Heavenly Dragon, Ch'ieh Lan, and the _t'u-ti_ to send her help
at once. Tell the Sea-dragon to dig her a well near the kitchen,
a tiger to bring her firewood, birds to collect vegetables for the
inmates of the nunnery, and all the spirits of Heaven to help her in
her duties, that she may give herself up without disturbance to the
pursuit of perfection. See that my commands are promptly obeyed." The
Spirit of the North Star complied without delay.

The Nunnery on Fire

Seeing all these gods arrive to help the novice, the Superior, I Yu,
held consultation with the choir-mistress, saying: "We assigned to
the Princess the burdensome work of the kitchen because she refused to
return to the world; but since she has entered on her duties the gods
of the eight caves of Heaven have come to offer her fruit, Ch'ieh Lan
sweeps the kitchen, the dragon has dug a well, the God of the Hearth
and the tiger bring her fuel, birds collect vegetables for her, the
nunnery bell every evening at dusk booms of itself, as if struck by
some mysterious hand. Obviously miracles are being performed. Hasten
and fetch the King, and beg his Majesty to recall his daughter."

Cheng Cheng-ch'ang started on her way, and, on arrival, informed
the King of all that had taken place. The King called Hu Pi-li,
the chief of the guard, and ordered him to go to the sub-prefecture
of Lung-shu Hsien at the head of an army corps of 5000 infantry and
cavalry. He was to surround the Nunnery of the White Bird and burn it
to the ground, together with the nuns. When he reached the place the
commander surrounded the nunnery with his soldiers, and set fire to
it. The five hundred doomed nuns invoked the aid of Heaven and earth,
and then, addressing Miao Shan, said: "It is you who have brought
upon us this terrible disaster."

"It is true," said Miao Shan. "I alone am the cause of your
destruction." She then knelt down and prayed to Heaven: "Great
Sovereign of the Universe, your servant is the daughter of King Miao
Chuang; you are the grandson of King Lun. Will you not rescue your
younger sister? You have left your palace; I also have left mine. You
in former times betook yourself to the snowy mountains to attain
perfection; I came here with the same object. Will you not save us
from this fiery destruction?"

Her prayer ended, Miao Shan took a bamboo hairpin from her hair,
pricked the roof of her mouth with it, and spat the flowing blood
toward Heaven. Immediately gr