world,
And about me was my fragrance shed
That the souls of men should desire me."

Now, as he listened, there came through the wood a maiden, bare--footed,
save for grass sandals, and clad in coarse clothing, and she came up and
passed them, still singing.

And when she was past, His Majesty put up his hand to his eyes, like one
dreaming, and said;

"What have you seen?"

And the Dainagon answered;

"Augustness, a country wench, flat--faced, ugly and blind, and with a
voice like a crow. Has not your Majesty seen this?"

The Emperor, still shading his eyes, replied;

"I saw a maiden so beautiful that her Shining Majesty would be a black
blot beside her. As she went, the Spring and all its sweetness blew from
her garments. Her robe was green with small gold flowers. Her eyes were
closed, but she resembled a cherry tree, snowy with bloom and dew. Her
voice was like the singing flowers of Paradise."

The Dainagon looked at him with fear and compassion;

"Augustness, how should such a lady carry in her arms a bundle of
firewood?"

"She bore in her hands three lotos flowers, and where each foot fell I
saw a lotos bloom and vanish."

They retraced their steps through the wood; His Majesty radiant as
Prince Fireshine with the joy that filled his soul; the Dainagon
darkened as Prince Firefade with fear, believing that the strange music
of Semimaru had bewitched His Majesty, or that the maiden herself might
possibly have the power of the fox in shape-changing and bewildering the
senses.

Very sorrowful and careful was his heart for he loved his Master.

That night His Majesty dreamed that he stood before the kakemono of the
Amida Buddha, and that as he raised his eyes in adoration to the Blessed
Face, he beheld the images of Fugen and Fudo, rise up and bow down
before that One Who Is. Then, gliding in, before these Holinesses stood
a figure, and it was the wood-cutter's daughter homely and blinded. She
stretched her hands upward as though invoking the supreme Buddha, and
then turning to His Majesty she smiled upon him, her eyes closed as in
bliss unutterable. And he said aloud.

"Would that I might see her eyes!" and so saying awoke in a great
stillness of snow and moonlight.

Having waked, he said within himself

"This marvel will I wed and she shall be my Empress were she lower than
the Eta, and whether her face be lovely or homely. For she is certainly
a flower dropped from the hand of the Divin