Part 17 (2/2)

K'ang-p'u, seeing how well dressed the servants were, felt much ashamed of his own ragged garments, and put up his hands to hide a torn place.

What was his amazement to find that he was no longer clad in soiled, ragged clothes, that he was dressed in the handsomest embroidered silk.

From head to foot he was fitted out like the young Prince his father had pointed out to him one day in the city.

Then they entered a magnificent reception-hall on the other side of the garden. K'ang-p'u could not keep back his tears, for there stood his father waiting to meet him.

”My boy! my boy!” cried the father, ”you have come back to me. I feared you had been stolen away for ever.”

”Oh, no!” said K'ang-p'u, ”you have not lost me, but I have lost the tablet. A thief came and took it last night while I was sleeping.”

”Lost the tablet! A thief! Why, no, my son, you are mistaken! There it is, just before you.”

K'ang-p'u looked, and saw standing on a handsome carved table the very thing he had mourned as lost. As he stared in surprise he almost expected to see the tiny figure swinging its legs over the top, and to hear the high-pitched voice of his grandfather.

”Yes, it is really the lost tablet!” he cried joyfully. ”How glad I am it is back in its rightful place once more.”

Then father and son fell upon their knees before the wooden emblem, and bowed reverently nine times to the floor, thanking the spirit for all it had done for them. When they arose their hearts were full of a new happiness.

THE GOLDEN NUGGET

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Once upon a time many, many years ago, there lived in China two friends named Ki-wu and Pao-shu. These two young men, like Damon and Pythias, loved each other and were always together. No cross words pa.s.sed between them; no unkind thoughts marred their friends.h.i.+p. Many an interesting tale might be told of their unselfishness, and of how the good fairies gave them the true reward of virtue. One story alone, however, will be enough to show how strong was their affection and their goodness.

It was a bright beautiful day in early spring when Ki-wu and Pao-shu set out for a stroll together, for they were tired of the city and its noises.

”Let us go into the heart of the pine forest,” said Ki-wu lightly.

”There we can forget the cares that worry us; there we can breathe the sweetness of the flowers and lie on the moss-covered ground.”

”Good!” said Pao-shu, ”I, too, am tired. The forest is the place for rest.”

Happy as two lovers on a holiday, they pa.s.sed along the winding road, their eyes turned in longing toward the distant tree-tops. Their hearts beat fast in youthful pleasure as they drew nearer and nearer to the woods.

”For thirty days I have worked over my books,” sighed Ki-wu. ”For thirty days I have not had a rest. My head is stuffed so full of wisdom, that I am afraid it will burst. Oh, for a breath of the pure air blowing through the greenwood.”

”And I,” added Pao-shu sadly, ”have worked like a slave at my counter and found it just as dull as you have found your books. My master treats me badly. It seems good, indeed, to get beyond his reach.”

Now they came to the border of the grove, crossed a little stream, and plunged headlong among the trees and shrubs. For many an hour they rambled on, talking and laughing merrily; when suddenly on pa.s.sing round a clump of flower-covered bushes, they saw s.h.i.+ning in the pathway directly in front of them a lump of gold.

”See!” said both, speaking at the same time, and pointing toward the treasure.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”THEY SAW s.h.i.+NING IN THE PATHWAY, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEM, A LUMP OF GOLD.”]

Ki-wu, stooping, picked up the nugget. It was nearly as large as a lemon, and was very pretty. ”It is yours, my dear friend,” said he, at the same time handing it to Pao-shu; ”yours because you saw it first.”

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