Page 66 - English_Spark_8

with perfume. The news of this soon spread in the village, and everyone ran out to

see the wonder. The covetous couple also came to know about the story, collected the
remaining ashes of the mill so that they too could make withered trees blossom.

The kind old man, learning that his lord, the daimio, was to pass along the high road
near the village, wished to see him, taking his basket of ashes. As the train approached,

he climbed up into an old withered cherry tree that stood by the wayside.
Now, during the days of the daimios, it was the common practice, when their lord

passed by, for all the loyal people to close their high windows. They even pasted them
fast with a slip of paper, so that no one could commit the impertinence of looking down

on his lordship. All the people along the road used to fall upon their hands and knees
and remain face down until the procession passed by.

The train approached near. One tall, competent man walking ahead, cried out to the
people by the way, “Get down on your knees! Get down on your knees!” And every one

obeyed him while the procession was passing.
Suddenly the aged man up in the tree was spotted by the leader. He was going to call

out to him in an angry tone, but, seeing he was such an old fellow, he pretended as
if he had not seen him and passed him by. So, when the daimio’s palanquin reached

66 English-8