157
each year but always a Phaya   Pan Thong or noble of
the " Golden Bowl'' rank, is  appointed  by the king to
fill the chief role, that of the God Phra Isuen ( Isvara).
A few days later, the open  square  in   which the great
swing stands is prepared. Finally a footboard is suspen-
ded from the cross-bar of the swing by six strong ropes
of rattan, at a height of about fifteen feet from the gro-
und. The board is some six feet long by eighteen  inches
broad, the greatest length at right angles to the crossbar,
and an extra rope hangs from  it, by   pulling on which
from  below,   the     swing  is got into motion.    A long
bamboo is planted in the ground at a short distance on
the western side of the   swing, to   which a small bag of
money is fastened  when   the  ceremony   takes   place.
On   the  day  of the ceremony  four muscular looking
individuals wearing appropriate dresses and a high hat
made to resemble the head   and neck  of a   snake, are
hoisted amid cheers on to the swing.    Their headdress
proclaims these as neither satellites of Phra Isuen nor
men, but representatives  of the  underworld kingdom
of  Phaya  Naga,   king  of snakes and the producer of
rain, sent, it is pretended,  to  perform for the delecta-
tion of Great Siva before the eyes of men.    The  Brah-
mans  now enter  the  sentry-boxes specially built for
the occasion  and intone prayers, and assistant pulling
on the dependent  rope,  the swing begins to more to
and fro.    The momentum in creases gradually, the per-
formers bend their bodies  in   the  attitude of saluting
deities and at the same time increasing the arc of the
swing.    At  last,    the    momentum  brings the swing