Page:Eminent Authors of Contemporary Japan.pdf/134

118 depends wholly upon yourself whether you will become a great magician or not… At any rate, will you come with me into the heart of the mountains of Emeishan? Look, pick up that bamboo-stick which is lying in the dust. Let us fly immediately into the air.”

The old man took the green bamboo stick which the youth had handed to him. They seated themselves upon it as one might ride a horse, he mumbled a few magic words, and lo! the stick began to soar up into the sky as vigorously as if it had been a dragon. They speedily flew toward the mountains of Emeishan through the clear evening sky of a perfect spring day.

Frightened beyond words, Tu Tzuchun looked timidly beneath him, but he could only discern the blue mountains rising out of the twilight. The western city gate of Loyang was hidden, perhaps in the evening mist, and, though he strained his eyes, there was no sign of it to be seen. Then Tiehkuantzu, with his white beard flowing behind him in the breeze, began to sing loudly:

Very soon the bamboo stick on which the two of them rode, descended upon the mountains of Emeishan. Where they came down Tu Tzuchun saw a