the dancers had assembled, the dance of the Ogres
was danced first. Those who performed it all wore devil-masks and
garments of scales. They beat upon enormous cymbals, and their
kettledrums were so large that four men could just about span them.
Their sound was like the sound of a mighty thunder, and the noise was
so great that nothing else could be heard. When the dance began,
tremendous waves spouted up to the very skies, and then fell down
again like star-glimmer which scatters in the air.

The Prince of the Dragon Cave hastily bade the dance cease, and had
the dancers of the nightingale round step forth. These were all lovely
young girls of sixteen. They made a delicate music with flutes, so
that the breeze blew and the roaring of the waves was stilled in a
moment. The water gradually became as quiet as a crystal world,
transparent to its lowest depths. When the nightingale dancers had
finished, they withdrew and posted themselves in the western
courtyard.

Then came the turn of the swallow dancers. These were all little
girls. One among them, who was about fifteen years of age, danced the
dance of the giving of flowers with flying sleeves and waving locks.
And as their garments fluttered, many-colored flowers dropped from
their folds, and were caught up by the wind and whirled about the
whole courtyard. When the dance had ended, this dancer also went off
with the rest of the girls to the western courtyard. Aduan looked at
her from out the corner of his eye, and fell deeply in love with her.
He asked his comrades who she might be and they told him she was named
"Rose of Evening."

But the willow-spray dancers were now called out. The Prince of the
Dragon Cave was especially desirous of testing Aduan. So Aduan danced
alone, and he danced with joy or defiance according to the music. When
he looked up and when he looked down his glances held the beat of the
measure. The Dragon Prince, enchanted with his skill, presented him
with a garment of five colors, and gave him a carbuncle set in golden
threads of fish-beard for a hair-jewel. Aduan bowed his thanks for the
gift, and then also hastened to the western courtyard. There all the
dancers stood in rank and file. Aduan could only look at Rose of
Evening from a distance, but still Rose of Evening returned his
glances.

After a time Aduan gradually slipped to the end of his file and Rose
of Evening also drew near to him, so that they stood only a few feet
away from