ather thought it
shameful to have the wedding gifts carried back. So I took the things
myself and placed them before the Yuan's door. When I went out my
father ran out beside me: 'You insane girl,' he said, 'so you will not
listen to what I say! If you are ill-treated by Sia in the future I
wash my hands of it. Even if they kill you you shall not come home to
me again!'"

Moved by her faithfulness the tears rolled from Sia's eyes. The
servants, full of joy, hurried to the parents to acquaint them with
the good news. And when they heard it they did not wait for the young
people to come to them, but hastened themselves to their son's rooms,
took the princess by the hand and wept. Young Sia, too, had become
more settled by this time, and was no longer so mischievous. So he and
his wife grew to love each other more sincerely day by day.

Once the princess said to him: "Formerly, when you always treated me
so badly, I feared that we would not keep company into our old age.
So I never asked heaven to send us a child. But now that all has
changed, and I will beg the gods for a son."

And, sure enough, before long Sia's parents-in-law appeared in the
house clad in red garments, and shortly after heaven sent the happy
pair two sons instead of one.

From that time on their intercourse with the Frog-King was never
interrupted. When some one among the people had angered the god, he
first tried to induce young Sia to speak for him, and sent his wife
and daughter to the Frog Princess to implore her aid. And if the
princess laughed, then all would be well.

The Sia family has many descendants, whom the people call "the little
frog men." Those who are near them do not venture to call them by this
name, but those standing further off do so.

Note: "Little frog men," Wa Dsi, is the derogatory name
which the North Chinese give the Chinese of the South on
occasion.

LXXIII

ROSE OF EVENING

On the fifth day of the fifth month the festival of the Dragon Junk is
held along the Yangtze-kiang. A dragon is hollowed out of wood,
painted with an armor of scales, and adorned with gold and bright
colors. A carved red railing surrounds this ship, and its sails and
flags are made of silks and brocade. The after part of the vessel is
called the dragon's tail. It rises ten feet above the water, and a
board which floats in the water is tied to it by means of a cloth.
Upon this board sit boys who turn somersaults, stand o