Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/275

 The Sufferings of Miss "Deep-Snow"

I

T an easy distance from Kyōto flows the Uji River whose valley is famous as the haunt of fireflies. A unique phenomenon is presented by these insects, glittering in myriads above the stream which, for the greater part of its course, meanders between picturesque lines of hills. On summer evenings the place is the resort of throngs of people bent on enjoying this brilliant spectacle.

Early one evening in the far-off days of the Ashikaga Shogun, a handsome young samurai and a Buddhist priest might have been seen, seated on a bench of a tea-house overlooking the Uji River. They had given themselves up to admiring contemplation of the beautiful landscape, now bathed in the gold of the setting sun. It was clear that they were waiting until the coming of darkness should bring the view of the luminous insects. 207