1868.] Dwellings, works of art, laws, &c. of the Karens. 139 



will dive into the water, and come up to the surface quickly ; you will 

 ascend trees and fall down. It happens so, because you have stolen 

 and destroyed, and dealt fraudulently, and have displeased the God 

 of heaven and earth. The God of heaven and earth sees, the Lord of 

 mountains and hills sees, Thie-kho Shukha sees. 



Children and grandchildren, if you are hungry, bend down your 

 backs, and weed hard. If you want fish, take your hand-net and go 

 fishing. If you want rats, set traps for them ; and if you want to 

 eat beef, deer and stags are abundant in the jungles, and they are to 

 be had without price. They have no owners, no one claims to have 

 nurtured and fed them. Dig deep pits in their paths, that they may 

 fall into them ; and set nooses, by which they may be noosed and 

 sprung up in the air. Feed yourselves and families in this way. 

 Borrow not, go not into debt. By no means leave debts for your 

 children to pay after your death. 



Every one that does not work hard with his hands, when he steals 

 or borrows laughs ; but when he is required to pay, and has nothing ; 

 then he weeps. And every one when he steals, and his deeds are hidden, 

 puts himself forward as an honest man, and is bold and laughs ; but 

 when his true character becomes manifest, and he is required to pay, 

 all abuse him and speak evil of him, and call him a robber ; and his 

 honor is destroyed, and he becomes exceedingly ashamed. No one 

 will believe his professions of honesty afterwards. They will say to 

 him ; " Once honest, ten times honest ; once a thief, ten times a thief." 



Forays. — Children and grandchildren, do not make yourselves 

 wretched by making forays, and taking the property of your brethren 

 for nothing. It is wrong for you to take forcibly the possessions of 

 your brethren. It will be lost in like manner, and your children will 

 not enjoy it. Do not engage in forays ; do not make reprisals for in- 

 juries received. Those who make forays make enemies who will 

 never forget them, and the ground around their houses will never be 

 smooth, but will be filled with caltrops* and arrow heads. They 



* Not precisely caltrops, but pointed bamboos, a few inches high set firmly 

 m the ground, at an angle of about 45°, to pierce the foot of an enemy while 

 running to or from the house. They are rather formidable weapons in their 

 way. I have seen a man's foot with a hole quite through, made by one that 

 caught him on the top of his foot while running awaj . 



