ther, and promised to meet each other there every
evening. And then they parted.

Aduan came back and his illness left him. From that time on he met
Rose of Evening every day in the lotus field.

After a few days had passed they had to accompany the Prince of the
Dragon Cave to the birthday festival of the King of the Wu River. The
festival came to an end, and all the dancers returned home. Only, the
King had kept back Rose of Evening and one of the nightingale dancers
to teach the girls in his castle.

Months passed and no news came from Rose of Evening, so that Aduan
went about full of longing and despair. Now Mother Hia went every day
to the castle of the god of the Wu River. So Aduan told her that Rose
of Evening was his cousin, and entreated her to take him along with
her so that he could at least see her a single time. So she took him
along, and let him stay at the lodge-house of the river-god for a few
days. But the indwellers of the castle were so strictly watched that
he could not see Rose of Evening even a single time. Sadly Aduan went
back again.

Another month passed and Aduan, filled with gloomy thoughts, wished
that death might be his portion.

One day Mother Hia came to him full of pity, and began to sympathize
with him. "What a shame," said she, "that Rose of Evening has cast
herself into the river!"

Aduan was extremely frightened, and his tears flowed resistlessly. He
tore his beautiful garments, took his gold and his pearls, and went
out with the sole idea of following his beloved in death. Yet the
waters of the river stood up before him like walls, and no matter how
often he ran against them, head down, they always flung him back.

He did not dare return, since he feared he might be questioned about
his festival garments, and severely punished because he had ruined
them. So he stood there and knew not what to do, while the
perspiration ran down to his ankles. Suddenly, at the foot of the
water-wall he saw a tall tree. Like a monkey he climbed up to its very
top, and then, with all his might, he shot into the waves.

And then, without being wet, he found himself suddenly swimming on
the surface of the river. Unexpectedly the world of men rose up once
more before his dazzled eyes. He swam to the shore, and as he walked
along the river-bank, his thoughts went back to his old mother. He
took a ship and traveled home.

When he reached the village, it seemed to him as though all the houses
in i