a bill-hook, or chopper
(also a letter), for which there is also another word. But I have found
several very deep mothers in sorcery who have given me the word for sun,
_kam_, as a precious secret, but little known. Now the word really is
very well known, but the mystery attached to it, as to _chone_ or
_shule_, the moon, would seem to indicate that at one time these words
had a peculiar significance. Once the darkest-colored English gypsy I
ever met, wishing to sound the depth of my Romany, asked me for the words
for sun and moon, making more account of my knowledge of them than of
many more far less known.

As it will interest the reader, I will here give the ballad of the sun
and the moon, which exists both in Romany and Roumani, or Roumanian, in
the translation which I take from "A Winter in the City of Pleasure"
(that is Bucharest), by Florence K. Berger,--a most agreeable book, and
one containing two Chapters on the Tzigane, or gypsies.

THE SUN AND THE MOON.

Brother, one day the Sun resolved to marry. During nine years, drawn by
nine fiery horses, he had rolled by heaven and earth as fast as the wind
or a flying arrow.

But it was in vain that he fatigued his horses. Nowhere could he find a
love worthy of him. Nowhere in the universe was one who equaled in
beauty his sister Helen, the beautiful Helen with silver tresses.

The Sun went to meet her, and thus addressed her: "My dear little sister
Helen, Helen of the silver tresses, let us be betrothed, for we are made
for one another.

"We are alike not only in our hair and our features, but also in our
beauty. I have locks of gold, and thou hast locks of silver. My face is
shining and splendid, and thine is soft and radiant."

"O my brother, light of the world, thou who art pure of all stain, one
has never seen a brother and sister married together, because it would be
a shameful sin."

At this rebuke the Sun hid himself, and mounted up higher to the throne
of God, bent before Him, and spoke:--

"Lord our Father, the time has arrived for me to wed. But, alas! I
cannot find a love in the world worthy of me except the beautiful Helen,
Helen of the silver hair!"

God heard him, and, taking him by the hand, led him into hell to affright
his heart, and then into paradise to enchant his soul.

Then He spake to him, and while He was speaking the Sun began to shine
brightly and the clouds passed over:--

"Radiant Sun! Thou who art free from