Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/472

384 of their wits and found it impossible to withstand the attacks of the hero and the tiger. So the helpless wretches flung themselves on the ground before Kokusenya and implored his mercy.

Kokusenya then told them why he had come over from Japan, and commanded them to embrace his cause and fight to the best of their ability for the restoration of the Ming dynasty. They could have no reason fofor [sic] refusing to obey him; so all of them, numbering some thousands, at once surrendered themselves to him, and announced their intention of regarding him as their leader. With them Kokusenya formed the foundation of a mighty army which was afterwards to conquer the Tartar invaders. With these newly recruited troops and his mother, Kokusenya passed out of the forest. Then he stationed his soldiers at a certain place, and with his mother, hastened to meet his father.