ghed her mother.

She would have liked to tell Pei-Hang to go about his business, but
she knew if the red cord had really been tied between his foot and
Yun-Ying's, it would not be safe to do that.

"Come inside," she said at last; "I'll see what I can promise."

The inside of the hut was fragrant with the scent of herbs which were
strewn all over the floor, and on a wooden stool in the middle lay a
broken pestle and mortar.

"Now," said Yun-Ying's mother, "on this stool I pound magic drugs
given to me by the Genii; but my pestle and mortar is broken. I want a
new one."

"That I can easily buy in Chang-ngan," replied Pei-Hang.

"No; for it is a pestle and mortar of jade, and you can only get one
like it by going to the home of the Genii, which is on a mountain
above the Lake of Gems. If you will do that, and bring it back to me,
you shall marry Yun-Ying."

"Yes, I will do that," said Pei-Hang, after a moment's thought. "But I
must see my parents first."

He had not the least idea where the home of the Genii was; but
Yun-Ying took him out into the garden, and showed him, in the far
distance, a range of snow-capped mountains, with one peak towering
above the rest.

"That is Mount Sumi," she said, "and it is there the Genii live,
sitting on the snow-peaks, and looking down at the Lake of Gems."

"But to reach it you must cross the Blue River, the White River, the
Red River, and the Black River, which are all full of monstrous
fishes. That is why my mother is sending you," sighed Yun-Ying. "She
thinks you will never come back alive."

"I know how to swim," said Pei-Hang, "and fishes don't frighten me."

"Promise me you won't try to swim," said Yun-Ying, earnestly. "You
would be devoured in a moment. Take this box with you. In it you will
find six red seeds. Throw one into each river as you come to it, and
it will shrink into a little brook, over which you can jump."

Pei-Hang opened the box, and saw inside six round, red seeds, each
about the size of a pea; and he agreed to use them as Yun-Ying
directed. Then he kissed her, and set out on his journey to Mount
Sumi.

But on his way across the plain he passed through the town where his
parents lived, and he went to see them, and told them all that had
happened since he left Chang-ngan.

His mother, who was a very wise woman, as mothers generally are, told
him the Genii would be angry if he turned their four great rivers into
brooks, and would probably refu