| Blogs > swallowtsui > Hopping Swallow 鍋爐焰焰 |
|
the Lonely Mouse Catcher Boy in the Field We saw him, a boy about 8 years old sitting in the field, by a battery box, wires spreading around, an iron mesh cage next by a bread in a plastic bag . "Is he a homeless boy? Is this all his stuff?" we wondered. "Hey, boy, how are you doing here?" "I am catching the mice."the boy stared at us disapprovingly, not happy that we disturbed him. "eh?" "Be careful don't touch the wires, electricity." he uttered. We looked at the small wires hidden around the grasses under a big tree, "you are small but you know much." The boy turned his eys, "my father knows. he is inside the bush." Oh. "then, how many mices you catch each time you do it?" "2-3." he repied quietly. We thought the current in the wires from the battery box is not strong enough to knock down the mouse. And, there was no food trap, how can the mouse be trapped in? We noticed the boy had a iron stick there. "Do you beat the mouse by this stick? How can you beat them down?" "No.The wires will do."very short answer. "You have no food for the mice, they won't come. Why not give them some bread?" "No, the bread is for me. The mouse will pass by."he insisted by his professional experience. "You catch the mice for what?" "My Papa will sell them to the restaurants in town."he was straight. "how much each?" "RMB18-20." still very honest. We said he was a good boy cooperating w/ Papa. He did not respond, just sitting there by the empty cage, waiting for mice pass by his wires. It was getting dark. The village rose up some cooking smoke and smell. We waved bye to him. "Bye-bye." the boy was always at ease. |
|||
11/12/2005 4:39 pm |
Yes, thanks very much for relating this interesting story. I have never heard of a mouse trap like this....very interesting. I was also not aware that people ate mice either. I am speculating that the battery provided enough of a shock to temporarily paralyse the mice and perhaps it was the smell of the bread that attracted them in the first place. I am also curious if the father in the bushes had the role of scaring the mice out of their nests. I'm interested to hear from others that are more familiar with this process. I would have loved to see a photo of this young boy sitting in the field.
| ||
|
aopgag, Your thinking that the father in the bush had the role of scaring the mice out seems funny, and, could be possible (He might use Smoke to drive them out). Yes your analysis of the battery shock is right. The father only want mice to be shocked temporarily, because selling alive mice to restaurants would give him better price than dead ones. There are different Chinese ways to catch the mice: 1. Mixed poison w/ food. If the mice eat it, they die immdly. 2. Electricity shock like the boy was doing. 3. A kind of auto iron clip set. If mouse step on it, it would be clipped in. This tool is also good for catching some small wild animals. Sealover, This boy is cool exactly. He helps the father to earn a living in this way but he shows his content. Guess what you mentioned is that ppl put the alive baby mice into rice wine and drink the wine after a long soaking time.
|
