he
Dragon King's sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly
fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you
see them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan.

THE OLD MAN AND THE DEVILS

A long time ago there was an old man who had a big lump on the right
side of his face. One day he went into the mountain to cut wood, when
the rain began to pour and the wind to blow so very hard that, finding
it impossible to return home, and filled with fear, he took refuge in
the hollow of an old tree. While sitting there doubled up and unable
to sleep, he heard the confused sound of many voices in the distance
gradually approaching to where he was. He said to himself: "How
strange! I thought I was all alone in the mountain, but I hear the
voices of many people." So, taking courage, he peeped out, and saw a
great crowd of strange-looking beings. Some were red, and dressed in
green clothes; others were black, and dressed in red clothes; some had
only one eye; others had no mouth; indeed, it is quite impossible to
describe their varied and strange looks. They kindled a fire, so that
it became as light as day. They sat down in two cross-rows, and began
to drink wine and make merry just like human beings. They passed the
wine cup around so often that many of them soon drank too much. One of
the young devils got up and began to sing a merry song and to dance;
so also many others; some danced well, others badly. One said: "We
have had uncommon fun to-night, but I would like to see something
new."

Then the old man, losing all fear, thought he would like to dance,
and saying, "Let come what will, if I die for it, I will have a dance,
too," crept out of the hollow tree and, with his cap slipped over his
nose and his ax sticking in his belt, began to dance. The devils
in great surprise jumped up, saying, "Who is this?" but the old man
advancing and receding, swaying to and fro, and posturing this way and
that way, the whole crowd laughed and enjoyed the fun, saying: "How
well the old man dances! You must always come and join us in our
sport; but, for fear you might not come, you must give us a pledge
that you will." So the devils consulted together, and, agreeing that
the lump on his face, which was a token of wealth, was what he valued
most highly, demanded that it should be taken. The old man replied: "I
have had this lump many years, and would not without good reason part
with