The Sympathy of Benten 47 



moment a girl appeared, a charming girl, fif - 

 teen or sixteen years old. She approached grace 

 fully, but very shyly, hiding the lower part of 

 her face with a fan ; and she knelt down beside 

 Baishu. The chigo then said to Baishu : 



" Recently you have been suffering much 

 heart -pain ; and this desperate love of yours 

 has even impaired your health. We could not 

 allow you to remain in so unhappy a condi 

 tion ; and We therefore summoned the Old- 

 Man-under-the-Moon * to make you acquainted 

 with the writer of that tan^ahu. She is now 

 beside you." 



With these words, the chigo retired behind the 

 bamboo curtain. Then the old man went away 

 as he had come ; and the young girl followed 

 him. Simultaneously Baishu heard the great bell 

 of the Amadera sounding the hour of dawn. 'He 

 prostrated himself in thanksgiving before the 

 shrine of Benten-of-the-Birth-Water, . and pro 

 ceeded homeward, feeling as if awakened from 

 some delightful dream, happy at having seen 



1 Gekkawo. This is a poetical appellation for the 

 God of Marriage, more usually known as Musubi-no-kami. 

 Throughout this story there is an interesting mingling of 

 Shinto and Buddhist ideas. 



