a fortunate chance had not released him.
For I must tell you that the young Emperor who reigned over the town
of "Trap for Blockheads," having won a splendid victory over his
enemies, ordered great public rejoicings. There were illuminations,
fire-works, horse races, and velocipede races, and as a further sign
of triumph he commanded that the prisons should be opened and all
prisoners liberated.

"If the others are to be let out of prison, I will go also," said
Pinocchio to the jailor.

"No, not you," said the jailor, "because you do not belong to the
fortunate class."

"I beg your pardon," replied Pinocchio, "I am also a criminal."

"In that case you are perfectly right," said the jailor; and taking
off his hat and bowing to him respectfully he opened the prison door
and let him escape.

[Footnote 1: Copyright, 1898, by Jordan, Marsh and Co. Used by
permission.]

* * * * *

JAPANESE STORIES

* * * * *

THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE

ADAPTED BY YEI THEODORA OZAKI

Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant
"Millionaire," but although he was not so rich as all that, he was
still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small
fortune from his father and lived on this, spending his time
carelessly, without any serious thoughts of work, till he was about
thirty-two years of age.

One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and
sickness came to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very
wretched.

"I should like to live," he said to himself, "till I am five or six
hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary span
of a man's life is very short."

He wondered whether it were possible, by living simply and frugally
henceforth, to prolong his life as long as he wished.

He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who had
lived a thousand years, and there was a Princess of Yamato, who it was
said, lived to the age of five hundred. This was the latest story of a
very long life on record.

Sentaro had often heard the tale of the Chinese King named
Shin-no-Shiko. He was one of the most able and powerful rulers in
Chinese history. He built all the large palaces, and also the famous
great wall of China. He had everything in the world he could wish for,
but in spite of all his happiness, and the luxury and splendor of his