CHILDREN OF PERSIA _Uniform with this Volume_ CHILDREN OF INDIA By JANET HARVEY KELMAN CHILDREN OF CHINA By C. CAMPBELL BROWN CHILDREN OF AFRICA By JAMES B. BAIRD CHILDREN OF ARABIA By JOHN CAMERON YOUNG CHILDREN OF JAMAICA By ISABEL C. MACLEAN CHILDREN OF JAPAN By JANET HARVEY KELMAN CHILDREN OF EGYPT By L. CROWTHER CHILDREN OF CEYLON By THOMAS MOSCROP [Illustration: PERSIAN SHEPHERD BOY] CHILDREN OF PERSIA BY MRS NAPIER MALCOLM WITH EIGHT COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS [Illustration] FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY NEW YORK CHICAGO TORONTO MY DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS, This is a book about Persia, intended to be read by children; and, on this account, much has had to be left out. Do not think, when you have read this book, that you know how bad Muhammadanism is, for a great deal of its sin and cruelty is too terrible to tell to young folks. But I hope enough has been said to show you that Persian children do need to be rescued from Muhammadanism and brought to the Lord Jesus Christ to be His children. He needs them and they need Him. So for His sake and theirs we must do all we can to win the Persians for Christ. I am, Your sincere friend, U. MALCOLM. BROUGHTON, MANCHESTER, 1911. CONTENTS PAGE I. MUHAMMAD 7 II. PERSIA 11 III. PERSIAN BABIES 18 IV. PERSIAN CLOTHES 24 V. PERSIAN GAMES AND TOYS 31 VI. PERSIAN SWEETS 36 VII. PERSIAN PRAYERS 41 VIII. FASTING AND PILGRIMAGES 47 IX. SAVĀBS 52 X. MUHAMMADAN CHARMS AND SUPERSTITIONS 58 XI. PERSIAN SCHOOLS 62 XII. CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS 69 XIII. WORK 74 XIV. CHILD WIVES 79 XV. SICK CHILDREN 84 XVI. CONCLUSION 92 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE PERSIAN SHEPHERD BOY _Frontispiece_ A STREET OF SHOPS 15 A BABY IN HAMMOCK 20 LADIES’ OUT-DOOR AND IN-DOOR COSTUMES 25 PERSIANS AT PRAYER 43 READING THE QURAN TO THE SICK 58 A PERSIAN SCHOOL 64 A MISSION HOSPITAL 90 CHILDREN OF PERSIA CHAPTER I MUHAMMAD