The Child Spirit

The Child Spirit

By Joseph Parish

The streets of Singapore were exceptionally silent as the hands of my watch revealed it was now two AM. The usual shops that are typically so active in the daytime were now long closed while the areas, nighttime activities were also drawn to a close. One would only sporadically encounter another person on the street and the solitary movements noticed were a few abandoned cats sneaking around for discarded garbage, hoping for a morsel of fish or a small sliver of meat.

As I walked along the back streets, I detect that in the front of numerous Asian stores could be seen a parcel composed of sweets complimented with a container of milk. I initially thought perhaps it was merely one or two of the shop owners who were doing this, however the longer I ambled along the street the more I noticed the same morsels at each doorstep. Was this some sort of celebration taking place that I failed to know about? I made a mental note to contact an Asian friend in the daytime and inquire as to the rationale behind this strange and unusual custom.

I awoke early the following day and decided to undertake a brisk walk around the village perimeter before conducting my morning business. As I strolled nonchalantly around the village, I once again viewed the very same shops that only the night before had both food and drink at their doorsteps. Now, all was gone and only empty containers were seen. Eventually I concluded my stroll and after showering and shaving I proceeded to make my morning contacts and conclude any business which I had scheduled for that day. On my way back to my apartment, I made it a point to stop at my friend Kim Fong to inquire as to what holiday was not taking place.

"Kim," I asked, "What holiday have I missed recently. I really thought I was up on most of the areas festivities and celebrations, but obviously I had forgotten one?"

Kim responded with a questioned look and remarked that nothing worth noting was taking place at this time in Singapore. After he finished telling me that, I sat him down and explained the peculiar activities that I noted yesterday as I was returning to my flat. That was when Kim explained to me about the spirit child known as Kumantong. The Kumantong is an enlightened ghost child, which accordingly signifies that he had received his teaching from the Buddha. The spirit child normally does good deeds so that he can once again be reincarnated into a better life.

"Joe," he explained in Asia there are a few countries that support the belief that a ghost child roams the street late in the evening. In order to appease this child, the shop owners set aside small quantities of food and beverages for him each evening.

I must have looked a bit cynical as he further explained that these treats are definitely not put there for the benefit of the local cats and dogs but for the spirit child only.

Kim offered to tell me a tale of a situation that happened when he was a young child himself. Some neighborhood children had playfully crept out of their homes late in the evening and went from shop to shop eating the snacks and drinking the milk. They knew better, but paid no attention to the adult's warnings. As you have grown up in this type of society you are cautioned by your parents not to take the sweets and milk from the ghost child for fear of reprisal. They fully knew that the spirit child would become angry and haunt them.

"Surely you don't believe, that do you?" I questioned Kim, at which Kim appeared annoyed with me and so I felt it would be better if I merely listen and keep my mouth shut.

"As I said, Joe", he continued, "The parents would caution their children on this issue and sure enough the following day the children developed a serious and persistent fever of dangerous proportions as a consequence of steeling the food and drinking what was supplied for the ghost child."

Kim explained how none of the village’s medicines could break the fever and the children were only saved by the divine intervention of the temple masters.

I again questioned Kim as to why a 21-century businessman would believe such fairy tales. I later discovered my friend Kim was actually one of the children who ate the food and drank the milk and got ill the following day.

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