is too late,
surely, for snow."

He walked to the foot of the tree and climbed it branch by branch. When
he reached the top, he saw that what he had taken to be a bird, was
indeed a mass of finest feathers, but shaped like a woman's cloak.

He took it in his arms--it was as light as driven snow--and climbed down
the tree on to the seashore.

"How beautiful!" he said. "I will hang it up in my cottage; surely it is
some fairy thing, and will bring me good luck and a fulfilment of my
dreams." He was about to walk away with the mantle in his arms, when he
heard a cry behind him.

He turned, and saw a beautiful maiden wringing her hands and crying
bitterly. She was pale and slim, and her light golden hair flowed to her
feet, but she had no mantle, and she trembled exceedingly.

It was Tsuki, the Moon Maiden.

She, knowing that the night was far spent, had said farewell to Fuji,
descended the mountain, and come back to fetch her mantle that she might
return homewards. But when she had reached the pine tree, she had seen
that her mantle had disappeared. With tears in her eyes she had run to
the shore to gaze sadly on the path which led across the sea to her
home--the path that without her mantle she could not tread. Then she had
seen Yama, and not knowing who or what he was, had run to him for help.
When he turned at her cry, she saw that he had her mantle in his arms.
They stood gazing at each other in silence for a few minutes. Then:

"Give me back my mantle," she said in a trembling voice.

At first Yama could answer nothing; but he held the mantle closer, and
then said at last:

"Oh, most beautiful maiden, let me keep your mantle in token that you
will stay here always. Willingly would I serve you all the days of my
life, and yonder is my little cottage where we could live and be happy
for ever."

But she shook her head.

"I am Tsuki, the Moon Maiden," she said. "If I were to enter a human
dwelling I should die. By daylight, even, I cannot live in your country.
Give me back my mantle that I may return to my home in the moon. The
minutes are passing. When the moon wanes, if I have not my mantle, I
shall die and disappear utterly. Then shall I never see my home again,
nor the moon maidens my sisters, nor shall I ever dance nor sing again to
the stars. Oh, for mercy's sake, I pray you give me back my mantle!"

But Yama answered nothing and held the mantle closer. Then Tsuki began
to think what s