in a
simple gown, but of surpassing beauty, float down from on high, with a
retinue of many female servants. These were all neat and clean in
appearance, and waited upon the lady as though she were a princess.
When the latter entered the hall she raised her arms in greeting.
Dschou Bau came forward to meet her and invited her to be seated. From
all sides bright-colored clouds came floating in, and the courtyard
was filled with a purple ether. Dschou Bau had wine and food brought
and entertained them all in the most splendid way. But the goddess sat
staring straight before her with wrinkled brows, and seemed to feel
very sad. Then she rose and said with a blush: "I have been living in
this neighborhood for many years. A wrong which has been done me,
permits me to pass the bounds of what is fitting, and encourages me to
ask a favor of you. Yet I do not know whether you wish to save me!"

"May I hear what it is all about," answered Dschou Bau. "If I can help
you, I will be glad to place myself at your disposal."

The goddess said: "For hundreds of years my family has been living in
the depth of the Eastern Sea. But we were unfortunate in that our
treasures excited the jealousy of men. The ancestor of Pi-Lo nearly
destroyed our entire clan by fire. My ancestors had to fly and hide
themselves. And not long ago, our enemy Pi-Lo himself wanted to
deliver an imperial letter in the cave of the Sea of Dungting. Under
the pretext of begging for pearls and treasures, he wished to enter
the dragon-castle and destroy our family. Fortunately a wise man saw
through his treacherous purpose, and Lo-Dsi-Tschun and his brothers
were sent in his stead. Yet my people did not feel safe from future
attacks. For this reason they withdrew to the distant West. My father
has done much good to mankind and hence is highly honored there. I am
his ninth daughter. When I was sixteen I was wedded to the youngest
son of the Rock-Dragon. But my good husband had a fiery temper, which
often caused him to offend against the laws of courtesy, and in less
than a year's time the punishment of heaven was his portion. I was
left alone and returned to the home of my parents. My father wished me
to marry again; but I had promised to remain true to the memory of my
husband, and made a vow not to comply with my father's wish. My
parents grew angry, and I was obliged to retire to this place in view
of their anger. That was three years ago. Who could imagine that the