wife. And so the brave and the fair
were married, and to this day the fame of Yorimasa is like the
"ume-take-matsu," (plum-blossom, bamboo and pine), fragrant, green and
ever-during.

[Illustration: YORIMASA AND THE NIGHT-BEAST.]

WATANABE CUTS OFF THE ONI'S ARM.

When the capital of Japan was the city of Kioto, and the mikado dwelt in
it with all his court, there lived a brave captain of the guard named
Yorimitsu, who belonged to the famous Minamoto family. He was also called
Raiko, and by this name he is best known to all the boys and girls in
Great Japan. Under Captain Raiko were three brave guardsmen, one of whom
was named Watanabe Tsuna. The duty of these men-at-arms was to watch at
the gates leading to the palace.

It had come to pass that the blossom capital had fallen in a dreadful
condition, because the guards at the other gates had been neglected.
Thieves were numerous and murders were frequent, so that every one in the
city was afraid to go out into the streets at night. Worse than all else,
was the report that oni or imps were prowling around in the dark to seize
people by the hair of the head. Then they would drag them away to the
mountains, tear the flesh off their bones, and eat them up.

The worst place in the city, to which the horned imps came oftenest, was
at the south-western gate called the Rajo-mon.

To this post of danger, Raiko sent Tsuna, the bravest of his guards.

It was on a dark, rainy and dismal night, that Tsuna started, well-armed,
to stand sentinel at the gate. His trusty helmet was knotted over his
chin, and all the pieces of his armor were well laced up. His sandals
were girt tight to his feet, and in his belt was thrust the trusty sword,
freshly ground, until its edge was like a razor's, and with it the owner
could cut asunder a hair floating in the air.

Arriving at the red pillar of the gate, Tsuna paced up and down the stone
way with eyes and ears wide open. The wind was blowing frightfully, the
storm howled and the rain fell in such torrents that soon the cords of
Tsuna's armor and his dress were soaked through.

The great bronze bell of the temples on the hills boomed out the hours
one after another, until a single stroke told Tsuna it was the hour of
the Rat (midnight).

Two hours passed, and the hour of the Bull sounded (2 A.M.,) still Tsuna
was wide awake. The storm had lulled, but it was darker than ever.

The hour of the Tiger (3 o'clock) rung out, and th