Kai Lungs Golden Hours | Page 6

passers-by into vats of
powdered rice, the despair of guardians of the street when assailed by
showers of eggs and overripe lo-quats, or any other variety of
humiliating pain inflicted upon the innocent and unwary, never fail to
win approval. The prosperous and substantial find contentment in
hearing of the unassuming virtues and frugal lives of the poor and
unsuccessful. Those of humble origin, especially tea-house maidens
and the like, are only really at home among stories of the exalted and
quick-moving, the profusion of their robes, the magnificence of their
palaces, and the general high-minded depravity of their lives. Ordinary
persons require stories dealing lavishly with all the emotions, so that
they may thereby have a feeling of sufficiency when contributing to the
collecting bowl."
"These things being so," remarked the maiden, "what story would you
consider most appropriate to a company composed of such as she who
is now conversing with you?"
"Such a company could never be obtained," replied Kai Lung, with
conviction in his tone. "It is not credible that throughout the Empire
could be found even another possessing all the engaging attributes of
the one before me. But should it be my miraculous fortune to be given
the opportunity, my presumptuous choice for her discriminating ears
alone would be the story of the peerless Princess Taik and of the noble
minstrel Ch'eng, who to regain her presence chained his wrist to a
passing star and was carried into the assembly of the gods."
"Is it," inquired the maiden, with an agreeable glance towards the
opportune recumbence of a fallen tree, "is it a narration that would lie

within the passage of the sun from one branch of this willow to
another?"
"Adequately set forth, the history of the Princess Taik and of the
virtuous youth occupies all the energies of an agile story-teller for
seven weeks," replied Kai Lung, not entirely gladdened that she should
deem him capable of offering so meagre an entertainment as that she
indicated. "There is a much-flattened version which may be
compressed within the narrow limits of a single day and night, but even
that requires for certain of the more moving passages the
accompaniment of a powerful drum or a hollow wooden fish."
"Alas!" exclaimed the maiden, "though the time should pass like a flash
of lightning beneath the allurement of your art, it is questionable if
those who await this one's returning footsteps would experience a like
illusion. Even now--" With a magnanimous wave of her well-formed
hand she indicated the other maiden, who, finding that the danger of
pursuit was not sustained, had returned to claim her part.
"One advances along the westward road," reported the second maiden.
"Let us fly elsewhere, O allurer of mankind! It may be--"
"Doubtless in Yu-ping the sound of your uplifted voice--" But at this
point a noise upon the earth-road, near at hand, impelled them both to
sudden flight into the deeper recesses of the wood.
Thus deprived, Kai Lung moved from the shadow of the trees and
sought the track, to see if by chance he from whom they fled might turn
to his advantage. On the road he found one who staggered behind a
laborious wheel-barrow in the direction of Loo-chow. At that moment
he had stopped to take down the sail, as the breeze was bereft of power
among the obstruction of the trees, and also because he was weary.
"Greeting," called down Kai Lung, saluting him. "There is here
protection from the fierceness of the sun and a stream wherein to wash
your feet."
"Haply," replied the other; "and a greatly over-burdened one would

gladly leave this ill-nurtured earth-road even for the fields of hell, were
it not that all his goods are here contained upon an utterly intractable
wheel-barrow."
Nevertheless he drew himself up from the road to the level of the wood
and there reclined, yet not permitting the wheel-barrow to pass beyond
his sight, though he must thereby lie half in the shade and half in the
heat beyond. "Greeting, wayfarer."
"Although you are evidently a man of some wealth, we are for the time
brought to a common level by the forces that control us," remarked Kai
Lung. "I have here two onions, a gourd and a sufficiency of millet paste.
Partake equally with me, therefore, before you resume your way. In the
meanwhile I will procure water from the stream near by, and to this end
my collecting bowl will serve."
When Kai Lung returned he found that the other had added to their
store a double handful of dates, some snuff and a little jar of oil. As
they ate together the stranger thus disclosed his mind:
"The times are doubtful and it behoves each to guard himself. In the
north the