THE GAMBLE MAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16320, 8 January 1921, Page 6

THE GAMBLE MAN.

Siam. Every morning he gees to gtet food for what ho playfully culls bis children. It is not pleasant-looking “chow.” Beneath the shade of a betel tree he squats over one of the primitive drains that run by the roadside and scoops the surface of the filthy water for mosquito lari'® until bis can is full. Back in his little attap roofed hut lieproceeds to feed his family—a couple of dozen of them—who speedily gobble up the loathsome-looking rations. For the larvas gatherer’s “ children ” are fighting fish, little silvery, pink, sprat-like fellows, living solitary lives in whisky bottles. A label bearing the name of the fish is affixed to each small glass home, each bottle being separated from the other by a piece of wood to prevent the occupants from dashing their tiny bodies against tlie glass in vain attempts to reach their neighbours, for when fighting fish meets fighting fish war is waged with demoniacal fury. Their battles make a popular Siamese sport. A couple of the puglilistic little silver darts are slipped from their bottles into a rice bowl, icund which the onlookers squat to watch and gamble on the light. Betting is heavy as the match proceeds, the name of the favourite fisti is shouted excitedly, and its tactics applauded, while the more sober members of the crowd shrewdly discuss the staying powers and the good and bad fighting points of the combatants as the two tiny furies dart and lash in the bowl, fighting with mouth, tins and tail.

Victory often -means subsequent death for the winning fish who leaves his rival unconscious and is liiinself placed in a bottle more dead than alive, panting feebly and spasmodically. Often among the fish there is a recognised champion who can take on two or three rivals and still keep the championship. His name is honoured in the fighting fish world, the promising fightfighters from afar come to give him battle. The “sport” lasts for hours, and large sums are won and lost by the men and women-

The keeper of the little fishes also participates in what is perhaps the most popular of all Siamese sports, that of kite-flying. Followed by a crowd of admiring Friends and youngsters, who help him carry the huge kite, he makes his way over the parched paddy fields to the spot where the community gather about tour o’clock in the afternoon to watch the events. It is only in the early months of the year that the weather makes flying possible. The kites are of two varieties, male and female, the latter having a long flowing tail, boasting finer lines, and being of lighter build than the male, although both are built on a large scale.

Points in the contest are intricate, but most strictly enforced, the object being that the ‘male shall bring down the female, with limitations as to the ruses he may adopt towards her downfall, while the lady is allowed any art or wile to escape capture, and can, moreover, avail herself of any feminine trick to bring down the stronger male. Aluch depends - on the skill of the kite-flying men. Should tlie female kit© ensnare the male, others of her sex may go to her assistance in bringing him to earth, whereupon the flier of the fallen one has to endure considerable chaff froin the crowd, and much paying out of dingy tical (Is 6d) notes takes place all over the paddy fields.—lßy the late Hilda M. Love in “ The Daily Alaii.”)