nsects
on their verandahs, they sit and watch the crowd of winged visitors
attracted by the fire-fly's light. What brings them there, and why the
fire-fly's parlor is filled with suitors as a queen's court with
courtiers, let this love story tell.

* * * * *

On the southern and sunny side of the castle moats of the Fukui castle,
in Echizen, the water had long ago become shallow so that lotus lilies
grew luxuriantly. Deep in the heart of one of the great flowers whose
petals were as pink as the lining of a sea-shell, lived the King of the
Fire-flies, Hi-[=o], whose only daughter was the lovely princess
Hotaru-hime. While still a child the hime (princess) was carefully kept
at home within the pink petals of the lily, never going even to the
edges except to see her father fly off on his journey. Dutifully she
waited until of age, when the fire glowed in her own body, and shone,
beautifully illuminating the lotus, until its light at night was like a
lamp within a globe of coral.

Every night her light grew brighter and brighter, until at last it was as
mellow as gold. Then her father said:

"My daughter is now of age, she may fly abroad with me sometimes, and
when the proper suitor comes she may marry whom she will."

So Hotaru-hime flew forth in and out among the lotus lilies of the moat,
then into rich rice fields, and at last far off to the indigo meadows.

Whenever she went a crowd of suitors followed her, for she had the
singular power of attracting all the night-flying insects to herself.
But she cared for none of their attentions, and though she spoke politely
to them all she gave encouragement to none. Yet some of the sheeny-winged
gallants called her a coquette.

One night she said to her mother, the queen:

"I have met many admirers, but I don't wish a husband from any of them.
Tonight I shall stay at home, and if any of them love me truly they will
come and pay me court here. Then I shall lay an impossible duty on them.
If they are wise they will not try to perform it; and if they love their
lives more than they love me, I do not want any of them. Whoever succeeds
may have me for his bride."

"As you will my child," said the queen mother, who arrayed her daughter
in her most resplendent robes, and set her on her throne in the heart of
the lotus.

Then she gave orders to her body-guard to keep all suitors at a
respectful distance lest some stupid gallant, a horn-bug or a