my
life.'

'Well, that's very nice of you to say that. I haven't much to offer you,
but if you would like to come up into the boat and dry your back in the
sun we can have a chat.'

The tortoise was pleased to accept the invitation, and Urashima helped
it up over the side. Then, after talking of many things, the tortoise
remarked, 'I suppose you have never seen Rin Gin, the Dragon Sea-King's
palace, have you?'

Urashima shook his head.

'No,' he replied. 'They tell me it is a beautiful sight, but in all the
years that I have spent upon the sea I have never been invited to the
Dragon King's palace. It's some distance from here, isn't it?'

'I do not think you believe there is such a place,' replied the
tortoise, who had seen a twinkle in Urashima's eye. 'Yet I assure you it
exists, but a long way off--right down at the bottom of the sea. If you
would really like to see Rin Gin, I will take you there.'

'That is very kind of you,' said Urashima with a polite bow, which
pleased the tortoise greatly; 'but I am only a man, you know, and cannot
swim a long way under the sea like a tortoise.'

But the little creature hastened to reassure him.

'That's not at all necessary,' it said. 'I'll do the swimming and you
can ride on my back.'

Urashima laughed. The idea of his riding on the back of a tortoise that
he could hold in his hand was funny, and he said so.

'Never mind how funny it is,' said the tortoise; 'just get on and see.'
And then, as Urashima looked at it, the tortoise grew and grew and grew
until its back was big enough for two men to ride upon.

'What an extraordinary thing!' exclaimed Urashima. 'Right you are,
friend tortoise, I'll come with you.' And with that he jumped on.

'That's better,' said the tortoise; 'now we'll be off. Hold tight!'

The next moment the tortoise plunged into the sea, and dived down and
down until Urashima thought they would never be able to reach the
surface again in a thousand years. At last he caught sight of a land
below them, shining all green with the filtered sunlight; and now, as
they took a level course, he could make out the towns and villages
below, with beautiful gardens full of bright flowers and waving dreamy
trees. Then they passed over a vast green plain, at the further side of
which, in a village at the foot of high mountains, shone the splendid
portals of a magnificent palace.

'See!' said the tortoise, 'that is the entrance to Rin Gin. We shall
soon be