More Tales in the Land of Nursery Rhyme | Page 3

and realised that even in her own
moon-land she had never seen anything so beautiful.
While she was gazing in wonder at our pearl of mountains, a poor
fisherman who lived in a cottage close to the sea came out to tend his
nets.
His name was Yama, and he lived alone. My great-grandfather's nest
was close to his cottage, and Yama loved my great-grandfather and
often spoke to him of his dreams.
On this night when Tsuki came to earth, Yama, tempted by the glory of
the sea and stars, did not go into his cottage again, but wandered
aimlessly along the shore thinking of his lonely life, and dreaming of
the moon.
Unconsciously he raised his eyes to the tops of the pine trees that
fringed the sandy shore, and his attention was caught by something
white and glistening on the top of one of them.
"Is that some dead white bird lying yonder?" he thought. "'Tis too late,
surely, for snow."
He walked to the foot of the tree and climbed it branch by branch.
When he reached the top, he saw that what he had taken to be a bird,
was indeed a mass of finest feathers, but shaped like a woman's cloak.

He took it in his arms--it was as light as driven snow--and climbed
down the tree on to the seashore.
"How beautiful!" he said. "I will hang it up in my cottage; surely it is
some fairy thing, and will bring me good luck and a fulfilment of my
dreams." He was about to walk away with the mantle in his arms, when
he heard a cry behind him.
He turned, and saw a beautiful maiden wringing her hands and crying
bitterly. She was pale and slim, and her light golden hair flowed to her
feet, but she had no mantle, and she trembled exceedingly.
It was Tsuki, the Moon Maiden.
She, knowing that the night was far spent, had said farewell to Fuji,
descended the mountain, and come back to fetch her mantle that she
might return homewards. But when she had reached the pine tree, she
had seen that her mantle had disappeared. With tears in her eyes she
had run to the shore to gaze sadly on the path which led across the sea
to her home--the path that without her mantle she could not tread. Then
she had seen Yama, and not knowing who or what he was, had run to
him for help. When he turned at her cry, she saw that he had her mantle
in his arms. They stood gazing at each other in silence for a few
minutes. Then:
"Give me back my mantle," she said in a trembling voice.
At first Yama could answer nothing; but he held the mantle closer, and
then said at last:
"Oh, most beautiful maiden, let me keep your mantle in token that you
will stay here always. Willingly would I serve you all the days of my
life, and yonder is my little cottage where we could live and be happy
for ever."
But she shook her head.
"I am Tsuki, the Moon Maiden," she said. "If I were to enter a human

dwelling I should die. By daylight, even, I cannot live in your country.
Give me back my mantle that I may return to my home in the moon.
The minutes are passing. When the moon wanes, if I have not my
mantle, I shall die and disappear utterly. Then shall I never see my
home again, nor the moon maidens my sisters, nor shall I ever dance
nor sing again to the stars. Oh, for mercy's sake, I pray you give me
back my mantle!"
But Yama answered nothing and held the mantle closer. Then Tsuki
began to think what she could do or give him in exchange for what she
held so dear.
"See!" she cried suddenly. "If it is a mantle you want, if you will give
mine back to me now, then when the winter comes I will return with
my sisters, and we will leave a bundle of our old cloaks on the hill-tops
for you to find and carry home with you. Indeed, I promise truly that
you shall have many of our cloaks in the winter time."
But Yama still answered nothing, and held the mantle closer.
Then Tsuki cried again: "The moon is waning fast, oh give me back my
mantle, and before I go I will dance for you as I would dance for the
Morning Star."
When Yama saw how earnestly she besought him, and that no
entreaties of his could persuade her to stay with him, he cast down the
cloak before her.
"Take it," he said, "but keep your promise, and dance for me as you