🧚 Opening, part 5 · page 2

The task of the fourth knight was to find the dragon whose right eye was a many-colored stone, but instead of seeking it himself he called several of his retainers together, and ordered them to search through China and Japan, and not to return unless they brought it with them.47

But they, having no idea of obeying what they considered to be an impossible order, merely used this as an excuse for taking a pleasant holiday.48

The knight waited a year and no word came to him, so he decided to go himself.49 Taking five servants with him, he hired a ship, and started for China.50

When but a few days out they ran into a fearful storm, and before this abated, the ship was driven on shore.51

The knight now blamed the Princess for the disaster, and his love turned to anger.52 It seemed to him that she had sent him on a mission of great danger, knowing it to be impossible to accomplish the task which she had set him.53 So he determined to give up all thought of winning the Princess Moonlight.54

The fifth knight was no more successful than was the fourth, so he, too, gave up the attempt.55

Reports of the wondrous beauty of the Princess Moonlight had reached the Emperor, so he sent a messenger to her, summoning her to the royal palace.56 But the messenger was no more successful in seeing her than the five knights had been, in spite of the fact that it was the Emperor’s order.57 The Princess told the bamboo-cutter that she would vanish from the earth rather than go to the palace.58

So the messenger at last returned, and when the Emperor heard that she would disappear from sight in preference to obeying his order, he made up his mind to go and see her himself.59 He therefore sent word to the bamboo-cutter of his intention, forbidding him to say anything about his visit to his foster-daughter.60

The next day he set out with his retinue, which he left at a certain spot, and rode on alone.61 He reached the house and the bamboo-cutter opened the door for him.62

The Emperor went straight to the apartment of the Princess, and never had he even imagined such wondrous beauty as he saw when his eyes beheld the Moon Daughter.63 He at once fell madly in love with her, and begged her to come to the Court, and share his throne.64

But she refused, and said that if he attempted to force her to go to the Palace, she would turn into a shadow, and this she did, even as he looked at her.65 This filled him with fear, and he promised to leave her free if she would resume her former shape, to which she then returned.66

Then the Emperor left, but night and day he thought only of the beautiful Princess Moonlight.67

Soon after this the bamboo-cutter and his wife noticed that the Princess would sit on her balcony and gaze ardently at the moon, after which she would burst into tears.68 They asked her the reason for this, and she told them that she did not belong to this world, but came from the moon.69 And on the fifteenth day of this very month her real parents would send for her and she would have to go.70 It was the thought of leaving her kind foster-parents, and the home in which she had been so happy, that made her weep.71 This made the old people and the Princess’s attendants very sad, for they all loved her, and the thought of losing her was a great blow to them.72

The news soon reached the Emperor, who at once made plans to keep the Princess Moonlight on earth.73 When the fifteenth day of the month came, he had a guard of many thousands of warriors stationed all around the house, and also on the roof, for it was his intention to make prisoners of the envoys of the moon, and to prevent the taking away of the Princess, whom the bamboo-cutter and his wife had hidden in an inner room.74

Orders were given that no one should sleep, and the strictest watch was to be kept.75 But the Princess said that all of these measures were useless, for nothing could prevent her people from carrying out their purpose.76 She told the bamboo-cutter and his wife how very sorry she would be to leave them, and that it was not her wish to leave them.77 It made her sad to think that she would not be able to make a return for all the love and kindness they had shown her.78

The harvest moon arose, and flooded the earth with her beautiful golden light, and still nothing happened.79 The darkness of night had begun to make way for the gray dawn, and hope came to the anxious watchers; hope that the Princess would not be taken away after all.80 Then suddenly a dark cloud seemed to leave the moon, and soon the sky was entirely obscured.81 It kept on its downward course until it reached within a few feet of the roof, and then stopped.82 Then did the watchers see a brilliant chariot, in which were beings who radiated light, as did the Princess.83

From the chariot stepped one who had the look of a king, and who trod the air as easily and as gracefully as though he were on hard ground.84

In a voice so clear that it was distinctly heard by every one of the awed watchers, he said:85

“Princess Moonlight, many moons ago you committed a grave fault, and for punishment were sent down to earth to live for a time.86 The bamboo-cutter and his wife have taken good care of you, and to them we have given wealth.87 The time has come for you to return to your own people, so come at once from this lowly dwelling.”88

Then, through the walls of the house was the Princess seen, shining, bright and of wonderful beauty.89 She kissed the old man and his wife, and spoke words of comfort to them, saying that her heart was full of love for them, and that she was leaving them against her own will.90 The Emperor also she bade good-by.91 Then she was transported through the air to the chariot, which mounted, swiftly towards the moon.92

And now came the morning light, and no trace of the moon-chariot was left to those who gazed upwards with tearful eyes, and with a full heart the Emperor ordered his warriors to return.93

Sorrowful as were the old bamboo-cutter and his wife, yet were they full of gratitude for having known the love of a daughter, who, while not with them in the body, would always dwell with them in spirit.94

THE FOX AND THE CRAFTY CRAB95

A fox was one day walking along the bank of a river when he met a Crab.96 “Good morning, Mr. Crab,” said he.97 “Don’t you ever get tired of creeping over the ground?”98

“No,” replied the Crab, “because it is as natural for me to crawl as it is for you to run; and I can cover the ground very quickly, too, when it is necessary.”99

The Fox laughed at him, and said, sneeringly: “I think you are very slow and very stupid.100 I have only four legs, while you have twice as many, and yet I can run ten times as fast and as far as you can.”101