ome! The
nets are drawn, the fishing ended for the day. I will ascend that rock;
read the sutra of the Lady Kwannon. He who can first memorize it shall
be my husband." Ready was the assent to such an attractive proposal--a
beautiful helpmate in prospect, one endowed with surprising strength for
her frail form, and who seemed to bring luck to the efforts of the
village in the struggle for a livelihood. Even the Nipponese prejudice
against strangers paled before such practical qualification.

The maid ascended to the rostrum. For three days she read and expounded
the holy sutra of the Lady Kwannon. On the fourth day the fisherman
Baryu--young, handsome, strong--felt sure that he could answer to the
test. "Woman, descend! To-day this Baryu will repeat the sutra, expound
its meaning." With seeming surprise and merriment the girl obeyed. Baryu
took her place. Without slip or fault he repeated the sutra, expounded
the intricacies of its meaning. The girl bowed low in submission.
"Condescend to admit my humble person to the hut of Baryu the fisherman.
To-night she pollutes with her presence a corner of his bed-chamber."
Rejoicing Baryu at once took her to his home, where he would act the
husband. At first gently she rebuked him. "These rough people of
Kinshaden have regard to nothing! There is such a rite as marriage. Nine
times are the _sake_ cups to be drained between husband and wife. Thus
is established this important relation. In the connection between man
and woman there is such a thing as etiquette. This observed, the woman
passes to the possession of the man. For the woman, second marriage
there is none."

Thus were the decencies of the marriage bed taught to the rough
fisherman. Near dawn Baryu awoke with surprise. His bed-fellow was in the
last extremities. Dripping with sweat, she seemed to be melting away.
Already she was unconscious. Then vomiting forth water she died. Baryu was
tremendously put out. To lose a wife, who barely had been a wife; one so
beautiful, so strong; this was extremely vexatious. "This won't do at all!
Why has such a misfortune befallen this Baryu? O'Kabe (Miss Plaster) and
O'Nabe (Miss Stewpan) endured without mishap the passage of their marriage
night.... Hai! Hai!" in reply to a friend knocking at the door. "Baryu
cannot go to the fishing to-day.... The woman? She has died. Baryu's wife
is dead." Opening the door he retailed his experience to the wondering
friend. As they talked, along ca