IN SOME places the modified form of the old custom of regicide which appears to have prevailed at Babylon has been further softened down. The king still abdicates annually for a short time and his place is filled by a more or less nominal sovereign； but at the close of his short reign the latter is no longer killed， though sometimes a mock execution still survives as a memorial of the time when he was actually put to death. To take examples. In the month of Méac (February) the king of Cambodia annually abdicated for three days. During this time he performed no act of authority， he did not touch the seals， he did not even receive the revenues which fell due. In his stead there reigned a temporary king called Sdach Méac， that is， King February. The office of temporary king was hereditary in a family distantly connected with the royal house， the sons succeeding the fathers and the younger brothers the elder brothers just as in the succession to the real sovereignty. On a favourable day fixed by the astrologers the temporary king was conducted by the mandarins in triumphal procession. He rode one of the royal elephants， seated in the royal palanquin， and escorted by soldiers who， dressed in appropriate costumes， represented the neighbouring peoples of Siam， Annam， Laos， and so on. In place of the golden crown he wore a peaked white cap， and his regalia， instead of being of gold encrusted with diamonds， were of rough wood. After paying homage to the real king， from whom he received the sovereignty for three days， together with all the revenues accruing during that time (though this last custom has been omitted for some time)， he moved in procession round the palace and through the streets of the capital. On the third day， after the usual procession， the temporary king gave orders that the elephants should trample under foot the mountain of rice， which was a scaffold of bamboo surrounded by sheaves of rice. The people gathered up the rice， each man taking home a little with him to secure a good harvest. Some of it was also taken to the king， who had it cooked and presented to the monks.
In Siam on the sixth day of the moon in the sixth month (the end of April) a temporary king is appointed， who for three days enjoys the royal prerogatives， the real king remaining shut up in his palace. This temporary king sends his numerous satellites in all directions to seize and confiscate whatever they can find in the bazaar and open shops； even the ships and junks which arrive in harbour during the three days are forfeited to him and must be redeemed. He goes to a field in the middle of the city， whither they bring a gilded plough drawn by gaily-decked oxen. After the plough has been anointed and the oxen rubbed with incense， the mock king traces nine furrows with the plough， followed by aged dames of the palace scattering the first seed of the season. As soon as the nine furrows are drawn， the crowd of spectators rushes in and scrambles for the seed which has just been sown， believing that， mixed with the seed-rice， it will ensure a plentiful crop. Then the oxen are unyoked， and rice， maize， sesame， sago， bananas， sugar-cane， melons， and so on， are set before them； whatever they eat first will， it is thought， be dear in the year following， though some people interpret the omen in the opposite sense. During this time the temporary king stands leaning against a tree with his right foot resting on his left knee. >From standing thus on one foot he is popularly known as King Hop； but his official title is Phaya Phollathep Lord of the Heavenly Hosts. He is a sort of Minister of Agriculture； all disputes about fields， rice， and so forth， are referred to him. There is moreover another ceremony in which he personates the king. It takes place in the second month (which falls in the cold season) and lasts three days. He is conducted in procession to an open place opposite the Temple of the Brahmans， where there are a number of poles dressed like May-poles， upon which the Brahmans swing. All the while that they swing and dance， the Lord of the Heavenly Hosts has to stand on one foot upon a seat which is made of bricks plastered over， covered with a white cloth， and hung with tapestry. He is supported by a wooden frame with a gilt canopy， and two Brahmans stand one on each side of him. The dancing Brahmans carry buffalo horns with which they draw water from a large copper caldron and sprinkle it on the spectators； this is supposed to bring good luck， causing the people to dwell in peace and quiet， health and prosperity. The time during which the Lord of the Heavenly Hosts has to stand on one foot is about three hours. This is thought to prove the dispositions of the Devattas and spirits. If he lets his foot down he is liable to forfeit his property and have his family enslaved by the king， as it is believed to be a bad omen， portending destruction to the state， and instability to the throne. But if he stand firm he is believed to have gained a victory over evil spirits， and he has moreover the privilege， ostensibly at least， of seizing any ship which may enter the harbour during these three days， and taking its contents， and also of entering any open shop in the town and carrying away what he chooses.
