trident in his hand, left the palace
precincts. The warriors dashed into the river, raising on every side
waves mountains high. Seeing the water rising, No-cha stood up on
the rock and was confronted by Ao Ping mounted on a sea-monster.

"Who slew my messenger?" cried the warrior.

"I did," answered No-cha.

"Who are you?" demanded Ao Ping.

"I am No-cha, the third son of Li Ching of Ch'en-t'ang Kuan. I came
here to bathe and refresh myself; your messenger cursed me, and I
killed him. Then--"

"Rascal! do you not know that your victim was a deputy of the King
of Heaven? How dare you kill him, and then boast of your crime?"

So saying, Ao Ping thrust at the boy with his trident. No-cha, by a
brisk move, evaded the thrust.

"Who are you?" he asked in turn.

"I am Ao Ping, the third son of Lung Wang."

"Ah, you are a blusterer," jeered the boy; "if you dare to touch me
I will skin you alive, you and your mud-eels!"

"You make me choke with rage," rejoined Ao Ping, at the same time
thrusting again with his trident.

Furious at this renewed attack, No-cha spread his silk trousers in
the air, and thousands of balls of fire flew out of them, felling Lung
Wang's son. No-cha put his foot on Ao Ping's head and struck it with
his magic bracelet, whereupon he appeared in his true form of a dragon.

"I am now going to pull out your sinews," he said, "in order to make
a belt for my father to use to bind on his cuirass."

No-cha was as good as his word, and Ao Ping's escort ran and informed
Lung Wang of the fate of his son. The Dragon-king went to Li Ching
and demanded an explanation.

Being entirely ignorant of what had taken place, Li Ching sought
No-cha to question him.

An Unruly Son

No-cha was in the garden, occupied in weaving the belt of
dragon-sinew. The stupefaction of Li Ching may be imagined. "You
have brought most awful misfortunes upon us," he exclaimed. "Come
and give an account of your conduct." "Have no fear," replied No-cha
superciliously; "his son's sinews are still intact; I will give them
back to him if he wishes."

When they entered the house he saluted the Dragon-king, made a curt
apology, and offered to return his son's sinews. The father, moved
with grief at the sight of the proofs of the tragedy, said bitterly
to Li Ching: "You have such a son and yet dare to deny his guilt,
though you heard him haughtily admitting it! To-morrow I shall report
the matter to Yue Huang." Having spoken t