Page:Japanese plays and playfellows (1901).djvu/296

258 from her knees she saw that the devil's mask was so tightly fixed that it could not be removed from her stepmother's features. The latter, in an agony of fright, cried out to the girl to pray for the help of the Most Compassionate One. So Kamma interceded with Kwannon, and the demon let go of the wicked woman's face; but from that time she lost all beauty and lightness of heart, nor did she interfere any more with the filial piety of O Kamma San."

Having shown me his private treasures, Kishimoto very kindly proposed taking me to some exhibitions, which would at least be strange, if not beautiful. We drove first to the Chrysanthemum Show at Dango-zaka, where my friend pointed out to me more kinds of blossom than I can remember; but some, by reason of their fanciful names, it would be impossible to forget. There were "White Dragon" and "Sleepy Head," a heavy disc with towzled petals; "Fisher's Lantern," of which the dark lustre showed like velvet beside the blushing pink-and- white complexion of "Robe of Feathers"; "Starlit Night," resembling frost-flowers; and, most marvellous of all, a galaxy of various sorts and colours, radiating by the grafter's patient skill from a single stem. Fearful of outraging his refined taste by such vulgar curiosity, I persuaded the sub-editor to wait for me in the tea-house which faces the river, while I followed some gaping women and children into twopenny shows which delight and instruct the simple. There, trained over trellis-work or encasing figures of wood and wax, the docile chrysanthemum evokes familiar scenes from legend or play. Chrysanthemum warriors pursue chrysanthemum maidens; chrysanthemum Danjuro dances the cryptic measure of Jiraiya before a chrysanthemum frog; chrysanthemum