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 character, and the owners of these decorations had to keep a sharp watch lest they should be stolen from them by some unprincipled person.

Now, one day the parents of Ina had to leave home on an expedition which made their absence necessary for several hours. Before they started they told Ina that she might take out the precious ornaments and spread them in the sunshine to air, but she was not by any means to allow them to remain outside if the sun became overcast. Their reason for giving this command was that there was a certain thievish spirit called Nana who greatly wished to gain possession of these coveted ornaments, but his power only enabled him to move about and have ability in dull weather, in the rays of bright sunshine he was helpless to do mischief.

When the parents of Ina departed the sun was shining brightly, and it continued to do so for some time after their departure. Ina brought out the family treasures and laid them on a white cloth which she spread in the sunniest spot she could find. Lurking behind the bushes lay Nana, the cunning arch-thief. He stole up closer and closer to the place where the decorations were so temptingly displayed, but the eye of the sun looking down on him disconcerted him, so he repeated an incantation