Page:The works of Li Po - Obata.djvu/58

 7. LADY YANG KUEI-FEI AT THE IMPERIAL FEAST OF THE PEONY—II She is the flowering branch of the peony, Richly-laden with honey-dew. Hers is the charm of the vanished fairy, That broke the heart of the dreamer king In the old legend of the Cloud and Rain. Pray, who in the palace of Han Could be likened unto her, Save the lady, Flying Swallow, newly-dressed In all her loveliness?

''The Legend of Cloud and Rain: King Hsiang of Chu once in his dream saw a fairy maid whose loveliness captivated his heart instantly, and who, on being asked who she was, replied, "In the morning I am the cloud, in the evening the rain on the Wu mountains," and vanished. The amorous king pined for the cloud and rain, morning and evening ever after.''

''Chao Fei-yen or Lady Flying Swallow, was a singing girl of Chang-an, but her charm won the love of the emperor Cheng-ti of the Han dynasty, who took her up to the palace and made her an imperial concubine of the highest rank. She is famous for her frail beauty. It is said that she was of so slight a build that she could dance on the palm of the hand. She lived in the 1st century B.C.'' [32]