Our Little Hindu Cousin

out of his blanket and gave his cousin Maha

n the courtyard; the new goats with the long hair must

the midst of a beautiful dream. I dreamed that I was sitting beside a clear stream, with many

nking," laughed Chola, as he and Mahala ran down the little w

Chola, as two little kids came frisking toward them, while

" exclaimed Mahala, trying to catch o

ering before cock-crow at the gate," continued the old man, who did not like having to come dow

"It is you town folks who are lazy; but I promised your master when he bou

imed the boys, looking curiously at

he snow on their tops and the great pine-trees. We like not these hot plains; but I must be off

, of water, with steps going down into it. Here Chola and Mahala bathed every morning, for it was part of their religion and must be done in a certain way. Indeed, some of our little Hindu cousins bathe before each meal; and this is why, all over India, you will see the people ba

no one to be seen, so he went on splashing, when down came another m

Chola, as a little monkey leaped down an

monkeys. These mischievous animals would often dash out in droves from the near-by forest at night and eat up the farmers' crop. He

day Jam thought this was just his chance to have fun. Spying Chola's turban lying beside hi

an, for it would be very bad manners for him to be seen without this curious head-covering. But as Chola went up the tree, Jam climbed down by an out-stretching limb and swung himself to the ground, t

e," said Chola, as he drop

to the road and w

e laughed, throwing what seemed to b

d one," said Chola, shaking his fist at Jam, now safe out

ss, for they just wound a long white garment around a

s not take away one's hunger," said Mahala, after the boys had given their teeth a vigorou

, doves, and fowls which were picking up seeds and grain,

ut I do not see him," sai

he thought had spoken to him. Once there came a thief who thought he could steal the fine cock that stood under the veranda with his head under his wing. Just as the thief caught the cock by the neck, such a torrent of abuse came from above that he dropped the cock and rolled in the dust,

they looked in at the door of the cook

which was a pot or pan resting on a few bricks or stones over a tiny fire. These little ovens were near the floor, so that t

ing the cooking, while the boys' old grandmothe

e grandmother to the boys, "t

is here," objected Mahala;

rtant air, was sitting on the floor stirring something in a big bowl. Shriya felt tha

thers make sacrifice to the Gods of the Household?" answered the old lady, rather tartly

is in the cook-room," whispered Chola; so he and Ma

furniture of any kind, no tables or chairs, for every one sits cross-legged on mats or rugs spread on the floor, or squat

om for all the family except the women, who lived

be the image of the family god, and each morning offerings were made to it. This morning when the boys came in, t

e veranda, for all around it hung mats of woven grass to keep off the burning sun and yet let in a cooling breeze. You must know that India is a very hot country and that the

ide his father and told of the trick the little monk

he will have to be sent back to the fore

men, one for the children, and then, last of all, one for themselves. All this took a long time, for there was Harajar Chumjeree, Chola's father, and his wife Lalla, and Murree Rao, Chola's uncle, and his wife, and his son Mahala, and Mahala's li

h thou hast made! None other tastes so good as thine," said Chola, coaxingly, as he and

old lady was always pleased when they praised her curries, and, like other grandmothers the world over, she quite spoiled her little grandsons. So, presently, she came back with a big bowl of the fine white rice and put a pile of it on each child's plate, ta

s, and was very hot and spicy indeed, but the children enjoyed it. Aft

n, little ones, for I and the mother and Shriya go with my son to the Bazaar to-day. There are many things to buy for th

the school; for thou knowest it is a holiday, and Mahala g