Page:Leaves from my Chinese Scrapbook - Balfour, 1887.djvu/212

 was soon filled with a respectful, wondering, and enchanted throng.

And now we must return to Chang, who had as yet heard nothing of the way in which his mischief had been mended. His rage had not cooled with the hours. "The old rascal butted me with his head yesterday," he said; "shall I have no revenge? I am going to him now, this very minute, to demand possession of his garden; and if he says no, I'll get together a lot of men and make them cut down every stick in the place."

"Don't be afraid of his refusing," replied his friends; "his garden is so close to your own house, you've got him in your power. Only don't destroy any more flowers, or you won't have any left to enjoy yourself."

"Pooh!" said Chang; "they'll bloom again next year, won't they? Come, let us be off at once; it's not polite to keep the old man waiting."

Then they all got up and started; but as they were just going out of the door, a man, seeing whither they were bound, said—

"What, haven't you heard the news? There has been a descent of fairies in Mr. Tsiu's garden, and all the flowers are joined on to their stalks again. And there's what is more wonderful than that, too; for people do say that the flowers are far finer than they were at first—that five colours may now be seen where there was only one before!"

This startled Chang considerably; but he soon recovered himself, and took refuge in disbelief. "As though it was likely," he said scornfully, "that that old thief should have such luck! Besides, how is it that no one ever heard of fairies coming before, but only when