from the tree.  Now, wood is very scarce and costly in Syria, and the people are very poor, so that she wondered to see the wood left to rot on the ground, and asked the people why they did not use it for fuel.  They said they dared not, as the tree belonged to Moses the Prophet, and he protected the tree, and if any one took the wood, they would fall dead.  She said, “Moses is in heaven, and does not live in oak trees, and if he did, he is a good man, and would not hurt me for burning up old dry sticks.”  So she asked them if she might have the wood?  They said, “yes, if you dare to take it, for we are afraid to touch it.”  So she went to the tree and gathered up as much as she could carry, and took it home.  The people screamed when they saw her, and told her to drop it or it would kill her, but on she went, and afterwards went back and brought the rest.  She then talked with the ignorant women, and her father told them about the folly of their superstitions, and read to them in the Bible about Moses, and they listened with great attention.  I have often thought I should like to go to that village, and see whether the people now leave the dead branches under Moses’ oak, or use them for fuel during the heavy snow storms of winter.

PART VI.

Here we are, home again at Abeih.  Here are Asaad and Khalil, and several others.  I asked Khalil one day to write out for me a list of all the games the boys play in Abeih, and he brought me a list of twenty-eight different ones, and said there were many more.

I. The first is called Khatim or the Ring.  A boy puts a ring on the back of his hand, tosses it and catches it on the back of his fingers.  If it falls on the middle finger, he shakes it to the forefinger, and then he is Sultan, and appoints a Vizier, whom he commands to beat the other boys.  Then the boys all sing,

    Ding, dong, turn the wheel,
    Wind the purple thread: 
    Spin the white and spin the red,
    Wind it on the reel: 
    Silk and linen as well as you can,
    Weave a robe for the Great Sultan.

II.  Killeh.  Like the game of shooting marbles.

III.  Owal Howa.  The same as leap frog.

IV.  Biz Zowaia.  Cat in the corner.

V. Taia ya Taia.  All the boys stand in a row, and one in front facing them, who calls out Taia ya Taia.  They all then run after him and hit him.  He then hops on one foot as if lame, and catches one of them, who takes his place.

VI.  El Manya.  Hig tig.

VII.  Bil Kobbeh.  A circle of boys stand with their heads bowed.  Another circle stand outside, and on a given signal try to mount on the backs of the inner circle of boys.  If they succeed they remain standing in this way; if not, the boy who failed must take the inside place.

VIII.  Ghummaida.  Blind-man’s-buff.

IX.  Tabeh.  Base ball and drop ball.