30 Karen feasts for the Dead. [No. 1, 



up in leaves, and the rolls piled up together ; and then a large basket 

 of open work is woven, into which all these bamboo bottles and the 

 rolls of bread are put. 



When the rice and meat is cooked for the feast, after the above 

 arrangements have been made, the food is placed on kyee-zees, or 

 little bamboo stools, if they have no kyee-zees ; and they have to be 

 very particular to spread out all the food at the same instant, lest 

 some of the spirits of the dead, being delayed in eating, should be left 

 behind by their companions. 



So soon as the food is arranged on the tables, the people beat the 

 kyee-zees and begin to cry, which they say is calling the spirits to 

 come to eat. Each one calls on the particular relative, for whom he 

 has prepared the feast, as father, mother, sister or brother. If a 

 mother, he says ; weeping : " prince-bird mother, it is the close of 

 August, Oh ! It is the new moon in September, Oh ! You have 

 come to visit me, Oh ! You have returned to see me, Oh ! I give 

 you eatables, Oh ! I give you drinkables, Oh ! Eat with a glad 

 heart, Oh ! Eat with a happy mind, Oh ! Don't be afraid, mother, 

 Oh ! Do not be apprehensive, Oh ! " 



After the weeping exercises are over, the spirits are supposed to 

 have finished their repast, and then the people sit down to eat what is 

 left. 



More food is then prepared and put into the basket with the bam- 

 boo bottles, that the spirits may have food to carry away with them ; 

 and at cock-crowing next morning all the contents of the basket, 

 including the bamboo bottles, are thrown out of the house on the 

 ground ; when the same scene of crying and calling on the spirits of 

 the dead is repeated, as detailed above. 



They do not weep long, because it is related that in ancient times 

 a woman had a daughter, whom she loved much, and after her death 

 she made this annual festival for her and wept long ; when a prophet 

 reproved her, saying : " That is enough. Your daughter says : ' My 

 companions have left me. They have all gone on before.' " Then 

 the mother said : " Seize her for me," and the prophet attempted to 

 grasp her, but he got only a single hem from her garment. Hence 

 the people never weep long, that the departed spirits of their friends 

 may not be left behind by their companions. 



