handed over their treasure of gems.

The emperor was much pleased and showed them to the wise man. He said:
"Of the three great pearls one is a divine wishing-pearl of the third
class, and two are black dragon-pearls of medium quality. Of the seven
smaller pearls two are serpent-pearls, and five are mussel-pearls. The
remaining pearls are in part sea-crane pearls, in part snail and
oyster-pearls. They do not approach the great pearls in value, and yet
few will be found to equal them on earth."

The emperor also showed them to all his servants. They, however,
thought the wise man's words all talk, and did not believe what he
said.

Then the wise man said: "The radiance of wishing-pearls of the first
class is visible for forty miles, that of the second class for twenty
miles, and that of the third for ten miles. As far as their radiance
carries, neither wind nor rain, thunder nor lightning, water, fire nor
weapons may reach. The pearls of the black dragon are nine-colored and
glow by night. Within the circle of their light the poison of serpents
and worms is powerless. The serpent-pearls are seven-colored, the
mussel-pearls five-colored. Both shine by night. Those most free from
spots are the best. They grow within the mussel, and increase and
decrease in size as the moon waxes and wanes."

Some one asked how the serpent and sea-crane pearls could be told
apart, and the wise man answered: "The animals themselves recognize
them."

Then the emperor selected a serpent-pearl and a sea-crane pearl, put
them together with a whole bushel of ordinary pearls, and poured the
lot out in the courtyard. Then a large yellow serpent and a black
crane were fetched and placed among the pearls. At once the crane
took up a sea-crane pearl in his bill and began to dance and sing and
flutter around. But the serpent snatched at the serpent-pearl, and
wound himself about it in many coils. And when the people saw this
they acknowledged the truth of the wise man's words. As regards the
radiance of the larger and smaller pearls it turned out, too, just as
the wise man had said.

In the dragon-castle the messengers had enjoyed dainty fare, which
tasted like flowers, herbs, ointment and sugar. They had brought a
remnant of it with them to the capital; yet exposed to the air it had
become as hard as stone. The emperor commanded that these fragments be
preserved in the treasury. Then he bestowed high rank and titles on
the three brothers, and