and everylittle boy has his own tobacco supply and packet ofcigarette-papers. As he trots to school in the morninghe puffs away vigorously, occasionally
. Siam . animals and babiesârolling about togetherin the most laughable fashion. Names are often changed,so that a boy who is Leam to-day may be called Chua to-morrow. Sometimes the name is changedbecause it is thought to be unlucky. If Chua is ill,the chances are that there are certain spirits who do notlike his name, so the parents alter his name to Mee,or something else, and then he gets well again. Smoking is commenced at a very early age, and everylittle boy has his own tobacco supply and packet ofcigarette-papers. As he trots to school in the morninghe puffs away vigorously, occasionally passing hiscigarette to a friend that he also may take a few the cigarette is not finished when he arrives at school,he pinches off the hot end and puts the rest behind oneof his ears, as we might put a pencil or a pen. As soonas school is over, out come the matches and thecigarettes again, and the little chimney puffs off hometo lunch. When the Siamese young folks get up in the morning, i6. THE GULF OF SI AMâMOONLIGHT. Pai^e 10. The Children they do not go to the washstand to wash their handsand faces, for the simple reason that there are no wash-stands. They go outside the house to a large jar ofwater, and then throw the water over hands and faceswith a coco-nut dipper. No towels are used, as thehot air soon dries up the water. The teeth, are notbrushed, for they have been stained black, and it wouldbe a pity to wash the colour off. The hair is notcombed, as it has all been shaved except for a littletuft on the top of the head, and that is tied in a knot,and not often combed. When breakfast is over the children go off to play,the baby being carried by the big sister, not in the arms,but sitting on the hip of the bearer, as on a girls play at keeping houses. They make dishesof clay and mud, and dry them in the sun ; gatherherbs, and flowers, and weeds, and pretend that theseare cakes and sweetmeats. For dolls they use smallclay images that have been whit
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidsiampeepsatmany00youn
