Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class BookLedyard, Mary Forman
General
Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book
Ledyard, Mary Forman
Chinese in literature
To make feast ready, twenty Coolies and girls work two days and nights,
then great night come, and eight o'clock strike. Inside hall all
prepare, all like one golden dream, great fire blaze up Chimney.
Lanterns spread glow like red of sun set, all through green arbors, and
through great room. A bell sounds. Ah, the Honorable Teachers have come!
Girls all stand in row beside the door and make low bowings as Teachers
pass. Bing Ding invite to seats, and when all in place, girls also take
seats and feast begin.
After Miss Powers say little word of blessing servants bring in covered
dishes, and place on tables.
In middle of feast all suddenly begin great noise outside of hall,
fire-crackers and rockets and Tom-Toms then all so still we very much
surprised and know not who come to congratulate us. Then most wonderful,
most beautiful Band begin to play under window and every body look at Da
Hua because well we know it is St. Marks College Band and we know who is
at the head of that Band, and why it plays for our feast. Da Hua dare
not look up for she too knows it is for her that the Head Master is
bringing congratulations thus. When the Band stops playing all clap
hands for more, Miss Powers stand up and say, "Seng Meng. Bing Ang, and
many times thank you. Ke Dang." Again beautiful music begin, and
continue all through feast.
When feast is finished we hear more large fire-crackers and musicians go
away. Honorable Instructors stand and Miss Powers begin to make polite
thank you's and farewells.
Then I go forward because I have the Folk stories to introduce. I beg
Honorable Teachers to remain a little while that we may relate to them
some Chinese Folk-lore of our feasts and festivals, of which we have so
many.
Quickly, like magic, Coolies carry tables and other feast furniture
away, and move seats to centre of room, where make one-half circle
before fire, Honorable Teachers in centre, and girls sitting on floor
all about each side.
After some little explanations about stories of great enchantment to all
Chinese people, I say to all, "Since this feast the very greatest of the
whole year, we make selections of two other feasts for stories, and Cui
Ai will tell the first story."
Cui Ai at once came to centre of wide half circle, and after making
little bow, take seat on low hassock, Miss Sterling whisper to Dr.
Ewing, "She look like fire-witch with the great flames framing her black
head, and those long braids sweeping out over the floor."
Cui Ai begin with voice much of shakiness at first, after awhile grow
strong, and all time so clear so plain Chinese girls whisper together
that it wonderful to speak the difficult foreign language so clearly.
Cui Ai's Story.
The Mid-Autumn Festival.
Our country has a feast every year, on the fifteenth day of the eighth
moon, to commemorate King Dong Ming who invented the Musical
Instruments.
This is the story:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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