60 Shado wings 



fair and pure as snow ; and the loveliness of her 

 lips assured the beholder that their every utter- 

 ance would sound " as sweet as the voice of a 

 nightingale singing upon a plum-tree." Totaro 

 fell in love with her at sight. When she left the 

 temple he followed her at a respectful distance, 

 and discovered that she and her mother were 

 staying for a few days at a certain house in the 

 neighboring village of Seta. By questioning 

 some of the village folk, he was able also to 

 learn that her name was Tamana ; that she was 

 unmarried ; and that her family appeared to be 

 unwilling that she should marry a man of ordi- 

 nary rank, for they demanded as a betrothal- 

 gift a casket containing ten thousand jewels. 1 



Totaro returned home very much dismayed by 

 this information. The more that he thought about 

 the strange betrothal-gift demanded by the girl's 

 parents, the more he felt that he could never 



1 Tama in the original. This word tama has a multitude 

 of meanings ; and as here used it is quite as indefinite as our 

 own terms " jewel," " gem," or " precious stone." Indeed, 

 it is more indefinite, for it signifies also a bead of coral, a 

 ball of crystal, a polished stone attached to a hairpin, etc., 

 etc. Later on, however, 1 venture to render it by " ruby," 

 for reasons which need no explanation. 



