THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE
MOON-CHILD.Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was
very poor and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his
old age, and in his heart there was no hope of rest from work till
he died and was laid in the quiet grave. Every morning he went
forth into the woods and hills wherever the bamboo reared its lithe
green plumes against the sky. When he had made his choice, he would
cut down these feathers of the forest, and splitting them
lengthwise, or cutting them into joints, would carry the bamboo
wood home and make it into various articles for the household, and
he and his old wife gained a small livelihood by selling them.
One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having
found a nice clump of bamboos, had set to wo
