THE LUCKY HUNTER AND THE SKILFUL FISHERMAN
 

PRINCE HOWOR was a famous hunter, and his brother Ruko was a famous fisherman. But Ruko would often spend hours on the sea, when the wind blew and the waves ran high, and catch no fish. Frequently he stayed at home if the storm-god was abroad and did not go out with his boat at all.

As for Howor, however rough the weather, he always hunted, and he never failed to return at nightfall laden with spoil from the mountains. One day Howor spoke to his brother and said, "You go constantly to the sea with your line and hook and I to the forest with my bow and arrow. But really, it is rather dull doing the same thing so continuously. Let me take your place for a while, and I will become a skilful fisherman, and you shall go to the mountains with my bow and arrow and become a lucky hunter."

"Well, I believe your plan is a good one," said Ruko, and he took the bow and arrow, and Howor took the line and fish-hook.

Prince Ruko at once started for the mountains, but he was no hunter. He could not track the game, nor run swiftly, nor take good aim.

Neither did Prince Howor succeed any better. Day after day he went out to sea and vainly threw his line, and at each day's end the Lucky Hunter, who could hit the swiftest flying bird, had not caught one little fish. Moreover, he finally lost Ruko's fish-hook. "Oh, horrors!" thought he, "it is my brother's most treasured possession. What shall I do?"

Then Howor went to Ruko and said, "There is the luck of the mountains, and there is the luck of the sea. Let each of us restore to the other his own luck. I have not caught a single fish with your hook, and now the hook is lost in the sea."

"What is this you tell me "exclaimed Ruko in a passion. "I went out hunting just to please you, and now you have lost my hook. Go at once and find it, for you shall not have your bow and arrow until you do."

Ruko's rough words made Prince Howor unhappy. He broke in pieces his good sword and made five hundred fish-hooks which he offered to his brother; but this did not appease the wrath of Prince Ruko, who still raged and asked for his own hook. "If you bring me a million hooks," said he, "it will make no difference. I shall not forgive you until I get my own hook."

 

 

For Howor there was neither help nor comfort. He sat one day mournfully by the shore and heaved a deep sigh when a strange old man suddenly appeared before him and asked the cause of his sorrow. Howor told him of the loss of the fish-hook and of his brother's displeasure. Thereupon the old man promised his assistance. He cut some saplings and plaited them so tightly together that the water could not pass through, and fashioned from this material a stout little boat. "The boat that I have made," said the old man to Howor, "is for you. It will carry you safely wherever it goes, and you need not fear, no matter what happens."

Then Howor jumped into the boat and was carried far out to sea. After a time the boat began to sink, and it went down beneath the waves and carried Howor with it. Deeper and deeper it sank until at last it rested on the ocean bottom near a glittering palace of fishes' scales. Prince Howor stepped out, and the boat immediately disappeared. At the same moment he heard someone approaching. He was not sure whether he would meet friends or foes in this strange region and he climbed into a great tree that grew close by and sat among the wide-spreading branches. Straight below him was a well.

Soon he saw a maiden coming and in her hands she carried a jewelled bowl. She was the lovely Toyota, the daughter of Watsu, the Sea-King. The maiden had long, flowing hair and soft blue eyes, and Howor was spellbound by her beauty.

As she stooped to fill her bowl she saw the reflection of Prince Howor in the water and was so startled that she allowed the precious bowl to slip from her hands. It was shattered in a thousand pieces, and Toyota glanced hastily upward in search of the person whose reflection she had beheld. As soon as she saw the prince she turned and ran into the palace to her father. "A man of the rarest grace and beauty sits in the great tree that overhangs the well!" she exclaimed.

Then Watsu went forth and stood under the great tree. He looked up to Howor and said, "Come down and enter my Palace of the Ocean-Bed."

Howor descended from the tree and was led into the palace where he was given a seat in a place of honor, and a splendid banquet was prepared and served. The prince thought he had never partaken of such a noble repast. When it was ended he went with Toyota and her father to the roof of the palace. Dimly through the blue waters that moved above he could discern the sun. He saw the mountains and valleys of the ocean, and the waving forests of tall sea-plants.

The princess at the well