when the baby was crying for no apparent reason—according to the custom of babies,—I asked the amah if she knew why little Edie was crying. "Oh yes," answered the old thing, with great earnestness, "I sayy, he too muchy solly he belong girl."
Shortly afterwards I had a little son, who behaved in exactly the same noisy manner, quite regardless of his fond parents' feelings. I had tried every means to pacify the little man, but all my efforts proved failures, and I was at my wits ends. Thinking my amah could suggest something, I asked again if perchance she knew why the child was crying so incessantly. The old thing was not to be caught unawares, for she answered with quite as great earnestness that "Robin was crying at thinking that he might have been a girl!!"
The Chinese firmly believe that if two friends have babies at about the same time, they should not visit each other with their infants till one of them is four months old. They think that in case such precaution should not be taken one of the two babes is certain to grow weakly, and perhaps die. They have the greatest objection—in fact they absolutely refuse—to enter a room in which a woman has given birth to a child if they have attended a wedding during the previous month. They are afraid of bringing bad luck, not to the mother, but to the newly-wedded pair.
An infant under four months old must not be laid on a table, or else it will be ever after afraid of thunder. If a baby-girl puts out her tongue and makes a sputtering noise, it is a sure sign of rain; while if a baby-boy indulges in the apparently innocent distraction, it will blow hard before the week is over. If a baby-girl's hands are fat and thick, the amah rejoices, and tells you that she will never do any hard work, but that she will enjoy life and marry a rich husband.
Should a baby cut its teeth early, beware, fond parents! your child will grow up to eat its father and mother! I or will never do any thing for itself, but will live upon its parents. On the other hand, the child which cuts its teeth comparatively late will support its parents in their old age. When a baby walks very early, the old women can shake their heads and say the child will have to work hard for its living, even though it is not a Thursday child.
The Chinese have curiously enough the same superstition about
