There was once a little girl who was very willful and who never obeyed when her elders spoke to her; so how could she be happy? One day she said to her parents: “I have heard so much of the old witch that I will go and see her. People say she is a wonderful old woman, and has many marvelous things in her house, and I am very curious to see them.” But her parents forbade her going, saying: “The witch is a wicked old woman, who performs many godless deeds; and if you go near her, you are no longer a child of ours.” The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents' command, but went to the witch's house. When she arrived there the old woman asked her:-- “Why are you so pale?” “Ah,” she replied, trembling all over, “I have frightened myself so with what I have just seen.” “And what did you see?” inquired the old witch. “I saw a black man on your steps.” “That was a collier,” replied she. “Then I saw a gray man.” “That was a sportsman,” said the old woman. “After him I saw a blood-red man.” “That was a butcher,” replied the old woman. “But, oh, I was most terrified,” continued the girl, “when I peeped through your window, and saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head.” “Then you have seen the witch in her proper dress,” said the old woman. “For you I have long waited, and now you shall give me light.” So saying the witch changed the little girl into a block of wood, and then threw it on the fire; and when it was fully alight, she sat down on the hearth and warmed herself, saying:-- “How good I feel! The fire has not burned like this for a long time!” SHIPPEITARO A JAPANESE FOLK-TALE: BY MARY F. NIXON-ROULET (ADAPTED) [10] [Footnote 10: From Japanese Folk-Stories and Fairy Tales. Copyright, 1908, by American Book Company.] Once upon a time there was a brave soldier lad who was seeking his fortune in the wide, wide world. One day he lost his way in a pathless forest, and wandered about until he came at length to a small clearing in the midst of which stood a ruined temple. The huge trees waved above its walls, and the leaves in the thicket whispered around them. No sun ever shone there, and no human being lived there. A storm was coming up, and the soldier lad took refuge among the ruins. “Here is all I want,” said he. “Here I shall have shelter from the storm-god's wrath, and a comfortable place to sleep in.” So he wrapped himself in his cloak, and, lying down, was soon fast asleep. But his slumbers did not last long. At midnight he was wakened by fearful shrieks, and springing to his feet, he looked out at the temple door. The storm was over. Moonlight shone on the clearing. And there he saw what seemed to be a troop of monstrous cats, who like huge phantoms marched across the open space in front of the temple. They broke into a wild dance, uttering shrieks, howls, and wicked laughs. Then they all sang together:--