Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-06

he is at the thunder's mercy and Is fire.
quently reduced to hide himself in the most
extraordinary places. He has been known
to run into a cows horn, into a priests
ear, and he often takes refuge in the water
spout of house. The priest, Tao-tsen, once
saw to his surprise small white spot in
the shape OF a dragon appear on his finger
nail 1t was laundering heavily at the
time and there was but little light in the
room. He put his hand out the window the
better to observe the strange looking spot
which had come so suddenly, and instantly
there was fash and crash, and half the
finger was taken clear away. More lucky
was the old woman, who, during a thunder
storm, afraid of leak in her bedroom
went in to see The thunder, who had been
prowling about the house, followed and
what was the good Iadys establishment to
see dragon emerge from under her pillow
and fly out the door, the thunder after him.
There was a battle royal between them in
the street but the old woman escaped un-
injured.
1t thus appears that the dragon has by
no means an easy time of it. He has other
enemies beside the thunder. Tigers, and
lions are his aversion. A tame lion was once
tied to the post OF well, when a dragon.
who had made his home there sprang up
In a great fright and ascended into the
clouds. The phoenix, too, hunts dragons for
their brains. which he considers great
delicacy. In the annals Of the Tang dynasty
1t appears that two Of the breed were once
chased by phoenix. They dropped to the
ground at place called Kwa-in and became
two streams. The water of one OF the
streams is red in color, because the dragon
was scratched by the phoenix and blood ran
from the wound.
Harassed in this way, it is not very sur
prisng that the dragon should have formed
the habit of carrying his life outside OF his
body. He usually put it for safe keeping
in crystal ball or large pearl which he
carries ordinarily between the scales under
his chin. Should he be attacked he may
drop the precious receptacle into deep pool,
and pearl fishers have been known to leave
an uncommonly fine pearl where they found
it. lest the dragon should come to claim it
and do them an injury
The horn of the dragon is like that OF
the deer; it's head is like that of camel
II has the eyes OF a demon, the neck and tail
Of a snake, the belly of a clam, the claw OF
hawk, the ears OF bull and the scales OF
q fish, But there are many varieties, and
each has it's appropriate charge. Some mount
guard over prisons, some live in water some
in smoke, and among the dragon progeny
are the patrons of singing and music. OF
literature and justice, of war and drinking
and as a bringer OF rain, the dragon Is. OF
course. Indispensable to the agriculturist
For their services thus rendered to the state
dragons are held In high esteem. Among
the rugged mountains of the northwest there
is place called Long Mueng, in English
Dragon Door. A cataract tumbles down
there between high cliffs, in three separate
falls. Above the cataract Is grove of peach
trees, and on the fifth day OF the fifth month
in very year, when the petals of the peach
blossoms drop by myriads into the river all
the fishes in the lower stream swim up tc
the foot OF the waterfall. II any can lear
up the three falls and reach the still water
above. perfumed with the magic peach bloom
that lively fish Is at once transformed into
dragon. Few but carp ever perform the
and Nnt all aN No.
retire with scales worn off their heads by the
force of the water Hence II is that students
who have come VIGOROUSLY through theil
examination are said to have ascended Long
Mueng, and at the boys festival In Japan
which takes place on the fifth day Of tn,
hfth month in every houseyard bamboo
pole is set up. with a paper carp flying from
II, as an emblem OF strenuous endeayor.