The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
THE ORIGIN OF THE GAME OF
CHESS.

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lay along the shores Of the Ganges, and
who took to himself the proud title of
King of the Indies. He began to reign
while very young, and before he had
learned that king should be the father OF
his people, and that the most sure and solid
support of throne is the love and 10y
atty of the subjects. So when the Brah-
minis and Kajahs (he priests and nobles)
reminded him of this, be not only despis-
ed their counsels, but caused some of
them to be put to death for venturing to
give him advice unasked.
Left to the unsafe company Of his fat
terers, the King fell into every kind of ex-
cess. until his oppressed subjects resolved
to fire. themselves. Then it was that an
Indian philosopher named Sissa, the son
of Daher, undertook to open the eyes of
the prince to the fatal effects of his folly.
With this intention he invented the
game of chess, where the king, though the
most important of all the pieces, is both
po@erless to attack his foes and to defend
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himself without the aid of his subjects.
The new game soon became famous ;
the King heard of it, and wished to learn
it. Sissa was asked to teach him, and
while explaining the rules and show
ing him the skill required to use the 9TH
er pieces in the kings defense, the Brah-
min taught him many truths to which he
had hitherto refused to listen.
Endowed with sound mind the King
took Sissas lessons to heart, changed his
way of life, and thus ave1ted the evils
which threatened his kingdom. Anxious
to show his gratitude, heleft to Sissa the
choice of reward, who requested the
number of grains of corn might be given
him which the number of squares on the
chess-board should produce one for the
first, two for the second, four for the
third, and SO on, always doubling, to the
sixty fourth.
The King, surprised at the modesty of
the request, granted it instantly; but when
his treasurer had made q calculation, be
found that the King had engaged to per-
form an impossibility, there not being
grain enough in ell his storehouses to full
fill his promise
From this, wise Sissa taught the King
the danger OF basty promises, and the
necessity of exercising caution even in
dealing with those in whom one has the
greatest confidence.
The game of chess was not long con-
| fined to India. The Persians looked up
on it as a game to be used in every coun-
try, not only to amuse, but to instruct
kings, as the name they gave it signifies
--schatrack, the game OF the schah, or
king.
The names of many of the pieces have
no meaning except in Eastern languages.
The second piece after the king is now
called queen, but old French authors call
it ferche and ferge corruption of the
Latin fercia, derived from the Persian
ferz or firzin, signifying minister or viz
ier). From ferge it has been changed
to VERGE, virgo, lady and queen. The re-
semblance of words made the change
easy, and perhaps the more reasonable
because the queen is placed near the
king, and was at first of small conse-
quence in the game. But the restraint
upon the lady of chess was not pleasing to
our forefathers, and they extended
her steps ard scope until the queen be-
came the most powerful of all the pieces.
The third piece, which we call bishop,
the French, fool, and Spaniards, alferes
or sergeant, always bore in the east the
figure of an elephant, and had that name.
The fourth piece, or knight, has the same
figure and name in all countries.
The fifth piece, which the English call
rock, Americans, castle, and French, tour,
is in Oriental lands represented in the
form of camel, mounted by man bear
ing bow and arrows in his hand, and is
called rokh. This name, common to Per-
SLAMS and Indians, signifies a species OF
camel used by the latter for mounting
their light cavalry in times of war. The
quick movements of this piece agree very
we'll with the name, as it was the only
one which was perfectly free in its course,
but not SO we'll with the figure of tower
which is usually given these pieces in
Western countries.
The sixth and last piece is the pawn, or
common soldier, which has never changed
in form or in moves.
The Chinese, who are lovers of this
game, have made many alterations, by
introducing new pieces under lame of
cannons or mortars, and by inventing
new moves, increasing the difficulties of
a game already SO complicated as to be
regarded by many as severe amusement.
But these additions have not been ap-
proved of in our country, and We still
hold to the old manner of playing, each
player having sixteen pieces, upon board
of sixty-four squares.-L. P. Leaois in
HGrper'S Young People.