Page:Shen of the Sea.pdf/40

 what is that? asked the King, smiling tolerantly upon them, though in truth he felt more like weeping, for he knew what would be the answer.

"&thinsp;‘We have come to possess ourselves of the city and all the low plain that surrounds it. It is our right, and our might—we mean to have it.' Then Chieh Chung's heart dropped down to a level with his sandals. His heart was weighted as if with millstones, as if weighted with Mount Tai. Long he stroked his beard, pondering, grieving, praying. And the water demons danced in the dew. Jubilant were they, flinging their toes high, spattering dewdrops upon the palace roof, and singing the terrible song of the ocean.

"Finally the King answered. ‘Shen,' said he, ‘what time do you grant me? Kua Hai is a large city. In it are half a million souls. It will be moons and moons before I can count my people safely upon the Mountain of The Yellow Ox.' One of the demons was shaking a pai shu (shaking a cypress tree) so that its dew fell upon him and upon his