Jinn Nee, Personal Diary
Siam, Royal Palace, August 23rd, 1862
Missus Anna has been in the palace for a few months now. She is teaching us English, and the customs of Western culture. My daughter still speaks to me in Siamese, but in class she speaks English very well. I wonder if the King is pleased. Maybe next time I am with him I will speak English.
I have good news, also. I will soon bear for the King another child. A few months more. I hope it is a boy. I want to give my King another son. He seems to be looking at me often when the wives are gathered. I think he is pleased that I am with child.
Missus Anna has told the wives about her husband, Tom. At first I thought it was odd that Tom did not take many women as his wives, but from what Missus Anna says, he loved her very much. I wonder what it would be like to be the only wife of a man. I think that would be too much attention. Wouldn't the man get sick of having only one woman?
Perhaps eagerly waiting for the few and far between moments I get with my King make it all the better.
I almost got a chance to talk to Lady Thiang today. I would like to talk with her about the King. It is hard to make myself noticed among the multitude of wives.
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Siam, Royal Palace, September 26th, 1862
I have noticed something about the Burmese slave girl, Tuptim. She is in the palace of the King of Siam, but I can tell she still longs for another. I was at the window getting some fresh air last evening, and I saw her secretly meeting with the man who brought her to Siam. I find it odd that he has not been sent back to Burma yet. I can understand that she loves another man, but I can't understand why she continues to pursue him. I would guess that she is about my age, and by now I would have seen that pursuing another man is useless when I could have the King...
Still, I wonder. Is it for her the way it was for Missus Anna and her Tom?
I think I feel the same way about my King, but I have no chance at being his only woman. He is the King! He has many, many wives. I don't even know if he feels anything for me. I can only hope.
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Siam, Royal Palace, October 11th, 1862
I had a chance to talk to Lady Thiang today. She told me that she indeed knew who I was, and remembered that conversation long ago when the other ladies laughed at me. She told me that the King was indeed something wonderful, and told me of her experiences dealing with him. She said that the King always did what he thought was right, even if it was not... and that he was good at making up for his wrongs.
She asked about my baby and I told her I wanted a son for the King. She said that the King would be pleased with either a girl or a boy. Still, I wish for a son.
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Siam, Royal Palace, December 30th, 1862
Today Missus Anna taught us about snow. There are many things about the world I do not know, and there are many things that seem unbelievable. Snow is one of them. If cold white stars fell from the sky here, I would not think it was beautiful. I would think it was frightening. Stars belong in the sky. The children did not believe it either, and told Missus Anna this. The King came to the schoolroom during the argument and agreed with Missus Anna. There is such a thing as snow. I hope I never see it.
That was the only lesson we got today. The King became angry with Missus Anna when she refused to obey him. She left the schoolroom, and I have heard she is returning to England.
I do not understand this scientific woman. It is not her place to argue with the King. Unlike some of the other wives, I am happy to be one of the King's women. I would have thought someone as scientific as Missus Anna would understand and be happy as well.
I do know that I don't want her to leave.
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[author's note:] I do not own this musical, this story is not for profit, etcetera etcetera.
Siam, Royal Palace, August 23rd, 1862
Missus Anna has been in the palace for a few months now. She is teaching us English, and the customs of Western culture. My daughter still speaks to me in Siamese, but in class she speaks English very well. I wonder if the King is pleased. Maybe next time I am with him I will speak English.
I have good news, also. I will soon bear for the King another child. A few months more. I hope it is a boy. I want to give my King another son. He seems to be looking at me often when the wives are gathered. I think he is pleased that I am with child.
Missus Anna has told the wives about her husband, Tom. At first I thought it was odd that Tom did not take many women as his wives, but from what Missus Anna says, he loved her very much. I wonder what it would be like to be the only wife of a man. I think that would be too much attention. Wouldn't the man get sick of having only one woman?
Perhaps eagerly waiting for the few and far between moments I get with my King make it all the better.
I almost got a chance to talk to Lady Thiang today. I would like to talk with her about the King. It is hard to make myself noticed among the multitude of wives.
--------
Siam, Royal Palace, September 26th, 1862
I have noticed something about the Burmese slave girl, Tuptim. She is in the palace of the King of Siam, but I can tell she still longs for another. I was at the window getting some fresh air last evening, and I saw her secretly meeting with the man who brought her to Siam. I find it odd that he has not been sent back to Burma yet. I can understand that she loves another man, but I can't understand why she continues to pursue him. I would guess that she is about my age, and by now I would have seen that pursuing another man is useless when I could have the King...
Still, I wonder. Is it for her the way it was for Missus Anna and her Tom?
I think I feel the same way about my King, but I have no chance at being his only woman. He is the King! He has many, many wives. I don't even know if he feels anything for me. I can only hope.
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Siam, Royal Palace, October 11th, 1862
I had a chance to talk to Lady Thiang today. She told me that she indeed knew who I was, and remembered that conversation long ago when the other ladies laughed at me. She told me that the King was indeed something wonderful, and told me of her experiences dealing with him. She said that the King always did what he thought was right, even if it was not... and that he was good at making up for his wrongs.
She asked about my baby and I told her I wanted a son for the King. She said that the King would be pleased with either a girl or a boy. Still, I wish for a son.
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Siam, Royal Palace, December 30th, 1862
Today Missus Anna taught us about snow. There are many things about the world I do not know, and there are many things that seem unbelievable. Snow is one of them. If cold white stars fell from the sky here, I would not think it was beautiful. I would think it was frightening. Stars belong in the sky. The children did not believe it either, and told Missus Anna this. The King came to the schoolroom during the argument and agreed with Missus Anna. There is such a thing as snow. I hope I never see it.
That was the only lesson we got today. The King became angry with Missus Anna when she refused to obey him. She left the schoolroom, and I have heard she is returning to England.
I do not understand this scientific woman. It is not her place to argue with the King. Unlike some of the other wives, I am happy to be one of the King's women. I would have thought someone as scientific as Missus Anna would understand and be happy as well.
I do know that I don't want her to leave.
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[author's note:] I do not own this musical, this story is not for profit, etcetera etcetera.
