[From Contes Populaires.]




The Story of the Yara



Down in the south, where the sun shines so hotly that everything
and everybody sleeps all day, and even the great forests seem
silent, except early in the morning and late in the evening--down
in this country there once lived a young man and a maiden. The
girl had been born in the town, and had scarcely ever left it;
but the young man was a native of another country, and had only
come to the city near the great river because he could find no
work to do where he was.

A few months after his arrival, when the days were cooler, and
the people did not sleep so much as usual, a great feast was held
a little way out of the town, and to this feast everyone flocked
from thirty miles and more. Some walked and some rode, some came
in beautiful golden coaches; but all had on splendid dresses of
red or blue, while wreaths of flowers rested on their hair.

It was the first time that the youth had been present on such an
occasion, and he stood silently aside watching the graceful
dances and the pretty games played by the young people. And as
he watched, he noticed one girl, dressed in white with scarlet