Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/118



time ago there lived in Japan a man named Opulo who was quite rich. There was really nothing about which he need worry, but one day the thought came to him that he might fall sick and die. Probably the only reason for this was because he didn't have to earn his living, and so had very little to occupy his time.

"It seems to me," said he to himself, "that a man ought to live a much longer life than he does. I am very comfortable here, with all I want to eat and drink, and plenty of money to spend, so why should I not enjoy life for hundreds of years without sickness or worry?"

He had heard of men in times gone by who had lived as long as that, and recalled the story of a certain Princess who had reached the age of five hundred years. Then he thought of that powerful Chinese King,