Page:Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills.djvu/60

48 canary pai yen 白燕; the quail, an shun 鵪鶉; monkeys hou tzŭ, 猴子 which are said to be better than dogs as a protection against thieves; rabbits t‘u tzŭ 兔子, generally in narrow-necked crocks sunk in the ground; pigeons ko-tzŭ 鴿子, some of the best carriers returning home from 1000 li or more; they are often sold, and as they always go home again good profit is made; white mice which drive little wheels in their cages; stove crickets, tsao chi-tzŭ 竈鷄子; and 'ocean insects,' yang ch‘ung 洋蟲, which are said to cure tuberculosis. I do not know what these insects really are.

The Chinese are great bird-fanciers and pet-keepers, and domesticate many birds besides those above mentioned. Lotteries, smoking, snuffing, etc., are other amusements; it is a nation of smokers. Probably the dismal homes make the people love the pipe, and the crudeness of medical science makes them take to opium.

青幽幽　黑洞洞　十個牯牛拉不動 Of a dark green, in a black cave, which ten oxen cannot move, What is it? (A well.)

千節節　萬節節　千年萬年不落葉 With a thousand joints, even ten thousand joints. For a thousand or ten thousand years it does not lose its leaves. (The bamboo.)

金篼篼　銀絲絲　一搥打開四姊妹 A golden and silver floss: one stroke of the hammer and it becomes four sisters. (A walnut.)

十姊妹　同路耍　各人頭上頂片瓦 Ten little sisters went out for a walk, On the crown of each a tile is fixed. (The fingers.)

頭戴紅頂子　身穿白袍子　走路很斯文　説話像蠻子 On his head he wears a red button, his body is clothed with a white robe, his walk is like an elegant scholar's, but his talk is like a barbarian's. (The goose.)

各家窩頭一個蕩　一根白蛇在裏頭放　要死要死又掇他一棒 In each family niche there is a pool, in which a pure