350 ON SIAMESE LITERATURE. 



wishes him to give his wife in lieu of his kingdom. This he refuses. The 

 former draws the bow and sends an arrow forth which instantly assumes 

 the form of Gariida or Khrut, the terror of the snake tribe. The bird tries 

 to pounce on the prince, who however makes his escape. Sang Sin Chai 

 then carries off Nang Suphan, the Snake Queen. 



Warmiut and Waranet — The history of two twin brothers. 



Nang Oothai — History of a princess of the Ndgas. 



Malm Cliinok is derived from the Bali history of a prince, one of the 

 Ayatars of BuddJia 



Mlilhang — History of a Yak princess. 



Nanff on. 



Waraclie-iln. 



PROSE. 



Prose is amongst the Siamese confined almost entirely to treatises on 

 Law and Physic, and to writings connected with the common details of 

 business. 



They are exceedingly methodical and tedious in their epistolary 

 style. And when the correspondence is of a political nature, each succes- 

 sive letter minutely records the substance of all the preceding ones and of 

 such conferences as may have taken place. 



They have a few fables in prose. 



Nang Champa-thang, or the Princess of the golden champa flower. 



POETRY AND MUSIC. 

 It would be foreign to the present purpose were any attempt here 

 made to compare Indo-Chinese poetry with that of the more western world. 

 It will be sufficient to exhibit such extracts from the most approved 

 Siamese poetical works as may allow the reader an opportunity of drawing 

 his own inferences respecting the real rank which they are entitled to 

 hold. The late Dr. Finlayson who accompanied Mr. Crawfurd's mission 

 to Siam very correctly observes that the vocal music of the Siamese is 

 plaintive and the instrumental lively, playful, soft and sweet. The few 



