Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/59

42 the Dragon himself. It was that of a short man, clothed in a striped upper garment of black and yellow, and lower garments which the children took to be white cotton bags. But if the dress of the stranger was so odd as to be disquieting, far more so was another thing they instantly observed,—his hair, which ought to have been black, like the hair of all their acquaintances, was of a bright and blazing red!

Now, it is well-known in Japan, that no one has red hair, but the sake-demons, who live in wild, remote places, and drink more rice-wine than is good for them.

Cherry-Bloom and Plum-Blossom had often heard of these curious beings in the fairy-tales familiar to Japanese children, and had thought of them as harmless, good-natured creatures, not fond of eating little girls; oh, no,—but suddenly to be brought face to face with one a long way from home, was decidedly discomposing;