large it was! To Kon Ying it had always seemed no larger than a small
Chinese lantern, but now, as she came nearer, it seemed greater than the
whole world. Soon she could see it no more, and the white rabbits told
her that they were already in the moon. It was the most beautiful
country. The velvet grass was covered with the sacred almond blossom
petals, and their perfume was sweeter far than any incense. They passed
through a long avenue of pure white chrysanthemums, which showered their
petals upon them like snow. At the end of this avenue the chairs were
stopped, and cunning little white-rabbit pages assisted them gently to
the ground. A tender light flooded the place, and when Kon Ying raised
her eyes she saw before her a throne, draped with the flags of the
Imperial Court of China,--yellow silk, with blue dragons embroidered
upon them,--and on the throne sat the queen,--the good moon rabbit who
had heard her prayer.
This queen was busily engaged in pounding rice, pounding it into a
powder, and then sending it down to earth, to be eaten during the Moon
Festival and the China New Year. She wore a pink gauze dress all
covered with glittering spangles, and as Kon Ying approached the queen
was singing:
“The small-footed girl with the sweet little smile,
She loves to eat sugar and sweets all the while;
Her money’s all gone, and because she can’t buy,
She holds her small feet while she sits down to cry.”
It sounded very pretty, as the queen had quite a sweet voice, and Kon
Ying soon found herself singing it with all the others. The queen
extended one soft white paw in greeting, but kept on pounding rice with
the other.
All the dear little Chinese ladies and men now seated themselves around
the throne. The white-rabbit pages handed each one a different musical
instrument, and there burst forth the loveliest music that Kon Ying had
ever heard. She found that she could play quite as well as any of them,
which was a great surprise to her, as she had never before even touched
a musical instrument.
After the music the queen ordered refreshments served, and they entered
a bower of almond blossoms and China lilies, seating themselves at a
long table, where they were served by a lot of tiny white-rabbit pages.
They ate with ivory chopsticks set with diamonds. The queen sat at the
head of the table, and could hold the chopsticks in her paws quite as
well as any one. What a feast that was! Yet plenty of funny things
happened, even if it was a royal company. The queen forgot herself, and
stuck her nose right into a bowl of hot rice, at which there was a
general giggle. A page quickly brought a finger-bowl and sponged the
burnt nose, so it was all right.
There were all sorts of good Chinese things to eat,--delicious _chah_
(tea) in little handleless bowls, all kinds of pretty moon-cakes, little
biscuit made of almond meal; watermelon seed, and many other things.
When the feast was ended the queen said that each of them could make one
wish, and it would be gratified. Kon Ying did not have to hesitate long
over her wish.
She knew what she wanted more than anything in the world, and she
remembered that she had prayed to the rabbit, so perhaps--perhaps--“Oh,
dear queen!” she said at last in her piping little voice, “I be _so_
good if only--if only--I could have--a doll, like the one in the shop
window; oh, if I could--if I could.”
Her eyes were full of tears as she finished, for it meant so much to
her. The good moon rabbit replied: “You shall have your wish, little
one, for you are a good child.”
Kon Ying now bade farewell to the queen and all the dear little Chinese
people, and jumping into the sedan chair was soon whirling away once
more, and in a short while found herself entering the window of her own
home, and placing her tired body on the bed. When she awoke the next
morning she remembered the queen’s promise, and--what was that on her
bed, close beside her? A queer looking package, and on it, written in
Chinese letters, “For good little Kon Ying, from the moon labbit.”
Hastily tearing open the packet she saw disclosed--the DOLL! She fancied
the god frowned when he saw it.
That night, when the narrow Chinese streets were gay with the many
lanterns, and sweet with the fragrant almond blossom and lily, and the
happy crowds were thronging the streets, the old highbinder passed the
door. He smiled as he saw little Kon Ying seated in the doorway, holding
the DOLL in her arms, and with rapture unspeakable in her childish
eyes.
“Where you catch ’em?” he inquired in a jovial tone.
“Oh, I so happy,” she said. “I went to the moon last night, and the moon
labbit _did_ bling me the DOLL.”
And the highbinder smiled.
_HOW SANTA CLAUS CAME TO SUEY HIP_
Suey Hip was a little Chinese girl. She did not have a bright, cheerful
home, but lived in a cellar, with steps going down from the street. It
was dark and smoky down there, but of course it did not seem so bad to
Suey Hip as it would to those who have always had a nice home, because
she had never known anything else.
Sometimes the children of a wealthy Chinese merchant would toddle by in
their richly embroidered robes, and their feet were so small they could
hardly walk. Suey Hip would sit on the top of the steps, and when she
wished, play on the pavement in front of her home. And, oh, how she did
long for some of those pretty garments! But her _mo chun_ worked very
hard to get what she had by sewing for the Chinese stores, and there was
no way to get anything more.
Now one day when Suey Hip sat on the step sunning herself, and looking
with longing eyes at the people as they passed, there came a little
American girl, walking with her papa through the streets. Suey Hip was
very bashful, and hung her head, and scraped her little sandals on the
pavement as they passed before her.
“Hello, little one,” said the man, in such a kind voice that Suey Hip
looked up, and as she did so, caught sight of something in the little
Dorothy’s arms that put her little motherly heart all in a glow, and she
no longer felt afraid. What was it she saw? Why, just the loveliest big
doll, with eyes that opened and shut, and it was dressed all in pink
silk. Oh, the wonder and delight that sparkled in the dark eyes as she
gazed. It seemed too beautiful to be anything but a dream, and she cried
as she looked into the sweet face of little Dorothy: “Oh, what is it?
Where you catch ’em?”
Dorothy laughed as she replied: “Why, this is my dollie; Santa Claus
brought it to me last Christmas.”
“Sanny Claw? Who Sanny Claw?--what’s Clismas?” eagerly inquired the
child.
“Don’t you know what Christmas is?” said Dorothy. “Why, Christmas is
the loveliest time of all the year. It is then that we hang up our
stockings, and in the night while we are asleep Santa Claus comes down
the chimney, and fills our stockings with the loveliest things--dolls
and toys and candy, and, oh--just everything.”
All this time Dorothy’s papa stood listening in amused silence, as he
thought it best to let the children carry on their conversation in their
own way.
“I wish I was you,” said Suey Hip. “Sanny Claw no come here; we no have
Clismas; you think he ever come--bling me doll?”
Just then Dorothy’s papa spoke and said: “I tell you what to do. You get
your mamma to write a note in Chinese to Santa, and we will come
to-morrow and get the note and I will see that Santa Claus gets it. It
is now just one month until Christmas, and who knows what may happen in
that time?”
“You come again to-mollow?” eagerly inquired the child, and Dorothy
said, “Yes--yes, we will, won’t we, papa?”
“Yes, dear, we will come again to-morrow.”
When they had passed out of sight along the narrow streets, Suey Hip
toddled down the dark steps into the cellar she called home, and going
to her mother, who sat sewing by a tiny latticed window, she exclaimed:
“Oh, _mo chun_! little ’Melican girl she say Sanny Claw come evvy
yeah--bling doll--bling candy, toy, evvything. She say you lite note to
Sanny Claw; tell him come bling me doll Clismas.”
After a great deal of explanation she made her little brown mother
understand, and although she herself could not really believe that
anything so nice could happen to her child, yet she had a mother’s
tender heart, and was willing to do all the child asked of her. So she
left her work, and went to a little table where there were some
odd-looking writing materials, Suey Hip watching her eagerly all the
while, and taking up a slender brush-stick, dipped it in an ink-like
mixture, and began to make queer Chinese letters up and down the long
slip of red paper. After much effort it was finished, and given to Suey
Hip. She placed it carefully in a little
[Illustration: _Suey Hip was very much dressed up_]
vase, and went out again to play on the streets.
She was so excited that night that she could hardly eat her supper of
rice and tea and little sweetened cakes. She was almost too much excited
to burn her incense before the little god in the corner, but she managed
to get through with it, and was then put to bed. Next day at the same
hour Suey Hip’s face had been scrubbed until it fairly shone, and her
thick black hair was pasted down and braided into a long queue. She wore
her best trousers and blouse of light blue silk, and little red sandals.
Suey Hip was very much dressed up.
The shy little mother, who had also come out on the pavement to watch
for the Americans, put her fan up to hide her face when she saw them
coming, and quietly as a mouse slipped down the steps again. Suey Hip
eagerly handed them the note which was to mean so much to her. Dorothy’s
mama had come with them this time, and when she caught a glimpse of the
timid little Chinese mother peeping eagerly up at them, she, with her
kind woman’s heart, stepped down into the dark cellar, and stretched out
both her white hands to meet the little brown hands of the mother who
lived in a cellar.
She managed to make herself understood, and there was a good deal of low
talking, and mysterious signs between the two mothers, but they
understood, as mothers will; and papa pretended he did not see and hear.
Dorothy told Suey Hip it was just a month until Christmas, and that
would not be very long--just four little weeks, which would soon pass.
Then Mrs. Suey shyly asked them to come in and have a cup of tea, which,
served in the dearest little bowls, proved to be the best they had ever
tasted.
After that there were a great many calls from Dorothy and her mama, and
a great deal more of that mysterious whispering between the two mothers,
until at last it was announced that the very next day would be
Christmas. “Oh, too good--too good,” said Suey Hip, as she toddled
around, too delighted to be quiet one minute.
It seemed as if the day would never pass, but after awhile the shadows
began to fall on the narrow streets, and the big lanterns were lighted,
and made everything beautiful; and Suey Hip knew that she was the only
child in all the big Chinatown who would hang up her stocking that
night.
The hour had come. She got out her very best pair of cream-colored
stockings, and with trembling little fingers hung them securely to the
foot of her couch, and was soon in the land of dreams. In the midst of
her dream she awoke with a start. She wondered if he had been here yet.
It was so dark, but oh--she felt as if she just couldn’t wait. But she
knew _mo chun_ was tired, and she did not wish to awaken her, so she
crept softly to the foot of the bed, and groped around in the dark, for
her stockings. Once she almost fell off the bed, but finally her little
hands found what she sought, and she felt the stockings.
They were all lumpy and fat,--what could be in them? In the top of one
she felt something large--something with hands and feet and hair. Oh,
joy! could it be? But she must wait and see.
Oh, how glad she was when she heard _mo chun_ moving, and saw the first
glimmer of the day steal into their cellar home! With one bound she was
out of bed, and _mo chun_ was as glad as she, for really and truly, in
the dark night, the “‘Melican Sanny Claw” had by some means crept down
there, and just filled her stockings with good things. The thing with
hands and feet and hair was a real doll, with big blue eyes that opened
and shut, and yellow hair and a blue silk dress. It had on the dearest
little shoes and earrings, bracelets, a necklace, and a nice big hat.
Oh, how she hugged it to her heart, and could scarcely put it down long
enough to see what else was there. Not only were the stockings full, but
there were lovely things all around. There was the nicest little trunk
for dollie, all full of pretty dresses and wraps, and there was doll
furniture, and the daintiest set of doll dishes. It seemed to the poor
little Chinese girl that she had everything in the world there was to
have, and--what do you suppose? Poked in through the little latticed
window they found a package, and on it the words--
“FOR MAMA SUEY, FROM
SANTA CLAUS.”
When her trembling hands had eagerly opened it, what should she find but
a whole lot of gold money? Oh, how happy she was! Now she would not have
to work so hard, and strain her eyes at night by the dim candle. Now,
they could have some pork whenever they wished, and they pictured all
the happiness it would bring them. When Dorothy’s papa and mama came
that day they found the happiest hearts in the whole big city, and when
they saw the joy that had come into this little cellar home, they were
glad that they had given the note to dear old “Sanny Claw.”
_THE EASTER DREAM OF MUN CHEE_
[Illustration: _She sometimes longed to get out, she and her two little
brothers_]
Mun Chee had a wonderful dream one night. Being a little Chinese
aristocrat, she had never played just as the common people’s children
play, and in her little heart she sometimes longed to get out, she and
her two little brothers, and run wild through the narrow Chinese
streets, and to be as free as the winds, just as the children of poor
people might do; but she could not do this. So much was due to her
station in life, as she was to be a Chinese lady some far-off day. So
one night,--just the night before Easter,--after she had fallen asleep
on her couch of bamboo, she dreamed a dream as beautiful as a poor
child--a child of a coolie even might dream, for dreams are free to all,
rich and poor. Perhaps it was because she had gone to sleep wondering if
her house would be visited by the Easter rabbit, of which an American
friend had told her; perhaps--but then, it does not matter what the
reason was, for suddenly she felt some soft little taps on her eyelids,
and a warm breath fanned her cheek, and opening her eyes she beheld the
dearest, cunningest little rabbit--a white one, with bright pink eyes.
It was perched on the edge of her bed, and had awakened her by tapping
her Oriental eyelids with its soft white paws. It looked so gentle that
she loved it right away, and said: “Who are you?”
It replied in a tiny voice: “If it please your highness, I am the queen
of the Easter rabbits; I thought you might like to go with me for a
little visit to my realm, the beautiful Easterland.”
“Oh, I likee go,” said Mun Chee. “It must be all light to visit a queen.
Yes, yes, I will go, but how?”
“Trust to me, and you shall arrive safely; I will carry you on my back.”
“You? Why, you too small; I such a big girl; you no can cally me.”
“Wait and see!” said Queen Bunny, and with that she began to grow and
grow and grow, right before Mun Chee’s astonished eyes, and pretty soon
she was as big as a horse.
“Oh, how could you do it?” gasped the little Chinese girl.
“Because I am in league with the fairies, and have all power,” the queen
said. “Jump on my back, if it please your ladyship, and we will hasten
away.”
She jumped gracefully to the back of the rabbit, and clasped her plump
arms tightly around its neck. They bounded up, up, until they were so
high in the air that they could not see the world below.
“I neveh knew that labbits could fly,” said she.
“Well, all rabbits cannot fly,” said the queen, “only those of royal
blood. There are rabbits and rabbits, you know, just as there are people
and people. My sceptre is a white Easter lily, and whoever it touches
is at once possessed of unlimited power.”
Now they came to the land of the birds, where they were fairly
intoxicated with the beautiful music thrilling from the throats of these
feathered songsters. Some of the trees were bright blue, and were filled
with all kinds of blue birds; then a yellow tree, something like the
acacia, was filled with canaries, making the air fairly alive with song.
So they floated on, until the songs of the birds were but an echo.
Then came Candy-land. My! how good it smelled in this wonderful
place--all pepper-minty and nice! and what a variety of trees there
were--some big, big trees, just full of Chinese preserved ginger! and
how Mun Chee did long to put her strong white teeth into some of it!
Then there were trees so soft and white that they looked almost as if
they were covered with snow; but it really was only white marsh-mallows.
Then there were tiny Chinese fairies running all around, pulling
bon-bons apart, and squealing with delight when they popped.
Then came Monkey-land, and this was the funniest of all, and even made a
little Chinese girl laugh. Some of them were playing a game of base-ball
with cocoanuts, and Mun Chee was all the time afraid one of them would
get hit in the head; but they seemed to know just how to avoid that.
Some of them ran up and asked her to stay to dinner with them, and then,
when they thought she was not looking, they made such horrible faces at
her that she was glad she had not accepted their invitation. After she
had watched several games she hurried on again, looking back once, to
see some of the monkeys throwing kisses at her and others making the
ugliest faces. That might have been their way of being polite, though
she really could not say, as she was not up in the etiquette of monkeys.
Next came the land of bears. There were all kinds,--black, brown, and
white. She was scared at first, but the rabbit queen assured her they
were harmless, and warranted not to hug. They were dancing some kind of
a queer dance, and one silky white one, that looked just like a rug she
had at home, came and asked if the little celestial aristocrat would
honor him with the next dance. A look from the eyes of Queen Bunny told
her she had better accept, and she did so, smiling graciously upon the
bear. Around they went, in a giddy whirl, her queue flying in the wind,
until it seemed to Mun Chee that everything was going around with them,
and she panted: “If it’s just the same to you, I’d rather sit out the
rest of this dance.”
“Certainly, your highness,” growled old bruin, and when she was seated
he brought her a dish of sweetened snowballs, which were quite
refreshing.
When she told them good-by this same bear could not resist the
temptation of giving her just a teeny-weeny hug, but it didn’t hurt, and
she was quite sure he meant it as a mark of especial favor.
Next came the land of cats. Each land had its queen, and here it was
Queen Malta, an immense maltese cat with large, yellow eyes. Such a
purring as they made when they saw Mun Chee and Queen Bunny approaching!
It was not often they were honored by royalty. The queen approached
them, walking on her hind legs, her long silky tail held by a page,--a
tiny white kitten, dressed in gauze and spangles.
“In what way shall it please your gracious majesties to be entertained?”
said Queen Malta; but to any one else it would have sounded like
“Miaouw--miaouw--miaouw--”
Mun Chee replied: “I likee some music.”
Thereupon the queen tapped a silver bell, and there sprang lightly into
view a perfect chorus of the most beautiful cats. After curtseying to
the royal guests they began the music, and they sang the funniest songs
imaginable. Mun Chee laughed till her little sides ached, but when she
applauded, the noise scared away all the cats, and they scampered off,
regardless of good manners. Queen Malta called them back, and explained
matters, however, and the program was carried out without any further
commotion. Mun Chee would like to have lingered for quite a while in
each of these strange countries, but Queen Bunny told her it was
approaching the hour when they were expected at the Easter castle, and
so, after a few more swift turns through the air, they began to descend
softly, softly, until faint strains of music fell upon their ears.
It was a triumphant march of welcome, and the notes rose glad and high.
Soon Mun Chee felt her feet touch the soft grass, and unclasping her
arms from about the rabbit’s neck, she stood and gazed about her in a
perfect bewilderment of rapture. This was so different from any of the
other countries; everywhere the eye rested upon the soft green tracery
of leaves and trees, great beds of delicate fern, and flowers of every
hue. Through an avenue of tall, waxen Easter lilies she was conducted by
two tiny white rabbits, and as they walked, a glorious anthem sounded
from all the great Easter lilies, and the golden clappers clanged
musically against their satin whiteness.
All the while there was a strange and wonderful perfume filling the air,
even sweeter than the scent of the punks burned before the joss in the
temple. Some of the lilies bent down and kissed the dear little Chinese
maiden as she passed, and their breath was sweeter than any perfume.
After being royally entertained in the palace of pure white pearl the
child was conducted into the queen’s garden, where a feast was spread
under the shade of some tall ferns. Being seated, they were served to
delicious tea, in dainty cups, shaped like Easter lilies. Many good
things were placed before the little girl, who was very hungry, after
her long flight through the air, and nothing in her own home had ever
tasted half so good as did these dishes served by the dear little white
rabbits.
After much chatting and laughing the strange meal was ended, and the
rabbit queen presented Mun Chee with a large basket of pearl and silver,
lined with blue and yellow, the colors of the Imperial Court of China,
and announced that they would now start out in search of Easter eggs.
“Oh, what fun!” said Mun Chee, clapping her hands for joy. A white
rabbit page went by her side, and carried her basket. Soon they came to
a dense forest of fern, and Mun Chee heard a high, squeaky voice saying:
“Search for the one with long, long legs,
And you may find some Easter eggs.”
“How queer!” thought Mun Chee, “to tell me about it. Well, if it has
velly long legs I betteh quit looking on the glound, and look up.” She
did so, and away back among the ferns she saw some funny bright eyes
peeping at her.
“Why, it is a stok” (stork), she exclaimed.
With that the stork came forward, and extended a long claw in greeting,
and, pointing to a large nest artfully concealed among the ferns, he
said: “You may take what you see, and welcome.”
“Oh, thank you!” she said, and taking several of the very large eggs,
placed them carefully in her basket.
“Oh, they won’t break,” said Queen Bunny. “The eggs in Easterland are
warranted not to break.”
And now the soft trill of a canary rippled from a tree,--a tiny tree,
that a child could easily reach. Sure enough, there was the dearest
little canary, perched on a branch, singing sweetly,--
“Come and see! come and see,
What Canary has for thee.”
There in the little nest were a lot of the tiniest eggs, and all bright
yellow, just the color of Mrs. Canary herself.
“Oh, you gentle little thing--you so good to give me youh cunning little
eggs.”
“Don’t mention it!” said Canary.
Then a white dove cooed from its house near by,--
“Coo-coo, you are true,
Come and take my gift for you.”
Her gift was six eggs, pure white, with just the tiniest little pink
polkadots in them. While she was admiring them she heard a gentle purr,
which seemed to come from the ground under her feet, and looking down
she saw peeping from a moss-lined hole in the ground a pair of pink
eyes, and a white, soft paw, as the voice of this Easter rabbit
purred,--
“Put your hand into the ground,
And find what no one else has found.”
“Well, I likee find what no one else has found,” she said; and putting
her hand into the moss-lined nest, she drew out--not an egg, as she had
expected, but six of the tiniest baby rabbits, no bigger than her thumb.
“Oh, you cunning little babies! You shall go and live with me,” said Mun
Chee; and thanking the Easter rabbit, she passed on to the home of a
blue-bird, on a swinging bough, and heard her singing,--
“Roses red, my eggs are blue,
Come! and I will give you two.”
What a beautiful blue they were, to be sure! just like the sky. Then a
loud cackling fell upon her ear, and she could distinguish the words,--