Chung and Ho-Seen-Ko; and poor Wang Chih's heart was very heavy as he
walked away out of the town.

He slept out on the mountain, and early in the morning found his way
back to the cave where the two old men were playing chess.

At first they said they could do nothing for him, and told him to go
away and not disturb them; but Wang Chih would not go, and they soon
found the only way to get rid of him was to give him some really good
advice.

"You must go to the White Hare of the Moon, and ask him for a bottle
of the elixir of life. If you drink that you will live for ever," said
one of them.

"But I don't want to live for ever," objected Wang Chih; "I wish to go
back and live in the days when my wife and children were here."

"Ah, well! For that you must mix the elixir of life with some water
out of the Sky-Dragon's mouth."

"And where is the Sky-Dragon to be found?" inquired Wang Chih.

"In the sky, of course. You really ask very stupid questions. He lives
in a cloud-cave. And when he comes out of it he breathes fire, and
sometimes water. If he is breathing fire, you will be burnt up, but if
it is only water, you will easily be able to catch some in a bottle.
What else do you want?"

For Wang Chih still lingered at the mouth of the cave.

"I want a pair of wings to fly with, and a bottle to catch the water
in," he replied boldly.

So they gave him a little bottle; and before he had time to say,
"Thank you!" a White Crane came sailing past, and lighted on the
ground close to the cave.

"The Crane will take you wherever you like," said the old men. "Go
now, and leave us in peace."

_Wang Chih visits the Fire Dragon_

Wang Chih sat on the White Crane's back, and was taken up, and up, and
up through the sky to the cloud-cave where the Sky-Dragon lived. And
the Dragon had the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes of a
rabbit, the ears of a cow, and the claws of a hawk.

Besides this, he had whiskers and a beard, and in his beard was a
bright pearl.

All these things show that he was a real, genuine dragon, and if you
ever meet a dragon who is not exactly like this, you will know he is
only a make-believe one.

Wang Chih felt rather frightened when he perceived the cave in the
distance, and if it had not been for the thought of seeing his wife
again, and his little boy and girl, he would have been glad to turn
back.

While he was far away, the cloud-cave looked like a dark hole in the
mid