CHINESE FOLK-LORE TALES

BY

REV. J. MACGOWAN, D. D. 

[Transcriber's note: the original book from whichthis etext was prepared was missing pages 3 and 4, and 13 and 14. ]

MACMILLAN AND CO. , LIMITED

ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON

1910

GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO. LTD. 

CONTENTS

 I. THE WIDOW HO II. KWANG-JUI AND THE GOD OF THE RIVER III. THE BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OF LIU-KUNG IV. THE FAIRY BONZE V. THE MYSTERIOUS BUDDHIST ROBE VI. THE VENGEANCE OF THE GODDESS VII. "THE WONDERFUL MAN" VIII. THE GOD OF THE CITY IX. THE TRAGEDY OF THE YIN FAMILY X. SAM-CHUNG AND THE WATER DEMON XI. THE REWARD OF A BENEVOLENT LIFE

I

THE WIDOW HO

One day in the early dawn, a distinguished mandarin was leaving thetemple of the City God. It was his duty to visit this temple on thefirst and fifteenth of the moon, whilst the city was still asleep, tooffer incense and adoration to the stern-looking figure enshrinedwithin. 

This mandarin was Shih-Kung, and a juster or more upright official didnot exist in all the fair provinces of the Empire. Wherever his namewas mentioned it was received with the profoundest reverence andrespect; for the Chinese people have never lost their ideal of Tien-Li, or Divine Righteousness. This ideal is still deeply embedded in thehearts of high and low, rich and poor; and the homage of all classes, even of the most depraved is gladly offered to any man whoconspicuously displays this heavenly virtue. 

As Shih-Kung was being carried along in his sedan chair, with hisnumerous retinue following closely behind him, he happened to notice ayoung woman walking in the road in front of him, and began to wonderwhat it was that had brought her out at such an unusually early hour. She was dressed in the very deepest mourning, and so after a littlemore thought he concluded that she was a widow who was on her way tothe grave of her late husband to make the usual offerings to his spirit. 

All at once a sudden, furious whirlwind screamed about the woman andseemed determined to spend its force upon her; but beyond her nothingwas touched by it. Not a leaf on the trees near by was moved, and nota particle of dust on the road, except just where she stood, was in theleast agitated by the fierce tempest that for the moment raged aroundher. 

As Shih-Kung gazed at this strange occurrence, the woman's outer skirtwas blown up in the air, and he saw that underneath was another garmentof a rich crimson hue. He then knew at once that there was somethingradically wrong, for no woman of ordinary virtuous character would everdare to wear such a glaring colour, while she pretended to be in deepmourning. There was something suspicious, too, in the sudden tornadothat blew with such terrific violence round the woman only. It was notan accident that brought it there. It was clearly the angry protest ofsome spirit who had been foully misused, and who was determined thatthe wrong-doer should not escape the penalty for the evil she hadcommitted. 

Calling two of his runners to him, Shih-Kung ordered them to follow thewoman and to see where she was going and what she did there, and thento report to him immediately. 

[Transcriber's note: pages 3 and 4 missing from source book]

the coffin of the dead, and was to be solved there and there only. Hiscourse now seemed easy, and it was with a mind full of relief that heentered his home. 

He at once issued a warrant for the arrest of the widow, and at thesame time sent officers to bring the coffin that contained the body ofher husband from its burying-place. 

When the widow appeared before the mandarin, she denied that she knewanything of the cause of her husband's death. He had come home drunkone night, she declared, and had fallen senseless on the ground. Aftera great deal of difficulty, she had managed to lift him up on to thebed, where he lay in a drunken slumber, just as men under the influenceof liquor often do, so that she was not in the least anxious ordisturbed about him. During the night she fell asleep as she watchedby his side, and when she woke up she found to her horror that he wasdead. 

"That is all that can be said about the case, " she concluded, "and ifyou now order an examination of the body, it simply means that you havesuspicions about me, for no other person was with him but myself whenhe died. I protest therefore against the body being examined. If, however, you are determined to do so, I warn you that if you find nosigns of violence on it, you expose yourself according to the laws ofChina to the punishment of death. "

"I am quite prepared to take the responsibility, " replied the mandarin, "and I have already ordered the Coroner to open the coffin and to makea careful examination of the body. "

This was accordingly done, but no trace of injury, not even theslightest bruise, could be discovered on any part of the dead man'sbody. 

The county magistrate was greatly distressed at this result of theenquiry, and hastened to Shih-Kung in order to obtain his advice as towhat steps he should now take to escape the punishment of death whichhe had incurred by his action. The Viceroy agreed that the matter hadindeed assumed a most serious aspect. "But you need not be anxious, "he added, "about what you have done. You have only acted by my orders, and therefore I assume all responsibility for the proceedings which youhave adopted to discover the murderer. "

Late in the afternoon, as the sun began to disappear behind themountains of the west, Shih-Kung slipped out by a side door of hisyamen, dressed as a peddler of cloth, and with pieces of various kindsof material resting on his shoulders. His disguise was so perfect thatno one, as he passed down the street, dreamed of suspecting thatinstead of being a wandering draper, he was in reality theGovernor-General of the Province, who was trying to obtain evidence ofa murder that had recently been committed in his own capital. 

Travelling on down one street after another, Shih-Kung came at last tothe outskirts of the town, where the dwellings were more scattered andthe population was less dense. By this time it was growing dark, sowhen he came to a house that stood quite apart by itself, he knocked atthe door. An elderly woman with a pleasant face and a motherly lookabout her asked him in a kind and gentle voice what he wanted. 

"I have taken the liberty, " he replied, "of coming to your house to seewhether you would not kindly allow me to lodge with you for the night. I am a stranger in this region, " he continued, "and have travelled farfrom my home to sell my cloth. The night is fast falling, and I knownot where to spend it, and so I beg of you to take me in. I do notwant charity, for I am quite able to pay you liberally for any troubleI may cause you; and to-morrow morning, as early as you may desire, Ishall proceed on my wanderings, and you will be relieved of me. "

"My good man, " she replied, "I am perfectly willing that you shouldlodge here for the night, only I am afraid you may have to endure someannoyance from the conduct of my son when he returns home later in theevening. "

"My business leads me into all kinds of company, " he assured her, "andI meet people with a great variety of dispositions, but I generallymanage to get on with them all. It may be so with your son. "

With a good-natured smile, the old lady then showed him into a littleroom just off the one which was used as a sitting room. Shih-Kung wasvery tired, so he threw himself down, just as he was, on a trestle bedthat stood in the corner, and began to think over his plans for solvingthe mystery of the murder. By-and-by he fell fast asleep. 

About midnight he woke up at the sound of voices in the next room, andheard the mother saying:--"I want you to be very careful how you treatthe peddler, and not to use any of your coarse language to him. Although he looks only a common man, I am sure he is a gentleman, forhe has a refined way with him that shows he must have come from no meanfamily. I did not really want to take him in, as I knew you mightobject; but the poor man was very tired, and it was getting dark, andhe declared he had no place to go to, so that at last I consented tolet him stay. It is only for the night, and to-morrow at break of dayhe says he must be on his travels again. "

"I do most strongly dislike having a strange man in the house, " replieda voice which Shih-Kung concluded was the son's; "and I shall go andhave a look at him in order to satisfy myself about him. "

Taking a lantern in his hand, he came close up to where Shih-Kung waslying, and flashing the light upon his face, looked down anxiously athim for a few moments. Apparently he was satisfied, for he cried outin a voice that could easily be heard in the other room: "All right, mother, I am content. The man has a good face, and I do not think Ihave anything to fear from him. Let him remain. "

Shih-Kung now considered that it was time for him to act. He stretchedhimself and yawned as though he were just waking out of sleep, andthen, sitting up on the edge of the bed, he looked into the young man'sface and asked him who he was. 

"Oh!" he replied in a friendly way, "I am the son of the old lady whogave you permission to stay here for the night. For certain reasons, Iam not at all anxious to have strangers about the house, and at first Ivery much objected to have you here. But now that I have had a goodlook at you, my objections have all vanished. I pride myself uponbeing a good judge of character, and I may tell you that I have taken afancy to you. But come away with me into the next room, for I am goingto have a little supper, and as my mother tells me that you fell asleepwithout having had anything to eat, I have no doubt you will be glad tojoin me. "

As they sat talking over the meal, they became very friendly andconfidential with each other, and the sam-shu that the son keptdrinking from a tiny cup, into which it was poured from a steamingkettle, had the effect of loosening his tongue and causing him to speakmore freely than he would otherwise have done. 

From his long experience of the shady classes of society, Shih-Kungvery soon discovered what kind of a man his companion was, and feltthat here was a mine from which he might draw valuable information tohelp him in reaching the facts he wished to discover. 

Looking across the table at the son, whose face was by this timeflushed with the spirit he had been drinking, and with a hasty glancearound the room, as though he were afraid that some one might overhearhim, he said in a low voice, "I want to tell you a great secret. Youhave opened your heart a good deal to me, and now I am going to do thesame with you. I am not really a peddler of cloth, as I have pretendedto be. I have been simply using that business to disguise my realoccupation, which I do not want anyone to know. "

"And what, may I ask, may be the trade in which you are engaged, and ofwhich you seem to be so ashamed that you dare not openly confess it?"asked the son. 

"Well, I am what I call a benevolent thief, " replied Shih-Kung. 

"A benevolent thief!" exclaimed the other in astonishment. "I havenever heard of such a thing before, and I should very much like to knowwhat is meant by it. "

"I must tell you, " explained the guest, "that I am not a common thiefwho takes the property of others for his own benefit. I never stealfor myself. My practice is to find out where men have made moneyunjustly, and then by certain means at my command I deprive them ofsome of their unlawful gains and distribute them amongst the peoplethey have wronged. In this way I have been the means of bringingsuitable punishment on the heads of the guilty, and at the same time ofrelieving the necessities of those who have suffered at their hands. "

"I am astonished at what you tell me, " replied the son, "though I donot believe all you say about not taking a share in the plunder youget. But now that you have opened your heart to me, I shall repay yourconfidence by telling you what I am. I am a real thief, and I supportmy mother, who does not suspect the truth, and keep the home together, simply by what I steal from others. "

He then proceeded to give an account of some of the adventures he hadmet with in the course of his expeditions by night to rooms and houseswhich, as he always found out beforehand by careful spying, containedvaluables that could be easily carried away. 

While he was relating these stories, Shih-Kung's eyes gleamed withdelight, for he saw that the man had fallen into the trap which hadbeen laid for him, and felt confident that before the night was over hewould be in possession of some clue to the mystery he was endeavouringto solve. He was disgusted with the sordid details of the criminallife of which the man before him seemed to be proud; yet with wonderfulpatience this mandarin, with his large powers of mind, and with agenius for statesmanship which had made him famous throughout theEmpire, sat for hours enduring the wretched talk of this common thief. But his reward came in due time. 

"By the way, " exclaimed this man whose business it was to break intohomes when the small hours of the morning found their inmates wrappedin slumber, "some time ago I had a most remarkable experience, and asyou have shown yourself such a good fellow, I will tell you about it, if you do not think it too late to do so. "

"I shall be most delighted to hear you relate it, " said his guest. "Ihave been greatly entertained by your vivid way of describing theadventures through which you have passed. You deserve to be classedamongst the great heroes of old, who have made their names famous bytheir deeds of daring. Go on, I pray you, and tell me the particularsof this unusual experience. "

"Well, " proceeded the man, "I had very carefully planned to pay a visitto a certain house just outside the walls of the city. It was an easyone to get in to without any danger of being observed, for it was in aquiet street, where passers-by are very few after dark. It was agloomy place after sunset, for the high walls that looked down upon itthrew deep and heavy shadows, which faint-hearted people declare arereally unhappy and restless ghosts prowling about to harass anddistress the unwary. 

"It was a little after midnight, when with stealthy footsteps I creptalong the narrow streets, keeping as much as I could under cover of thehouses, where the darkness lay deepest. Every home was hushed inslumber. The only things that really troubled me were the dogs, which, with an intelligence far greater than that of their masters, suspectedme of some evil purpose, and barked at me and made wild snaps at mylegs. I managed, however, to evade them and finally to arrive at thehouse I intended to rob. 

"When I got close up to it, I was surprised to find a light burninginside. There was another thing, too, that I could not understand, andthis was that a little side door by which I had planned to enter hadnot been bolted, but had been left ajar so that any prowling robbercould easily gain admittance through it. Taking off my shoes, I walkedon tiptoe along the stone-paved courtyard in the direction of the roomwhere the light was burning, and

[Transcriber's note: pages 13 and 14 missing from source book]

have had his heart lightened of the load that was weighing it down if Icould only have had the opportunity of whispering a single sentenceinto his ear. "

"It is your duty, " interposed his guest, "to proceed to-morrow morningto the mandarin's yamen, and tell your story to the county magistrate, so that a great wrong may not go unpunished. "

"That I can never do, " promptly replied the man. "What do you thinkwould happen were I to do what you suggest? I am a thief. I get myliving by thieving. I was in the house on the night of the murder forthe purpose of robbery. That would all come out when I give myevidence. After I had proved the murder, what would become of me? Ishould be cast into prison, and I might have to lie there for years, for who would ever bail out a thief? And then my poor mother wouldstarve, for she has to depend on me entirely for her living, and shewould be compelled to go on the streets and beg for charity from doorto door. No, it is impossible for me ever to interfere in this case. "

Shih-Kung recognized the difficulty in which the man was placed, andyet without his evidence it would be impossible to convict the woman ofthe crime she had committed. He accordingly thought out a plan whichhe felt would remove the obstacles that stood in the way of securinghim as a witness. 

Turning to the man, he said, "I have had a very pleasant evening withyou, and I thank you for your courtesy and hospitality. I feel myheart moved with a desire for a deeper friendship than mere words canever express, and so I propose that you and I become sworn brothers, sothat whatever may befall us in the future we shall stand by each otherto the very death. "

The young man looked up with astonishment at this unexpected proposal, but the sudden flash in his eyes and the smile that overspread hiscountenance showed that it was very pleasing to him. 

"I shall be delighted to agree, " he quickly replied, "but when shall wehave an opportunity of appearing in the temple, and of registering ourvow in the presence of the god?"

"There is no need to go to any temple, " Shih-Kung replied. "Yourfamily idol, which sits over there enshrined before us, will be quitesufficient for our purpose. Give me a pen and paper, and I will writeout the articles of our brotherhood and present them to the god. "

In a few minutes the document was written out according to the minuterules laid down by the law which binds two men in a sworn brotherhood. By the most solemn oaths Shih-Kung and this thief agreed to assist eachother in any extremity in which either might be placed in the future. Any call from one to the other must be instantly responded to. Nodanger and no peril to life or limb must be allowed to deter either ofthem when the cry for help or deliverance was heard. Each was toregard the interests of the other as identical with his own, and aslong as life lasted, the obligation to succour in every time of needcould never be relaxed or annulled. 

To prove that this solemn engagement was no mere passing whim of themoment, it had to be read in the hearing of the household god, whohappened to be the Goddess of Mercy. She would then be an everlastingwitness of the transaction, and with the invisible forces at hercommand would visit pains and penalties on the one who broke his oath. Standing in front of her shrine, Shih-Kung read out the articles ofagreement, word by word, in a slow and measured tone suited to thesolemnity of the occasion. He then lighted the paper at the lamp, andboth men gazed at it until nothing was left but ashes, when each ofthem knew that the Goddess had received the document and had placed itin her archives in the far-off Western Heaven as a record of the vowsmade in her presence in those early hours of the morning. 

When they sat down again, Shih-Kung looked with a strong and masterfulgaze at his newly-created brother and said to him:--"You and I are nowsworn brothers, and of course we must be frank with each other. I donot wish to deceive you any longer, so I must tell you that I amneither a peddler of cloth, nor a benevolent thief in the sense inwhich you understood the term. I am in fact Shih-Kung, the Viceroy ofthis Province. "

No sooner did the man hear the name of this great mandarin, who was aprofound source of terror to the criminals and evil-doers within hisjurisdiction, than he fell on his knees before him in the most abjectfright, and repeatedly knocking his head on the ground, besought him tohave mercy on him. 

Raising him up gently with his hand, Shih-Kung told him to lay asideall his fears. "You are my brother now, " he said, "and we have justsworn in the presence of the Goddess to defend each other with ourlives. I shall certainly perform my part of the oath. From thismoment your fortune is made; and as for your mother, who received mewith such gracious courtesy, it shall be my privilege to provide forher as long as she lives. "

Emboldened by these words of the great statesman, the young manappeared at the second inquest, which Shih-Kung ordered to be held, andgave such testimony that the guilt of the wretched wife was clearlyestablished, and due punishment meted out to her. 

II

KWANG-JUI AND THE GOD OF THE RIVER

China is a land where the great masses of the people have to toil andstruggle incessantly in order to obtain even the bare necessities ofdaily existence. Unnumbered multitudes never enjoy a sufficiency offood, but have to be contented with whatever Heaven may send them; andprofoundly thankful they are when they can be sure of two meals a dayto stave off the pangs of hunger from themselves and their children. 

How many there are who cannot by the severest toil obtain even thesetwo meals is evident from the organized beggar communities, which areto be found in connection with every great city in the Empire, and fromthe vast numbers of tramps, who wander over the country on the highwaysand byways with pale and sodden faces and with garments nearly fallingto pieces, picking up a scanty livelihood from the benevolent as theypass from village to village. 

Whatever may be their inmost thoughts, the Chinese bear their terriblehardships and privations with a splendid heroism, with littlecomplaining, with no widespread outbreaks of robbery, and with nopillaging of rice-shops and public granaries by organized mobs drivenmad by hunger. 

There is one beautiful feature about the Chinese that has been animportant factor in steadying the nation. They are imbued with atleast one great ideal, which touches their common life in everydirection. Every man in the Empire, rich or poor, learned orunlearned, has a profound respect for what he calls Tien-Li, or DivineRighteousness. By this the Chinese judge all actions. It is thestandard by which Kings and Princes and common people direct theirconduct, whether in the highest affairs of state, or in the ordinaryengagements of common every-day life. 

In addition to this, the minds of the Chinese are filled with romanceand poetry, so that to them the invisible world is peopled with fairiesand all kinds of spirits, both good and bad, the former relieving inmysterious ways the dull greyness that sorrow and disaster often shedupon the lives of men. 

The story of Kwang-Jui is a remarkable evidence of the unbounded faithwhich the Chinese have in the intervention of these mysterious beingsto deliver men from calamities which would otherwise prove fatal tothem. 

When we first meet with Kwang-Jui, he is living with his widowed motherin a retired part of the country. His father had been dead for sometime, and Kwang-Jui was now the only one upon whom the fortunes of thehome could be built. He was a very studious lad, and was possessed ofremarkable abilities, the result being that he successfully passed thevarious Imperial Examinations, even the final one in the capital, wherethe Sovereign himself presided as examiner. 

After this last examination, as the men were waiting outside the Hallfor the names of those who had satisfied the Emperor to be read out aconsiderable crowd had collected. Most of these people had come frommere curiosity to see the Imperial Edict, and to discover who thescholar was that stood first on the list. The excitement was intense, and speculation ran rife as to which of the candidates, who had comefrom almost every province in the Empire, was going to obtain the placeof honour which was the dream and the ambition of every scholar in theland. 

At last every breath was hushed, and every voice stilled in silence, asone of the high officials of the Palace, attended by an imposingretinue, came out of the great central doors, which had been flung wideopen at his approach. In a clear voice he began to read the list. Itwas headed by the name of Kwang-Jui. 

At this precise moment occurred an incident which was destined tochange the whole current of Kwang-Jui's career. As he was standingovercome with emotion in consequence of the supreme honour which hadbeen conferred upon him by the Emperor's Edict, a small round ball, beautifully embroidered, was thrown from an upper window of a houseacross the way, and struck him on the shoulder. 

It may here be explained that it was a custom in the early days of thehistory of China to allow any young maiden who was reluctant to haveher husband chosen for her by her parents, to make use of what wascalled "The throwing of the embroidered ball" in order to discover theman whom the gods intended her to marry. This ball was made of somesoft material, wrapped round with a piece of red silk which was coveredwith variegated figures, worked by the damsel's own hands andemblematic of the love by which the hearts of husband and wife arebound indissolubly to each other. It was firmly believed by everymaiden of this romantic type that the man who was struck by the ballfrom her fair hands was the one whom Heaven had selected as herhusband; and no parent would ever dream of refusing to accept a choicemade in this way. 

Whilst Kwang-Jui was gazing in amused wonder at the symbol which heunderstood so well, a messenger from the house from which it had beenthrown requested him in respectful tones to accompany him to hismaster, who desired to discuss with him a most important subject. 

As Kwang-Jui entered the house, he discovered to his astonishment thatit belonged to the Prime Minister, who received him with the utmostcordiality, and after a long conversation declared that he was preparedto submit to the will of the gods, and to accept him as his son-in-law. Kwang-Jui was of course in raptures at the brilliant prospects whichwere suddenly opening up before him. The day, indeed, was a red-letterone--an omen, he hoped, that fate was preparing to pour down upon himgood fortune in the future. In one brief day he had been hailed as themost distinguished scholar in the Empire, and he had also beenacknowledged as the son-in-law of the Empire's greatest official, whohad the power of placing him in high positions where he could securenot only honours but also wealth sufficient to drive poverty away forever from his home. 

As there was no reason for delay, the hand of the beautiful daughterwho had thrown the embroidered ball, and who was delighted that Heavenhad chosen for her such a brilliant husband, was bestowed upon him byher parents. Times of great rejoicing succeeded, and when Kwang-Juithought of the quiet and uninteresting days when he was still unknownto fame, and contrasted them with his present life, it seemed to him asthough he were living in fairy-land. His wildest dreams in the pasthad never conjured up anything so grand as the life he was now leading. In one bound he had leaped from comparative poverty to fame and riches. 

After a time, through the influence of his father-in-law, and with thehearty consent of the Emperor, who remembered what a brilliant studenthe had been, Kwang-Jui was appointed to be Prefect of an importantdistrict in the centre of China. 

Taking his bride with him, he first of all proceeded to his old home, where his mother was waiting with great anxiety to welcome her nowfamous son. The old lady felt rather nervous at meeting her newdaughter-in-law, seeing that the latter came from a family which wasfar higher in rank and far more distinguished than any in her own clan. As it was very necessary that Kwang-Jui should take up his office asPrefect without any undue delay, he and his mother and his bride setout in the course of a few days on the long journey to the distantPrefecture, where their lives were destined to be marred by sorrow anddisaster. 

They had travelled the greater part of the way, and had reached acountry market-town that lay on their route, when Kwang-Jui's mother, worn out with the toilsome journey, fell suddenly ill. The doctor whowas called in shook his head and pronounced that she was suffering froma very serious complaint, which, whilst not necessarily fatal, wouldnecessitate a complete rest for at least two or three months. Anyfurther travelling must therefore be abandoned for the present, as itmight be attended with the most serious consequences to the old lady. 

Both husband and wife were greatly distressed at the unlucky accidentwhich placed them in such an awkward position at this wayside inn. They were truly grieved at the serious sickness of their mother, butthey were still more puzzled as to what course they should pursue inthese most trying circumstances. The Imperial Rescript appointingKwang-Jui to his office as Prefect commanded him to take up his post ona certain definite date. To delay until his mother would again be ableto endure the fatigues of travel was out of the question, asdisobedience to the Emperor's orders would be attended by his gravedispleasure. Eventually his mother suggested that he and his wifeshould go on ahead, and that after taking up the duties of his officehe should then delegate them for a time to his subordinates and returnto take her home. 

This advice Kwang-Jui decided to carry out; though with greatreluctance, as he was most unwilling to abandon his mother to the careof strangers. He accordingly made all the arrangements he possiblycould for her comfort whilst they were parted from each other; he hadservants engaged to attend upon her, and he left sufficient money withher to meet all her expenses during his absence. 

With a mind full of consideration for his mother, and wishing to showhow anxious he was to give her pleasure, he went out into the market ofthe town to see if he could buy a certain kind of fish of which she waspassionately fond. He had hardly got outside the courtyard of the inn, when he met a fisherman with a very fine specimen of the very fish thathe wished to purchase. 

As he was discussing the price with the man, a certain something aboutthe fish arrested his attention. There was a peculiar look in its eyesthat seemed full of pathos and entreaty. Its gaze was concentratedupon him, so human-like and with such intensity, that he instinctivelyfelt it was pleading with him to do something to deliver it from agreat disaster. This made him look at it more carefully, and to hisastonishment the liquid eyes of the fish were still fixed upon him witha passionate regard that made him quiver with excitement. 

"Fisherman, " he said, "I want to buy this fish, and here is the pricethat you ask for it. I have but one stipulation to make, and that isthat you take it to the river from which you caught it, and set it freeto swim away wherever it pleases. Remember that if you fail to carryout this part of the bargain, great sorrow will come upon you and yourhome. "

Little did either of them dream that the fish was the presiding God ofthe River, who for purposes of his own had transformed himself intothis form, and who, while swimming up and down the stream had beencaught in the net of the fisherman. 

After travelling for some hours Kwang-Jui and his wife came to the bankof a considerable river, where they hired a large boat to convey themto their destination. 

The boatman they engaged was a man of very low character. He hadoriginally been a scholar and of good family, but, utterly depraved andimmoral, he had gradually sunk lower and lower in society, until atlast he had been compelled to fly from his home to a distant province, and there to engage in his present occupation in order to earn hisliving. The large amount of property which Kwang-Jui had with himseemed to arouse the worst passions in this man, and while the boat wasbeing carried along by a fair wind and a flowing tide, he planned inhis mind how he was to become the possessor of it. By the time thatthey reached the place where they were to anchor for the night, he hadalready decided what measures he should adopt. 

A little after midnight, accordingly, he crept stealthily towards theplace where Kwang-Jui was sleeping, stabbed him to the heart and threwhis body into the fast-flowing river. He next threatened the wife thatif she dared to utter a sound, he would murder her also and send her tojoin her husband in the Land of Shadows. Paralyzed with terror, sheremained speechless, only a stifled sob and groan now and againbreaking from her agonized heart. Her first serious idea was to commitsuicide, and she was preparing to fling herself into the water thatgurgled along the sides of the boat, when she was restrained by thethought that if she destroyed herself, she would never be able toavenge her husband's death or bring punishment upon the villain who hadjust murdered him. 

It was not mere robbery, however, that was in the mind of the man whohad committed this great crime. He had bigger ideas than that. He hadnoticed that in personal appearance he very much resembled his victim, so he determined to carry out the daring project of passing himself offas Kwang-Jui, the mandarin whom the Emperor had despatched to take upthe appointment of Prefect. 

Having threatened the widow that instant death would be her portion ifshe breathed a word to anyone about the true state of the case, andhaving arrayed himself in the official robes of the man whom he hadstabbed to death, the boatman appeared at the yamen, where he presentedthe Imperial credentials and was duly installed in his office. Itnever entered his mind that it was not cowardice which kept the widowsilent, but the stern resolve of a brave and high-minded woman that shewould do her part to see that vengeance should in time fall upon theman who had robbed her of a husband whom she looked upon as the directgift of Heaven. 

Now, immediately after the body of Kwang-Jui had been cast into thewater, the customary patrol sent by the God of the River to see thatorder was kept within his dominions, came upon it, and conveyed it withall speed into the presence of the god himself. 

The latter looked at it intently for a moment, and then exclaimed ingreat excitement, "Why, this is the very person who only yesterdaysaved my life, when I was in danger of being delivered over to a crueldeath! I shall now be able to show my gratitude by using all the powerI possess to serve his interests. Bring him to the Crystal Grotto, " hecontinued, "where only those who have distinguished themselves in theservice of the State have ever been allowed to lie. This man has aclaim upon me such as no one before him ever possessed. He is thesaviour of my life, and I will tenderly care for him until the web offate has been spun, and, the vengeance of Heaven having been wreakedupon his murderer, he shall once more rejoin the wife from whom he hasbeen so ruthlessly torn. "

With the passing of the months, the widow of Kwang-Jui gave birth to ason, the very image of his father. It was night-time when he was born, and not long after his birth, a mysterious voice, which could not betraced, was heard distinctly saying, "Let the child be removed withoutdelay from the yamen, before the return of the Prefect, as otherwiseits life will not be safe. "

Accordingly, on the morrow, the babe, about whose destiny even Heavenitself seemed concerned, was carefully wrapped round with manycoverings to protect it against the weather. Inside the inmost dress, there was enclosed a small document, telling the child's tragic storyand describing the danger from a powerful foe which threatened itslife. In order to be able to identify her son, it might be after thelapse of many years, the mother cut off the last joint of the littlefinger of his left hand; and then, with tears and sighs, and with herheart full of unspoken agony, she took a last, lingering look upon theface of the little one. 

A confidential slave woman carried him out of her room, and by deviousways and secret paths finally laid him on the river's bank. Casting afinal glance at the precious bundle to see that no danger threatenedit, she hurried back in the direction of the city, with the faint criesof the abandoned infant still sounding in her ears. 

And now the child was in the hands of Heaven. That this was so wasevident from the fact that in a few minutes the abbot of the monastery, which could be seen crowning the top of a neighbouring hill, passedalong the narrow pathway by the side of the river. Hearing a baby'scry, he hastened towards the place from which the sounds came, andpicking up the little bundle, and realizing that the infant had beendeserted, he carried it up to the monastery and made every arrangementfor its care and comfort. Fortunately he was a man of a deeplybenevolent nature, and no more suitable person could have been found totake charge of the child. 

We must now allow eighteen years to pass by. The child that had beenleft on the margin of the river had grown up to be a fine, handsomelad. The abbot had been his friend ever since the day when his hearthad been touched by his cries, and his love for the little foundlinghad grown with the years. The boy had become a kind of son to him, andin order not to be parted from him he had taught him the temple duties, so that he was now a qualified priest in the service of the gods. 

One morning the young man, whose name was Sam-Choang, came to the abbotwith a restless, dissatisfied look on his face, and begged to be toldwho his father was, and who his mother. The old priest, who had longbeen aware of the tragic story of Kwang-Jui's murder, felt that thetime had come when the lad ought to know what he had hitherto concealedfrom him. Taking out the document which he had found upon him as ababy, he read it to him, and then the great secret was out. After thisa long and serious discussion took place between the two as to thewisest methods to be adopted for bringing the Prefect to justice anddelivering the lad's mother from the humiliating position which she hadso heroically borne for all these eighteen years. 

The next day a young priest, with shaven head and dressed in the usualslate-coloured gown, appeared at the yamen of the Prefect to solicitsubscriptions for the neighbouring monastery. As the Prefect wasabsent on some public business, he was ushered into the reception-room, where he was received by his mother, who had always been a generoussupporter of the Goddess of Mercy. 

At the first sight of this striking-looking young bonze, she found herheart agitated in a strange and powerful way, such as she had notexperienced for many a long year; and when she noticed that the littlefinger on his left hand was without the last joint, she trembled withthe utmost excitement. 

After a few words about the object for which he had come, the youngpriest slipped into her hand the very paper which she had writteneighteen years ago; and as she looked at her own handwriting and thengazed into his face and saw the striking likeness to the man at whomshe had thrown the embroidered ball, the mother-instinct within herflashed suddenly out, and she recognized that this handsome lad was herown son. The joy of the mother as she looked upon the face ofSam-Choang was reflected in the sparkling eyes and glowing look ofpleasure that lit up his whole countenance. 

Retiring for a short time his mother returned with a letter which shehanded to him. In a low voice she told him that it was to her father, who still lived in the capital, and to whom he was to take it withoutany delay. In order to prevent suspicion on the part of the Prefect, he was to travel as a priest, who was endeavouring to obtainsubscriptions for his monastery. He was to be sure, also, to visit theplace where his grandmother had been left, and to try and find out whathad become of her. In order to defray his expenses she gave him a fewbars of gold, which he could exchange for the current money at thebanks on the way. 

When Sam-Choang arrived at the inn where his father had parted with hisgrandmother, he could find no trace of her. A new landlord was inpossession, who had never even heard her name; but on enquiring amongstthe shopkeepers in the neighbourhood, he found to his horror that shewas now a member of the beggars' camp, and that her name was enrolledamongst that degraded fraternity. 

On reaching the wretched hovel where she was living, he discovered thatwhen her money was exhausted and no remittance came to her from herson, she had been driven out on to the street by the innkeeper, andfrom that time had tramped the country, living on the scraps and bitswhich were bestowed upon her by the benevolent. Great was her joy whenher grandson led her away to the best inn in the place, and on hisdeparture gave her an ample supply of money for all her needs untilthey should meet again. 

When Sam-Choang reached the capital and handed his mother's letter tohis grandfather, the most profound excitement ensued. As soon as theEmperor was officially informed of the case, he determined that theseverest punishment should be inflicted upon the man who had not onlycommitted a cruel murder, but through it had dared to usurp a positionwhich could only be held at the Sovereign's command. An Imperial Edictwas accordingly issued ordering the Prime Minister to take aconsiderable body of troops and proceed with all possible speed to thedistrict where such an unheard-of crime had been committed, and thereto hand over the offender to immediate execution. 

By forced marches, so as to outstrip any private intelligence thatmight have been sent from the capital, the avenging force reached thecity a little before the break of day. Here they waited in silenceoutside the city gates, anxiously listening for the boom of the earlygun which announces the dawn, and at the same time causes the gates tobe flung wide open for the traffic of the day to commence. 

As soon as the warders had admitted the waiting crowd outside, thesoldiers, advancing at a run, quickly reached the yamen, and arrestedthe Prefect. Without form of trial but simply with a curt announcementfrom the Prime Minister that he was acting upon instructions from theEmperor, the mandarin was dragged unceremoniously through the gapingcrowds that rushed from their doors to see the amazing spectacle. 

The feet of Fate had marched slowly but with unerring certainty, andhad at last reached the wretched criminal. 

But where was he being taken? This road did not lead to the executionground, where malefactors were doomed to end their careers in shame. Street after street was passed, and still the stern-faced soldiersforced the mandarin down the main thoroughfares, whose sides had oftenbeen lined with respectful crowds as he swept by with his haughtyretinue. At last they reached the city gate, through which theymarched, and then on towards the river, which could be seen gleaminglike a silver thread in the distance. 

Arrived at its bank, the troops formed into a square with the prisonerin the centre. Addressing him, the Prime Minister said, "I haveselected this spot rather than the public execution ground wherecriminals are put to death. Your crime has been no common one; and soto-day, in the face of high Heaven whose righteousness you have daredto violate, and within sound of the flowing waters of the stream thatwitnessed the murder, you shall die. "

Half a dozen soldiers then threw him violently to the ground, and in afew minutes the executioner had torn his bleeding heart from his bosom. Then, standing with it still in his hand, he waited by the side of thePrime Minister, who read out to the great multitude the indictmentwhich had been drawn up against the Prefect. In this he described hiscrimes, and at the same time appealed to Heaven and to the God of theRiver to take measures to satisfy and appease the spirit of him who hadbeen cut off in the prime of life by the man who had just been executed. 

As soon as the reading of the document had been concluded, it was setfire to and allowed to burn until only the blackened ashes remained. These, together with the criminal's heart, were then cast into theriver. They were thus formally handed over to the god, who would seethat in the Land of Shadows there should come a further retribution onthe murderer for the crimes he had committed on earth. 

The water patrol happened to pass by soon after the ashes and heart hadbeen flung into the river, and picking them up most carefully, theycarried them to the official residence of the god. The indictment wasat once formally entered amongst the archives of the office, to be usedas evidence when the case was in due time brought before the notice ofYam-lo: and after looking at the heart with the intensest scrutiny forsome little time, the god exclaimed, "And so the murderer has at lastreceived some part of the punishment he so richly deserved. It is nowtime for me to awake the sleeping husband, so that he may be restoredto the wife from whom he has been separated for eighteen years. "

Passing into the Crystal Grotto, where the unconscious form ofKwang-Jui had reposed for so many years, the god touched the bodygently with his hand, and said:--"Friend, arise! Your wife awaits you, and loving ones who have long mourned you. Many years of happiness arestill before you, and the honours that your Sovereign will bestow uponyou shall place you amongst the famous men of the State. Arise, andtake your place once more amongst the living!"

The Prime Minister was sitting with his daughter, listening to the sadstory of the years of suffering through which she had passed, when thedoor was silently opened, and the figure of her long-lost husbandglided in. Both started up in fear and amazement, for they believedthat what they saw was only a restless spirit which had wandered fromthe Land of Shadows and would speedily vanish again from their sight. In this, however, they were delightfully disappointed. Kwang-Jui andhis wife were once more reunited, and for many a long year their heartswere so full of gladness and contentment, that the sorrows which theyhad endured gradually became effaced from their memories. They alwaysthought with the deepest gratitude of the God of the River, who foreighteen years had kept the unconscious husband alive and had finallyrestored him to his heart-broken wife. 

III

THE BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OF LIU-KUNG

In one of the central provinces of this long-lived Empire of China, there lived in very early times a man of the name of Chan. He was aperson of a bright, active nature which made him enjoy life, and causedhim to be popular amongst his companions and a favourite with every onewho knew him. But he was also a scholar, well-versed in the literatureof his country, and he spent every moment that he could spare in thestudy of the great writings of the famous men of former days. 

In order that he might be interrupted as little as possible in hispursuit of learning, he engaged a room in a famous monastery some milesaway from his own home. The only inhabitants of this monastery were adozen or so of Buddhist priests, who, except when they were engaged inthe daily services of the temple, lived a quiet, humdrum, lazy kind ofexistence which harmonized well with the solitude and the majesticstillness of the mountain scenery by which they were surrounded. 

This monastery was indeed one of the most beautiful in China. It wassituated on the slope of a hill, looking down upon a lovely valley, where the natural solitude was as complete as the most devoted hermitcould desire. The only means of getting to it were the narrow hillfootpaths along which the worshippers from the great city and thescattered villages wound in and out on festal days, when they cametrooping to the temple to make their offerings to the famous Godenshrined within. 

Chan was a diligent student, and rarely indulged in recreation of anykind. Occasionally, when his mind became oppressed with excessivestudy he would go for a quiet walk along the hillside; but theseoccasions were few and far between, for he made up for every hour hespent away from his beloved books by still closer application to themin the hours that followed. 

One day he was strolling in an aimless kind of way on the hillside, when suddenly a party of hunters from the neighbouring city of EternalSpring came dashing into view. They were a merry group and full ofexcitement, for they had just sighted a fox which Chan had seen amoment before flying away at its highest speed in mortal dread of itspursuers. 

Prominent amongst the hunters was a young girl, who was mounted on afiery little steed, so full of spirit and so eager to follow in the madchase after the prey, that its rider seemed to have some difficulty inrestraining it. The girl herself was a perfect picture. Her face wasthe loveliest that Chan had ever looked upon, and her figure, which hertrim hunting dress showed off to the utmost advantage, was graceful inthe extreme. As she swept by him with her face flushed with excitementand her features all aglow with health, Chan felt at once that he hadlost his heart and that he was deeply and profoundly in love with her. 

On making enquiries, he found that she was named Willow, that she wasthe daughter of the chief mandarin of the town in which she lived, andthat she was intensely fond of the chase and delighted in gallopingover the hills and valleys in the pursuit of the wild animals to befound there. So powerfully had Chan's mind been affected by what hehad seen of Willow, that he had already begun to entertain seriousthoughts of making her his wife; but while his mind was full of thisdelightful prospect he was plunged into the deepest grief by hearingthat she had suddenly died. For some days he was so stricken withsorrow that he lost all interest in life, and could do nothing butdwell on the memory of her whom he had come to love with all thedevotion of his heart. 

A few weeks after the news of her death, the quiet of the retreat wasone day broken by a huge procession which wound its way along themountain path leading to the monastery doors. On looking out, Chan sawthat many of the men in this procession were dressed in sackcloth, andthat in front of it was a band of musicians producing weird, shrillnotes on their various instruments. 

By these signs Chan knew that what he saw was a funeral, and heexpected to see the long line of mourners pass on to some spot on thehillside where the dead would be buried. Instead of that, however, they entered through the great gates of the monastery, and the coffin, the red pall of which told him that it contained the body of a woman, was carried into an inner room of the building and laid on trestlesthat had been made ready for it. 

After the mourners had dispersed, Chan asked one of the priests thename of the woman who had died, and how it was that the coffin was laidwithin the precincts of the temple instead of in the house of thedeceased, where it could be looked after by her relatives and where thecustomary sacrifices to the spirit of the dead could be offered moreconveniently than in the monastery. 

The bonze replied that this was a peculiar case, calling for specialtreatment. 

"The father of the poor young girl who died so suddenly, " he said, "wasthe mandarin of the neighbouring city of Eternal Spring. Just afterthe death of his daughter an order came from the Emperor transferringhim to another district, a thousand miles from here. 

"The command was very urgent that he should proceed without delay totake up his post in the far-off province, and that he was to allownothing to hinder him from doing so. He could not carry his daughter'sbody with him on so long a journey, and no time was permitted him totake the coffin to his home, where she might be buried amongst her ownkindred. It was equally impossible to deposit the coffin in the yamenhe was about to leave, for the new mandarin who was soon to arrivewould certainly object to have the body of a stranger in such closeproximity to his family. It might bring him bad luck, and his careeras an official might end in disaster. 

"Permission was therefore asked from our abbot to allow the coffin tobe placed in one of our vacant rooms, until the father some day in thefuture can come and bear the body of his beloved daughter to the homeof his ancestors, there to be laid at rest amongst his own people. 

"This request was readily granted, for whilst he was in office themandarin showed us many favours, and his daughter was a beautiful girlwho was beloved by everyone; and so we were only too glad to doanything in our power to help in this unhappy matter. "

Chan was profoundly moved when he realized that the woman whom he hadloved as his own life lay dead within a chamber only a few steps awayfrom his own. His passion, instead of being crushed out of his heartby the thought that she was utterly beyond his reach, and by nopossibility could ever be more to him than a memory, seemed to grow inintensity as he became conscious that it was an absolutely hopeless one. 

On that very same evening, about midnight, when silence rested on themonastery, and the priests were all wrapped in slumber, Chan, with alighted taper in his hand, stole with noiseless footsteps along thedark passages into the chamber of death where his beloved lay. Kneeling beside the coffin with a heart full of emotion, in tremblingaccents he called upon Willow to listen to the story of his passion. 

He spoke to her just as though she were standing face to face with him, and he told her how he had fallen in love with her on the day on whichhe had caught a glimpse of her as she galloped in pursuit of the foxthat had fled through the valley from the hunters. He had planned, hetold her, to make her his wife, and he described, in tones throughwhich the tears could be heard to run, how heart-broken he was when heheard of her death. 

"I want to see you, " he continued, "for I feel that I cannot livewithout you. You are near to me, and yet oh! how far away. Can younot come from the Land of Shadows, where you are now, and comfort me byone vision of your fair face, and one sound of the voice that wouldfill my soul with the sweetest music?"

For many months the comfort of Chan's life was this nightly visit tothe chamber where his dead love lay. Not a single night passed withouthis going to tell her of the unalterable and undying affection thatfilled his heart; and whilst the temple lay shrouded in darkness, andthe only sounds that broke the stillness were those inexplicable onesin which nature seems to indulge when man is removed by sleep from thescene, Chan was uttering those love notes which had lain deeply hiddenwithin his soul, but which now in the utter desolation of his heartburst forth to ease his pain by their mere expression. 

One night as he was sitting poring over his books, he happened to turnround, and was startled to see the figure of a young girl standing justinside the door of his room. It seemed perfectly human, and yet it wasso ethereal that it had the appearance of a spirit of the other world. As he looked at the girl with a wondering gaze, a smile lit up herbeautiful features, and he then discovered to his great joy that shewas none other than Willow, his lost love whom he had despaired of everseeing again. 

With her face wreathed in smiles, she sat down beside him and said in atimid, modest way:--"I am here to-night in response to the great lovewhich has never faltered since the day I died. That is the magnetwhich has had the power of drawing me from the Land of Shadows. I feltit there, and many speak about it in that sunless country. EvenYam-lo, the lord of the spirits of that dreary world, has been moved byyour unchanging devotion; so much so that he has given me permission tocome and see you, in order that I might tell you how deeply my heart ismoved by the profound affection that you have exhibited for me allthese months during which you never had any expectation of its beingreturned. "

For many months this sweet intercourse between Chan and his belovedWillow was carried on, and no one in the whole monastery knew anythingof it. The interviews always took place about midnight, and Willow, who seemed to pass with freedom through closed doors or the stoutestwalls, invariably vanished during the small hours of the morning. 

One evening whilst they were conversing on topics agreeable to themboth, Willow unburdened her heart to Chan, and told him how unhappy shewas in the world of spirits. 

"You know, " she said, "that before I died I was not married, and so Iam only a wandering spirit with no place where I can rest, and nofriends to whom I can betake myself. I travel here and there andeverywhere, feeling that no one cares for me, and that there are noties to bind me to any particular place or thing. For a young girllike me, this is a very sad and sorrowful state of things. 

"There is another thing that adds to my sorrow in the Land of Shadows, "she went on to say, with a mournful look on her lovely countenance. "Iwas very fond of hunting when I was in my father's home, and many awild animal was slain in the hunting expeditions in which I took anactive part. This has all told against me in the world in which I amnow living, and for the share I took in destroying life I have tosuffer by many pains and penalties which are hard for me to endure. 

"My sin has been great, " she said, "and so I wish to make specialofferings in this temple to the Goddess of Mercy and implore her tosend down to the other world a good report of me to Yam-lo, andintercede with him to forgive the sins of which I have been guilty. Ifyou will do this for me, I promise that after I have been born againinto the world I will never forget you, and if you like to wait for meI shall willingly become your wife and serve you with the deepestdevotion of which my heart is capable, as long as Heaven will permityou and me to live together as husband and wife. "

From this time, much to the astonishment of the priests in themonastery, Chan began to show unwonted enthusiasm for the service ofthe Goddess, and would sometimes spend hours before her image andrepeat long prayers to her. This was all the more remarkable, as thescholar had rarely if ever shown any desire to have anything to do withthe numerous gods which were enshrined in various parts of the temple. 

After some months of this daily appeal to the Goddess of Mercy, Willowinformed him that his prayers had been so far successful that themisery of her lot in the Land of Shadows had been greatly mitigated. The pleadings of the Goddess with Yam-lo had so influenced his hearttowards Willow that she believed her great sin in the destruction ofanimal life had been forgiven, and there were signs that the dreadruler of the Underworld was looking upon her with kindness. 

Chan was delighted with this news, and his prayers and offerings becamestill more frequent and more fervent. He little dreamed that hisdevotion to the Goddess would be the means of his speedy separationfrom Willow, but so it was. One evening she came as usual to see him, but instead of entering with smiling face and laughter in her eyes, shewas weeping bitterly as though she were in the direst sorrow. 

Chan was in the greatest distress when he saw this and asked her toexplain the reason for her grief. "The reason for my tears, " she said, "is because after this evening I shall not see you again. Yourpetitions to the Goddess have had such a powerful effect upon her mindthat she has used all her influence with Yam-lo to induce him to set mefree from the misery of the Land of Shadows, and so I am to leave thatsunless country and to be born again into life in this upper world. "

As she uttered these words her tears began to flow once more and herwhole frame was convulsed with sobbing. 

"I am glad, " she said, "that I am to be born once more and live amongstmen, but I cannot bear the thought of having to be separated for solong from you. Let us not grieve too much, however. It is our fate, and we may not rebel against it. Yam-lo has been kinder to me than hehas ever been to any one in the past, for he has revealed to me thefamily into which I am to be born and the place where they live, so ifyou come to me in eighteen years you will find me waiting for you. Your love has been so great that it has entered into my very soul, andthere is nothing that can ever efface it from my heart. A thousandre-births may take place, but never shall I love any one as I love you. "

Chan professed that he was greatly comforted by this confession of herlove, but all the same he felt in despair when he thought of the future. 

"When next I shall see you, " he said with a sigh, "I shall be gettingso old that you, a young girl in the first flush of womanhood, will notcare to look at me. My hair will have turned grey and my face will bemarked with wrinkles, and in the re-birth you will have forgotten allthat took place in the Land of Shadows, and the memory of me will havevanished from your heart for ever. "

Willow looked with loving but sorrowful eyes upon her lover as he wasexpressing his concern about the future, but quickly assured him thatnothing in the world would ever cause her to cease to remember him withthe tenderest affection. 

"In order to comfort you, " she said, "let me tell you of two thingsthat the dread Yam-lo, out of consideration for your love for me, hasgranted me--two things which he has never bestowed upon any othermortal who has come within the region of his rule. The first is, hehas allowed me to inspect the book of Life and Death, in which isrecorded the history of every human being, with the times of theirre-births and the places in which they are to be born. I want you thisvery minute to write down the secret which has been revealed to me asto my new name and family and the place where I shall reside, so thatyou will have no difficulty in finding me, when eighteen years henceyou shall come to claim me as your wife. 

"The next is a gift so precious that I have no words in which toexpress my gratitude for its having been bestowed upon me. It is this. I am given the privilege of not forgetting what has taken place duringmy stay in the Land of Shadows, and so when I am re-born into anotherpart of China, with a new father and mother, I shall hold within mymemory my recollection of you. The years will pass quickly, for Ishall be looking for you, and this day eighteen years hence will be thehappiest in my life, for it will bring you to me never more to beseparated from me. 

"But I must hasten on, " she hurriedly exclaimed, "for the footsteps offate are moving steadily towards me. In a few minutes the gates ofHades will have closed against me, and Willow will have vanished, and Ishall be a babe once more with my new life before me. See, but aminute more is left me, and I seem to have so much to say. Farewell!Never forget me! I shall ever remember you, but my time is come!"

As she uttered these words, a smile of ineffable sweetness flashedacross, her beautiful face, and she was gone. 

Chan was inexpressibly sad at the loss he had sustained by the re-birthof Willow, and in order to drive away his sorrow he threw his heart andsoul into his studies. His books became his constant companions, andhe tried to find in them a solace for the loneliness which had comeupon him since the visits of Willow had ceased. He also became adiligent worshipper of the idols, and especially of the Goddess ofMercy, who had played such an important part in the history of hisbeloved Willow. 

The years went slowly by, and Chan began to feel that he was growingold. His hair became dashed with silver threads, and wrinkles appearedin his forehead and under his eyes. The strain of waiting for the onewoman who had taken complete possession of his heart had been too muchfor him. As the time drew near, too, when he should go to meet her, agreat and nervous dread began to fill him with anxiety. Would sherecognize him? And would she, a young girl of eighteen, be content toaccept as a husband a man so advanced in years as he now was? Thesequestions were constantly flashing through his brain. 

At last only a few months remained before he was to set out on hisjourney to the distant province where Yam-lo had decided that Willowwas to begin her new life on earth. 

He was sitting one evening in his study, brooding over the greatproblem that would be solved before long, when a man dressed in blacksilently entered the room. Looking on Chan with a kindly smile whichseemed to find its way instantly to his heart, he informed him that hewas a fairy from the Western Heaven and that he had been speciallydeputed by the rulers there to render him all the assistance in hispower at this particular crisis, when they knew his heart was so fullof anxiety. 

"We have all heard in that far-off fairyland, " he continued, "of thedevotion you have shown to Willow, and how during all the years whichhave intervened since you saw her last you have never faltered in yourlove for her. Such affection is rare among mortals, and the dwellersin fairyland would like to help in bringing together two such lovinghearts; for let me assure you that however strong your feeling for theone whom you are so anxious to see again, she on her part is just asdeeply in love with you, and is now counting the days until she will beable to see you and until you need never again be parted from eachother. In order to assist in this happy consummation, I want you totake a short trip with me. It will only take a few hours, and you willthen find that something has happened to remove all your fears as tohow you will be received by Willow. "

The fairy man then led Chan to the door, and gave a wave of his hand inthe direction of the sky. Instantly the sound of the fluttering andswish of wings was heard, and in a moment a splendid eagle landedgracefully at their feet. Taking their seats upon its back, they foundthemselves flashing at lightning speed away through the darkness of thenight. Higher and higher they rose, till they had pierced the heavymasses of clouds which hung hovering in the sky. Swift as an arrow theeagle still cleft its way upward until the clouds had vanished to aninfinite distance below them; and still onward they were borne in themighty stillness of an expanse where no human being had ever travelledbefore. 

Chan felt his heart throb with a nervousness which he could notcontrol. What if the bird should tire, he thought, and he should bedropped into the fathomless abyss below? Life's journey would thencome to a tragic end. Where, too, was he being carried and how shouldhe be ever able to return to his far-off home on the earth? He wasbecoming more and more agitated, when the fairy took hold of his handand in a voice which at once stilled his fears, assured him that therewas not the least danger in this journey through the air. 

"We are as safe here, " he assured him, "as though we were standing upona mountain whose roots lie miles below the surface of the earth. Andsee, " he continued, pointing to something in the distance, "we shallarrive at our destination in the course of a few seconds. "

True enough, he had hardly finished speaking when a land, fairer thanChan had ever seen on earth or pictured in imagination, loomed upsuddenly in front of them; and before he could gather together hisastonished thoughts, the eagle had landed them on its shores, and withoutspread wings was soaring into the mystery of the unknown beyond. 

The fairy now led Chan along a road surrounded by the most bewilderingbeauty. Rare flowers, graceful trees, and birds which made the grovesresound with the sweetest music, were objects that kept his mind in onecontinual state of delight. Before long they arrived in front of amagnificent palace, so grand and vast that Chan felt afraid to enterwithin its portals, or even tread the avenue leading up to it. 

Once more his companion relieved Chan's anxiety by assuring him that hewas an expected guest, and that the Queen of this fairy country hadsent him to earth specially to invite him to come and visit her, inorder that she might bestow upon him a blessing which would enrich thewhole of his life and would enable him to spend many happy years withher whom he had loved with such devotion. 

Chan was ushered into a large reception hall, where he was met by avery stately lady, with a face full of benevolence, whom he at oncerecognized, from the images he had often worshipped, as the Goddess ofMercy. He was startled when he discovered in what august presence hewas standing, and began to tremble with excitement as he realized thathere in actual life was the famous personage whose image was worshippedby the millions of China, and whose influence spread even into the Landof Shadows. 

Seeing Chan's humility and evident terror of her, the Goddess spoke tohim in a gentle, loving voice, and told him to have no fear, for shehad summoned him to her presence not to rebuke but to comfort him. 

"I know your story, " she said, "and I think it is a beautiful one. Before I was raised to the high position I now occupy I was at one timea woman like Willow, and I can sympathize with her in her devotion toyou because of the wonderful love you have shown her from the firstmoment that you saw her. 

"I know, too, your anxiety about your age, and your fear lest whenWillow sees you with the marks of advancing years upon you, her lovemay die out and you will be left with your heart broken and in despair. I have foreseen this difficulty, and I am going to have it removed. 

"The fairy who brought you here, " she continued, "will now take youround the palace grounds, and if you will carry out my wishes, thefears which have been troubling you for years shall entirely vanish. You will then meet Willow with a heart as light as that of any man inthe flush of youth, who awaits the coming of the bridal chair whichbears his future wife to his home. "

Chan at once, without any hesitation, followed his guide through thespacious grounds which surrounded the palace, and was finally led tothe edge of a beautiful little lake embowered amongst trees and ferns, and rare and fragrant flowers. It was the most exquisite scene onwhich his vision had ever rested. 

With a kindly look at his companion, the fairy said, "This beautifulpiece of water goes by the name of the 'Fountain of Eternal Youth, ' andit is the Queen's express desire that you should bathe in it. "

Quickly undressing, Chan plunged into the pool and for a moment sankbeneath the surface of the waters. Emerging quickly from them, adelightful feeling of new-born strength seemed to be creeping in atevery pore of his body. The sense of advancing age passed away, andthe years of youth appeared to come back to him again. He felt asthough he were a young man once more; for the weary doubts, which forsome years past had made his footsteps lag, had gone with his firstplunge into those fragrant waters. 

By-and-by he came out of this "Fountain of Eternal Youth" with thevisions and ambitions of his young manhood rushing through his brain. His powers, which seemed of late to have become dull and sluggish, hadrecovered the impetus which in earlier years had carried him sosuccessfully through many a severe examination. His thoughts, too, about Willow had so completely changed that instead of dreading the daywhen he should stand before her, his one passionate desire now was tostart upon his journey to keep his appointment with her. 

Chan and the fairy then proceeded to the edge of the vast and boundlessexpanse which bordered the palace of the Goddess, and found amagnificent dragon waiting to convey them back to earth. No sooner hadthey taken their seats on its back than it fled with the swiftness ofthe wind through the untrodden spaces of the air, until at length themountains came looming out of the dim and shadowy distance, and with arush Chan found himself safely landed at the door of the temple fromwhich he had taken his departure for his amazing journey to the WesternHeaven. 

Whilst these wonderful things were taking place, Willow--or ratherPrecious Pearl, as she had been named by her new parents, who of coursehad no knowledge of her previous history--had grown up to be a mostbeautiful and fascinating woman. 

During all these years she had never ceased to look forward with ananxious heart to the day when she would once more meet the man to whomshe had betrothed herself eighteen years ago. Latterly she had begunto count the days that must still elapse before she could see himagain. She never forgot the night in the temple when she bade him"Good-bye" just before she was reborn into this world. The day and thehour had been stamped upon her memory, and since then the years hadseemed to travel with halting, leaden feet, as though they were loth tomove on. But now only a few months remained, and no doubt ever enteredher brain that Chan would fail her. 

Just about this time her mother had an offer of marriage for her from avery wealthy and distinguished family, and contrary to the usual customof mothers in China she asked her daughter what she thought of theproposal. Pearl was distressed beyond measure, and prayed andentreated her mother on no account to broach the subject to her again, as she could never entertain any proposition of the kind. 

Amazed at such a statement, her mother begged her to explain her reasonfor such strange views. "Girls at your age, " she said, "are usuallybetrothed and are thinking of having homes of their own. This is theuniversal custom throughout the Empire, and therefore there must besome serious reason why you will not allow me to make arrangements foryour being allied to some respectable family. "

Pearl had been feeling that the time was drawing near when she wouldhave to divulge the secret of her love affair, and she considered thatnow was the best opportunity for doing so. To the astonishmenttherefore of her mother, who believed that she was romancing, she toldher the whole story of the past; how Chan had fallen in love with her, and how after she had died and had come under the control of Yam-lo inthe Land of Shadows, that dread lord had permitted her spirit to visither lover in the temple where her body had been laid until a luckyresting-place could be found for it on the hillside. She alsoexplained how it had been agreed between them that she was to wait forhim until after the lapse of eighteen years, when she would be oldenough to become his wife. "In a few months the time will be up, " sheconcluded, "and so I beseech you not to speak of my being betrothed toany one else, for I feel that if I am compelled to marry any other thanChan I shall die. "

The mother was thunderstruck at this wonderful story which her daughtertold her. She could only imagine that Pearl had in some way or anotherbeen bewitched, and was under a fatal delusion that she was in lovewith some hero of romance, to whom she believed she was betrothed. Still, her daughter had always been most loving and devoted to her, andhad shown more brightness and ability than Chinese girls of her ageusually possessed. Her mother did not like, therefore, to reprove herfor what she considered her ridiculous ideas, so she determined to tryanother plan to cure her of her folly. 

"What age was this man Chan, " she asked, "when you entered into thisengagement with him?"

"He was just thirty, " Pearl replied. "He was of very good family and ascholar, and had distinguished himself for his proficiency in theancient literature of China. "

"Oh! then he must be nearly fifty now. A fine mate he would make foryou, a young girl of only eighteen! But who knows how he may havechanged since last you saw him? His hair must be turning grey, and histeeth may have fallen out; and for anything you know he may have beendead and buried so long ago that by this time they have taken up hisbones, and nothing is left of him but what the funeral urn may containof his ashes. "

"Oh! I do pray that nothing of that kind has happened to him, " criedPearl, in a tone of voice which showed the anguish she was suffering. "Let us leave the question for a few months, and then when he comes forme, as I know he will, you will find by personal knowledge what asplendid man he is, and how entirely worthy he is of being yourson-in-law. "

On the day which had been appointed under such romantic circumstanceseighteen years before, Chan arrived in the town, and after taking aroom in an inn and making certain enquiries, he made his way to thehome where he believed that Willow resided. On his arrival, however, he was roughly told by the servant that no such person as Willow livedthere, and that they did not like strangers coming about the house. Indeed he was given plainly to understand that the sooner he left, thebetter everyone would be pleased. This treatment was of course part ofa scheme devised by Pearl's parents to frustrate any plans that Chanmight have formed for seeing her. They were determined not to givetheir daughter to a man so old as he must be, and therefore theydecided that an interview between the two must be prevented at allhazards. 

Chan was greatly distressed at the rebuff which he had received. HadWillow after all made a mistake eighteen years ago when she gave himthe name of this town as the place where her new home was to be? Hehad carefully written it down at her dictation, and it had been burnedinto his brain all the years since. No, there could be no mistake onthat point. If there were any, then it was one that had been madepurposely by Yam-lo in order to deceive them both. That idea, however, was unthinkable, and so there must be something else to account for hisnot finding Willow as he had expected. He at once made enquiries atthe inn at which he was staying, and found that there was a daughter atthe very house to which he had gone, and that in almost everyparticular the description he was given of her corresponded with hisbeloved Willow. 

In the meantime, poor Pearl was in a state of the greatest anxiety. The eventful day on which she was to meet her lover had opened for herwith keen expectation of meeting him after their long and romanticseparation. She had never for one moment doubted that he would keephis engagement with her. An instinct which she could not explain madeher feel certain that he was still alive, and that nothing in the worldwould prevent him from meeting her, as had been agreed upon betweenthem at that eventful parting in the temple eighteen years before. 

As the day wore on, however, and there were no signs of Chan, Pearl'sdistress became exceedingly pitiful; and when night came and her motherdeclared that nothing had been seen of him, she was so stricken withdespair that she lost all consciousness, and had to be carried to bed, where she lay in a kind of trance from which, for some time, it seemedimpossible to arouse her. 

When at last she did regain consciousness, her mother tried to comforther by saying that perhaps Chan was dead, or that he had forgotten herin the long course of years, and that therefore she must not grieve toomuch. "You are a young girl, " she said, "and you have a long lifebefore you. Chan is an old man by this time; no doubt he has long agomarried, and the home ties which he has formed have caused him toforget you. But you need not be broken-hearted on that account. Thereare many other men who will be more suitable for you than he couldpossibly be. By-and-by we shall arrange a marriage for you, and thenlife will appear to you very different from what it does now. "

Instead of being comforted, however, Pearl was only the more distressedby her mother's words. Her love, which had begun in the Land ofShadows, and which had been growing in her heart for the last eighteenyears, was not one to be easily put aside by such plausible argumentsas those she had just listened to. The result was that she had arelapse, and for several days her life was in great danger. 

The father and mother, fearing now that their daughter would die, determined, as there seemed no other remedy, to bring Chan to theirhome, and see whether his presence would not deliver Pearl from thedanger in which the doctor declared she undoubtedly was. 

The father accordingly went to the inn where he knew Chan was staying, and to his immense surprise he found him to be a young man of abouttwenty-five, highly polished in manner, and possessed of unusualintelligence. For some time he utterly refused to believe that thishandsome young fellow was really the man with whom Pearl was so deeplyin love, and it was not until Chan had told him the romantic story ofhis life that he could at all believe that he was not being imposedupon. Eventually, however, he was so taken with Chan that he becamedetermined to do all in his power to bring about his marriage with hisdaughter. 

"Come with me at once, " he said, "and see if your presence will not domore than the cleverest doctors in the town have been able toaccomplish. Pearl has been so distressed at not seeing you that she isnow seriously ill, and we have been afraid that she would die of abroken heart. "

When they arrived at the house Chan was taken into the sick-room, andthe girl gazed into his face with a look of wonderment. "I do not seemto recognize you, " she said in a feeble voice. "You are much youngerthan Chan, and although there is something about you that reminds me ofhim, I cannot realize that you are the same person with whom my spiriteighteen years ago held fellowship in the monastery where my body layunburied. "

Chan proceeded to explain the mystery. "For years, " he said, "my mindwas troubled about the difference between our ages. I was afraid thatwhen you saw me with grey hairs and with wrinkles on my face, your lovewould receive a shock, and you might regret that you had ever pledgedyourself to me. Although you had vanished from my sight, my prayersstill continued to be offered to the Goddess of Mercy. She had heardthem for you, you remember, when you were in the Land of Shadows, andthrough her intercession Yam-lo had forgiven your sins, and had madelife easier for you in that gloomy country. 

"I still continued to pray to her, hoping in some vague way that shewould intervene to bring about the desire of my heart, and that when indue time I should meet you again, every obstacle to our mutual lovewould be for ever removed. 

"One day a fairy came into the very room where your spirit had oftenconversed with me. He carried me away with him to the Western Heavenand brought me into the very presence of the Goddess of Mercy. Shegave directions for me to bathe in the 'Fountain of Eternal Youth, ' andI became young again. That is why you see me now with a young face anda young nature, but my heart in its love for you has never changed, andnever will as long as life lasts. "

As he was telling this entrancing story, a look of devoted love spreadover the beautiful countenance of Pearl. She gradually became instinctwith life, and before he had finished speaking, the lassitude andexhaustion which had seemed to threaten her very life entirelydisappeared. A rosy look came over her face, and her coal-black eyesflashed with hidden fires. 

"Now I know, " she cried, "that you are Chan. You are so changed thatwhen I first caught sight of you my heart sank within me, for I hadpictured an older man, and I could not at once realize that you werethe same Chan who showed such unbounded love for me in the years goneby. 

"It was not that I should have loved you less even though you hadreally been older. My heart would never have changed. It was only mydoubt as to your reality that made me hesitate, but now my happiness isindeed great; for since through the goodness of the Goddess you haverecovered your youth, I need not fear that the difference between ouryears may in the near future bring to us an eternal separation. "

In a few days Pearl was once more herself again. Her parents, delighted with the romantic turn that things had taken and highlypleased with Chan himself, arranged for the betrothal of their daughterto him; and in the course of a few months, the loving couple wereunited in marriage. And so, after years of waiting, the happyconsummation was accomplished, which Heaven and the Goddess of Mercyand even the dread Ruler of the Land of Shadows had each taken a sharein bringing about; and for many and many a long year the story of Chanand his wife was spread abroad throughout the region in which theylived. 

IV

THE FAIRY BONZE

In a certain well-known and populous city in one of the north-westernprovinces of China, there once resided a man of the name of Meng. Everyone knew about him. His fame had spread not only throughout thetown, but also far away into the country beyond; for of all themerchants who carried on business in this great commercial centre hewas the wealthiest and the most enterprising. 

He had begun life as a poor lad; but through great strength of purposeand positive genius for business, he had steadily risen step by step, until by the time our story opens, he had become exceedingly wealthyand was the acknowledged leader in all the great undertakings for whichthe city was famous. 

Meng had always gained the admiration and affection of every one whobecame acquainted with him. He was of an artless, open-hearteddisposition which won men to him, and his reputation for generositymade his name fragrant throughout the entire region in which he lived. 

Forty years ago he had come to the city in search of employment. Hisfather was a farmer in one of the outlying country districts; but Meng, discontented with the dulness of the life and with the strain andtrouble brought upon his home by bad seasons, started out for the greattown to make his fortune. 

All that he possessed he carried on his person. His stock-in-tradeconsisted simply of a stout bamboo pole and a good strong rope, theusual signs of a porter; but his willingness to oblige, and the hearty, pleasant way in which he performed his arduous duties, gained him thegoodwill of all who employed him. Before many months had passed he wasin constant demand, and was slowly saving up money that was to enablehim to rise from the position of a coolie and to enter some businesswhich would give him a more honourable place in society. 

He had a shrewd and common-sense mind which enabled him to takeadvantage of any trade-opening that presented itself, and as he had agenial and happy disposition, everyone who had had any businessrelations with him was glad to do all in his power to give him a liftin the upward road along which he had made up his mind to travel. Theresult was that before many years had passed away he had establishedhimself in a very lucrative line of business which brought a steadyflow of wealth into his coffers. 

In time he opened branches in distant cities, and his fame reached thefar-off provinces in the East, where the merchant-princes who haddealings with him counted him as one of the most trustworthy of theirclients, to whom they were glad to give as much credit as he mightdesire. 

There was one delightful feature about Meng, and that was the intensesympathy he had for his fellow-creatures. He had a heart of gold thatno prosperity could spoil; no one who ever applied to him for reliefwas sent away empty-handed. The struggling shopkeeper made his humbleappeal when fate seemed determined to crush him, and the substantialloan that Meng made to him without hesitation kept him from closing hisshutters and once more set him on his feet to commence the struggleagain. The widow who had been left in absolute poverty had but tostate her case, when with a countenance beaming with compassion andwith eyes moist at her piteous story, Meng would make such arrangementsfor her and her children that the terror of starvation was lifted fromher heart, and she left his presence with a smiling face and withheart-felt words of praise for the man who by his generosity had givenher a new glimpse of life. 

The character of Meng's mind may well be discovered from the manner inwhich he distributed a considerable portion of his riches amongst thosewho had been born under an unlucky star, and upon whom an unhappy fatehad pressed heavily in the distribution of this world's goods andfavours. 

The generous men in China are not the rich. It is true thatoccasionally one does hear of a munificent donation having been made bysome millionaire, but the public is never deceived by these unusualoutbursts of generosity. There is a selfish motive at the back ofnearly every one of them, for the hope of the donors is that by gainingthe favour of the mandarins they may obtain some high official positionwhich will enable them to recoup themselves most handsomely for anysums they may have expended in charity. 

Meng's deeds, however, were always purely unselfish, and no idea ofreward ever entered his head. He was moved solely by a sincere desireto alleviate human suffering. The look of gladness that flashed overthe faces of those whom he assisted, their gleaming eyes, and the wordsof gratitude that burst from their lips, were to him the sweetestpayment that could possibly be made to him in return for the sums hehad given away. 

That Meng's fame had travelled far was shown by an occurrence which wasdestined to have a considerable influence on the fortunes of his onlyson, Chin, in whom his whole soul was bound up. 

One day he received a letter from the head of a most aristocraticfamily in a distant city, begging that he would consent to an alliancewith him. This man wrote that he had a daughter, who was declared byall who saw her to be possessed of no ordinary beauty, and he wished tohave her betrothed to Meng's son. Meng's reputation for goodness andfor love to his fellow-men had reached his ears, and he was anxiousthat their families should be united by the marriage of two youngpeople. 

The rich merchant, whose heart always retained its child-like spirit, was delighted with this proposal, which had come to him spontaneously, and not through the intrigues of a middle-woman. He was also touchedby the apparently generous spirit of the writer, so he at onceresponded to the appeal. After some little correspondence, thebetrothal was drawn up in due form, and the young couple were bound toeach other by legal ties which no court in the Empire would ever dreamof unloosing. 

Just at this juncture, when the tide in Meng's affairs seemed at itshighest, there appeared at his doors one day a venerable-looking bonze, who asked to be received as a guest for a few days, as he was on apilgrimage to a famous shrine and was tired out with the long journeythat he had already made. 

Meng, who was a very devout and religious man, gave the old priest amost hearty welcome. He placed one of the best rooms in the house athis disposal, and treated him with all the generous hospitality whichhe was accustomed to bestow upon men of his profession, who intravelling from one monastery to another had very often stayed with himfor a night or two before proceeding further on their way. 

Now, this priest had such pleasing manners, and was so refined andcultivated, that he completely captured the hearts of all thehousehold, so much so that Meng insisted upon his prolonging his stay. The result was that months went by and the bonze still remained withhim as his guest. 

Everyone in the house seemed to be attracted by this stranger, sowinning were his ways, and so full of quiet power were his wholebearing and character. He was affable and pleasant with all, but heseemed to take most pleasure in the company of Chin, over whom he sooncame to exercise a very powerful influence. 

Their habit was to wander about on the hillside, when the priest wouldentertain his young friend with stories of the wonderful things he hadseen and the striking adventures he had met with. His whole aim, however, seemed to be not so much to amuse Chin as to elevate his mindwith lofty and noble sentiments, which were instilled into him on everypossible occasion. 

It was also their custom to retire every morning to some outhouses atthe extremity of the large garden attached to the dwelling-house, whereundisturbed they could converse together upon the many questions uponwhich the bonze was ready to discourse. One thing, however, struckChin as very singular, and this was that the bonze made him collectcertain curiously-shaped tiles, and bury them in the earthen floors ofthese little-used buildings. Chin would have rebelled against what heconsidered a child-like proceeding, but he was restrained by theprofound love and veneration he felt for his companion. 

At length the day came when the bonze announced that he must proceedupon his journey. He had already, he declared, stayed much longer thanhe had originally intended, and now the imperative call of duty made itnecessary that he should not linger in the house where he had been soroyally treated. 

Seeing that he was determined in his purpose, Meng wanted to press uponhim a considerable sum of money to provide for any expenses to which hemight be put in the future. This, however, the bonze absolutelyrefused to accept, declaring that his wants were few, and that he wouldhave no difficulty in meeting them by the donations he would receivefrom the different temples he might pass on his way to his destination. 

Little did Meng dream that the guest from whom he was parting with soheavy a heart was a fairy in disguise. Yet such was the case. Therulers of the far-off Western Heaven, who had been greatly moved byMeng's noble and generous life in succouring the distressed and theforlorn, had sent the bonze to make arrangements to meet a certaincalamitous crisis which was soon to take place in the home of thewealthy merchant. 

A few months after the good bonze had left them, a series of disastersfell with crushing effect upon the house of Meng. Several firms whichowed him very large sums of money suddenly failed, and he found himselfin such financial difficulties that it was utterly impossible for himto pay his debts. 

In consequence, Meng was utterly ruined, and after paying out all thathe possessed, even to the uttermost cash, found himself absolutelypenniless. This so wrought upon his mind that he became seriously ill, and after a few days of intense agony, his spirit vanished into theLand of Shadows, and his wife and son were left desolate and bereaved. 

After a time Chin bethought himself of the wealthy and distinguishedman who had been so anxious to recognize him as a son-in-law, and afterconsultation with his mother, who was completely broken-hearted, he setoff for the distant city in which his proposed father-in-law lived. Chin hoped that the latter's heart would be moved by the disasterswhich had befallen his father, and that he would be willing to extendhim a helping hand in his hour of dire sorrow, when even Heaven itselfseemed to have abandoned him and to have heaped upon his headcalamities such as do not often occur to the vilest of men. 

Weary and worn with the long journey, which he had been compelled tomake on foot, he arrived one day about noon at the gates which led intothe spacious courtyard of the palatial mansion in which hisfather-in-law lived. The doors, however, were shut and barred, asthough some enemy was expected to storm them and carry off the propertywithin. 

Chin called loudly to the porter to open them for him, but to hisamazement he was told that orders had been received from the master ofthe house that he was not to be admitted on any terms whatsoever. 

"But are you aware who I am?" he asked. "Do you not know that the manwho owns this building is my father-in-law, and that his daughter is mypromised wife? It ill becomes you therefore to keep me standing here, when I should be received with all the honours that a son-in-law canclaim. "

"But I have been specially warned against you, " replied the surlygatekeeper. "You talk of being a son-in-law, but you are greatlymistaken if you imagine that any such kinship is going to be recognizedin this house. News has reached my master of the utter failure of yourfather's business, and of his death, and he declares that he does notwish to be mixed up in any way with doubtful characters or with men whohave become bankrupt. "

Chin, who was imbued with the fine and generous spirit of his father, was so horrified at these words that he fled from the gate, determinedto suffer any indignity rather than accept a favour from a man of suchan ignoble disposition as his father-in-law apparently possessed. 

He was crossing the road with his heart completely cast down, and inabsolute despair as to how he was ever to get back to his home again, when a woman in one of the low cottages by the roadside, beckoned himto come in and sit down. 

"You seem to be in distress, sir, " she said, "and to be worn out withfatigue, as though you had just finished a long journey. My childrenand I are just about to sit down to our midday meal, and we shall be sopleased if you will come and partake of it with us. I have just beenwatching you as you stood at the gate of that wealthy man's house, andI saw how roughly you were treated. Never mind, " she continued, "Heaven knows how you have been wronged, and in time you will beavenged for all the injury you have suffered. "

Comforted and gladdened by these kindly words and by the motherlyreception given him by this poor woman, Chin started out on his returnjourney, and after much suffering finally reached his home. Here hefound his mother in the direst poverty, and with a heart still full ofthe deepest woe because of the death of her noble-minded husband. 

Almost immediately after Chin had been refused admission to the houseof his father-in-law, the latter's daughter, Water-Lily, became awareof the insulting way in which he had been treated. She was grievedbeyond measure, and with tears in her eyes and her voice full ofsorrow, she besought her mother to appeal to her father on her behalf, and to induce him to give up his purpose of arranging a marriage forher with a wealthy man in the neighbourhood. 

"My father may plan another husband for me, " she said, "but I shallnever consent to be married to anyone but Chin. All the rites andceremonies have been gone through which bind me to him as long as Ilive, and to cast him off now because calamity has fallen upon his homeis but to invite the vengeance of the Gods, who will surely visit uswith some great sorrow if we endeavour to act in a way contrary totheir laws. "

The piteous appeals of Water-Lily had no effect upon her father, whohurried on the arrangements for his daughter's wedding to the newsuitor, anxious to marry her off in order to prevent the unfortunateChin from appearing again to claim her as his wife. 

She, however, was just as determined as her father, and when sherealized that all her entreaties and prayers had produced not theslightest effect upon him, and that in the course of a few days thecrimson bridal chair would appear at the door to carry her away to thehome of her new husband, she determined to adopt heroic methods toprevent the accomplishment of such a tragedy. 

Next morning, as dawn began to break, the side-gate of the rich man'shouse was stealthily opened, and a degraded-looking beggar-womanstepped out into the dull grey streets, and proceeded rapidly towardsthe open country beyond. 

She was as miserable a specimen of the whining, cringing beggar ascould have been met with in any of the beggar-camps where these unhappyoutcasts of society live. She was dressed in rags which seemed to beheld together only by some invisible force. Her hair was tied up indisjointed knots, and looked as if no comb had ever tried to bring itinto order. Her face was black with grime, and a large, dirty patchwas plastered over one of her ears in such a way that its shape wascompletely hidden from the gaze of those who took the trouble to cast apassing glance upon her. 

Altogether she was a most unattractive object; and yet she was the mostlovely woman in all that region, for she was none other thanWater-Lily, the acknowledged beauty of the town, who had adopted thisdisguise in order to escape from the fate which her father had plannedfor her. 

For several weary months she travelled on, suffering the greatesthardships, and passing through adventures, which, if some gifted writerhad collected them into a volume, would have thrilled many a readerwith admiration for this brave young maiden. Though reared andnurtured in a home where every luxury was supplied her, yet she enduredthe degradation and privations of a beggar's life rather than be forcedto be untrue to the man whom she believed Heaven had given her as amate. 

One evening, as the shadows were falling thickly on the outer courtyardof the desolate house where Chin lived, a pitiful-looking beggar-womanstood timidly at the front door, gazing with wistful looks into theroom which faced the street. Not a sound did she utter, not a singleword escaped her lips to indicate that she had come there to obtaincharity. 

In a few minutes Chin's mother came out from a room beyond. When shesaw this ragged, forlorn creature standing silently as though she wereafraid that some word of scorn and reproach would be hurled at her, shewas filled with a great and overmastering pity, and stepping up to hershe began to comfort her in loving, gentle language. 

To her astonishment this draggled, uncleanly object became violentlyaffected by the tender, motherly way in which she was addressed. Greattear-drops trickled down her grimy face, leaving a narrow, snow-likeline in their wake. Presently she was convulsed with sobs that shookher whole body, whilst she wrung her hands as though some great sorrowwas gripping her heart. 

Mrs. Meng was deeply affected by the sight of this unhappy woman, andwhilst she was gazing at her with a look of profound sympathy, thebroad patch which had concealed and at the same time disfigured thebeggar's countenance, suddenly dropped to the ground. 

The effect of this was most startling, for a pair of as beautiful blackeyes as ever danced in a woman's head were now revealed to Mrs. Meng'sastonished gaze. Looking at the stranger more intently, she saw thather features were exquisitely perfect, and had the grace and the poetrywhich the great painters of China have attributed to the celebratedbeauties of the Empire. 

"Tell me who you are, " she cried, as she laid her hand tenderly andaffectionately on her shoulder, "for that you are a common beggar-womanI can never believe. You must be the daughter of some great house, andhave come here in this disguise in order to escape some great evil. 

"Confide in me, " she continued, "and everything that one woman can dofor another, I am willing to do for you. But come in, dear child, andlet us talk together and devise some plan by which I can really helpyou, for I feel my heart drawn towards you in a way I have never feltfor any stranger before. "

Mrs. Meng then led her into her bedroom, where Water-Lily threw off theouter garments in which she had appeared to the public as a beggar, andtelling her wonderful story to Chin's mother, she revealed herself asher daughter-in-law. 

But though her romantic arrival into this gloomy and distressed homebrought with it a sudden gleam of happiness, the great question as tohow they were to live had still to be solved. They were absolutelywithout means, and they could only hope to meet their meagre expensesby the sale of the house in which they were living. 

At last this plan was discussed, and it was decided that the unusedbuildings, in which Chin and the Buddhist priest had been accustomed tospend a part of every day together, should be first of all disposed of. 

In order to have some idea as to how much these outhouses were worth, Chin went to see what condition they were in, so that he might fix aprice for them. As they had not been used for some time, the grass hadgrown rank about them, and they had a dilapidated and forlorn air whichmade Chin fear that their market value would not be very great. 

Entering in by an open door, which a creeping vine, with the luxurianceof nature, was trying to block up, Chin looked round with a feeling ofdisappointment sending a chill into his very heart. 

The air of the place was damp and musty. The white mould could be seengleaming on the walls, as if it wished to give a little colour to thesombre surroundings. Great cobwebs flung their streaming banners fromthe beams and rafters overhead, whilst smaller ones, with delicatelace-like tracery, tried to beautify the corners of the windows, through which the light from the outside world struggled to enter thegloomy room. 

Throwing the windows wide open to let in as much sunshine as waspossible, Chin soon became convinced that the market value of thisparticular part of his property would be very small, and that unless hecarried out extensive repairs, it would be impossible to induce any oneto entertain the idea of buying it. 

While he was musing over the problem that lay before him, his eyecaught a silvery gleam from a part of the earthen floor, where thesurface had evidently been scratched away by some animal that hadwandered in. 

Looking down intently at the white, shining thing which had caught hisattention, Chin perceived that it was one of the tiles that the bonzehad made him bury in the earth, and when he picked it up, he discoveredto his amazement that in some mysterious manner it had been transformedinto silver! Digging further into the earth, he found that the sameprocess had taken place with every tile that had been hidden awaybeneath the floor of this old and apparently useless building. 

After some days occupied in transporting his treasure to a safe placein his dwelling-house, Chin realized by a rough calculation that he wasnow the possessor of several millions' worth of dollars, and that frombeing one of the poorest men in the town he had become a millionairewith enormous wealth at his command. 

Thus did the Gods show their appreciation of the noble life of Mr. Meng, and of his loving sympathy for the poor and the distressed, byraising his fallen house to a higher pinnacle of prosperity than it hadever attained even during his lifetime. 

V

THE MYSTERIOUS BUDDHIST ROBE

The short visit which the Emperor Li Shih-ming paid to the Land ofShadows had produced a profound impression on his mind. The pain andmisery that men had to endure there, because of the evils they hadcommitted in this life by their own voluntary action, had been broughtbefore him in a most vivid manner. He had seen with his own eyes whathe had always been unwilling to believe--namely, that wrong-doing is inevery case followed by penalties, which have to be paid either in thisworld or the next. 

He was now convinced that the doctrine of the sages on this point wastrue, for he had witnessed the horrors that criminals who hadpractically escaped punishment in this life had to suffer when theycame under the jurisdiction of Yam-lo. 

What distressed him most of all, however, was the grim thought whichclung to him and refused to be silenced, that a large number of thosein the Land of Shadows who were suffering from hunger and nakedness, were there as the result of his own cruelty and injustice, and that thecries of these men and women would reach to Heaven, and in due timebring down vengeance on himself. 

With this fear of coming judgment there was at the same time mingled inhis mind an element of compassion, for he was really sorry for the poorwretches whom he had seen in the "City of the Wronged Ones, " and whosereproaches and threats of divine vengeance had entered into his verysoul. 

He therefore determined to institute a magnificent service for thosespirits of the dead, who through the injustice of rulers, or theimpotence of law, or private revenge, had lost their lives and weresuffering untold hardships in the other world. He would have prayerssaid for their souls, that would flood their lives with plenty, and incourse of time would open up the way for their being reborn into theworld of men. 

In this way he would propitiate those whom he had injured, and at thesame time accumulate such an amount of merit for his benevolence, thatthe gods would make it easy for him when his time of reckoning came, and the accounts of his life were made up and balanced. 

As this ceremony was to be one such as had never before been held atany period of Chinese history, he was anxious that the man who shouldbe the leader and conductor of it should not be one of the men ofindifferent lives who are usually found in the Buddhist temples andmonasteries. He must be a man of sterling character, and of a life sopure and holy that no stain could be found upon it to detract from thesaintly reputation he had acquired. 

His Majesty accordingly sent out edicts to all the Viceroys in theEmpire, commanding them to issue proclamations throughout the lengthand breadth of the country, telling the people of the great religiousservice which he was going to hold in the capital for the unhappyspirits in the Land of Shadows. In these edicts he ordered that searchshould be made for a priest of unblemished character--one who hadproved his love for his fellow-men by great acts of sympathy for them. This man was to be invited to present himself before the Emperor, totake charge of the high and splendid service which had been designed bythe Sovereign himself. 

The tidings of this noble conception of Li Shih-ming spread withwonderful rapidity throughout his dominions, and even reached thefar-off Western Heaven, where the mysterious beings who inhabit thathappy land are ever on the alert to welcome any movement for the reliefof human suffering. The Goddess of Mercy considered the occasion ofsuch importance that she determined to take her share of responsibilityfor this distinguished service, by providing suitable vestments inwhich the leader of the great ceremony should be attired. 

So it came to pass that while men's minds were excited about theproposed celebration for the dead, two priests suddenly appeared in thestreets of the capital. No one had ever seen such old-fashioned andweird-looking specimens of manhood before. They were mean andinsignificant in appearance, and the distinctive robes in which theywere dressed were so travel-stained and unclean that it was evidentthey had not been washed for many a long day. 

Men looked at them with astonishment as they passed along the road, forthere was something so strange about them that they seemed to have comedown from a far-off distant age, and to have suddenly burst into acivilization which had long out-grown the type from which they weredescended. But by-and-by their curious old-world appearance wasforgotten in amazement at the articles they carried with them. Thesewere carefully wrapped in several folds of cloth to keep them frombeing soiled, though the two priests were perfectly willing to unfoldthe wrappers, and exhibit them to anyone who wished to examine them. 

The precious things which were preserved with such jealous care were ahat and robe such as an abbot might wear on some great occasion whenthe Buddhist Church was using its most elaborate ceremonial to performsome function of unusual dignity and importance. There was also acrosier, beautifully wrought with precious stones, which was wellworthy of being held in the hand of the highest functionary of theChurch in any of its most sacred and solemn services. The remarkablething about the hat and robe was their exquisite beauty. The richnessof the embroidered work, the quaint designs, the harmonious blending ofcolours, and the subtle exhibition of the genius of the mind which hadfashioned and perfected them, arrested the attention of even the lowestclass in the crowds of people who gathered round the two priests togaze upon the hat and robe, with awe and admiration in their faces. 

Some instinct that flashed through the minds of the wonderingspectators told them that these rare and fairy-like vestments were noordinary products manufactured in any of the looms throughout the widedomains of the Empire. No human mind or hand had ever designed orworked out the various hues and shades of such marvellous colours asthose which flashed before their eyes, and which possessed a delicacyand beauty such as none of the great artists of the past had ever beenable to produce. 

The priests from the various temples and monasteries of the capitalsoon heard the reports that spread through the city about themarvellous hat and robe, and flocked in large numbers to see thesewonderful things, which the two curious-looking men were displaying toall who cared to gaze upon them. 

"Do you wish to dispose of these things?" asked one of the city priests. 

"If any one can pay the price at which alone we are prepared to sell, we shall be willing to part with them to him, " was the reply. 

"And what may the price be?" anxiously enquired the priest. 

"The hat and robe will cost four thousand taels, and the crosier, whichis of the rarest materials and manufacture, will be sold for the sameamount. "

At this a great laugh resounded through the crowd. In those days eightthousand taels was a huge fortune which only one or two of thewealthiest men of the State could have afforded to give. Theboisterous mirth, however, which convulsed the crowd when they heardthe fabulous sums asked by these strangers for their articles, soonbecame hushed when the latter proceeded to explain that the sumsdemanded were purposely prohibitive, in order that the sacred vestmentsshould not fall into the hands of anyone who was unworthy to possessthem. 

"You are all aware, " said one of the strangers, "that His Majesty theEmperor, recognizing that the service for the dead which he is about tohold is one of momentous importance, not only to the spirits sufferingin the Land of Shadows, but also to the prosperity and welfare of theChinese Empire, has already issued edicts to secure the presence ofsome saintly and godly priest, who shall be worthy to superintend theprayers that will be said for the men and women who are leading drearylives in the land over which Yam-lo rules. "

The story of these two men spread with great rapidity throughout thehomes of all classes in the metropolis, and when it was understood thatthey had no desire to make money by the rare and beautiful articleswhich they readily displayed to the crowds that followed them wheneverthey appeared on the streets, they began to be surrounded with a kindof halo of romance. Men whispered to each other that these were nocommon denizens of the earth, but fairies in disguise, who had come asmessengers from the Goddess of Mercy. The garments which they had withthem were such as no mortal eyes had ever beheld, and were clearlyintended for use only at some special ceremony of exceptionalimportance such as that which the Emperor was planning to have carriedout. 

At length rumours reached the palace of the strange scenes which weredaily taking place in the streets of the capital, and Li Shih-ming sentofficers to command the two strange priests to appear in his presence. 

When they were brought before him, and he saw the wonderful robeembroidered in delicate hues and colours such as no workman had everbeen known to design before, and grasped the crosier which sparkled andflashed with the brilliancy of the precious stones adorning it, theEmperor felt that the invisible gods had approved of his design for thesolemn service for the dead and had prepared vestments for the HighPriest which would be worthy of the exalted position he would occupy inthe great ceremony. 

"I hear that you want eight thousand taels for these articles, " saidthe Emperor to the two men, who stood respectfully before him. 

"We are not anxious, your Majesty, " replied one of the strangers, "about the price. That is to us of very little importance. We havementioned this large sum simply to prevent any man of unworthy mindfrom becoming their possessor. 

"There is a peculiarity about that robe, " he continued. "Any person ofpure and upright heart who wears it will be preserved from every kindof disaster that can possibly assail him in this world. No sorrow cantouch him, and the schemes of the most malignant of evil spirits willhave no influence upon him. On the other hand, any man who is underthe dominion of any base passion, if he dares to put on that mysticrobe, will find himself involved in all kinds of calamities andsorrows, which will never leave him until he has put it off and laid itaside for ever. 

"What we are really here for, " he concluded, "is to endeavour to assistyour Majesty in the discovery of a priest of noble and blameless lifewho will be worthy of presiding at the service you are about to holdfor the unhappy spirits in the Land of Shadows. When we have found himwe shall consider that our mission has been fulfilled, and we can thenreturn and report the success we have achieved. "

At this moment despatches from high officials throughout the countrywere presented to the Emperor, all recommending Sam-Chaong as the onlyman in the dominions who was fit to act as High Priest in the proposedgreat service. As Sam-Chaong happened to be then in the capital, hewas sent for and, being approved of by His Majesty, was at onceappointed to the sacred office, which he alone of the myriads ofpriests in China seemed to be worthy of occupying. 

The two strangers, who had been noting the proceedings with anxious andwatchful eyes, expressed their delight at the decision that had beenarrived at. Stepping up to Sam-Chaong with the most reverentialattitude, they presented him with the costly vestments which hadexcited the wonder and admiration of everyone who had seen them. Refusing to receive any remuneration for them, they bowed gracefully tothe Emperor and retired. As the door of the audience-chamber closedupon them they vanished from human sight, and no trace of them couldanywhere be found. 

On the great day appointed by the Emperor, such a gathering wasassembled as China in all the long history of the past had never beforewitnessed. Abbots from far-off distant monasteries were there, dressedin their finest vestments. Aged priests, with faces wrinkled by thepassage of years, and young bonzes in their slate-coloured gowns, hadtravelled over the hills and mountains of the North to be present, andtook up their positions in the great building. Men of note, too, whohad made themselves famous by their devoted zeal for the ceremonies ofthe Buddhist Church and by their munificent gifts to the temples andshrines, had come with great retinues of their clansmen to add to thesplendour and dignity of the occasion. 

But the chief glory and attraction of the day to the assembled crowdswas the Emperor, Li Shih-Ming. Never had he been seen in such pomp andcircumstance as on this occasion. Close round him stood the princes ofthe royal family, the great officers of state and the members of theCabinet in their rich and picturesque dresses. Immediately beyond wereearls and dukes, viceroys of provinces and great captains andcommanders, whose fame for mighty deeds of valour in the border warfarehad spread through every city and town and hamlet in the Empire. 

There were also present some of the most famous scholars of China, who, though not members of the Buddhist Church, yet felt that they could notrefuse the invitation which the Emperor had extended to them. 

In short, the very flower of the Empire was gathered together to carryout the benevolent purpose of rescuing the spirits of the dead from anintolerable state of misery which only the living had the power ofalleviating. 

The supreme moment, however, was when Sam-Chaong and more than ahundred of the priests most distinguished for learning and piety in thewhole of the church, marched in solemn procession, chanting a litany, and took their places on the raised platform from which they were toconduct the service for the dead. 

During the ceremony, much to his amazement, Li Shih-Ming saw the twomen who had bestowed the fairy vestments on Sam-Chaong, standing one oneach side of him; but though they joined heartily in the proceedings, he could not help noticing that a look of dissatisfaction andoccasionally of something which seemed like contempt, rested like ashadow on their faces. 

At the close of the service he commanded them to appear before him, andexpressed his surprise at their conduct, when they explained that thediscontent they had shown was entirely due to a feeling that the ritualwhich had been used that day was one entirely inadequate to theoccasion. It was so wanting in dignity and loftiness of conception, they said, that though some ease might be brought to the spiritssuffering in the Land of Shadows from the service which had beenperformed, it would utterly fail in the most important particular ofall--namely, their deliverance from Hades, and their rebirth into theland of the living. 

That this was also a matter which had given the Goddess of Mercy a vastamount of concern was soon made evident to the Emperor, for in themidst of this conversation there suddenly sounded, throughout the greathall in which the vast congregation still lingered, a voice saying:"Send Sam-Chaong to the Western Heaven to obtain the ritual which shallthere be given him and which shall be worthy of being chanted by anation. "

This command from the invisible Goddess produced such an impressionupon the Emperor that he made immediate preparations for the departureof Sam-Chaong on his momentous journey; and in a few days, suppliedwith everything necessary for so toilsome an undertaking, the famouspriest started on what seemed a wild and visionary enterprise inpursuit of an object which anyone with less faith than himself wouldhave deemed beyond the power of any human being to accomplish. 

In order to afford him protection by the way and to act as hisbody-servants, the Emperor appointed two men to accompany Sam-Chaong onthe long journey which he had undertaken at the command of the Goddessof Mercy. His Majesty would indeed have given him a whole regiment ofsoldiers, if he had been willing to accept them; but he absolutelyrefused to take more than just two men. He relied chiefly on the fairyrobe which he had received, for that secured him from all danger fromany foes whom he might meet on the road. Moreover, his mission, as heassured the Emperor, was one of peace and good-will, and it would notharmonize either with his own wishes or with those of the Goddess forhim to be in a position to avenge his wrongs by the destruction ofhuman life. 

Before many days had elapsed Sam-Chaong began to realize the perilousnature of the service he had been called upon to perform. Oneafternoon, the travellers were jogging leisurely along in a wild andunsettled district, when suddenly two fierce-looking hobgoblins swoopeddown upon them, and almost before a word could be said had swallowed upboth his poor followers. They were proceeding to do the same withSam-Chaong when a fairy appeared upon the scene, and sent them flyingwith screams of terror to the caverns in the neighbouring hills wheretheir homes seemed to be. 

For a moment or two, Sam-Chaong was in extreme distress. He had justescaped an imminent peril; he was absolutely alone in an apparentlyuninhabited region; and the shadows of night were already darkeningeverything around. He was wondering where he would spend the night, when a man appeared upon the scene and invited him to come home withhim to a mountain village on the spur of the hills which rose abruptlysome distance away in front of them. 

Although an entire stranger, who had never even heard Sam-Chaong'sname, this man treated his guest right royally and gave him the verybest that his house contained. Deeply impressed with the generoustreatment he had received, Sam-Chaong determined that he would repayhis host's generosity by performing an act which would be highlygratifying both to him and to all the members of his household. 

Arranging a temporary altar in front of the image of the household god, who happened to be the Goddess of Mercy, he chanted the service for thedead before it with such acceptance that the spirit of the father ofhis host, who had been confined in the Land of Shadows, was releasedfrom that sunless land and was allowed to be reborn and take his placeamongst the living. Moreover, that very night, the father appearedbefore his son in a vision, and told him that in consequence of theintercession of Sam-Chaong, whose reputation for piety was widely knownin the dominions of Yam-lo, he had been allowed to leave that dismalcountry and had just been born into a family in the province of Shensi. 

The son was rejoiced beyond measure at this wonderful news, and inorder to show his gratitude for this generous action, he volunteered toaccompany Sam-Chaong right to the very frontiers of China and to sharewith him any dangers and hardships he might have to endure by the way. 

After many weary days of travelling this part of the journey was atlast accomplished, and they were about to separate at the foot of aconsiderable hill which lay on the border line between China and thecountry of the barbarians beyond, when a loud and striking voice washeard exclaiming, "The priest has come! The priest has come!"

Sam-Chaong asked his companion the meaning of these words and to whatpriest they referred. 

"There is a tradition in this region, " replied the man, "that fivehundred years ago, a certain fairy, inflamed with pride, dared to raisehimself in rebellion against the Goddess of Mercy in the WesternHeaven. To punish him she turned him into a monkey, and confined himin a cave near the top of this hill. There she condemned him to remainuntil Sam-Chaong should pass this way, when he could earn forgivenessby leading the priest into the presence of the Goddess who hadcommanded him to appear before her. "

Ascending the hill in the direction of the spot from whence the cry"The priest has come!" kept ringing through the air, they came upon anatural cavern, the mouth of which was covered by a huge boulder, nicely poised in such a position that all exit from it was rendered animpossibility. Peering through the crevices at the side, they coulddistinctly see the figure of a monkey raising its face with an eagerlook of expectation in the direction of Sam-Chaong and his companion. 

"Let me out, " it cried, "and I will faithfully lead you to the WesternHeaven, and never leave you until you find yourself standing in thepresence of the Goddess of Mercy. "

"But how am I to get you out?" asked Sam-Chaong. "The boulder thatshuts you in is too large for human hands to move, and so, though Ipity you in your misfortune and greatly desire your help to guide mealong the unknown paths that lie before me, I fear that the task ofsetting you free must fall to other hands than mine. "

"Deliverance is more easy than you imagine, " replied the monkey. "Castyour eye along the edge of this vast rock, which the Goddess with but asimple touch of one of her fingers moved into its place five hundredyears ago, as though it had been the airiest down that ever floated ina summer's breeze, and you will see something yellow standing out inmarked contrast to the black lichen-covered stone. That is thesign-manual of the Goddess. She printed it on the rock when shecondemned me centuries ago to be enclosed within this narrow cell untilyou should come and release me. Your hand alone can remove that mysticsymbol and save me from the penalty of a living death. "

Following the directions of the monkey, Sam-Chaong carefully scrapedaway the yellow-coloured tracings which he tried in vain to decipher;and when the last faint scrap had been finally removed, the huge, gigantic boulder silently moved aside with a gentle, easy motion andtilted itself to one side until the prisoner had emerged, when oncemore it slid gracefully back into its old position. 

Under the guidance of the monkey, who had assumed the appearance of astrong and vigorous young athlete, Sam-Chaong proceeded on hisjourney--over mountains so high that they seemed to touch the veryheavens, and through valleys which lay at their foot in perpetualshadow, except only at noon-tide when the sun stood directly overhead. Then again they travelled across deserts whose restless, storm-tossed, sandy billows left no traces of human footsteps, and where deathseemed, like some cunning foe, to be lying in wait to destroy theirlives. 

It was here that Sam-Chaong realized the protecting care of the Goddessin providing such a valuable companion as the monkey proved himself tobe. He might have been born in these sandy wastes, so familiar was hewith their moods. There was something in the air, and in the coloursof the sky at dawn and at sunset, that told him what was going tohappen, and he could say almost to a certainty whether any storm wascoming to turn these silent deserts into storm-tossed oceans of sand, which more ruthless even than the sea, would engulf all living thingswithin their pitiless depths. He knew, moreover, where the hiddensprings of water lay concealed beneath the glare and glitter thatpained the eyes simply to look upon them; and without a solitarylandmark in the boundless expanse, by unerring instinct, he wouldtravel straight to the very spot where the spring bubbled up from thegreat fountains below. 

Having crossed these howling wildernesses, where Sam-Chaong must haveperished had he travelled alone, they came to a region inhabited by apastoral people, but abounding in bands of robbers. Monkey was adaring fellow and was never afraid to meet any foe in fair fight; yetfor the sake of Sam-Chaong, whose loving disposition had beeninsensibly taming his wild and fiery nature, he tried as far aspossible to avoid a collision with any evil characters, whether men orspirits, who might be inclined to have a passage of arms with them. 

One day they had passed over a great plain, where herds of sheep couldbe seen in all directions browsing under the watchful care of theirshepherds, and they had come to the base of the foot-hills leading to amountainous country beyond, when the profound meditation in whichSam-Chaong was usually absorbed was suddenly interrupted by a startledcry from Monkey. 

Drawing close up to him, he said in a low voice, "Do you see those sixmen who are descending the hill and coming in our direction? They looklike simple-minded farmers, and yet they are all devils who have put onthe guise of men in order to be able to take us unawares. Their realobject is to kill you, and thus frustrate the gracious purpose of theGoddess, who wishes to deliver the souls in the Land of Shadows fromthe torments they are enduring there. 

"I know them well, " he went on; "they are fierce and malignant spiritsand very bold, for rarely have they ever been put to flight in anyconflict in which they have been engaged. They little dream, however, who it is you have by your side. If they did they would come on morewarily, for though I am single-handed they would be chary of coming toissues with me. 

"But I am glad, " he continued, "that they have not yet discovered who Iam, for my soul has long desired just such a day as this, when in abattle that shall be worthy of the gods, my fame shall spreadthroughout the Western Heaven and even into the wide domains of theLand of Shadows. "

With a cry of gladness, as though some wondrous good-fortune hadbefallen him, he bounded along the road to meet the coming foe, and incontemptuous tones challenged them to mortal combat. 

No sooner did they discover who it was that dared to championSam-Chaong with such bold and haughty front, than with hideous yellsand screams they rushed tumultuously upon him, hoping by a combinedattack to confuse him and to make him fly in terror before them. 

In this however they had reckoned without their host. With a daringquite as great as theirs, but with a skill far superior to that of thesix infuriated demons, Monkey seized a javelin which came gleamingthrough the air just at the precise moment that he needed it, andhurled it at one of his opponents with such fatal effect that he laysprawling on the ground, and with a cry that might have come from alost spirit breathed his last. 

And now the battle became a mighty one indeed. Arrows shot frominvisible bows flew quicker than flashes of light against this singlemighty fighter, but they glanced off a magic shield which fairy artshad interposed in front of him. Weapons such as mortal hands had neverwielded in any of the great battles of the world were now brought intoplay; but never for a moment did Monkey lose his head. With marvellousintrepidity he warded them off, and striking back with one tremendouslunge, he laid another of the demons dead at his feet. 

Dismay began to raise the coward in the minds of those who were left, and losing heart they turned to those subtle and cunning devices thathad never before failed in their attacks on mankind. Their greatendeavour now was to inveigle Monkey into a position where certaindestruction would be sure to follow. Three-pronged spears were hurledagainst him with deadly precision, and had he not at that precisemoment leaped high into the air no power on earth could have saved him. 

It was at this tremendous crisis in the fight that Monkey won hisgreatest success. Leaping lightly to the ground whilst the backs ofhis foes were still turned towards him, he was able with thedouble-edged sword which he held in each of his hands to despatch threemore of his enemies. The last remaining foe was so utterly cowed whenhe beheld his comrades lying dead upon the road that he took to flight, and soon all that was to be seen of him was a black speck slowlyvanishing on the distant horizon. 

Thus ended the great battle in which Monkey secured such a signalvictory over the wild demons of the frozen North, and Sam-Chaong drewnear to gaze upon the mangled bodies of the fierce spirits who but amoment ago were fighting so desperately for their very lives. 

Now, Sam-Chaong was a man who naturally had the tenderest heart forevery living thing; and so, as he looked, a cloud of sadness spreadover his countenance and he sighed as he thought of the destruction oflife which he had just witnessed. It was true that the demons had comewith the one settled purpose of killing him, and there was no reasontherefore why he should regret their death. But life to him was alwaysprecious, no matter in what form it might be enshrined. Life was thespecial gift of Heaven, and could not be wilfully destroyed withoutcommitting a crime against the gods. 

So absorbed did Sam-Chaong become in this thought, and so sombre werethe feelings filling his heart, that he entirely forgot to thank thehero by his side who had risked his life for him, and but for whoseprowess he would have fallen a victim to the deadly hatred of theseenemies of mankind. Feelings of resentment began to spring up in themind of Monkey as he saw that Sam-Chaong seemed to feel more pity forthe dead demons than gratitude for the heroic efforts which had savedhim from a cruel death. 

"Are you dissatisfied with the services I have rendered to you to-day?"he asked him abruptly. 

"My heart is deeply moved by what you have done for me, " repliedSam-Chaong. "My only regret is that you could not have delivered mewithout causing the death of these poor wretched demons, and thusdepriving them of the gift of life, a thing as dear to them as it is toyou or me. "

Now Monkey, who was of a fierce and hasty temper, could not brook suchmeagre praise as this, and so in passionate and indignant language hedeclared that no longer would he be content to serve so craven amaster, who, though beloved of the Goddess, was not a man for whom hewould care to risk his life again. 

With these words he vaulted into the air, and soared away into thedistance, on and on through countless leagues of never-ending sky, until he came to the verge of a wide-spreading ocean. Plunging intothis as though it had been the home in which he had always lived, hemade his way by paths with which he seemed familiar, until he reachedthe palace of the Dragon Prince of the Sea, who received him with theutmost cordiality and gave him an invitation to remain with him as hisguest as long as he pleased. 

For some time he entertained himself with the many marvellous sightswhich are hidden away beneath the waters of the great ocean and whichhave a life and imagery of their own, stranger and more mysteriousperhaps than those on which men are accustomed to look. But in time hebecame restless and dissatisfied with himself. The unpleasant thoughtcrept slowly into his heart that in a moment of passion he had baselydeserted Sam-Chaong and had left him helpless in a strange and unknownregion; and worse still that he had been unfaithful to the trust whichthe Goddess had committed to him. He became uncomfortably conscious, too, that though he had fled to the depths of the ocean he could neverget beyond the reach of her power, and that whenever she wished toimprison him in the mountain cavern where he had eaten out his heartfor five hundred years, she could do so with one imperious word ofcommand. 

In this mood of repentance for his past errors, he happened to cast hiseye upon a scroll which hung in one of the rooms of the palace. As heread the story on it his heart smote him, and from that moment hedetermined to hasten back to the post from which he had fled. 

The words on the scroll were written in letters of gold and told how ona certain occasion in the history of the past the fairies determined toassist the fortunes of a young man named Chang-lung, who had gainedtheir admiration because of the nobility of character which he hadexhibited in his ordinary conduct in life. He belonged to an extremelypoor family, and so without some such aid as they could give him, hecould never attain to that eminence in the State which would enable himto be of service to his country. But he must first be tested to seewhether he had the force of character necessary to bear the strainwhich greatness would put upon him. Accordingly one of the mostexperienced amongst their number was despatched to make the trial. 

Assuming the guise of an old countryman in poor and worn-out clothing, the fairy sat down on a bridge over a stream close to the village wherethe favourite of the gods lived. By-and-by Chang-lung came walkingbriskly along. Just as he came up to the disguised fairy, the latterlet one of his shoes drop into the water below. With an air ofapparent distress, he begged the young man to wade into the stream andpick it up for him. 

Cheerfully smiling, Chang-lung at once jumped into the water. In amoment he had returned with the shoe and was handing it to the old man, when the latter requested him to put it on his foot for him. This wasasking him to do a most menial act, which most men would havescornfully resented; but Chang-lung, pitying the decrepit-looking oldstranger, immediately knelt on the ground and carefully fastened thedripping shoe on to his foot. 

Whilst he was in the act of doing this, the fairy, as if by accident, skilfully managed to let the other shoe slip from his foot over theedge of the bridge into the running stream. Apologizing for hisstupidity, and excusing himself on the ground that he was an old manand that his fingers were not as nimble as they used to be, he beggedChang-lung to repeat his kindness and do him the favour of picking upthe second shoe and restoring it to him. 

With the same cheery manner, as though he were not being asked toperform a servile task, Chang-lung once more stepped into the shallowbrook and bringing back the shoe, proceeded without any hesitation torepeat the process of putting it on the old man's foot. 

The fairy was now perfectly satisfied. Thanking Chang-lung for hiskindness, he presented him with a book, which he took out of one of thesleeves of his jacket, and urging him to study it with all diligence, vanished out of his sight. The meeting that day on the country bridgehad an important influence on the destiny of Chang-lung, who in timerose to great eminence and finally became Prime Minister of China. 

As Monkey studied the golden words before him, he contrasted his ownconduct with that of Chang-lung, and, pricked to the heart by aconsciousness of his wrong, he started at once, without even biddingfarewell to the Dragon Prince of the Sea, to return to the service ofSam-Chaong. 

He was just emerging from the ocean, when who should be standingwaiting for him on the yellow sands of the shore but the Goddess ofMercy herself, who had come all the way from her distant home to warnhim of the consequences that would happen to him were he ever again tofail in the duty she had assigned him of leading Sam-Chaong to theWestern Heaven. 

Terrified beyond measure at the awful doom which threatened him, and atthe same time truly repentant for the wrong he had committed, Monkeybounded up far above the highest mountains which rear their peaks tothe sky, and fled with incredible speed until he stood once more by theside of Sam-Chaong. 

No reproof fell from the latter's lips as the truant returned to hispost. A tender gracious smile was the only sign of displeasure that heevinced. 

"I am truly glad to have you come back to me, " he said, "for I was lostwithout your guidance in this unknown world in which I am travelling. I may tell you, however, that since you left me the Goddess appeared tome and comforted me with the assurance that you would ere long resumeyour duties and be my friend, as you have so nobly been in the past. She was very distressed at my forlorn condition and was so determinedthat nothing of the kind should happen again in the future, that shegraciously presented me with a mystic cap wrought and embroidered bythe fairy hands of the maidens in her own palace. 

"'Guard this well, ' she said, 'and treasure it as your very life, forit will secure you the services of one who for five hundred years waskept in confinement in order that he might be ready to escort you onthe way to the Western Heaven. He is the one man who has the daringand the courage to meet the foes who will endeavour to destroy you onyour journey, but he is as full of passion as the storm when it isblowing in its fury. Should he ever desert you again, you have but toplace this cap on your head, and he will be wrung with such awful andintolerable agonies that though he were a thousand miles away he wouldhurry back with all the speed he could command to have you take it offagain, so that he might be relieved from the fearful pains racking hisbody. '"

After numerous adventures too long to relate, Sam-Chaong reached theborders of an immense lake, many miles in extent, spanned by a bridgeof only a single foot in width. With fear and trembling, as mentremble on the brink of eternity, and often with terror in his eyes anda quivering in his heart as he looked at the narrow foothold on whichhe was treading, he finally crossed in safety, when he found to hisastonishment that the pulsations of a new life had already begun tobeat strongly within him. Beyond a narrow strip of land, which boundedthe great expanse of water over which he had just passed, was a wideflowing river, and on its bank was a boat with a ferryman in it readyto row him over. 

When they had reached the middle of the stream, Sam-Chaong saw a manstruggling in the water as if for dear life. Moved with pity he urgedupon the boatman to go to his rescue and deliver him from drowning. Hewas sternly told, however, to keep silence. "The figure you seethere, " said the boatman, "is yourself--or rather, it is but the shellof your old self, in which you worked out your redemption in the worldbeyond, and which you could never use in the new life upon which youhave entered. "

On the opposite bank of the river stood the Goddess of Mercy, who withsmiling face welcomed him into the ranks of the fairies. 

Since then, it is believed by those whose vision reaches further thanthe grey and common scenes of earthly life, Sam-Chaong has frequentlyappeared on earth, in various disguises, when in some great emergencymore than human power was required to deliver men from destruction. There is one thing certain at least, --these gifted people declare--andthat is that in the guise of a priest Sam-Chaong did once more revisitthis world and delivered to the Buddhist Church the new ritual whichthe Goddess of Mercy had prepared for it, and which is used to-day inits services throughout the East. 

VI

THE VENGEANCE OF THE GODDESS

In a certain temple in the northern part of the Empire, there oncelived a famous priest named Hien-Chung, whose reputation had spread farand wide, not merely for the sanctity of his life, but also for thesupernatural powers which he was known to possess, and which he hadexhibited on several remarkable occasions. Men would have marvelledless about him had they known that the man dressed in the longslate-coloured robe, with shaven head, and saintly-looking face, overwhich no one had ever seen a smile flicker, was in reality a pilgrim onhis way to the Western Heaven, which he hoped to reach in time, and tobecome a fairy there. 

One night Hien-Chung lay asleep in a room opening out of the main hallin which the great image of the Goddess of Mercy, with her benevolent, gracious face, sat enshrined amidst the darkness that lay thickly overthe temple. All at once, there stood before him a most striking andstately-looking figure. The man had a royal look about him, as thoughhe had been accustomed to rule. On his head there was a crown, and hisdress was such as no mere subject would ever be allowed to wear. 

Hien-Chung gazed at him in wonder, and was at first inclined to believethat he was some evil spirit who had assumed this clever disguise inorder to deceive him. As this thought flashed through his mind, theman began to weep. It was pitiable indeed to see this kingly personaffected with such oppressive grief that the tears streamed down hischeeks, and with the tenderness that was distinctive of him Hien-Chungexpressed his deep sympathy for a sorrow so profound. 

"Three years ago, " said his visitor, "I was the ruler of this 'Kingdomof the Black Flower. ' I was indeed the founder of my dynasty, for Icarved my own fortune with my sword, and made this little state into akingdom. For a long time I was very happy, and my people were mostdevoted in their allegiance to me. I little dreamed of the sorrowsthat were coming on me, and the disasters which awaited me in the nearfuture. 

"Five years ago my kingdom was visited with a very severe drought. Therains ceased to fall; the streams which used to fall down themountain-sides and irrigate the plains dried up; and the wells lost thefountains which used to fill them with water. Everywhere the cropsfailed, and the green herbage on which the cattle browsed was slowlyblasted by the burning rays of the sun. 

"The common people suffered in their homes from want of food, and manyof the very poorest actually died of starvation. This was a source ofgreat sorrow to me, and every day my prayers went up to Heaven, that itwould send down rain upon the dried-up land and so deliver my peoplefrom death. I knew that this calamity had fallen on my kingdom becauseof some wrong that I had done, and so my heart was torn with remorse. 

"One day while my mind was full of anxiety, a man suddenly appeared atmy palace and begged my ministers to be allowed to have an audiencewith me. He said that it was of the utmost importance that he shouldsee me, for he had come to propose a plan for the deliverance of mycountry. 

"I gave orders that he should instantly be brought into my presence, when I asked him if he had the power to cause the rain to descend uponthe parched land. 

"'Yes, ' he replied, 'I have, and if you will step with me now to thefront of your palace I will prove to you that I have the ability to dothis, and even more. '

"Striding out to a balcony which overlooked the capital, and from whichone could catch a view of the hills in the distance, the strangerlifted up his right hand towards the heavens and uttered certain wordswhich I was unable to understand. 

"Instantly, and as if by magic, a subtle change crept through theatmosphere. The sky became darkened, and dense masses of clouds rolledup and blotted out the sun. The thunder began to mutter, and vividflashes of lightning darted from one end of the heavens to the other, and before an hour had elapsed the rain was descending in torrents allover the land, and the great drought was at an end. 

"My gratitude to this mysterious stranger for the great deliverance hehad wrought for my kingdom was so great that there was no favour whichI was not willing to bestow upon him. I gave him rooms in the palace, and treated him as though he were my equal. I had the truest and thetenderest affection for him, and he seemed to be equally devoted to me. 

"One morning we were walking hand in hand in the royal gardens. Thepeach blossoms were just out, and we were enjoying their perfume andwandering up and down amongst the trees which sent forth such exquisitefragrance. 

"As we sauntered on, we came by-and-by upon a well which was hiddenfrom sight by a cluster of oleander trees. We stayed for a moment topeer down its depths and to catch a sight of the dark waters lying deepwithin it. Whilst I was gazing down, my friend gave me a sudden pushand I was precipitated head first into the water at the bottom. Themoment I disappeared, he took a broad slab of stone and completelycovered the mouth of the well. Over it he spread a thick layer ofearth, and in this he planted a banana root, which, under the influenceof the magic powers he possessed, in the course of a few hours haddeveloped into a full-grown tree. I have lain dead in the well now forthree years, and during all that time no one has arisen to avenge mywrong or to bring me deliverance. "

"But have your ministers of State made no efforts during all thesethree years to discover their lost king?" asked Hien-Chung. "And whatabout your wife and family? Have they tamely submitted to have youdisappear without raising an outcry that would resound throughout thewhole kingdom? It seems to me inexplicable that a king should vanishfrom his palace and that no hue and cry should be raised throughout thelength and breadth of the land until the mystery should be solved andhis cruel murder fully avenged. "

"It is here, " replied the spirit of the dead king, "that my enemy hasshown his greatest cunning. The reason why men never suspect that anytreason has been committed is because by his enchantments he hastransformed his own appearance so as to become the exact counterpart ofmyself. The man who called down the rain and saved my country fromdrought and famine has simply disappeared, so men think, and I the Kingstill rule as of old in my kingdom. Not the slightest suspicion as tothe true state of things has ever entered the brain of anyone in thenation, and so the usurper is absolutely safe in the position heoccupies to-day. "

"But have you never appealed to Yam-lo, the ruler of the Land ofShadows?", asked Hien-Chung. "He is the great redresser of the wrongsand crimes of earth, and now that you are a spirit and immediatelywithin his jurisdiction, you should lay your complaint before him andpray him to avenge the sufferings you have been called upon to endure. "

"You do not understand, " the spirit hastily replied. "The one who haswrought such ruin in my life is an evil spirit. He has nothing incommon with men, but has been let loose from the region where evilspirits are confined to punish me for some wrong that I have committedin the past. He therefore knows the ways of the infernal regions, andis hand in glove with the rulers there, and even with Yam-lo himself. He is, moreover, on the most friendly terms with the tutelary God of mycapital, and so no complaint of mine would ever be listened to for amoment by any of the powers who rule in the land of the dead. 

"There is another very strong reason, too, why any appeal that I mightmake for justice would be disregarded. My soul has not yet been loosedfrom my body, but is still confined within it in the well. The courtsof the Underworld would never recognize me, because I still belong tothis life, over which they have no control. 

"Only to-day, " he continued, "a friendly spirit whispered in my earthat my confinement in the well was drawing to a close, and that thethree years I had been adjudged to stay there would soon be up. Hestrongly advised me to apply to you, for you are endowed, he said, withpowers superior to those possessed by my enemy, and if you are onlypleased to exercise them I shall speedily be delivered from his evilinfluence. "

Now the Goddess of Mercy had sent Hien-Chung a number of familiarspirits to be a protection to him in time of need. Next morning, accordingly, he summoned the cleverest of these, whose name was Hing, in order to consult with him as to how the king might be delivered fromthe bondage in which he had been held for the three years. 

"The first thing we have to do, " said Hing, "is to get the heir to theThrone on our side. He has often been suspicious at certain things inthe conduct of his supposed father, one of which is that for threeyears he has never been allowed to see his mother. All that is needednow is to get some tangible evidence to convince him that there is somemystery in the palace, and we shall gain him as our ally. 

"I have been fortunate, " he continued, "in obtaining one thing which weshall find very useful in inducing the Prince to listen to what we haveto say to him about his father. You may not know it, but about thetime when the King was thrown into the well, the seal of the kingdommysteriously disappeared and a new one had to be cut. 

"Knowing that you were going to summon me to discuss this case, I wentdown into the well at dawn this morning, and found the missing seal onthe body of the King. Here it is, and now we must lay our plans towork on the mind of the son for the deliverance of the father. To-morrow I hear that the Prince is going out hunting on theneighbouring hills. In one of the valleys there is a temple to theGoddess of Mercy, and if you will take this seal and await his comingthere, I promise you that I will find means to entice him to theshrine. "

Next morning the heir to the Throne of the "Kingdom of the BlackFlower" set out with a noisy retinue to have a day's hunting on thewell-wooded hills overlooking the capital. They had scarcely reachedthe hunting grounds when great excitement was caused by the suddenappearance of a remarkable-looking hare. It was decidedly larger thanan ordinary hare, but the curious feature about it was its colour, which was as white as the driven snow. 

No sooner had the hounds caught sight of it, than with loud barkingsand bayings they dashed madly in pursuit. The hare, however, did notseem to show any terror, but with graceful bounds that carried itrapidly over the ground, it easily out-distanced the fleetest of itspursuers. It appeared, indeed, as though it were thoroughly enjoyingthe facility with which it could outrun the dogs, while the latter grewmore and more excited as they always saw the quarry before them and yetcould never get near enough to lay hold upon it. 

Another extraordinary thing was that this hare did not seem anxious toescape. It took no advantage of undergrowth or of clumps of trees tohide the direction in which it was going. It managed also to keepconstantly in view of the whole field; and when it had to make suddenturns in the natural windings of the road which led to a valley in thedistance, where there stood a famous temple, it hesitated for a momentand allowed the baying hounds to come perilously near, before it dartedoff with the speed of lightning and left the dogs far behind it. 

Little did the hunters dream that the beautiful animal which was givingthem such an exciting chase was none other than the fairy Hing, who hadassumed this disguise in order to bring the Prince to the lonely templein the secluded valley, where, beyond the possibility of being spiedupon by his father's murderer, the story of treachery could be told, and means be devised for his restoration to the throne. 

Having arrived close to the temple, the mysterious hare vanished assuddenly as it had appeared, and not a trace was left to enable thedogs, which careered wildly round and round, to pick up the scent. 

The Prince, who was a devoted disciple of the Goddess of Mercy, nowdismounted and entered the temple, where he proceeded to burn incensebefore her shrine and in muttered tones to beseech her to send downblessings upon him. 

After a time, he became considerably surprised to find that thepresiding priest of the temple, instead of coming forward to attendupon him and to show him the courtesies due to his high position, remained standing in a corner where the shadows were darkest, his eyescast upon the ground and with a most serious look overspreading hiscountenance. 

Accordingly, when he had finished his devotions to the Goddess, thePrince approached the priest, and asked him in a kindly manner ifanything was distressing him. 

"Yes, " replied Hien-Chung, "there is, and it is a subject whichmaterially affects your Royal Highness. If you will step for a momentinto my private room, I shall endeavour to explain to you the matterwhich has filled my mind with the greatest possible anxiety. "

When they entered the abbot's room, Hien-Chung handed the Prince asmall box and asked him to open it and examine the article it contained. 

Great was the Prince's amazement when he took it out and cast a hurriedglance over it. A look of excitement passed over his face and he criedout, "Why, this is the great seal of the kingdom which was lost threeyears ago, and of which no trace could ever be found! May I ask how itcame into your possession and what reason you can give for not havingrestored it to the King, who has long wished to discover it?"

"The answer to that is a long one, your Highness, and to satisfy you, Imust go somewhat into detail. "

Hien-Chung then told the Prince of the midnight visit his father hadmade him, and the tragic story of his murder by the man who was nowposing as the King, and of his appeal to deliver him from the sorrowsof the well in which he had been confined for three years. 

"With regard to the finding of the seal, " he continued, "my servantHing, who is present, will describe how by the supernatural powers withwhich he is endowed, he descended the well only this very morning anddiscovered it on the body of your father. "

"We have this absolute proof, " he said, "that the vision I saw only twonights ago was not some imagination of the brain, but that it wasreally the King who appealed to me to deliver him from the power of anenemy who seems bent upon his destruction. 

"We must act, and act promptly, " he went on, "for the man who ispretending to be the ruler of your kingdom is a person of unlimitedability, and as soon as he gets to know that his secret has beendivulged, he will put into operation every art he possesses tofrustrate our purpose. 

"What I propose is that your Highness should send back the greater partof your retinue to the palace, with an intimation to the effect thatyou are going to spend the night here in a special service to theGoddess, whose birthday it fortunately happens to be to-day. Afternight has fallen upon the city, Hing shall descend into the well andbring the body of your father here. You will then have all the proofyou need of the truth of the matter, and we can devise plans as to ourfuture action. "

A little after midnight, Hing having faithfully carried out thecommission entrusted to him by Hien-Chung, arrived with the body of theKing, which was laid with due ceremony and respect in one of the innerrooms of the temple. With his marvellous wonder-working powers andwith the aid of invisible forces which he had been able to summon tohis assistance, he had succeeded in transporting it from the wretchedplace where it had lain so long to the friendly temple of the Goddessof Mercy. 

The Prince was deeply moved by the sight of his father's body. Fortunately it had suffered no change since the day when it was thrownto the bottom of the well. Not a sign of decay could be seen upon theKing's noble features. It seemed as though he had but fallen asleep, and presently would wake up and talk to them as he used to do. Thefact that in some mysterious way the soul had not been separated fromthe body accounted for its remarkable preservation. Nevertheless toall appearance the King was dead, and the great question now was how hecould be brought back to life, so that he might be restored to hisfamily and his kingdom. 

"The time has come, " said Hien-Chung, "when heroic measures will haveto be used if the King is ever to live again. Two nights ago he made apassionate and urgent request to me to save him, for one of the godsinformed him that I was the only man who could do so. So far, we havegot him out of the grip of the demon that compassed his death, and nowit lies with me to provide some antidote which shall bring back thevital forces and make him a living man once more. 

"I have never had to do with such a serious case as this before, but Ihave obtained from the Patriarch of the Taoist Church a small vial ofthe Elixir of Life, which has the marvellous property of prolonging theexistence of whoever drinks it. We shall try it on the King and, asthere is no sign of vital decay, let us hope that it will be effectivein restoring him to life. "

Turning to a desk that was kept locked, he brought out a small blackearthenware bottle, from which he dropped a single drop of liquid on tothe lips of the prostrate figure. In a few seconds a kind of rosyflush spread over the King's features. Another drop, and a look oflife flashed over the pallid face. Still another, and after a shortinterval the eyes opened and looked with intelligence upon the groupsurrounding his couch. Still one more, and the King arose and askedhow long he had been asleep, and how it came about that he was in thissmall room instead of being in his own palace. 

He was soon restored to his family and to his position in the State, for the usurper after one or two feeble attempts to retain his powerignominiously fled from the country. 

A short time after, Hien-Chung had a private interview with the King. "I am anxious, " he said, "that your Majesty should understand thereason why such a calamity came into your life. 

"Some years ago without any just reason you put to death a Buddhistpriest. You never showed any repentance for the great wrong you haddone, and so the Goddess sent a severe drought upon your Kingdom. Youstill remained unrepentant, and then she sent one of her Ministers toafflict you, depriving you of your home and your royal power. The manwho pushed you down the well was but carrying out the instructions hehad received from the Goddess. Your stay down the well for three yearswas part of the punishment she had decreed for your offence, and whenthe time was up, I was given the authority to release you. 

"Kings as well as their subjects are under the great law ofrighteousness, and if they violate it they must suffer like other men. I would warn your Majesty that unless you show some evidence that youhave repented for taking away a man's life unjustly, other sorrows willmost certainly fall upon you in the future. "

VII

"THE WONDERFUL MAN"

There is a certain Prefectural city in the south of China, which hasearned a reputation distinguishing it from all such towns throughoutthe Empire. 

In outward appearance this city is very much like every other ofsimilar size. The streets are narrow, and the houses are crowded closeup to each other. Every foot of land has been utilized, and no roomhas been left for sanitation, or for parks and open spaces, where thepeople may breathe the pure air of heaven. These things are moderninventions of the West and have never yet touched the thought or thelife of the East, where sullen heat, fetid atmosphere, and stiflingsurroundings are the natural inheritance of the men and women whothrong the cities and crowd and elbow each other in the great battle oflife. 

There was one thing, however, for which this city was deservedlycelebrated. It had a great reputation for learning, and was famous asthe abode of scholars. 

In the main thoroughfares, where men with a dexterity begotten of longexperience just managed to evade jostling each other, the long-gownedstudents were conspicuous by their numbers. Their pale intellectualfaces, and their gleaming black eyes burning with hidden fires, markedthem out distinctly from the farmers and artisans and coolies, withtheir coarser, heavier features, who moved along side by side withthem. And down the narrow alley-ways, where fetid smells and impureairs floated the live-long day, one's ear would catch the shrill tonesof more youthful students, who in unhealthy rooms were mastering aloudthe famous classics of China, in order that in time they might competein the triennial examinations for the prizes offered by the Empire toits scholars. 

The ambition for learning was in the air, and a belated wayfarer, wandering down the labyrinth of streets in the early hours of themorning, would hear the solemn stillness broken into by the voices ofthe students, as in their highest tones they repeated the writings ofthe great sages. 

The town was therefore dear to the God of Literature, who has ever beenready to champion the cause of his scholars, whenever anyone has daredto lay a hand upon their privileges. 

A legend in which there is widespread belief declares that on oneoccasion, when the scholars of five counties had assembled at atriennial examination, the Imperial Examiner, who for some reason orother had conceived a spite against the competitors from thisparticular city, determined that not one of them should pass. 

As their essays came into his hands, he carefully laid them in a pileclose beside him on the table. The God of Literature, who was sittingin his shrine at the far end of the room, became indignant at theinsult that was about to be put on his favourites, and breathed someclassic phrases under his breath, to the effect that he would neverallow such a wrong to be perpetrated as long as he had power to preventit. 

The last paper had been examined and laid carefully on the top of theothers, when, as if by a flash of lightning, the examiner was seizedwith a stroke of paralysis, and fell to the ground unconscious. Thatwas the answer of the God to his evil schemes. 

The greatest dismay was exhibited by the under-officials of theexamination. Thousands of students were waiting outside for the listto be issued of those who had passed, but the only man who had thepower to prepare this list lay helpless in the grip of paralysis. Yetsomething must be done, and that speedily. As they looked over themanuscripts lying on the table, a little pile was discovered, evidentlyplaced there by the examiner for some purpose of his own. One of theofficials at once suggested that these must belong to the men who hadgained their degrees. The idea was enthusiastically accepted as thecorrect one. There was no need for further delay. The names of thewriters were hurriedly copied out and pasted up on the board in frontof the Examination Hall. 

To the amazement of all the assembled scholars, the only men who hadgot their degrees were those belonging to the city favoured of the God. This was the God's second answer to the examiner, who would unjustlyhave excluded them from the honours of the day. 

There was another thing for which the people of this city were noted, and that was the pleasure taken by the leaders of society inrecognizing those who displayed conspicuous civic virtues. 

Outside one of the four gates, and well beyond the streets and houseswhich had grown up as an overflow from the great city, there was aconsiderable open space, through the middle of which the main roadmeandered on its way to the countless towns and villages in the regionsbeyond, and finally to the far-off capital, Peking, thousands of milesaway in the extreme north. It was a busy, much-frequented road, andthe tread of human feet and the sound of the voices of passingtravellers never ceased from early dawn until darkness had fallen anddriven men to the shelter of the city. 

The striking feature about the long stretch of uninhabited land whichbordered one side of this road was a magnificent series of memorialarches built in close succession to each other for a considerabledistance. They were composed of granite slabs, some very plain intheir design, whilst others were highly artistic, and had evidentlybeen produced by men who were masters of their craft. The general planand execution were the same in all, but the ornamentation in some wasmost elaborate, and filled one with pleasure and delight to look at it. 

Every one of these arches had been erected to commemorate some personwho had already passed away, but whose virtues in life had been soconspicuous that the community had determined that they should not beforgotten, but that a record of them should be handed down toposterity, not only to keep their memory fragrant, but also to providebeautiful examples for succeeding generations. 

Amongst the virtues recorded on these granite slabs, the most commonwas that of filial piety. A son had distinguished himself by hisdevotion to his parents, and had sacrificed his very life in faithfulservice to them. In undying words the story was carved into the stone;and the two mystic characters, "Holy Will, " in the centre of the middlearch showed that the Emperor had given his permission for the erectionof this memorial to a virtue so admired by the whole Chinese nation. 

Other arches, almost as numerous as those raised to dutiful sons, werethose setting forth the virtues of widows who had refused to marryagain after their husbands had died. 

In one case a widow had been left in great straits, and had beencompelled to struggle with poverty and privations of every kind. Allthese she might have avoided had she been willing to listen to theoffers of marriage that were made to her. Nothing, however, could makeher forget the allegiance which she believed she still owed to the manwho had first won her heart, or induce her to neglect her duty to thechildren of her marriage. She could never consent to let them becomethe property of another man, who might despise and ill-treat them, andwho at any rate would never have for them the kind of affection whichwould lead him to make the sacrifices necessary to help them towardsgaining a better position in life. Accordingly, she struggled on, enduring the greatest sufferings in order to provide for the needs ofher sons as they gradually grew up; and eventually, owing to thehardships which she had borne so heroically, they all passed withhonour through their examinations into the service of the Emperor. 

On her death her story was forwarded to the capital, and his Majestywas so much moved by it that he gave his sanction for an arch to beerected to her memory, in order that for ages to come the crowdspassing daily under its shadow might read the record of herself-sacrifice, and might learn how an admiring community had builtthis imperishable memorial of her wifely and motherly virtues. 

But of all the numerous arches spanning the road there was one whichattracted more attention than any other in the long line. 

This was not because the virtues of the person, in whose honour it wasraised, were so conspicuous, or because they so far outrivalled thoserecorded on the other arches, that men were constrained to stop andponder over a life so remarkable for its heroism. 

On the contrary, no virtues of any kind were mentioned. On the centralarch, in large letters cut into the granite stone, were the words: "TheWonderful Man"; and that was all. Not a word of explanation was givenas to who this wonderful man was; not a hint as to the special story ofhis life. 

Scholars passing along the dusty road would catch a sight of this briefbut cryptic inscription, and would at once be set wondering what aphrase so unclassical and so mysterious could possibly mean. Theywould walk round to the other side of the arch, to see if anyexplanation were afforded there. But no, the inscription was simplyrepeated in the same cold and veiled language; and so they would passon, no wiser than before. 

Farmers, with produce of their own growing suspended from theirshoulders on stout bamboo poles, would come along at their accustomedtrot, and would gaze at these words, "The wonderful man, " with acurious look on their faces. They were not profound scholars, for onaccount of their poverty they had been compelled to leave school beforethey had mastered the ancient characters which make up the Chinesewritten language; but they knew enough to read such simple words asthese. But what did the words really mean? They would laugh and jokewith each other about them as they sped on their way, and many a wittysuggestion would be merrily thrown out as a solution of the mystery. 

The story that really lay behind this strange inscription was after alla most romantic and a most pathetic one. 

Many years before, in a village beyond the hills skirting the plain onwhich the city was built, there lived a family of three; that is tosay, a man and his wife and their little son. It was a supremely happyhome. The husband and wife were devotedly attached to each other, andthe ambition of every family amongst the four hundred millions of Chinahad been granted them; for they had a son, who in the future wouldperpetuate the father's name, and present at his grave sacrificialofferings which would reach him in the Land of Shadows and keep himfrom starvation there. 

The one great sorrow of the home was its poverty. There was noquestion but that they were exceedingly poor; and every morning, as thedawn broke upon them, they felt that they stood close up to the linebeyond which lay hunger and even starvation. 

But China is full of homes in such a situation. In this respect, indeed, the country is a land of heroes and heroines, for with vastmasses of the people it is a daily struggle for food. Millionsscattered throughout the Empire never or very rarely get enough to eat, and yet with splendid and pathetic patience they set themselves tosuffer and to die, sternly and uncomplainingly, as becomes an Imperialrace such as the Chinese are. 

All that this particular family had to live upon were a few diminutivefields, which under the most favourable circumstances could producebarely enough sweet potatoes to keep body and soul together, and ascanty supply of vegetables with which to season them. If the rainsfailed and the potato vines were parched and blasted in their ridges bythe great red-hot sun, then the husband had to look out for some othermeans of earning enough money to provide the bare necessaries of lifefor his little home. 

Sometimes he would engage himself as a porter to carry the produce ofthe larger farmers to the great market-town which lay ten milesdistant; but even then he could earn only just enough to provide themost meagre fare for his family for a week or two at the very most. 

At other times he would secure better-paid employment by carrying asedan-chair to some distant place, which would take him from home forseveral days at a time. He would return, it is true, with some goodlystrings of cash, which would make his wife's eyes gleam withsatisfaction at the possibilities they contained for at least anothermonth of better food for them all; but it was dearly earned money. Theman had not been trained as a chairbearer, and so had not learned theknack of manipulating the cross-bars, which rested on his shoulders, insuch a way as to make the heavy burden less distressing to him. Theresult was that every time he returned from one of these expeditions, he was so seriously knocked up that for several days he had to lie inbed and refrain from all work. 

Time went on, and the severe strain of his labour, and the poor qualityof the food upon which he had to live, and the constant wear and tearof a constitution that never had been very strong, told upon the poor, overworked father. Gradually he became a confirmed invalid, so that hecould not perform even the lightest work on his little farm. Theshadows of coming misfortune grew darker and blacker every day. Hopebegan to abandon the hearts of husband and wife, and the sound of thefootsteps of cruel Fate could almost be heard, as they drew nearer andnearer. Still these two heroic souls uttered no complaints, and therewere no signs of heartbreak, except occasionally when the wife's eyesoverflowed with tears, which she brushed hastily away lest her husbandshould see them and be distressed. 

One night the storm was blowing a north-east gale outside, and the windhowled and moaned in such weird and doleful tones around the cottage, that it seemed as though some troubled spirit had been let loose towail out a solemn requiem over a departing soul. 

The Chinese believe that the air is filled with demons who have amortal hatred of human beings, and who are ever on the watch to compasstheir destruction. These evil spirits gather round when disaster isabout to fall on a home. They stand with invisible forms and peer intothe darkened room, where some one lies dying, and they breathe outtheir delight in unholy sounds that strike terror into the hearts ofthe watchers. 

In her anxiety about her husband the wife had not been able to sleep. Her heart throbbed with an infinite pain, and suppressed sobs now andagain showed the anguish of her spirit. She began to realize, duringthis dreadful night, that her husband was exceedingly ill and mightvery probably die. The storm which raged outside, and the furiousblasts and the uncanny sounds in the air, had terrified her and madeher nervous. 

It was true that only that day she had gone to the nearest temple, andhad been assured by the god that her husband was going to recover; buthe had been growing steadily weaker and weaker, and now the tempest hadbroken her courage and filled her with an unspeakable dread. What atumult there was outside! Whose were the hideous voices that shriekedround the building, and whose were the hands that tore at the doors andwindows until they shook and rattled under their grasp?

At last she could stand it no longer. She felt she must get up and seewhether the mad and furious spirits, who had evidently gathered inforce around the dwelling, were going to prove to be true prophets ofevil. 

The room was in darkness, so she lit the tiny wick that lay in a saucerof oil, and, peering into her husband's face, she looked with all herheart in her eyes into his sunken features. He seemed to know her, fora wan and wintry smile flickered round his lips and died out in amoment. She gazed at him with an almost breaking heart, for herinstinct told her that the greyness of his face and the sudden palingof his lips were the forerunners of death. A long-drawn sigh, and asob or two, and the one who was the dearest to her in all the world hadleft her forever. 

After the funeral, which swallowed up everything she possessed, even tothe very fields, which she had been compelled to sell in order to meetthe expenses, the widow was left almost destitute. She was a woman, however, with a very strong character, and she realized the absolutenecessity of making up her mind at once as to her course of action. That she should marry again seemed to every one the only course open toher; but this she determined she would never do. The memory of herdead husband was too precious to her, and besides it was her duty torear up her little son to manhood, so that he might take his placeamongst the scholars and thinkers of the Empire. 

Soon a scheme, as original as it was daring, sprang up within herbrain. No one must ever learn what it was. It must be the secret ofher life, which she should bury within her own bosom, and which noteven her own son should ever know, if she could possibly help it. 

Having sold her cottage, she moved away to a quiet suburb outside thegreat city which was so renowned for learning. Then she discarded herwoman's attire and dressed herself as a man. In no other way could shesupport herself and her child, for in China a woman is always undergreat disadvantages in the way of earning her own living. As a man, she knew that she could hold her own in any of the unskilledemployments which she was capable of taking up. And so it turned out. She could carry as heavy a load as any of the men with whom she had tocompete, and she was so civil and so well-behaved and so free from theuse of profane language, that employers unaware of her sex used to pickher out in preference to others who offered themselves. 

The years went by, and her little son was growing up to be a fine youngman. The mother had determined that he should be a scholar. This wasthe one ambition of her life, and for this she slaved and toiled anddenied herself almost the very necessaries of life. 

Twenty years had passed since that stormy night. In the neighbouringcity, the triennial examinations were just finished and the excitementwas intense amongst the thousands of students who gathered round theExamination Hall to learn the names of the successful candidates. 

By-and-by the son came home with a light step and with his eyesflashing with delight. His excitement was so great that he couldhardly utter distinctly the words which rushed from his lips. 

"Father, " he cried, "the great desire of your heart and of mine hasbeen granted to us to-day. I have passed, and that too with honours, for my name stands at the very top of the list of those who have beenadjudged successful. And now, my beloved father, there will be no morehard work for you. My name will soon be flashed throughout theProvince and will be posted in every Confucian guild, and scholarseverywhere will speak with admiration of the great success I have won. My fortune has indeed been made, and it is due entirely to yourself-denial, and to the sufferings and hardships you have consented toendure, during the long years of the past, that I have at length comeinto my kingdom, and that I need not be a labouring man, earning but afew cash a day, as you, my dear father, have been willing to do for thelove of me. "

All the time her son was talking, the mother's face shone with delight, for the hopes and wishes of a lifetime had come to her with a rush thatalmost overpowered her. 

"Ah! if only my husband could have been with us now, " she thought, "toshare with us the supreme joy of this moment!" And her memory wanderedback to that dreadful night, the blackest she had ever known in herlife; and the roar of the storm which had thundered round the poorlittle shanty of a home and the ominous wailings of the spirits of evilwhich had struck a chill into her very blood, once more sounded in herears as though the tragedy had happened only the night before. 

In the fulness of the new joy which had suddenly transformed his life, the son went on to talk of the plans that he had been mapping out forthe future. There would be no lack of money any more, he said, foremployment would open up to him in all directions. He would be invitedby the wealthy men of the city to teach their sons. He was a notablescholar now, and men of means would compete with each other to securehis services. 

Before long too, he would be certain to obtain a government appointmentwhich would bring riches into the home; and then his father would be agentleman, and would live with him in his yamen, and be treated by allwith honour and respect. And so with glowing face and glistening eyes, as the visions of the future rose up before him, the boy talked on withthe enthusiasm of youth, whilst his mother gazed at him with admiringeyes. 

At last he suddenly stopped. The laughter died out of his countenance, and with a grave and solemn face he exclaimed, "Father, I want you totell me where my mother is buried. I must arrange to go to her graveand make the proper offerings to her spirit, and tell her how her sonhas prospered, and how grateful he is to her. That is my duty as afilial son, and I must not delay in performing it. "

The young fellow did not notice the deadly pallor that spread over hisparent's face as he uttered these words. He did not know that theyproduced a feeling of despair in the heart of his mother, for she nowfelt that she had come to the end of her life. She was a true andnoble woman, with a high ideal of what a woman's life ought to be, andshe dared not face the opinion of the world when it was discovered thatshe had lived as a man, and for many years had freely mingled with men. She had violated the laws of etiquette which regulate the conduct ofwomen in every grade of society, and now the only thing left for her todo was to die. 

Next morning, at sunrise, when the son entered his father's room, aswas his daily custom, he found him lying upon his bed, dead, butmarvellous to say, dressed in a woman's clothes. That the death wasnot accidental could be seen at a glance. The body lay prepared as iffor a funeral. The clothes and the dressing of the hair, and the otherminute details necessary in laying out a body for burial, had all beenattended to. No outside hands need touch her, and no curious orunsympathetic eyes be gratified by peering too deeply into the mysteryof her life. 

The story spread with wonderful rapidity from the suburbs into thecity. There it was discussed in every home, gentle and simple. Theuniversal feeling was one of intense admiration for the devotion andheroism which had caused the mother to sacrifice her life for her son, and the mandarins and scholars petitioned the Emperor to issue an edictpermitting an arch to be erected in order that the memory of such anoble woman should be kept alive for ever. 

This petition was granted; and it was decided that the inscription tobe carved upon the arch should consist simply of these words: "THEWONDERFUL MAN. "

VIII

THE GOD OF THE CITY

One evening in the distant past a fisherman anchored his boat near thebank of a stream which flowed close by a great city, whose walls couldbe seen rising grey and rugged in the near distance. The sound of lifefell upon his ear and kept him from feeling lonely. Coolies, withbamboo carrying-poles on their shoulders, tired out with the heavy workof the day, hurried by afraid lest the darkness should overtake thembefore they reached their homes. The bearers of sedan-chairs, whichthey had carried for many a weary mile, strode by with quickened stepand with an imperious shout at the foot passengers to get out of theirway and not block up the narrow road by which they would gain the citywalls before the great gates were closed for the night. 

By the time that the afterglow had died out of the sky and the distanthills were blotted out of the horizon, the fisherman had finished thecooking of his evening meal. The rice sent a fragrant odour from thewide-mouthed pan in which it lay white and appetizing. A few of thevery small fish he had caught in the river had been fried to a brownand savoury-looking colour, and he was just about to sit down and enjoyhis supper when, happening to look round, he saw a stranger sitting inthe after part of the boat. 

He was greatly amazed and was about to express his surprise, whensomething about the appearance of this unexpected visitor kept himspell-bound. For the stranger had a fine scholarly look about him, andthe air of a man belonging to a good family. He had, moreover, abenevolent, kindly face, which could not fail to win the confidence ofanyone who gazed upon it. 

Whilst the fisherman was wondering who his visitor was and how he hadmanaged to come so mysteriously into the boat, the stranger said:"Allow me to explain who I am and to apologise for intruding on youwithout first having got your permission to do so. I am the spirit ofa man who two years ago was drowned not very far from where your boatis now anchored. Many attempts have I made to inveigle others into theriver, so that I might be free to leave the spot to which my miserablefate binds me until another unhappy wretch shall take my place. "

The spirit of a drowned person is condemned to hover round the spotwhere his life was lost, until, either by accident or by the wiles ofthe sufferer, someone else perishes in the water and thus takes theplace of the spirit, which then travels with lightning speed to theLand of Shadows. 

"I was so dull this evening, " continued the stranger, "that I feltimpelled to come and have a chat with you for a short time. So I hopeyou will take my visit in good part, and allow me to sit in your boatuntil it is time for you to go to bed. "

The fisherman, who was greatly taken with his courtly visitor, expressed his great pleasure in receiving him, and invited him to sharehis evening meal and to make himself quite at home for as long as heliked. 

After this the solitary spirit of the river used frequently to come andspend an evening with the fisherman, until quite a friendship sprang upbetween them. One evening this ghostly visitor appeared with a facecovered with smiles and with a glad note of joy in his voice. Nosooner had he sat down than he said, "This is the last evening I shallbe able to spend with you. The long weary time of waiting is nownearly at an end, and to-morrow another victim to the river will giveme my release and you will see me no more. "

Now, the fisherman was a deeply benevolent man, and he was most anxiousto see what unhappy person was to be drowned on the morrow. Aboutmidday, as he was watching by the river-side, he saw a poor woman, weeping and sobbing, come rushing with hasty steps towards the water. Her hair was dishevelled, and her eyes red with tears, and frequentcries of sorrow burst from her lips. Straight as an arrow she made forthe stream, and was just preparing to throw herself into it, when thefisherman in a loud and commanding voice told her to stop. 

He then asked her what was the matter and what reason there was for herto sacrifice her life in the river. 

"I am a most unhappy woman, " she replied. "On my way home just now Iwas waylaid by a footpad, who robbed me of some money that I was takingback to my husband. This money was to pay a debt we owed to a man whothreatens us with the severest penalties if we do not give it to himto-day. Far rather would I face death than see the sorrow which wouldoverwhelm my husband if I told him my sorrowful story. "

Having asked her how much money had been taken from her, the fishermanpresented the woman with the exact amount, and soon she was proceedingwith joyful footsteps in the direction of her home. 

That same evening the fisherman was again visited by the spirit who hadbidden him an eternal farewell the previous evening. 

"What did you mean, " asked the visitor, "by depriving me of the onechance I had of gaining my freedom?"

"I could not bear to see the sorrow of the poor woman, " replied thefisherman, "nor to think of the tragedy to her home had she perished inthe stream, and so I saved her. " With eloquent lips he proceeded todescribe the beauty of benevolence, and urged upon his guest the noblercourse of trying to save life even at the expense of his own happiness. In the end the latter was so deeply moved that he promised never againto make any attempt to gain his liberty through another's death, eventhough this should mean that he would have to spend long ages of miseryin the fatal stream. 

Years went by, and yet for the imprisoned spirit there came no release. Cases of suicide or accidental drowning in the flowing stream ceasedaltogether. Many a life that would have perished was saved fromdestruction by mysterious warnings which came from the sullen water, and which terrified away the would-be suicides as they were about tohurl themselves into it. 

At length Kwan-yin, the Goddess of Mercy, moved by the sight of such agenerous sacrifice of self in order to save the souls of unfortunatepeople who had become weary of life, released this noble spirit fromits watery prison. Moreover, as she felt convinced that such a mancould safely be entrusted with the destinies of those who might appearbefore his tribunal, she made him a god and decreed that temples shouldbe erected to him in every town and city of the Empire, so that all whowere suffering wrong or injustice could have their causes righted atthe shrine of one who had shown such profound devotion and sympathy forothers in distress. 

Such is the story of the God of the City. 

Since he is regarded as the representative of the dread ruler of theLand of Shadows, his temple has been erected very much in the samestyle as the courts of the Mandarins. Its main entrance is large andimposing, and the great gates suggest those of the yamen of some highofficial. 

Within these is an immense courtyard, paved with slabs of granite, andon each side of this there are six life-size statues of the "runners, "or policemen, of the god, who stand ready to carry out his decisions, and to pursue and capture by invisible and mysterious processes thosewhom he has condemned as guilty. The faces of these figures aredistorted by passion, and their attitudes are such as men might beconceived to assume in apprehending some notorious criminal whom Yam-lohad ordered to be seized. 

At the end of this spacious courtyard is the shrine of the god, but heis so hidden behind a yellow curtain that it is impossible to catch aglimpse of his image. In front of him are statues of his twosecretaries, who, with huge pens in their hands, stand ready day andnight to take down the petitions and indictments laid before the god bythose who are in sorrow or who are suffering wrong. 

One afternoon the peace of such a temple was suddenly disturbed by anoisy clamour outside, and the sound of hurried footsteps as of a crowdrushing through the main gates. Two men advanced with rapid, excitedstrides straight past the demon policeman at the door, who seemed toscowl with added ferocity as they gazed at the actors in a scene withwhich they would have much to do by-and-by. 

The two men were quite young, a little over twenty; and behind themfollowed a string of idlers and loafers and street arabs, who seem tospring up like magic when anything unusual happens. One of the youngmen was slightly ahead of the crowd. His face was flushed and hisblack eyes sparkled with excitement, whilst in his left hand he carrieda large white cock. He was the complainant, and his purpose in comingto the temple was to appeal to the god to vindicate his honour. 

He took his stand in front of the idol, and the secretaries, with pensin their hands, seemed to put on a strained look of attention as theyoung fellow produced a roll of paper and began to read the statementhe had drawn up. It was diffuse and wordy, as most of such documentsare, but the main facts were quite plain. 

The two young men were assistants in a shop in the city. Some littletime before, the master of the shop, without telling either of them, concealed in a chosen place a sum of one hundred dollars, which hewished to have in readiness in order to pay for certain goods he hadpurchased. The previous day, when he went to get the money on thepresentation of the bill, he found to his horror that it haddisappeared. He had told no one of this secret hoard, not even hiswife; and therefore he felt convinced that in some way or other one ofhis two assistants had discovered his hiding-place. For some reasonhis suspicions became aroused against the man who was now detailing hisgrievances, and who was appealing to the god to set in motion all thetremendous forces at his command, not only to proclaim his innocencebut also to bring condign punishment on the real culprit. 

The scene was a weird and fascinating one, and became most exciting asthe young man neared the end of his appeal. He called upon the god tohurl all the pains and penalties in his unseen armoury against the manwho had really stolen the money. 

"Let his life be one long torture, " he cried with uplifted hands. "Mayevery enterprise in which he engages end in disaster; may his fatherand mother die, and let him be left desolate; may a subtle andincurable disease lay its grip upon him; may misfortune pursue him inevery shape and form; may he become a beggar with ulcered legs and siton the roadside and beseech the passers-by, in sunshine and in storm, for a few cash that will just help to keep him alive; may he never havea son to perpetuate his name or to make offerings to his spirit in theLand of Shadows; may madness seize upon him so that his reason shallfly and he shall be a source of terror to his fellow-men; and finally, may a tragic and horrible death bring his life to a sudden end, even asI bring to an end the life of this white cock that I have brought withme. "

As he uttered these last words he grasped a chopper, and with one sharpand vicious blow cut off the head of the struggling animal, whichwildly fluttered its wings in the agonies of death, whilst itslife-blood poured out in a stream on the ground. 

He then took his petition, and advancing close up to the secretaries, who seemed for the moment to gaze down upon him with a look of sympathyon their faces, he set fire to it and burned it to ashes. In this wayit passed into the hands of the god, who would speedily set in motionunseen machinery to bring down upon the head of the guilty one thejudgments which had just been invoked. 

The sympathies of the crowd were with the man who had sworn a solemnoath that he was innocent of the theft. The other young fellow, whohad said little or nothing during the proceedings, was believed to bethe real culprit, but there was no evidence upon which he could beconvicted. The god knew, however, and every one was satisfied that indue time punishment would descend upon the transgressor. 

In a few minutes the temple resumed its normal aspect, for with thedisappearance of the two principal actors in the scene, the idlers fromthe street slowly dispersed, each one loudly expressing his opinion asto the merits of the question in dispute. With the dissolving of thecrowd, it would have seemed to the casual observer that no furtherproceedings were to be taken in the matter. The god's face wore itsusually placid look, unmoved by the shifting panorama of human lifewhich ebbed and flowed in front of him from morning till night. Theghastly-looking policemen, with their grinning visages and ferociousscowls and contorted bodies, remained in the same unchanging posturesby the main entrance. 

A week or two had gone by since the appeal had been made to the god, when those who were following the case and were looking out for somegrim evidence that the god was at work in bringing retribution on theman whom everyone suspected of being the thief, were startled by aheartrending catastrophe. 

This man had a sister, just bursting into womanhood, who was the verylight of her home. Her merry laugh could be heard throughout the day, so that sadness could not long abide in the same house. Her face, too, seemed to have been formed to match her sunny smiles, and was aconstant inspiration that never failed to give those who looked upon ita brighter view of life. 

One morning she went down to the river-bank with several of herneighbours to do the household washing. The stream was strong andrapid in the centre, but the place which these women had selected fortheir work had always been considered perfectly safe, for it wasoutside the current and no accident had ever happened there. 

They had finished all that they had purposed to do, and were ascendingthe bank to return home, when they heard an agonized cry and turningswiftly round they perceived that this young girl had stumbled andfallen into the river. They were so horrified at the accident thatthey lost all presence of mind and allowed the fast-flowing stream toget a grip of her and drag her into the current. When help at lastcame, her body could just be seen floating on the troubled waters, andbefore a boat could be launched it had disappeared in the waves of thesea which tumbled and roared about a quarter of a mile further down. 

This terrible disaster, which brought unutterable gloom and sorrow uponthe home, was unquestionably the work of the god. With bated breathpeople talked of the tragic end of this beautiful girl, who had won herway into the hearts of all who knew her; but they recognized that herdeath had been caused by no mere accident, but by the mysterious powerof the invisible forces which are always at work to bring punishmentupon those who have violated the Righteousness of Heaven. 

About a month after this calamity, the monsoon rains began to fall. The clouds gathered in dense masses upon the neighbouring hills, andpoured down such copious showers that the mountain streams were turnedinto roaring avalanches, tearing their way down to the sea with animpetuosity that nothing could resist. 

One of these streams, which used to run by the side of the ancestralproperty of the family of the man who was believed to have stolen thehundred dollars, overflowed its banks and rushing along with mad andheadlong speed it swept away their fields, so that when the rainsceased not a trace of them was to be found, but only sand and gravel, from which no crop could ever be gathered in the future. Theconsequence was that the family was utterly ruined. 

This second disaster falling on the homestead was a clear indication toeveryone who knew the story of the stolen money that the god was stillat work in bringing retribution on the sinner. The fact that otherfarms had come out of the flood undamaged was proof positive of this. 

From this time, too, the young man who really was the culprit began tobe troubled in his mind because of the calamities that had fallen onhis family. The death of his sister by drowning, and the utterdestruction of his home by the flood, which had injured no other farmerin the neighbourhood, were plain indications that the curses which hisfalsely accused fellow-assistant had prayed the god to bring down onthe head of the guilty party were indeed coming fast and thick upon him. 

A dread of coming evil took possession of him, and this so preyed uponhis mind that he began to lose his reason. He would go about mutteringto himself, and declaring that he saw devils. These fits grew uponhim, until at last he became raving mad, and had to be seized and boundwith ropes to prevent him doing injury to himself or to others. Attimes he suffered from violent spasms of mania, while at others, again, though undoubtedly insane, he was quiet and subdued. He would thentalk incessantly to himself, and bemoan the sad fact that the dread Godof the City was sending evil spirits to torment him because he hadpurloined the hundred dollars belonging to his master. 

By-and-by these random confessions attracted the attention of hisheart-broken father, who used to sit watching by his side, and theybecame so frequent and so circumstantial, describing even where themoney had been hidden, that at last he determined to examine into thematter. Investigations were made, and the whole sum was found in thevery place which the young man had mentioned in his delirium, and wasat once returned to the shopkeeper. 

As the money had been given back, and the father and mother weredependent upon their only son to provide for them in their old age, theman who had entered the accusation before the god was entreated againto appear before him in his temple and withdraw the charges that he hadpreviously made against his fellow-assistant. Only in this formal andlegal way could the god have official knowledge of the fact thatreparation had been made for the offence which had been committed; andif this were not done he would still continue to send sorrow aftersorrow until the whole family were involved in absolute ruin or death. 

Out of pity for the old couple the other young man consented to takethe necessary steps. He accordingly presented a petition to the god, stating that he wished to withdraw the accusation which he had madeagainst a certain man who had been suspected of theft. The stolenmoney had been returned to its owner, and the god was now besought tostay all further proceedings and forgive the culprit for the wrong hehad done. 

It was evident that this petition was granted, for at once the youngman began to recover, and soon all signs of madness left him. He had, however, learned a lesson which he never forgot; and as long as helived he never committed another offence such as the theft which hadbrought such serious consequences upon himself and his family. 

IX

THE TRAGEDY OF THE YIN FAMILY

In a certain district in one of the central provinces of China, therelived a man of the name of Yin. He was possessed of considerableproperty, with a great ambition to become distinguished in life. Theone desire of his heart, which seemed to master every other, was thathis family should become an aristocratic one. 

So far as he knew, none of his immediate predecessors had ever been aconspicuous scholar, or had gained any honour in the great triennialexaminations. The result was that his family was a plebeian one, fromwhich no mandarin had ever sprung. In what way, then, could he securethat the fame and dignities, which had come to some of the clans in theregion in which he lived, should descend upon his home and upon hisgrandsons?

He was a rich man, it is true, but he was entirely illiterate, and allhis money had been made in trade. As a lad his education had beenneglected, for his early life had been spent in the mere struggle forexistence. He had been more than successful, but the honours of thestudent never could be his, and never could he act as one of theofficials of the Empire. It occurred to him, however, that though itwas impossible that he himself should ever be classed amongst the greatscholars of China, his sons and grandsons might be so honoured. Inthat case the glory of their success would be reflected upon him, andmen would talk of him as the head of a family which had becomedistinguished for scholarship and high dignities in the State. 

He finally came to the conclusion that the most effectual way ofaccomplishing this was to secure a lucky burying-ground in which hecould lay the bodies of his father and his grandfather, who haddeparted this life some years before. The universal belief that insome mysterious way the dead have the power of showering down wealthand honours and prosperity upon the surviving members of theirfamilies, was held most tenaciously by Mr. Yin. This belief pointedout to him how he could emerge from the common and dreary road alongwhich his ancestors had travelled, into the one where royal favours andofficial distinction would mark out his posterity in the future. 

As he had retired from business, he was able to spend nearly the wholeof his time in searching the country for the spots where certain unseenforces are supposed to collect with such dominant and overmasteringpower that the body of any person laid to rest amongst them will befound to dispense untold riches and dignities upon his nearestrelatives. Accordingly, attended by a professor of the art, whosestudy of this intricate science enable him to detect at a glance theplaces which fulfilled the required conditions, Yin made frequentexcursions in the regions around his home. 

The valleys through which the streams ran, and where the sound of therunning waters could be heard day and night as they sang their way tothe sea, were all explored. Wherever water and hills were to be foundin a happy conjunction, there these two men were to be seen peeringover the ground, and with the aid of a compass which the professorcarried with him in a cloth bag, marking whether the lines upon whichthey ran indicated that the mysterious Dragon had his residence beneath. 

Innumerable places were carefully examined, and whilst some of themwould have been admirably suited for a person of ordinary ambition, they did not satisfy the large expectations for the future which werecherished by Mr. Yin. The rising knolls and winding streams andfar-off views of hills lying in the mist-like distance, showed perhapsthat moderate prosperity would be the lot of those whose kindred mightbe buried there; but there were no signs of preëminence in scholarship, or of mandarins riding on horseback or in sedan-chairs, with greatretinues attending them, as they proceeded in haughty dignity throughthe streets of the city in which they lived as rulers. Such placeswere therefore rejected as unsuitable. 

Days and months went by in this search for a spot with which thefortunes of the Yin family were to be linked for many generations yetto come; but every place failed in some one or two particulars whichwould have marred the splendid prospect that ambition had picturedbefore the vision of this wealthy man. 

At last, as they were sauntering along one day with eyes keen andalert, they stayed for a moment to rest on the top of a low hill whichthey had just ascended. Hardly had they cast a rapid glance over thebeautiful scenery that lay stretched out before them, before theprofessor, with flashing eyes and unusual enthusiasm, exclaimed withexcitement in his voice, "See! this is the very place we have beenlooking for all these days!

"No more suitable spot could have been found in the whole of China thanthis. We stand, as it were, in the centre of a great amphitheatre inwhich have been gathered the finest forces of Fung-Shuy. Behind us thehill rises in a graceful semi-circular form to shield the spot, wherethe dead shall lie buried, from the northern blasts, and from thefierce and malignant spirits that come flying on the wings of the greatgales which blow with the touch of the ice and snow in them. 

"On the plain in front of us, scattered over its surface, are gentlerisings showing where the Dragon lies reposing, waiting to dispense itsfavours to all who come within its magic influence. And then, beholdhow the river winds in and out, seemingly unwilling to leave a placewhere unseen influences are at work to enrich the homes and gladden thehearts of the men and women of this region. See how it flows out witha hasty rush towards the sea beyond, and how it threads its way roundyonder cape and is lost to view. Then mark again how it would seem asthough some force it could not control had swung it round in itscourse, for it winds back upon the plain with gleaming eyes and joyouslooks as if it were glad to return once more towards the distantmountains from whence it took its rise. 

"The meaning of all this is, " he continued, "that the prosperity, whichthe Dragon will bestow upon the living through the ministry of the deadlying within its domain, shall not soon pass away, but like the riverthat we see meandering before us, shall stay and comfort for many along year those to whom it has been granted. 

"That riches will come is certain, and official rank, and honours aswell; for cast your eyes upon yonder ridge gleaming in the morning sun, and note the figure which rises up distinct and well-defined from itssummit. It is simply a rock, it is true, but mark well its contour andyou will note how the outline grows upon your vision until it assumesthe form of a mandarin in full official robes standing with his facetowards us. 

"I would strongly advise you, " concluded the professor, "to secure thisplot of land on which we stand, whatever it may cost you, for everyambition that has ever filled your soul shall in time be satisfied bythe wealth and honours which not only the Dragon but all his attendantspirits shall combine to pour into your home. "

Yin was entranced with the prospect which was pictured before him insuch glowing language by the man at his side, and he heartily agreedwith the proposal that he should stay his search and purchase theground on which they were standing as a cemetery for his family. 

Just at this moment a man came sauntering along to see what these twostrangers were doing in this out-of-the-way place, to which no road ranand from which no by-paths led to the villages beyond. 

"Can you tell me, my man, " asked Yin, "to whom this piece of landbelongs?"

"Yes, I can easily do that, " he replied. "Do you see thatdilapidated-looking cottage down by the riverside? Well, it isoccupied by a man named Lin, together with his wife and a daughterabout nineteen years of age. They are exceedingly poor, as you can seeby their house. The only property Lin possesses is this plot ofground, which has come down to him from his forefathers, and which hehopes one day to dispose of to some well-to-do person as aburying-ground that may bring him good luck. "

"I am very willing to buy the land, if I can only get it at areasonable price, " replied Yin, "and I shall be glad if you willconsent to act as middleman and negotiate the matter for me. You mightgo at once and see Lin, and find out what are the terms upon which heis willing to transfer the property to me. "

On the morrow the middle-man returned and reported to Yin that Linwould on no consideration consent to let him have the ground. "Thefact is, " he continued, "that Lin has a settled purpose in his mindwith which this particular plot of land has a good deal to do. He andhis wife are getting on in years, and when the daughter is married offhe is afraid that his branch of the family will become extinct; so heplans to get a husband for her who will come into the home and act thepart of a son as well as that of son-in-law. "

So determined, however, was Yin to gain possession of this particularpiece of land that after considerable negotiations during which itseemed as though the old father would never be moved from his settledpurpose, it was finally agreed that his daughter should be married toYin's eldest son, Shung, and that her father and mother should removeto rooms in Yin's family mansion, where they should be maintained byhim in ease and comfort as long as they lived. Had Yin been alarge-hearted and generous person, this plan would have been an idealone, but seeing that he was by nature a stingy, money-grubbingindividual, it was attended with the most tragic results. 

No sooner had the deeds of the coveted plot of ground been passed overto him than Yin had the body of his father, who had been buried in aplace far removed from the influence of the Dragon, transferred to thisnew location, where he would be in touch with the higher spirits of theUnderworld. Here, also, he could catch the eye of the mandarin, whoday and night would have his face turned towards him, and who from thevery fact of the sympathy that would grow up between them, must in timegive him the mysterious power of turning his grandsons, and their sonsafter them, into scholars, who would obtain high positions in theservice of the State. 

In the meanwhile preparations were being made for the marriage of theyoung maiden of low degree to a man in a much higher social positionthan she could ever have aspired to in the ordinary course of events. Pearl was a sweet, comely-looking damsel, who would have made a modelwife to one of her own station in life, but who was utterly unsuitedfor the new dignity which would be thrust upon her as soon as shecrossed the threshold of the wealthy family of Yin. She was simply apeasant girl, without education and without refinement. Her days hadbeen passed amidst scenes of poverty, and though she was a thoroughlygood girl, with the high ideals that the commonest people in Chinaeverywhere have, her proper position was after all amongst the kind ofpeople with whom she had lived all her life. 

Her father and mother had indeed all along been doubtful about thepropriety of marrying their daughter into a family so much above themas the Yins, and for a long time they had stood out against all thearguments in favour of it. Finally, overborne by the impetuosity ofYin, and dazzled with the prospects which such an alliance offered notonly to the girl herself but also to themselves by the agreement tokeep them in comfort for the rest of their lives, they had given anunwilling consent. 

In order that Pearl should suffer as little disgrace as possible whenshe appeared amongst her new relations, her father sold all hisavailable belongings in order to procure suitable wedding-garments forher. His idea, however, of the fitness of things had been gatheredfrom the humble surroundings in which he had lived all his days, andthe silks and satins and expensive jewellery that adorn the brides ofthe wealthy had never come within the vision of his dreams. StillPearl was a pretty girl, and with her piercing black eyes which alwaysseemed to be suffused with laughter, and with a smile which looked likea flash from a summer sky, she needed but little adornment, and wouldhave won the heart of any man who had the soul to appreciate a truewoman when he saw one. 

At last the day came, hurried on by the eager desire of Yin to have thewhole thing settled, when the humble home was to be given up and itsinmates transferred to the rich house that lay just over a neighbouringhill. 

A magnificent bridal chair, whose brilliant crimson colour made it aconspicuous object on the grey landscape, wound its way towards thecottage where the bride was attired all ready to step into it themoment it appeared at the door. 

In front of it there marched a band, making the country-side resoundwith weird notes which seemed to fly on the air with defiance in theirtones, and to send their echoes mounting to the tops of the hills andpiercing down into the silent valleys. There were also crowds ofretainers and dependants of the wealthy man. These were dressed insemi-official robes, and flocked along with smiling faces and joyousshouts. The occasion was a festal one, and visions of rare dishes andof generous feasting, kept up for several days, filled the minds of thehappy procession as it went to meet the bride. 

The return of the party was still more boisterous in its merriment. The members of the band seemed inspired by the occasion and sent forthlusty strains, whilst the instruments, as if aware how much dependedupon them, responded to the efforts of the performers and filled theair with joyful notes. 

A distinguished company had assembled to receive the bride, as she wasled by her husband from the crimson chair and advanced with timid stepsand faltering heart into the room that had been prepared for herreception. As she entered the house something in the air struck achill into her heart and caused the hopes of happiness, which she hadbeen cherishing, to die an almost instant death. 

Shung, her husband, was a man of ignoble mind, and had always objectedto marrying a woman so far beneath him. The sight of his bride, withher rustic air, and the ill-made commonplace-looking clothes in whichshe was dressed, made his face burn with shame, for he knew that asneer was lurking on the face of everyone who had gathered to have alook at her. 

A profound feeling of hatred entered his narrow soul, and as the dayswent by the one purpose of his life was to humiliate thissweet-tempered woman, who had been sacrificed simply to further theambitious schemes of her designing father-in-law, Mr. Yin. For a fewweeks he simply ignored her, but by degrees he treated her so cruellythat many a time she had serious thoughts of putting an end to herlife. It soon turned out that a systematic attempt was being made byboth father and son to get rid of the whole family. 

The old father and mother, whom Yin had agreed to provide for duringthe rest of their lives, found things so intolerable that theyvoluntarily left the miserable quarters assigned to them and returnedto their empty cottage. Every stick of furniture had been sold inorder to buy their daughter's wedding garments, so that when theyreached their old home they found absolutely nothing in it. With a fewbundles of straw they made up a bed on the floor, but there was no foodto eat, and not a single thing to comfort them in this their hour ofdarkest misery. 

Sorrow for their daughter, and disappointment and anguish of heart atthe thought of how they had been tricked and cheated by Mr. Yin inorder that he might gain possession of their bit of land, so told upontheir spirits that they both fell ill of a low fever, which laid themprostrate on their bed of straw. As they lived remote from otherpeople, for some time no one knew that they were sick. Days went bywithout anyone visiting them, and when at last one kindly-heartedfarmer came to make enquiries, he found to his horror that both husbandand wife lay dead, side by side, in their miserable cabin. 

The news of their death produced the greatest pleasure in the mind ofthe wretched man who was really the cause of it. He was now freed fromthe compact compelling him to provide for them during their life, andso there would be an actual saving of the money which he would have hadto spend in providing them with food and clothing. A cruel, wintrysmile lingered on his hard face for several days after the poor oldcouple had been lain to rest on the hillside near their cottage, andthis was the only look of mourning his features ever assumed. 

From this time Pearl's life became more and more of a burden to her. Love, the one element which would have filled her heart with happiness, was the one thing that was never offered her. Instead of affectionthere were cruel, cutting words and scornful looks and heavy blows--allthese were plentifully bestowed upon her by the soulless man who wascalled her husband. 

At length, to show his utter contempt and abhorrence of her, hearranged with the connivance of his father to bring a concubine intohis home. This lady came from a comparatively good family, and wasinduced to take this secondary position because of the large sum ofmoney that was paid to her father for her. The misery of Pearl wasonly intensified by her appearance on the scene. Following the lead ofher husband, and jealous of the higher position in the family that thelaw gave her rival, she took every means that a spiteful woman coulddevise to make her life still more miserable. 

The death of her parents had filled Pearl's heart with such intensegrief and sorrow that life had lost all its charm for her. She saw, moreover, from the sordid rejoicing that was openly made at theirtragic end, that the Yins would never be satisfied until she too hadfollowed them into the Land of Shadows. She would therefore anticipatethe cruel purposes of her husband and his father, and so deliverherself from a persecution that would only cease with her death. Soone midnight, when all the rest of the family were asleep, and nothingwas heard outside but the moaning of the wind which seemed as though itwas preparing to sing a requiem over her, she put an end to all herearthly troubles by hanging herself in her own room. 

When the body was found next day, suspended from a hook in one of thebeams, a great cry of delight was uttered by Yin and his son. Withoutany violence on their part they had been set free from their alliancewith this low-class family, and at a very small cost they had obtainedfirm possession of the land which was to enrich and ennoble theirdescendants. 

And so whilst the poor girl lay dead, driven to an untimely end byspirits more fierce and malignant than any that were supposed to beflying with hatred in their hearts in the air around, smiles andlaughter and noisy congratulations were indulged in by the livingghouls whose persecution had made this sweet-tempered woman's lifeunbearable. 

But retribution was at hand. Heaven moves slowly in the punishment ofthe wicked, but its footsteps are sure and they travel irresistiblyalong the road that leads to vengeance on the wrongdoer. 

One dark night, when the sky was overcast and neither moon nor starswere to be seen, and a storm of unusual violence was filling the airwith a tumult of fierce and angry meanings, a weird and gruesome scenewas enacted at the grave where the father of Yin had been buried. Hideous sounds of wailing and shrieking could be heard, as though allthe demons of the infernal regions had assembled there to hold a nightof carnival. Louder than the storm, the cries penetrated through theshrillest blasts, and people in their homes far away were wakened outof their sleep by the unearthly yells which froze their blood withterror. At last a thunderbolt rolled from the darkened heavens, louderthan ever mortal man had heard. The lightnings flashed, andconcentrating all their force upon the grave just where the coffin lay, they tore up a huge chasm in the earth, and gripping the coffin withintheir fiery fingers, they tossed it with disdain upon a hillside a mileaway. 

After a long search, Yin discovered it next day in the lonely spotwhere it had been cast, and was returning to make arrangements for itsinterment, when in a lonely part of the road two unearthly figuressuddenly rose up before him. These, to his horror, he recognized asthe spirits of Pearl's father and mother who had practically been doneto death by him, and whom Yam-lo had allowed to revisit the earth inorder to plague the man who was the author of their destruction. Soterrified was Yin at their wild and threatening aspect, that he fell tothe ground in a swoon, and thus he was found, hours afterwards, by hisson, who had come out in search of him. 

For several days he was tended with the greatest care, and the mostfamous physicians were called in to prescribe for him. He neverrallied, however, and there was always a vague and haunted look in hiseyes, as though he saw some terrible vision which frightened away hisreasoning powers and prevented him from regaining consciousness. Inthis condition he died, without a look of recognition for those heloved, and without a word of explanation as to the cause of this tragicconclusion of a life that was still in its prime. 

The eldest son was now master of his father's wealth; but instead oflearning a lesson from the terrible judgment which had fallen on hishome because of the injustice and wrong that had been committed on aninnocent family, he only became more hard-hearted in his treatment ofthose who were within his power. He never dreamed of making anyreparation for the acts of cruelty by which he had driven his wife tohang herself in order to escape his tyranny. But the steps of Fatewere still moving on towards him. Leaden-footed they might be andslow, but with unerring certainty they were travelling steadily on tocarry out the vengeance of the gods. 

By-and-by the room in which Pearl had died became haunted. Herspectral figure could be seen in the gloaming, flitting about andpeering out of the door with a look of agony on her face. Sometimesshe would be seen in the early dawn, restless and agitated, as thoughshe had been wandering up and down the whole night; and again she wouldflit about in the moonlight and creep into the shadow of the houses, but always with a ghost of the old look that had made her face sowinning and so charming when she was alive. 

When it was realized that it was her spirit which was haunting thehouse, the greatest alarm and terror were evinced by every one in it. There is nothing more terrible than the appearance of the spirits ofthose who have been wronged, for they always come with some vengefulpurpose. No matter how loving the persons themselves may have been inlife, with death their whole nature changes and they are filled withthe most passionate desire to inflict injury and especially death uponthe object of their hatred. 

The course of ill-usage which her husband Shung had cruelly adopted inorder to drive Pearl to commit suicide was known to every one, and thatshe should now appear to wreak vengeance on him was not considered atall wonderful; but still every one was mortally afraid lest they shouldbecome involved in the punishment that was sure to be meted out. 

As the ghost continued to linger about and showed no signs ofdisappearing, Shung was at last seized with apprehension lest somecalamity was about to fall upon his house. In order to protect himselffrom any unexpected attack from the spirit that wandered and flutteredabout in the darkest and most retired rooms in his home, he providedhimself with a sword which he had ground down to a very sharp edge andwhich he carried in his hand ready uplifted to lunge at Pearl shouldshe dare to attack him. 

One evening, unaware that his concubine was sitting in a certain roomon which the shadows had thickly fallen, he was entering it for somepurpose, when the spirit of his late wife gripped his hand with anovermastering force which he felt himself unable to resist, and forcedhim to strike repeated blows against the poor defenceless woman. Notmore than a dozen of these had been given before she was lyingsenseless on the ground, breathing out her life from the gaping woundsthrough which her life-blood was flowing in streams. 

When the grip of the ghost had relaxed its hold upon him and he felthimself free to look at what he had done, Shung was horrified beyondmeasure as he gazed with staring eyes upon the dreadful sight beforehim, and realized the judgment that had come upon him for the wrongs hehad done to Pearl and her family. 

As soon as the news of the murder of the woman was carried to herfather, he entered a complaint before the nearest mandarin, who issueda warrant for Shung's apprehension. At his trial he attempted todefend himself by declaring that it was not he who had killed hisconcubine, but an evil spirit which had caught hold of his arm and haddirected the blows that had caused her death. 

The magistrate smiled at this extraordinary defence, and said thatShung must consider him a great fool if he thought for a moment that hewould be willing to accept such a ridiculous excuse for the dreadfulcrime he had committed. 

As Shung was a wealthy man and had the means of bribing theunder-officials in the yamen, his case was remanded in order to see howmuch money could be squeezed out of him before the final sentence wasgiven. The murder--apparently without reason or provocation--of awoman who had been a member of a prominent family in society, produceda widespread feeling of indignation, and public opinion was strong incondemnation of Shung. Every one felt that there ought to be exemplarypunishment in his case; otherwise any man who had only money enoughmight be able to defy all the great principles established by Heavenfor the government of society and for the prevention of crime. 

In order to make it easy for Shung whilst he was in prison, his motherhad to spend large sums in bribing every one connected with the yamen. Never before had such an opportunity for reaping a golden harvest beenpresented to the avaricious minions entrusted by the Emperor with theadministration of justice amongst his subjects. In her anxiety for herson the poor woman sold field after field to find funds wherewith tomeet the demands of these greedy officials. Dark hints had simply tobe thrown out by some of these that Shung was in danger of his life, and fresh sales would be made to bribe the mandarin to be lenient inhis judgment of him. 

At length the property had all been disposed of, and when it was knownthat no further money could be obtained, sentence was given that Shungshould be imprisoned for life. This was a cruel blow to his mother, who had all along hoped that he might be released. Full of sorrow andabsolutely penniless in a few weeks she died of a broken heart, whilstthe son, seeing nothing but a hopeless imprisonment before him, committed suicide and thus ended his worthless life. 

This tragic extinction of a family, which only a short year before wasin the highest state of prosperity, was accepted by every one who heardthe story as a just and righteous punishment from Heaven. For Heavenis so careful of human life that any one who destroys it comes underthe inevitable law that he too shall in his turn be crushed under thewheels of avenging justice. 

X

SAM-CHUNG AND THE WATER DEMON

Sam-chung was one of the most famous men in the history of the BuddhistChurch, and had distinguished himself by the earnestness andself-denial with which he had entered on the pursuit of eternal life. His mind had been greatly exercised and distressed at the pains andsorrows which mankind were apparently doomed to endure. Even those, however, terrible as they were, he could have managed to tolerate hadthey not ended, in the case of every human being, in the crowningcalamity which comes upon all at the close of life. 

Death was the great mystery which cast its shadow on every human being. It invaded every home. The sage whose virtues and teachings were themeans of uplifting countless generations of men came under its greatlaw. Men of infamous and abandoned character seemed often to outlivethe more virtuous of their fellow-beings; but they too, when the godssaw fit, were hurried off without any ceremony. Even the little ones, who had never violated any of the laws of Heaven, came under thisuniversal scourge; and many of them, who had only just commenced tolive were driven out into the Land of Shadows by this mysterious forcewhich dominates all human life. 

Accordingly Sam-Chung wanted to be freed from the power of death, sothat its shadow should never darken his life in the years to come. 

After careful enquiry, and through friendly hints from men who, he hadreason to believe, were fairies in disguise and had been sent by theGoddess of Mercy to help those who aspired after a higher life, helearned that it was possible by the constant pursuit of virtue toarrive at that stage of existence in which death would lose all itspower to injure, and men should become immortal. This boon of eternallife could be won by every man or woman who was willing to pay theprice for so precious a gift. It could be gained by great self-denial, by willingness to suffer, and especially by the exhibition of profoundlove and sympathy for those who were in sorrow of any kind. Itappeared, indeed, that the one thing most imperatively demanded by thegods from those who aspired to enter their ranks was that they shouldbe possessed of a divine compassion, and that their supreme objectshould be the succouring of distressed humanity. Without thiscompassion any personal sacrifice that might be made in the search forimmortality would be absolutely useless. 

Sam-Chung was already conscious that he was a favourite of the gods, for they had given him two companions, both with supernatural powers, to enable him to contend against the cunning schemes of the evilspirits, who are ever planning how to thwart and destroy those whosehearts are set upon higher things. 

One day, accompanied by Chiau and Chu, the two attendants commissionedby the Goddess of Mercy to attend upon him, Sam-Chung started on hislong journey for the famous Tien-ho river, to cross which is theambition of every pilgrim on his way to the land of the Immortals. They endured many weeks of painful travelling over high mountains andthrough deep valleys which lay in constant shadow, and across sandydeserts where men perished of thirst or were struck down by thescorching heat of the sun, before they met any of the infernal foesthat they expected to be lying in wait for them. 

Weary and footsore, they at last arrived one evening on the shores ofthe mighty Tien-ho, just as the sun was setting. The glory of theclouds in the west streamed on to the waters of the river, and madethem sparkle with a beauty which seemed to our wearied travellers totransform them into something more than earthly. The river here was sowide that it looked like an inland sea. There was no sign of land onthe distant horizon, nothing but one interminable vista of waters, stretching away as far as the eye could reach. 

One thing, however, greatly disappointed Sam-Chung and his companions, and that was the absence of boats. They had planned to engage one, andby travelling across the river during the night, they hoped to hurry ontheir way and at the same time to rest and refresh themselves after thefatigues they had been compelled to endure on their long land journey. 

It now became a very serious question with them where they were tospend the night. There was no sign of any human habitation roundabout. There was the sandy beach along which they were walking, andthere was the wide expanse of the river, on which the evening mistswere slowly gathering; but no appearance of life. Just as they werewondering what course they should pursue, the faint sound of somemusical instruments came floating on the air and caught their ear. Hastening forward in the direction from which the music came, theyascended a piece of rising ground, from the top of which they weredelighted to see a village nestling on the hillside, and a small templestanding on the very margin of the river. 

With hearts overjoyed at the prospect of gaining some place where theycould lodge for the night, they hurried forward to the hamlet in frontof them. As they drew nearer, the sounds of music became louder andmore distinct. They concluded that some festival was being observed, or that some happy gathering amongst the people had thrown them allinto a holiday mood. Entering the village, they made their way to ahouse which stood out prominently from the rest, and which was betterbuilt than any others they could see. Besides, it was the one fromwhich the music issued, and around its doors was gathered a number ofpeople who had evidently been attending some feast inside. 

As the three travellers came up to the door, a venerable-looking oldman came out to meet them. Seeing that they were strangers, hecourteously invited them to enter; and on Sam-Chung asking whether theycould be entertained for the night, he assured them that there wasample room for them in the house, and that he gladly welcomed them tobe his guests for as long as it was their pleasure to remain. 

"In the meanwhile you must come in, " he said, "and have some food, foryou must be tired and hungry after travelling so far, and the tablesare still covered with the good things which were prepared for thefeast to-day. "

After they had finished their meal, they began to talk to the oldgentleman who was so kindly entertaining them. They were greatlypleased with his courtesy and with the hearty hospitality which he hadpressed upon them. They noticed, however, that he was veryabsent-minded, and looked as if some unpleasant thought lay heavy onhis heart. 

"May I ask, " said Sam-Chung, "what was the reason for the greatgathering here to-day? There is no festival in the Chinese calendarfalling on this date, so I thought I would take the liberty ofenquiring what occasion you were really commemorating. "

"We were not commemorating anything, " the old man replied with a graveface. "It was really a funeral service for two of my grand-children, who, though they are not yet dead, will certainly disappear out of thislife before many hours have passed. "

"But how can such a ceremony be performed over persons who are stillalive?" asked Sam-Chung with a look of wonder in his face. 

"When I have explained the circumstances to you, you will then be nolonger surprised at this unusual service, " replied the old man. 

"You must know, " he continued, "that this region is under the controlof a Demon of a most cruel and bloodthirsty disposition. He is notlike the ordinary spirits, whose images are enshrined in our temples, and whose main aim is to protect and guard their worshippers. This onehas no love for mankind, but on the contrary the bitterest hatred, andhis whole life seems to be occupied in scheming how he may inflictsorrow and disaster on them. His greatest cruelty is to insist thatevery year just about this time two children, one a boy and the other agirl, shall be conveyed to his temple by the river side to be devouredby him. Many attempts have been made to resist this barbarous demand, but they have only resulted in increased suffering to those who havedared to oppose him. The consequence is that the people submit to thiscruel murder of their children, though many a heart is broken at theloss of those dearest to them. "

"But is there any system by which the unfortunate people may get toknow when this terrible sacrifice is going to be demanded from them?"asked Sam-Chung. 

"Oh yes, " replied the man. "The families are taken in rotation, andwhen each one's turn comes round, their children are prepared for thesacrifice. Moreover, that there may be no mistake, the Demon himselfappears in the home a few days before, and gives a threatening commandto have the victims ready on such a date. Only the day beforeyesterday, this summons came to us to have our children ready byto-morrow morning at break of day. That is why we had a feast to-day, and performed the funeral rites for the dead, so that their spirits maynot be held under the control of this merciless Damon, but may in timebe permitted to issue from the Land of Shadows, and be born again underhappier circumstances into this world, which they are leaving undersuch tragic circumstances. "

"But what is the Demon like?" enquired Sam-Chung. 

"Oh, no one can ever tell what he is like, " said the man. "He has nobodily form that one can look upon. His presence is known by a strongblast of wind which fills the place with a peculiar odour, and with aninfluence so subtle that you feel yourself within the grip of apowerful force, and instinctively bow your head as though you were inthe presence of a being who could destroy you in a moment were he sodisposed. "

"One more question and I have finished, " said Sam-Chung. "Where didthis Demon come from, and how is it that he has acquired such anovermastering supremacy over the lives of men, that he seems able todefy even Heaven itself, and all the great hosts of kindly gods who areworking for the salvation of mankind?"

"This Demon, " the man replied, "was once an inhabitant of the WesternHeaven, and under the direct control of the Goddess of Mercy. He must, however, have been filled with evil devices and fiendish instincts fromthe very beginning, for he seized the first opportunity to escape toearth, and to take up his residence in the grottoes and caverns thatlie deep down beneath the waters of the Tien-ho. Other spirits almostas bad as himself have also taken up their abode there, and theycombine their forces to bring calamity and disaster upon the people ofthis region. "

Sam-Chung, whose heart was filled with the tenderest feelings ofcompassion for all living things, so much so that his name was afamiliar one even amongst the Immortals in the far-off Western Heaven, felt himself stirred by a mighty indignation when he thought of howinnocent childhood had been sacrificed to minister to the unnaturalpassion of this depraved Demon. Chiau and Chu were as profoundlyindignant as he, and a serious consultation ensued as to the bestmethods to be adopted to save the little ones who were doomed todestruction on the morrow, and at the same time to break the monster'srule so that it should cease for ever. 

Chiau, who was the more daring of the two whom I the goddess haddeputed to protect Sam-Chung, at length cried out with flashing eyes, "I will personate the boy, Chu shall act the girl, and together we willfight the Demon and overthrow and kill him, and so deliver the peoplefrom his dreadful tyranny. "

Turning to the old man, he said, "Bring the children here so that wemay see them, and make our plans so perfect that the Demon with all hiscunning will not be able to detect or frustrate them. "

In a few moments the little ones were led in by their grandfather. Theboy was seven and the girl was one year older. They were both of themnervous and shy, and clung timidly to the old man as if for protection. 

They were very interesting-looking children. The boy was a proud, brave-spirited little fellow, as one could see by the poise of his headas he gazed at the strangers. If anything could be predicted from hislooks, he would one day turn out to be a man of great power, for he hadin his youthful face all the signs which promise a life out of thecommon. The girl was a shy little thing, with her hair done up in achildlike fashion that well became her. She was a dainty littlemortal. Her eyes were almond-shaped, and with the coyness of her sexshe kept shooting out glances from the corners of them at the three menwho were looking at her. Her cheeks were pale, with just a suspicionof colour painted into them by the deft hand of nature; whilst her lipshad been touched with the faintest dash of carmine, evidently just amoment ago, before she left her mother's side. 

"Now, my boy, " said Chiau to the little fellow, "keep your eyes fixedon me, and never take them from me for a moment; and you, littlesister, " addressing the girl, "do the same to the man next to me, andyou will see something that will make you both laugh. "

The eyes of them both were at once riveted on the two men, and a lookof amazement slowly crept into their faces. And no wonder, for as theygazed they saw the two men rapidly changing, and becoming smaller andsmaller, until they were the exact size and image of themselves. Intheir features and dress, and in every minute detail they were theprecise pattern of the children, who with staring eyes were heldspellbound by the magic change which had taken place in front of them. 

"Now, " said Chiau to the old gentleman, "the transformation iscomplete. Take the children away and hide them in the remotest andmost inaccessible room that you have in your house. Let them be seenby no chattering woman or servant who might divulge our secret, so thatin some way or other it might reach the ears of the Demon, and put himon his guard. Remember that from this moment these little ones are notsupposed to exist, but that we are your grand-children who are to betaken to the temple to-morrow morning at break of day. "

Just as the eastern sky showed the first touch of colour, twosedan-chairs were brought up to the door to carry the two victims awayto be devoured by the Demon. A few frightened-looking neighbourspeered through the gloom to catch a last glimpse of the children, butnot one of them had the least suspicion that the boy and girl werereally fairies who were about to wage a deadly battle with the Demon inorder to deliver them from the curse under which they lived. 

No sooner had the children been put into the temple, where a dimrush-light did but serve to disclose the gloom, and the doors had beenclosed with a bang, than the chair-bearers rushed away in fear fortheir very lives. 

An instant afterwards a hideous, gigantic form emerged from an innerroom and advanced towards the children. The Demon was surprised, however, to find that on this occasion the little victims did notexhibit any signs of alarm, as had always been the case hitherto, butseemed to be calmly awaiting his approach. There was no symptom offear about them, and not a cry of terror broke from their lips; butwith a fearless and composed mien they gazed upon him as he advanced. 

Hesitating for a moment, as if to measure the foe which he began tofear might lie concealed beneath the figures of the boy and girl beforehim, the Demon's great fiery eyes began to flash with deadly passion ashe saw the two little ones gradually expand in size, until they weretransformed into beings as powerful and as mighty as himself. He knewat once that he had been outwitted, and that he must now battle for hisvery life; so, drawing a sword which had always stood him in goodstead, he rushed upon the two who faced him so calmly and with suchapparent confidence in themselves. 

Chiau and Chu were all ready for the fray, and with weapons firmlygripped and with hearts made strong by the consciousness of the justiceof their cause, they awaited the onslaught of the Demon. 

And what a battle it was that then ensued in the dim and shadowytemple! It was a conflict of great and deadly significance, waged onone side for the deliverance of helpless childhood, and on the otherfor the basest schemes that the spirits of evil could devise. It was abattle royal, in which no quarter was either asked or given. The clashof weapons, and sounds unfamiliar to the human ear, and groans andcries which seemed to come from a lost soul, filled the temple withtheir hideous uproar. 

At last the Demon, who seemed to have been grievously wounded, thoughby his magic art he had caused his wounds to be instantly healed, beganto see that the day was going against him. One more mighty lunge withhis broadsword, and one more furious onset, and his craven heart failedhim. With a cry of despair he fled from the temple, and plungedheadlong into the river flowing by its walls. 

Great were the rejoicings when Chiau and Chu returned to report toSam-Chung the glorious victory they had gained over the Demon. Laughter and rejoicing were heard in every home, and men and womenassembled in front of their doors and at the corners of the narrowalley-ways to congratulate each other on the great deliverance whichthat day had come to them and to their children. The dread of theDemon had already vanished, and a feeling of freedom so inspired themen of the village that as if by a common impulse, they rushedimpetuously down to where the temple stood, and in the course of a fewhours every vestige of it had disappeared beneath the waters into whichthe Demon had plunged. 

After his great defeat the baffled spirit made his way to the grottobeneath the waters, where he and the other demons had taken up theirabode. A general council was called to devise plans to wipe out thedisgrace which had been sustained, and to regain the power that hadslipped from the Demon's grasp. They wished also to visit Sam-Chungwith condign punishment which would render him helpless for the future. 

"We must capture him, " said one wicked-looking imp, who always acted ascounsellor to the rest. "I have been told that to devour some of hisflesh would ensure the prolongation of life for more than a thousandyears. "

The suggestion to seize Sam-Chung was unanimously accepted as a veryinspiration of genius, and the precise measures which were to beadopted in order to capture him were agreed to after a long discussion. 

On the very next morning, a most violent snowstorm set in, so that theface of the river and the hills all round about, and the very heavensthemselves were lost in the blinding snow-drifts that flew before thegale. Gradually the cold became so intense that the Ice King laid hisgrip upon the waters of the Tien-ho, and turned the flowing stream intoa crystal highway, along which men might travel with ease and safety. Such a sight had never been seen before by any of the people who livedupon its banks, and many were the speculations as to what such aphenomenon might mean to the welfare of the people of the region. Itnever occurred to any one that this great snow-storm which had turnedinto ice a river that had never been known to freeze before, was allthe work of demons determined on the destruction of Sam-Chung. 

Next day the storm had passed, but the river was one mass of ice whichgleamed and glistened in the morning rays. Much to the astonishment ofSam-Chung and his two companions, they caught sight of a number ofpeople, who appeared to be merchants, moving about on the bank of theriver, together with several mules laden with merchandise. The wholeparty seemed intent on their preparations for crossing the river, whichthey were observed to test in various places to make sure that it wasstrong enough to bear their weight. This they seemed satisfied about, for in a short time the men and animals set forward on their journeyacross the ice. 

Sam-Chung immediately insisted upon following their example, though theplan was vigorously opposed by the villagers, who predicted all kindsof dangers if he entered on such an uncertain and hazardous enterprise. Being exceedingly anxious to proceed on his journey, however, andseeing no prospect of doing so if he did not take advantage of thepresent remarkable condition of the river, he hastened to follow in thefootsteps of the merchants, who by this time had already advanced somedistance on the ice. 

He would have been less anxious to enter on this perilous course, hadhe known that the innocent-looking traders who preceded him were everyone of them demons who had changed themselves into the semblance of menin order to lure him to his destruction. 

Sam-Chung and his companions had not proceeded more than five or sixmiles, when ominous symptoms of coming disaster began to manifestthemselves. The extreme cold in the air suddenly ceased, and a warmsouth wind began to blow. The surface of the ice lost its hardness. Streamlets of water trickled here and there, forming great pools whichmade walking exceedingly difficult. 

Chiau, whose mind was a very acute and intelligent one, becameterrified at these alarming symptoms of danger, especially as the icebegan to crack, and loud and prolonged reports reached them from everydirection. Another most suspicious thing was the sudden disappearanceof the company of merchants, whom they had all along kept well insight. There was something wrong, he was fully convinced, and so withall his wits about him, he kept himself alert for any contingency. Itwas well that he did this, for before they had proceeded another mile, the ice began to grow thinner, and before they could retreat there wasa sudden crash and all three were precipitated into the water. 

Hardly had Chiau's feet touched the river, than with a superhumaneffort he made a spring into the air, and was soon flying withincredible speed in the direction of the Western Heaven, to invoke theaid of the Goddess of Mercy to deliver Sam-Chung from the hands of anenemy who would show him no quarter. 

In the meanwhile Sam-Chung and Chu were borne swiftly by the demons, who were eagerly awaiting their immersion in the water, to the greatcave that lay deep down at the bottom of the mighty river. Chu, beingan immortal and a special messenger of the Goddess, defied all the artsof the evil spirits to injure him, so that all they could do was toimprison him in one of the inner grottoes and station a guard over himto prevent his escape. Sam-Chung, however, was doomed to death, andthe Demon, in revenge for the disgrace he had brought upon him, and inthe hope of prolonging his own life by a thousand years, decided thaton the morrow he would feast upon his flesh. But he made his planswithout taking into consideration the fact that Sam-Chung was anespecial favourite with the Goddess. 

During the night a tremendous commotion occurred. The waters of theriver fled in every direction as before the blast of a hurricane, andthe caverns where the demons were assembled were illuminated with alight so brilliant that their eyes became dazzled, and for a time wereblinded by the sudden blaze that flashed from every corner. Screamingwith terror, they fled in all directions. Only one remained, and thatwas the fierce spirit who had wrought such sorrow amongst the people ofthe land near by. He too would have disappeared with the rest, had notsome supernatural power chained him to the spot where he stood. 

Soon the noble figure of the Goddess of Mercy appeared, accompanied bya splendid train of Fairies who hovered round her to do her bidding. Her first act was to release Sam-Chung, who lay bound ready for hisdeath, which but for her interposition would have taken place within afew hours. He and his two companions were entrusted to the care of achosen number of her followers, and conveyed with all speed across theriver. 

The Goddess then gave a command to some who stood near her person, andin a moment, as if by a flash of lightning, the cowering, terrifiedDemon had vanished, carried away to be confined in one of the dungeonswhere persistent haters of mankind are kept imprisoned, until theirhearts are changed by some noble sentiment of compassion and theGoddess sees that they are once more fit for liberty. 

And then the lights died out, and the sounds of fairy voices ceased. The waters of the river, which had been under a divine spell, returnedto their course, and the Goddess with her magnificent train ofbeneficent spirits departed to her kingdom in the far-off WesternHeaven. 

XI

THE REWARD OF A BENEVOLENT LIFE

On the banks of a river flowing through the prefecture of Tingchow, there stood a certain city of about ten thousand inhabitants. Amongthis mass of people there was a very fair sprinkling of well-to-do men, and perhaps half-a-dozen or so who might have been accounted reallywealthy. 

Amongst these latter was one particular individual named Chung, who hadacquired the reputation of being exceedingly large-hearted andbenevolently inclined to all those in distress. Anyone who was in wanthad but to appeal to Chung, and his immediate necessities would at oncebe relieved without any tedious investigation into the merits of hiscase. As may be inferred from this, Chung was an easy-going, good-natured man, who was more inclined to look kindly upon hisfellow-men than to criticise them harshly for their follies or theircrimes. Such a man has always been popular in this land of China. 

Now the whole soul of Chung was centred upon his only son Keng. At thetime when our story opens, this young fellow was growing up to manhood, and had proved himself to be possessed of no mean ability, for on thevarious occasions on which he had sat for examination before theLiterary Chancellor, his papers had been of a very high order of merit. 

The rumours of Chung's generosity had travelled further than he hadever dreamed of. Several reports of the noble deeds that he wasconstantly performing had reached the Immortals in the Western Heaven, and as these are profoundly concerned in the doings of mankind, stepswere taken that Chung should not go unrewarded. 

One day a fairy in the disguise of a bonze called upon him. He hadalways had a sincere liking for men of this class. He admired theirdevotion, and he was moved by their self-sacrifice in giving up homeand kindred to spend their lives in the service of the gods and for thegood of humanity. 

No sooner, therefore, had the priest entered within his doors, than hereceived him with the greatest politeness and cordiality. The sameevening he prepared a great dinner, to which a number of distinguishedguests were invited, and a time of high festivity and rejoicing wasprolonged into the early hours of the morning. 

Next day Chung said to his guest, "I presume you have come roundcollecting for your temple. I need not assure you that I shall be mostdelighted to subscribe to anything that has to do with the uplifting ofmy fellow-men. My donation is ready whenever you wish to accept it. "

The bonze, with a smile which lit up the whole of his countenance, replied that he had not come for the purpose of collectingsubscriptions. 

"I have come, " he said, "to warn you about a far more important matterwhich affects you and your family. Before very long a great flood willtake place in this district, and will sweep everything before it. Itwill be so sudden that men will not be able to take measures topreserve either their lives or their property--so instantaneous will bethe rush of the mighty streams, like ocean floods, from the mountainsyou can see in the West. My advice to you is to commence at once theconstruction of boats to carry you and your most precious effects away. When the news first comes that the waters are rising, have themanchored in the creek that flows close by your doors; and when thecrisis arrives, delay not a moment, but hurry on board and fly for yourlives. "

"But when will that be?" asked Chung anxiously. 

"I may not tell you the precise day or hour, " replied the bonze; "butwhen the eyes of the stone lions in the East Street of the city shedtears of blood, betake yourselves with all haste to the boats, andleave this doomed place behind you. "

"But may I not tell the people of this approaching calamity?" askedChung, whose tender heart was deeply wrung with distress at the idea ofso many being overwhelmed in the coming flood. 

"You can please yourself about that, " answered the priest, "but no onewill believe you. The people of this region are depraved and wicked, and your belief in my words will only cause them to laugh and jeer atyou for your credulity. "

"But shall I and my family escape with our lives?" finally enquiredChung. 

"Yes, you will all escape, " was the reply, "and in due time you willreturn to your home and your future life will be prosperous. But thereis one thing, " he continued, "about which I must entreat you to beexceedingly careful. As you are being carried down the stream by thegreat flood, be sure to rescue every living thing that you meet indistress upon the waters. You will not fail to be rewarded for sodoing, as the creatures you save will repay you a thousandfold for anyservices you may render them. There is one thing more that I wouldsolemnly warn you against. You will come across a man floatinghelplessly on the swiftly flowing tide. Have nothing to do with him. Leave him to his fate. If you try to save him, you will only bringsorrow upon your home. "

As the priest was departing, Chung tried to press into his hand aconsiderable present of money, but he refused to accept it. He did notwant money from him, he said. The gods had heard of his great love formen, and they had sent him to warn him so that he might escape the doomwhich would overtake his fellow-citizens. 

After his departure Chung at once called the boat-builders who hadtheir yards along the bank of the stream, and ordered ten large boatsto be built with all possible speed. The news of this spread throughthe town, and when the reasons were asked and the reply was given thatthe boats were in anticipation of a mighty flood that would ere longdevastate the entire region, everyone screamed with laughter; but Chunglet them laugh. 

For weeks and months he sent an old man to East Street to see if theeyes of the stone lions there had overflowed with bloody tears. 

One day two pig-butchers enquired of this man how it was that every dayhe appeared and looked into the eyes of the lions. He explained thatChung had sent him, for a prophecy had come from the gods that when theeyes of the lions shed blood, the flood which was to destroy the citywould be already madly rushing on its way. 

On hearing this, these two butchers determined to play a practicaljoke. Next day, in readiness for the coming of the old man, theysmeared the stone eyes with pigs' blood. No sooner had Chung'smessenger caught sight of this than, with terror in his eyes, he fledalong the streets to tell his master the dreadful news. By this timeeverything had been prepared, and Chung was only waiting for theappointed sign. The most valuable of his goods had already been packedin some of the boats, and now his wife and son and household servantsall hurried down to the water's edge and embarked; and remembering theinjunction of the priest that there should be no delay, Chung at onceordered the anchors to be raised, and the boatmen, as if for dear life, made for the larger stream outside. 

Hardly had the vessels begun to move when the sun, which had beenblazing in the sky, became clouded over. Soon a terrific storm of windtore with the force of a hurricane across the land. By-and-by greatdrops of rain, the harbingers of the deluge which was to inundate thecountry, fell in heavy splashes. Ere long it seemed as though thegreat fountains in the heavens had burst out, for the floods camepouring down in one incessant torrent. The sides of the mountainsbecame covered with ten thousand rills, which joined their forces lowerdown, and developed into veritable cataracts, rushing with fearful andnoisy tumult to the plain below. 

Before many hours had passed, the streams everywhere overflowed theirbanks, and ran riot amongst the villages, and flowed like a sea againstthe city. There was no resisting this watery foe, and before nightfell vast multitudes had been drowned in the seething floods from whichthere was no escape. 

Meanwhile, carried swiftly along by the swollen current, Chung's littlefleet sped safely down the stream, drawing further and further awayfrom the doomed city. 

The river had risen many feet since they had started on their voyage, and as they were passing by a high peak, which had been undermined bythe rush of waters hurling themselves against its base, the boats wereput into great danger by the whirl and commotion of the foam-fleckedriver. Just as they escaped from being submerged, the party noticed asmall monkey struggling in the water, and at once picked it up and tookit on board. 

Further on they passed a large branch of a tree, on which there was acrow's nest, with one young one in it. This, also, remembering thesolemn injunction of the priest, they carefully took up and saved. 

As they were rushing madly on down the tawny, swollen river, they wereall struck with sudden excitement by seeing something struggling in theboiling waters. Looking at this object more attentively as they drewnearer to it, they perceived that it was a man, who seemed to be ingreat peril of his life. 

Chung's tender heart was filled with sympathy, and he at once gaveorders for the boatmen to go and rescue him. His wife, however, reminded him of the warning of the priest not to save any man on theriver, as he would inevitably turn out to be an enemy, who would intime work his rescuer great wrong. 

Chung replied that at such a time, when a human being was in extremedanger of being drowned, personal interests ought not to be consideredat all. He had faithfully obeyed the command of the priest in savinganimal life, but how much more valuable was a man than any of the lowerorders of creation? "Whatever may happen, " he said, "I cannot let thisman drown before my eyes, " and as the boat just then came alongside theswimmer, he was hauled into it and delivered from his peril. 

After a few days, when the storm had abated and the river had gone downto its natural flow, Chung returned with his family to his home. Tohis immense surprise, he found that his house had not been damaged inthe least. The gods who had saved his life had used their supernaturalpowers to preserve even his property from the ruin and devastation thathad fallen upon the inhabitants of the city and of the surroundingplain. 

Shortly after they had settled down again, Chung enquired of Lo-yung, the man whom he had saved from the flood, whether he would not like toreturn to his family and his home. 

"I have no family left, " he answered with a sad look on his face. "Allthe members of it were drowned in the great flood from which youdelivered me. What little property we had was washed away by the wildrush of the streams that overflowed our farm. Let me stay with you, "he begged, "and give me the opportunity, by the devoted service of mylife, to repay you in some slight degree for what you have done insaving my life. "

As he uttered these words his tears began to flow, and his featuresshowed every sign of profound emotion. Always full of tenderness andcompassion, Chung was profoundly moved by the tears and sobs ofLo-yung, and hastened to assure him that he need be under no concernwith regard to his future. "You have lost all your relatives, it istrue, but from to-day I shall recognize you as my son. I adopt youinto my family and I give you my name. "

Six months after this important matter had been settled, the city wasplacarded with proclamations from its Chief Mandarin. In these heinformed the people that he had received a most urgent Edict from theEmperor stating that an official seal, which was in constant use inhigh transactions of the State, had in a most mysterious mannerdisappeared and could not be found. He was therefore directed toinform the people that whoever informed His Majesty where the seal was, so that it could be recovered, would receive a considerable reward andwould also be made a high mandarin in the palace of the Emperor. 

That very night, whilst Chung was sleeping, a fairy appeared to him ina dream. "The gods have sent me, " he said, "to give you one more proofof the high regard in which they hold you for your devotion to yourfellow-men. The Emperor has lost a valuable seal which he is mostanxious to recover, and he has promised large and liberal rewards tothe man who shows him where it may be found. I want to tell you wherethe seal is. It lies at the bottom of the crystal well in the groundsbehind the palace. It was accidentally dropped in there by theEmpress-Dowager, who has forgotten all about the circumstance, but whowill recollect it the moment she is reminded of it. I want you to sendyour own son to the capital to claim the reward by telling where theseal is. "

When Chung awoke in the morning, he told his wife the wonderful news ofwhat had happened to him during the night, and began to makepreparations for his son to start for the capital without delay, inorder to secure the honours promised by the Emperor. His wife, however, was by no means reconciled to the idea of parting with herson, and strongly opposed his going. 

"Why are you so set upon the honours of this life that you are willingto be separated from your only child, whom perhaps you may never beable to see again?" she asked her husband, with tears in her eyes. "You are a rich man, you are beloved of the gods, you have everythingthat money can buy in this flowery kingdom. Why not then be contentedand cease to long after the dignities which the State can confer, butwhich can never give you any real happiness?"

Just at that moment Lo-yung came in, and hearing the wonderful story, and seeing the distress of the mother, he volunteered to take the placeof her son and go to the capital in his stead. 

"I have never yet had the chance, " he said, "of showing my gratitude tomy benefactor for having saved my life, and for the many favours he hasshowered upon me. I shall be glad to undertake this journey. I shallhave an audience with His Majesty and will reveal to him the placewhere the seal lies hidden, and I shall then insist that all thehonours he may be prepared to bestow on me shall be transferred to yourson, to whom of right they naturally belong. "

It was accordingly arranged that Lo-yung should take the place ofChung's son, and preparations were at once made for his journey to thecapital. As he was saying good-bye to his benefactor, the latterwhispered in his ear: "If you succeed in your enterprise and theEmperor makes you one of his royal officers, do not let ingratitudeever enter your heart, so that you may be tempted to forget us here, who will be thinking about you all the time you are away. "

"Nothing of the kind can ever happen, " exclaimed Lo-yung impetuously. "My gratitude to you is too firmly embedded within my heart ever to beuprooted from it. "

On his arrival at the capital, he at once sought an interview with thePrime Minister, who, on hearing that a man wished to see him about astate matter of urgent importance, immediately admitted him to hispresence. Lo-yung at once explained that he had come to reveal theplace where the lost seal at that moment lay concealed. "I amperfectly ready to tell all I know about it, " he said, "but if possibleI should prefer to make it known to the Emperor himself in person. "

"That can quickly be arranged, " eagerly replied the Prime Minister, "for His Majesty is so anxious to obtain information about the seal, that he is prepared at any hour of the day or night to give an audienceto anyone who can ease his mind on the subject. "

In a few minutes a eunuch from the palace commanded the Prime Ministerto come without delay to the Audience Hall and wait upon the Emperor. He was also to bring with him the person who said that he had animportant communication to lay before the Throne. 

When they arrived they found there not only the King, but also theEmpress-Dowager, waiting to receive them. In obedience to a hastycommand, Lo-yung told in a few words where the seal was, and how ithappened to be there. As he went on with the story the face of theEmpress lit up with wonder, whilst a pleasing smile overspread it, asshe recognized the truth of what Lo-yung was saying. 

"But tell me, " said the Emperor, "how you get all your information andhow it is that you have such an intimate acquaintance with what isgoing on in my palace?"

Lo-yung then described how the Immortals in the Western Heaven, deeplymoved by the loving character of Chung, and wishing to reward him andbring honour to his family, had sent a fairy, who appeared to him in adream and told him the secret of the seal. 

"Your home, " said the Emperor, "must indeed be celebrated forbenevolent and loving deeds to men, since even the fairies come downfrom the far-off Heaven to express their approbation. In accordancewith my royal promise, I now appoint you to a high official positionthat will enrich you for life, for I consider that it will be for thewelfare of my kingdom to have a man from a home, which the gods delightto honour, to assist me in the management of my public affairs. "

From the moment when the royal favour was bestowed on Lo-yung, itseemed as though every particle of gratitude and every kindlyremembrance of Chung had vanished completely out of his heart. He cuthimself off from the home he had left only a few days ago, ascompletely as though it had never existed. 

Weeks and months went by, but no news came from him, and the heart ofChung was wrung with anguish, for he knew that Lo-yung's unnaturalconduct would in the end bring retribution upon Lo-yung himself. 

At last he determined to send his son, Keng, to the capital to find outwhat had really become of Lo-yung. Attended by one of his householdservants, the young man reached his journey's end in a few days. Onenquiring at his inn about Lo-yung, he was informed that he was amandarin of great distinction in the city, and was under the specialprotection of the Emperor, whose favourite he was. 

Hearing this joyful news, Keng, followed by his servant, at oncehastened to the residence of Lo-yung, and was lucky enough to meet himas he rode out on horseback from his magnificent yamen, attended by along retinue of officers and attendants. 

Running up to the side of his horse, Keng cried out joyfully, "Ah! mybrother, what a joy to meet you once more! How glad I am to see you!"

To his astonishment, Lo-yung, with a frown upon his face, angrilyexclaimed; "You common fellow, what do you mean by calling me yourbrother? I have no brother. You are an impostor, and you must beseverely punished for daring to claim kinship with me. "

Calling some of the lictors in his train, he ordered them to beat Keng, and then cast him into prison, and to give strict injunctions to thejailer to treat him as a dangerous criminal. Wounded and bleeding fromthe severe scourging he had received, and in a terrible state ofexhaustion, poor Keng was dragged to the prison, where he was throwninto the deepest dungeon, and left to recover as best he might from theshock he had sustained. 

His condition was indeed a pitiable one. Those who could have helpedand comforted him were far away. He could expect no alleviation of hissorrows from the jailer, for the heart of the latter had naturallybecome hardened by having to deal with the criminal classes. Besideshe had received precise orders from the great mandarin, that thisparticular prisoner was to be treated as a danger to society. Even ifhe had been inclined to deal mercifully with him, he dared not disobeysuch definite and stringent commands as he had received from hissuperior. 

The prison fare was only just enough to keep body and soul together. Keng had no money with which to bribe the jailer to give him a moregenerous diet, and there was no one to guarantee that any extraexpenses which might be incurred would ever be refunded to him. 

And then a miracle was wrought, and once more the fairies interfered, this time to save the life of the only son of the man whose fame fortenderness and compassion had reached the far-off Western Heaven. 

One morning, as Keng lay weary and half-starved on the blackened heapof straw that served him as a bed in the corner of the prison, a monkeyclimbed up and clung to the narrow gratings through which the lightpenetrated into his room. In one of its hands it held a piece of porkwhich it kept offering to Keng. Very much surprised, he got up to takeit, when to his delight he discovered that the monkey was the identicalone which had been picked up by his father on the day of the greatflood. 

The same thing was repeated for several days in succession, and whenthe jailer asked for some explanation of these extraordinaryproceedings, Keng gave him a detailed account of their wonderfuldeliverance by the fairies, the picking up of the monkey, and therescue of Lo-yung, now the great mandarin, who was keeping him confinedin prison. "Ah!" muttered the jailer under his breath, "the loweranimals know how to show gratitude, but men do not. "

A few days after this another messenger of the gods came to give hisaid to Keng. A number of crows gathered on a roof which overlooked thenarrow slits through which the prisoner could catch a glimpse of theblue sky. One of them flew on to the ledge outside, and Kengimmediately recognized it as the one which had been saved from thefloating branch in the turbid river. He was overjoyed to see thisbird, and besought the jailer to allow him to write a letter to hisfather, telling him of his pitiful condition. This request wasgranted, and the document was tied to the leg of the crow, which flewaway on its long flight to Chung with its important news. 

Chung was greatly distressed when he read the letter that his son hadwritten in prison, and with all the speed he could command, hetravelled post haste to the capital. When he arrived there he madevarious attempts to obtain an interview with Lo-yung, but all in vain. The mandarin had not sense enough to see that the threads of fate wereslowly winding themselves around him, and would soon entangle him tohis destruction. 

Very unwillingly, therefore, because he still loved Lo-yung and wouldhave saved him if possible, Chung entered an accusation against himbefore Fau-Kung, the famous criminal judge. 

The result of the investigation was the condemnation of Lo-yung, whoseexecution speedily followed, whilst Keng was promoted to the veryposition that had been occupied by the man who had tried to work hisruin.