I was going by the church Grave yard and I noticed tis something crawling across to the woods--I stopped--you can tell I'm very busy--right--any way I got out and it was the biggest cricket I've ever seen--Black,yellow,white thing--any way I got home and I put him in a container--took him to a neighbor and he says oh I see you been by the grave yard--he didn't know where they came from but thought it road in here from Texas on one of their caskets--Some insects like to eat everything and seem to have eyes so sharp that nothing escapes them…Among this group is a little fellow well known to all of us---the ever present cricket..there are many different kinds of cricket, to be sure, but the one we mention is the common black or field cricket.. these little insects are for the most part ground-inhabiting, hiding in holes in the ground, or under stones,during the day and moving about after nightfall. However, when they come in great numbers, they appear both day and night..the cricket,5while preferring vegetable foods, eats almost anything ought of doors, and still is not content.. He even invades the house, enjoying the rugs and other upholstered furniture, and eating holes in dresses and suits--and it makes little difference to him whether they are old or new. the cricket on the hearth is supposedly an omen of good fortune, or so thought, the ancients of long ago, but that clear chirp may cover the actions of a rogue with a heart as black as his own dark body.The crickets for long centuries past have been noted fighters and battlers. Their warring nature probably developed from the manner in which they lived. These insects inhibit the ground, living a part of the time in holes..Each hole is the home of a single cricket.If returning to his home he finds another inmate, a fight is started. the crickets are provided with biting mouth parts, similar to those of the grasshopper. In this instance the mouths are not used for chewing food but for the deadly purpose of combat--a combat that usually ends in the death of one or both of the fighters. After the battle, if one insect remains as victor, he will probably eat the body of his foe. Among the nations of men, the Orientals, such as the Chinese, are the only people who make practical use of these fighting insects. The Chinese always seem to prefer small animals to larger ones. They believe that the great warriors and heroes of the past have returned to earth in the form of champion crickets, and should receive the homage due their rank.The Chinese have kept and reared fighting crickets for countless generations and, in so doing, have selected certain strains that make the best fighters..Those in special favor come from the southern part of China and are called "generals" or "marshals." there are a number of these "officer "crickets.Those with black heads and gray hair on their bodies area the best; next come the yellow-headed insects with gray hair, and so on. The good fighters, according to the Chinese, have big heads and necks, long legs, broad bodies and, in addition, are very load chirpers…
Furthermore, the Chinese cherish crickets other than the fighters and enjoy listening to their little chirps, which they think are quite pleasing. However, whether the crickets are good fighters or merely amusing companions, they receive the best of care. During thereat of summer, the insects are kept in round pottery jars, made of burnt clay and covered with a flat lid containing tiny openings. The crickets keep cool in these jars, as the heat does not penetrate the thick walls of clay. When the cold of winter comes, the insects must change their homes and are put into gourds, provided with loose covers. the covers,wrought in openwork to admit fresh air, are made of jade, ivory,coconut shell, or sandalwood--all beautifully decorated with designs of flowers, dragons, lions, or other animals.These favored insects of the Chinese not only have the best of homes, but also receive the best food, at least according to the taste of the Chinese and, of course, of the crickets…In summer the crickets eat fresh cucumbers, lettuce, and other greens. During the autumn and winter, chestnuts and yellow beans, thoroughly chewed by the master, are fed to the little pets. In the south of China the crickets receive chopped fish, insects of various kinds, and honey, which is given them for a tonic. The fighting crickets must have extra attention and are fed on a special mixed dish prepared from fresh cucumbers, boiled chestnuts, lotus seeds, and mosquitoes mixed with rice.
In health and in sickness, the Chinese cherish their crickets.If an insect become ill, the master is at hand.He has complete knowledge of the common cricket diseases, and a cure for every ailment.If the insect is sick from overeating,it is doctored with mosquitoes; if it is suffering from heat, it is fed on shoots of green peas; if it has difficulty in breathing,the bamboo butterfly is administered. And so life for the cricket is quite a pleasant matter, with master ever watchful over its health and comfort.0
The crickets in return reward their faithful masters with the joy of entrainment. Chief among these amusements is the famous cricket tournament.The fights take place in the open, in a public square,or sometimes in a special amusement house. The cricket fighters are heavyweight, middle weight, or lightweight champions and are matched evenly according to size, weight, and color. Each insect is weighted on a pair of tiny scales at the opening of the contest. The pottery jar is the arena in which the fight is staged. As the warring crickets face each other in this little jar, they may at first attempt to flee, but the thick walls of the bowl prevent such cowardice. The referee of the combat now announces the contestants, reciting their past histories and victories.Them they are spurred to battle. For this purpose, a very interesting little instrument, known as the "tickler", is used. Some of ticklers are made of the fine hair of a rabbit or of rat whiskers; others, from the fine blade of crab or finger grass. With this tickler, the referee excites the fighters, touching the heads, ends of the abdomen, and finally the large hind legs.Each insect jumps at the other's head, and they fight without mercy until one of them is dead. The more agile or stronger cricket may pounce with all its might upon the opponent's body and sever the head completely.
In China cricket fights are a passion with the people.Bets are made on them and large sums of money placed on the great champions. As much as one hundred thousand dollars have been wagered on a single combat.. The master may pay a hundred dollars for a champion insect and travel great distances with it, engaging in matches with competitors. If the insect survives these many ordeals, he eventually becomes a great champion.
The champion cricket will sooner or later die and must be buried as befits his rank. A small silver coffin is provided, and with great ceremony the insect is laid to rest. the master believes this honorable burial will bring him good luck, and that the following year excellent fighting crickets will be found near the place where the champion lies buried. The Insect World-- Hilda T. Harpster
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