"When your good uncle was young he was betrothed to a charming girl called
Akiko, the daughter of a neighbor. Akiko died of consumption, only a little
before the day appointed for the wedding; and her promised husband sorrowed
greatly. After Akiko had been buried, he made a vow never to marry; and he
built this little house beside the cemetery, so that he might be always
near her grave. All this happened more than fifty years ago. And every day
of those fifty years -- winter and summer alike -- your uncle went to the
cemetery, and prayed at the grave, and swept the tomb, and set offerings
before it. But he did not like to have any mention made of the matter; and
he never spoke of it... So, at last, Akiko came for him: the white
butterfly was her soul."

IV



I had almost forgotten to mention an ancient Japanese dance, called the
Butterfly Dance (Kocho-Mai), which used to be performed in the Imperial
Palace, by dancers costumed as butterflies. Whether it is danced
occasionally nowadays I do not know. It is said to be very difficult to
learn. Six dancers are required for the proper performance of it; and they
must move in particular figures,-- obeying traditional rules for ever step,
pose, or gesture,-- and circling about each other very slowly to the sound
of hand-drums and great drums, small flutes and great flutes, and pandean
pipes of a form unknown to Western Pan.


MOSQUITOES