e princess that she had
expressed a wish to see him, went at once to make known his arrival.
And directly the princess beheld him her heart was set on him, and she
begged him to stay with her, and in return promised that he should never
grow old, neither should his beauty fade. 'Is not that reward enough?'
she asked, smiling, looking all the while as fair as the sun itself. And
Uraschimataro said 'Yes,' and so he stayed there. For how long? That he
only knew later.

His life passed by, and each hour seemed happier than the last, when
one day there rushed over him a terrible longing to see his parents. He
fought against it hard, knowing how it would grieve the princess, but it
grew on him stronger and stronger, till at length he became so sad that
the princess inquired what was wrong. Then he told her of the longing he
had to visit his old home, and that he must see his parents once more.
The princess was almost frozen with horror, and implored him to stay
with her, or something dreadful would be sure to happen. 'You will never
come back, and we shall meet again no more,' she moaned bitterly. But
Uraschimataro stood firm and repeated, 'Only this once will I leave you,
and then will I return to your side for ever.' Sadly the princess shook
her head, but she answered slowly, 'One way there is to bring you safely
back, but I fear you will never agree to the conditions of the bargain.'

'I will do anything that will bring me back to you,' exclaimed
Uraschimataro, looking at her tenderly, but the princess was silent: she
knew too well that when he left her she would see his face no more. Then
she took from a shelf a tiny golden box, and gave it to Uraschimataro,
praying him to keep it carefully, and above all things never to open it.
'If you can do this,' she said as she bade him farewell, 'your friend
the turtle will meet you at the shore, and will carry you back to me.'

Uraschimataro thanked her from his heart, and swore solemnly to do her
bidding. He hid the box safely in his garments, seated himself on the
back of the turtle, and vanished in the ocean path, waving his hand to
the princess. Three days and three nights they swam through the sea, and
at length Uraschimataro arrived at the beach which lay before his old
home. The turtle bade him farewell, and was gone in a moment.

Uraschimataro drew near to the village with quick and joyful steps.
He saw the smoke curling through the roof, and the thatch where green
plan