were growing. He moored his boat, and proceeded alone into the unknown
land, until he came to the bank of a river whose waters were bright as
silver. On the opposite shore he saw a pavilion; and in the pavilion
a beautiful woman sat weaving; she was white like moonshine, and made
a radiance all about her. Presently he saw a handsome young peasant
approaching, leading an ox to the water; and he asked the young
peasant to tell him the name of the place and the country. But the
youth seemed to be displeased by the question, and answered in a
severe tone: "If you want to know the name of this place, go back
to where you came from, and ask Gen-Kum-Pei."[2] So the voyager,
feeling afraid, hastened to his boat, and returned to China. There he
sought out the sage Gen-Kum-Pei, to whom he related the adventure.
Gen-Kum-Pei clapped his hands for wonder, and exclaimed, "So it was
you!... On the seventh day of the seventh month I was gazing at
the heavens, and I saw that the Herdsman and the Weaver were about
to meet;--but between them was a new Star, which I took to be a
Guest-Star. Fortunate man! you have been to the River of Heaven, and
have looked upon the face of the Weaving-Lady!..."

[Footnote 2: This is the Japanese reading of the Chinese name.]

* * * * *

--It is said that the meeting of the Herdsman and the Weaver can be
observed by any one with good eyes; for whenever it occurs those stars
burn with five different colors. That is why offerings of five colors
are made to the Tanabata divinities, and why the poems composed in
their praise are written upon paper of five different tints.

But, as I have said before, the pair can meet only in fair weather.