no other man so long as he lives. I
cannot bring myself to form another union and break my troth."

And thus speaking the tears poured from her eyes. When Sir Hu's wife
saw that nothing would alter her resolve, she told her how matters
really stood.

"Your adopted father," said she, "is indignant at Mosu's
heartlessness. And although he will see to it that you meet again, he
has said nothing to Mosu which would lead him to believe that you are
not our own daughter. Therefore Mosu was delighted to marry you. But
when the wedding is celebrated this evening, you must do thus and so,
in order that he may taste your just anger."

When she had heard all this, Little Golden Daughter dried her tears,
and thanked her adopted parents. Then she adorned herself for the
wedding.

The same day, late at evening, Mosu came to the house wearing golden
flowers on his hat, and a red scarf across his breast, riding on a
gaily trapped horse, and followed by a great retinue. All his friends
and acquaintances came with him in order to be present at the festival
celebration.

In Sir Hu's house everything had been adorned with colored cloths and
lanterns. Mosu dismounted from his horse at the entrance of the hall.
Here Sir Hu had spread a festival banquet to which Mosu and his
friends were led. And when the goblet had made the rounds three times,
serving-maids came and invited Mosu to follow them to the inner rooms.
The bride, veiled in a red veil, was led in by two maid-servants.
Following the injunctions of the master of the ceremony, they
worshiped heaven and earth together, and then the parents-in-law.
Thereupon they went into another apartment. Here brightly colored
candles were burning, and a wedding dinner had been prepared. Mosu
felt as happy as though he had been raised to the seventh heaven.

But when he wanted to leave the room, seven or eight maids with bamboo
canes in their hands appeared at each side of the door, and began to
beat him without mercy. They knocked his bridal hat from his head, and
then the blows rained down upon his back and shoulders. When Mosu
cried for help he heard a delicate voice say: "You need not kill that
heartless bridegroom of mine completely! Ask him to come in and greet
me!"

Then the maids stopped beating him, and gathered about the bride, who
removed her bridal veil.

Mosu bowed with lowered head and said: "But what have I done?"

Yet when he raised his eyes he saw that none other than his