The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-14
THE HAPPY LAND.
A STORY OF szE-TANG AND THE
SAGE.
One of the Strange Myths and Lee
geuds of Old japan.
BY ROGER RIoRDAN-


at day break. his broad-bladed axe on
his shoulder. 1t was spring. and the
trees were clad in bright green foliage;
the wild flowers were bathed in dew;
the mountain streams ran fun and clear.
Like d good man. as he was. Wang-tsih
enjoyed the beauties of nature. He wan
dered on and on, not minding where he
was going, and came at length to a small
river, bordered on both banks with
peach trees full blown. which bent
down and were reflected in the water like
sunset clouds. Filled with delight. the
wood cutter followed up the stream 10
where II issued from the broad mouth
OF cavern, under great rock. he
entered, and before he had proceeded far
the cave opened again upon the pleasant
est country that eye has seen, varied
with wooden hills. green fields and smil-
ing gardens Before him were two old
men. who he knew were Sages by the
length of their eyebrows. They were
playing a game like checquers with black
stones and white for counters. Our wood
cutter leaned on his axe, watching the
game Tor what seemed to him a few min
utes only Bat. Wnen ii was finished and
one OF the wise men looked up and said.
MY brother, do not lean on that old axe
handle, Wang-tsih found that his broad,
sharp axe had wasted nearly all away,
ana that its strong handle was decayed
ana ready to crumble into dust. Wonder
ing greatly, he retraced his steps and at
evening reached his village; but there he
saw nothing that he recognized except
the surrounding hills
Just outside the village he met a very
old man and asked the way 10. his own
house. WHAT cried the ancient
"Wang-Tsih's house has long ago dis
appeared. He, himself, as you may have
heard tell lost his way in the mountains
and never returned. But that is more
than two centuries ago-a very old story
II, however. you are interested in know
ing what happened so long ago, | can
show You to where his descendants of
the seventh generation are now living
Perhaps they may be able 10 point out
to you the site of WangTsih's house,
The first to dwell in the mysterious
land, of which WangTsih had caught q
glimpse, was Sze-Tang. who was a page
to King Peek, of China. AT the age of
ten, SZe-Tang was 50 beautiful that he
was famous throughout all China. Poets
compared his complexion to the wild
cherry. blossom opening in the soft air
of spring. And. unlike most boys. he
was so good even 10 the lower animals,
that he was called the Merciful. As
consequence, he was loved by the king
and by everybody who knew him except
some enviouS people about the palace
One night Sze-Tang inadvertently took
the king pillow to sleep on, and was
frightened more than a little when he
discovered his mistake; for there vas no
greater crime against palace etiquette
Tsihi said his majesty. you lid not
mean It, and no one knows of the IN
fortunate occurrence save you and I. We
will be we'll" But he was mistaken
Somehow the news of Sze-Tang's trans
gression got about; the envious courtiers
talked OF nothing else. They said it was
law, and that the kingdom would I'M
doubtedly go to ruin if a page who had
laid his head on the kings pillow could
continue, after to bear il on his should
ers. he great officials took the matter
up. 1t viii lead to a rebellion said
they; 'Sze-Tang must be beheaded.'' The
king pleaded hardn for his favorite; he
urged the culprit' 8 youth. his uniform
good conduct, and the certainty that ne
had intended no harm: but the laws
were above the king. and the most that
he could obtain was TO have the criminal
banished instead of being put to death.
1t was his majesty's right to choose
the place of exile, and as it happened,
that was no barren privilege: for no man
knew more than King Peek about the
wild countries beyond the borders of the
civilized states, to which criminals We're
usually banished.
MY dear Sze-Tang," said he. since
must send you away from me, it shall be
TO the land of Li-chen. In my younger
days, as you may know, l was very fond
of travel; and may say without boast
ing that. with my famous team of eight
dragon horses, there were few of the
barbarian states, or even of the demon
regions of the south and west that | did
not visit. From the land to which you
are TO go you can never return: but if
you follow my Instructions. you shall
never grow old there. but shall always
-et2in your beauty and the bloom of
youth. This you shall owe TO a charm
which was taught me by Buddha. Re
peat these verses after me:
Wolves and tigers in Li-chen
Mortal are. but not so men"
sze-tang did as ne was requested. DO
not forget those lines, said the king.
While you keep repeating them no harm
car come TO you from wild beasts or
from. any other source"
L..
loved the king nearly as much as the
king loved him--was carried off to exile;
and the officers, when they left him
alone. a prey 70 ttavenous beasts in an
uninhabited region TO which the only en-
trance was by gloomy tortuous cave,
felt certain that il was all over with
him. But he kept repeating the charm
to himself. and year after year neither
much repetition, however. he feared that
he might lose the sense of the words,
and then the words themselves. so, as
the verses were short. he wrote them on
the leaves of the wild chrysanthemums
that grew on the margin of little
stream that meandered through the val
ley. The result was that the flowers
constantly reminded him of his lesson.
And not only that. but the water which
sometimes washed over them. ran on its
course murmuring the magic couplet.
Years and centuries passed away, and
SZe-Tang, still a boy of TO- was the only
inhabitant of the happy land. But at
length the dynasty of Chan passed away.
The wicked king of Chin came to be
emperor. 1t was he who built the great
wall because he was afraid to fight the
Tartars, and who burnt the books. of the
former emperors and drove away the
learned men. or put them to death. Some
of the unfortunate scholars. flying from
the tyrant, found their way into the
desolate country near Li-chen. There
they were greeted by the singing stream,
and following Its course through the
do a
try where the wild chrysanthemum
leaves all bore the same legend. One of
their number encountered a handsome
boy who explained the matter 10 him;
and there the sages still remain, presided
over by the God of Longevity. rejoicing
in the eternal beauty of Sze-tang, for
ever engaged, as the wood-cutters found
them, in pleasant games and pastimes,
and constantly humming, like swarm
of bees.
wolves and tigers in Li-chen
Mortal are, but not so men,.