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exceedingly splendid； was placed upon her grave。 But Akinosuke felt such
grief at her death that he no longer cared to live。
Now when the legal period of mourning was over； there came to Raishu； from
the Tokoyo palace； a shisha； or royal messenger。 The shisha delivered to
Akinosuke a message of condolence； and then said to him：
〃These are the words which our august master； the King of Tokoyo； commands
that I repeat to you： 'We will now send you back to your own people and
country。 As for the seven children； they are the grandsons and
granddaughters of the King； and shall be fitly cared for。 Do not；
therefore； allow you mind to be troubled concerning them。'〃
On receiving this mandate； Akinosuke submissively prepared for his
departure。 When all his affairs had been settled； and the ceremony of
bidding farewell to his counselors and trusted officials had been
concluded； he was escorted with much honor to the port。 There he embarked
upon the ship sent for him； and the ship sailed out into the blue sea；
under the blue sky； and the shape of the island of Raishu itself turned
blue； and then turned grey； and then vanished forever。。。 And Akinosuke
suddenly awoke under the cedar…tree in his own garden！
For a moment he was stupefied and dazed。 But he perceived his two friends
still seated near him； drinking and chatting merrily。 He stared at them
in a bewildered way； and cried aloud；
〃How strange！〃
〃Akinosuke must have been dreaming；〃 one of them exclaimed； with a laugh。
〃What did you see； Akinosuke； that was strange？〃
Then Akinosuke told his dream； that dream of three…and…twenty years'
sojourn in the realm of Tokoyo； in the island of Raishu； and they were
astonished； because he had really slept for no more than a few minutes。
One goshi said：
〃Indeed； you saw strange things。 We also saw something strange while you
were napping。 A little yellow butterfly was fluttering over your face for a
moment or two； and we watched it。 Then it alighted on the ground beside
you； close to the tree； and almost as soon as it alighted there； a big； big
ant came out of a hole and seized it and pulling it down into the hole。
Just before you woke up； we saw that very butterfly come out of the hole
again； and flutter over your face as before。 And then it suddenly
disappeared： we do not know where it went。〃
〃Perhaps it was Akinosuke's soul；〃 the other goshi said； 〃certainly I
thought I saw it fly into his mouth。。。 But； even if that butterfly was
Akinosuke's soul； the fact would not explain his dream。〃
〃The ants might explain it；〃 returned the first speaker。 〃Ants are queer
beings possibly goblins。。。 Anyhow； there is a big ant's nest under that
cedar…tree。〃。。。
〃Let us look！〃 cried Akinosuke； greatly moved by this suggestion。 And he
went for a spade。
The ground about and beneath the cedar…tree proved to have been excavated；
in a most surprising way； by a prodigious colony of ants。 The ants had
furthermore built inside their excavations； and their tiny constructions of
straw； clay； and stems bore an odd resemblance to miniature towns。 In the
middle of a structure considerably larger than the rest there was a
marvelous swarming of small ants around the body of one very big ant； which
had yellowish wings and a long black head。
〃Why； there is the King of my dream！〃 cried Akinosuke； 〃and there is the
palace of Tokoyo！。。。 How extraordinary！。。。 Raishu ought to lie somewhere
southwest of it to the left of that big root。。。 Yes！ here it is！。。。
How very strange！ Now I am sure that I can find the mountain of Hanryoko；
and the grave of the princess。〃。。。
In the wreck of the nest he searched and searched； and at last discovered
a tiny mound； on the top of which was fixed a water…worn pebble； in shape
resembling a Buddhist monument。 Underneath it he found embedded in clay
the dead body of a female ant。
RIKI…BAKA
His name was Riki； signifying Strength； but the people called him
Riki…the…Simple； or Riki…the…Fool； 〃Riki…Baka；〃 because he had been
born into perpetual childhood。 For the same reason they were kind to him；
even when he set a house on fire by putting a lighted match to a
mosquito…curtain； and clapped his hands for joy to see the blaze。 At
sixteen years he was a tall； strong lad； but in mind he remained always at
the happy age of two； and therefore continued to play with very small
children。 The bigger children of the neighborhood； from four to seven years
old； did not care to play with him； because he could not learn their songs
and games。 His favorite toy was a broomstick； which he used as a
hobby…horse； and for hours at a time he would ride on that broomstick； up
and down the slope in front of my house； with amazing peals of laughter。
But at last he became troublesome by reason of his noise； and I had to tell
him that he must find another playground。 He bowed submissively； and then
went off； sorrowfully trailing his broomstick behind him。 Gentle at all
times； and perfectly harmless if allowed no chance to play with fire； he
seldom gave anybody cause for complaint。 His relation to the life of our
street was scarcely more than that of a dog or a chicken； and when he
finally disappeared； I did not miss him。 Months and months passed by before
anything happened to remind me of Riki。
〃What has become of Riki？〃 I then asked the old woodcutter who supplies
our neighborhood with fuel。 I remembered that Riki had often helped him to
carry his bundles。
〃Riki…Baka？〃 answered the old man。 〃Ah； Riki is dead poor fellow！。。。
Yes； he died nearly a year ago； very suddenly； the doctors said that he had
some disease of the brain。 And there is a strange story now about that poor
Riki
〃When Riki died； his mother wrote his name； 'Riki…Baka；' in the palm of
his left hand； putting 'Riki' in the Chinese character； and 'Baka' in
kana （1）。 And she repeated many prayers for him； prayers that he might be
reborn into some more happy condition。
〃Now； about three months ago； in the honorable residence of Nanigashi…Sama
（2）； in Kojimachi （3）； a boy was born with characters on the palm of his
left hand； and the characters were quite plain to read； 'RIKI…BAKA'！
〃So the people of that house knew that the birth must have happened in
answer to somebody's prayer； and they caused inquiry to be made everywhere。
At least a vegetable…seller brought word to them that there used to be a
simple lad； called Riki…Baka； living in the Ushigome quarter； and that he
had died during the last autumn； and they sent two men…servants to look for
the mother of Riki。
〃Those servants found the mother of Riki； and told her what had happened；
and she was glad exceedingly for that Nanigashi house is a very rich and
famous house。 But the servants said that the family of Nanigashi…Sama were
very angry about the word '