Page:Sagas from the Far East; or, Kalmouk and Mongolian traditionary tales.djvu/323

Rh them leisure they amused themselves with pastimes together. Now it came to pass that one day one of them rising earlier than the rest, and finding himself at the place all alone, said within himself,—

How is the time weary, being here all alone!'

"And he took wood and sculptured it with loving care until he had fashioned a form like to his own, and yet not alike. And when he saw how brave a form he had fashioned, he cared no more to sport with the other shepherd youths, but went his way.

"The next morning the second of the youths rose earlier than the rest, and, coming to the place all alone, said within himself,—

How is the time weary, being here all alone!'

"And he cast about him for some pastime, and thus he found the form which the first youth had fashioned, and, finding it exceeding brave, he painted it over with the five colours, and when he saw how fair a form he had painted he cared no more to sport with the other shepherd youths, but went his way.

"The next morning the third of the youths rose earlier than the rest, and, coming to the place all alone, said within himself,—

How is the time weary, being here all alone!'

"And he cast about him for some pastime; thus he discovered the form which the first youth had fashioned and the second youth had painted, and he said,—

This figure is beautiful in form and colour, but it