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the current there when the river rises。
Mosaku and Minokichi were on their way home； one very cold evening； when a
great snowstorm overtook them。 They reached the ferry； and they found that
the boatman had gone away； leaving his boat on the other side of the river。
It was no day for swimming； and the woodcutters took shelter in the
ferryman's hut； thinking themselves lucky to find any shelter at all。
There was no brazier in the hut； nor any place in which to make a fire： it
was only a two…mat ＇1＇ hut； with a single door； but no window。 Mosaku and
Minokichi fastened the door； and lay down to rest； with their straw
rain…coats over them。 At first they did not feel very cold； and they
thought that the storm would soon be over。
The old man almost immediately fell asleep； but the boy； Minokichi； lay
awake a long time； listening to the awful wind； and the continual slashing
of the snow against the door。 The river was roaring； and the hut swayed and
creaked like a junk at sea。 It was a terrible storm； and the air was every
moment becoming colder； and Minokichi shivered under his rain…coat。 But at
last； in spite of the cold； he too fell asleep。
He was awakened by a showering of snow in his face。 The door of the hut
had been forced open； and； by the snow…light （yuki…akari）； he saw a woman
in the room； a woman all in white。 She was bending above Mosaku； and
blowing her breath upon him； and her breath was like a bright white
smoke。 Almost in the same moment she turned to Minokichi； and stooped over
him。 He tried to cry out； but found that he could not utter any sound。 The
white woman bent down over him； lower and lower； until her face almost
touched him； and he saw that she was very beautiful； though her eyes
made him afraid。 For a little time she continued to look at him； then she
smiled； and she whispered： 〃I intended to treat you like the other man。
But I cannot help feeling some pity for you； because you are so young。。。
You are a pretty boy； Minokichi； and I will not hurt you now。 But； if you
ever tell anybody even your own mother about what you have seen this
night； I shall know it； and then I will kill you。。。 Remember what I say！〃
With these words； she turned from him； and passed through the doorway。
Then he found himself able to move； and he sprang up； and looked out。 But
the woman was nowhere to be seen； and the snow was driving furiously into
the hut。 Minokichi closed the door； and secured it by fixing several
billets of wood against it。 He wondered if the wind had blown it open； he
thought that he might have been only dreaming； and might have mistaken the
gleam of the snow…light in the doorway for the figure of a white woman： but
he could not be sure。 He called to Mosaku； and was frightened because the
old man did not answer。 He put out his hand in the dark； and touched
Mosaku's face； and found that it was ice！ Mosaku was stark and dead。。。
By dawn the storm was over； and when the ferryman returned to his station；
a little after sunrise； he found Minokichi lying senseless beside the
frozen body of Mosaku。 Minokichi was promptly cared for； and soon came to
himself； but he remained a long time ill from the effects of the cold of
that terrible night。 He had been greatly frightened also by the old man's
death； but he said nothing about the vision of the woman in white。 As soon
as he got well again； he returned to his calling； going alone every
morning to the forest； and coming back at nightfall with his bundles of
wood； which his mother helped him to sell。
One evening； in the winter of the following year； as he was on his way
home； he overtook a girl who happened to be traveling by the same road。 She
was a tall； slim girl； very good…looking； and she answered Minokichi's
greeting in a voice as pleasant to the ear as the voice of a song…bird。
Then he walked beside her； and they began to talk。 The girl said that her
name was O…Yuki ＇2＇； that she had lately lost both of her parents； and that
she was going to Yedo （2）； where she happened to have some poor relations；
who might help her to find a situation as a servant。 Minokichi soon felt
charmed by this strange girl； and the more that he looked at her； the
handsomer she appeared to be。 He asked her whether she was yet betrothed；
and she answered； laughingly； that she was free。 Then； in her turn； she
asked Minokichi whether he was married； or pledge to marry； and he told her
that； although he had only a widowed mother to support； the question of an
〃honorable daughter…in…law〃 had not yet been considered； as he was very
young。。。 After these confidences； they walked on for a long while without
speaking； but； as the proverb declares； Ki ga areba； me mo kuchi hodo ni
mono wo iu： 〃When the wish is there； the eyes can say as much as the
mouth。〃 By the time they reached the village； they had become very much
pleased with each other； and then Minokichi asked O…Yuki to rest awhile at
his house。 After some shy hesitation； she went there with him； and his
mother made her welcome； and prepared a warm meal for her。 O…Yuki behaved
so nicely that Minokichi's mother took a sudden fancy to her； and persuaded
her to delay her journey to Yedo。 And the natural end of the matter was
that Yuki never went to Yedo at all。 She remained in the house； as an
〃honorable daughter…in…law。〃
O…Yuki proved a very good daughter…in…law。 When Minokichi's mother came to
die； some five years later； her last words were words of affection and
praise for the wife of her son。 And O…Yuki bore Minokichi ten children；
boys and girls； handsome children all of them； and very fair of skin。
The country…folk thought O…Yuki a wonderful person； by nature different
from themselves。 Most of the peasant…women age early； but O…Yuki； even
after having become the mother of ten children； looked as young and fresh
as on the day when she had first come to the village。
One night； after the children had gone to sleep； O…Yuki was sewing by the
light of a paper lamp； and Minokichi； watching her； said：
〃To see you sewing there； with the light on your face； makes me think of a
strange thing that happened when I was a lad of eighteen。 I then saw
somebody as beautiful and white as you are now indeed； she was very like
you。〃。。。
Without lifting her eyes from her work； O…Yuki responded：
〃Tell me about her。。。 Where did you see her？
Then Minokichi told her about the terrible night in the ferryman's hut；
and about the White Woman that had stooped above him； smiling and
whispering； and about the silent death of old Mosaku。 And he said：
〃Asleep or awake； that was the only time that I saw a being as beautiful
as you。 Of course； she was not a human being； and I was afraid of her；
very much afraid； but she was so white！。。。 Indeed； I have never been sure
whether it was a dream that I saw； or the Woman of theSnow。〃。。。
O…Yuki flung down her sewing； and arose； and bowed above Minokichi where
he sat； and shrieked into his face：
〃It was I I I！ Yuki it was！ And I told you then that I would kill
you if you ever said one work about it！。。。 But for those children asleep
there； I would kill you this moment！ And now you had better take very； very
good care of them； for if ever they have reason to complain of you； I will
treat you as you deserve！〃。。。
Even as she screamed； her voice became thin； like a crying of wind； then
she melted into a bright white mist that spired to the roof…beams； and
shuddered away through the smoke…hold。。。 Never again was she seen。
THE STORY OF AOYAGI
In the era of Bummei ＇1469…1486＇ there was a young samurai called Tomotada
in the service of Hatakeyama Yoshimune； the Lord of Noto （1）。 Tomotada was
a native of Echizen （2）； but at an early age he had been taken； as page；
into the palace of the daimyo of Noto； and had been educated； under the
supervision of that prince； for the profession of arms。 As he grew up； he
proved himself both a good scholar and a good soldier； and continued to
enjoy the favor of his prince。 Being gifted with an amiable character； a
winning address； and a very handsome person； he was admired and much liked
by his samurai…comrades。
When Tomotada was about twenty years old； he was sent upon a private
mission to Hosokawa Masamoto； the great daimyo of Kyoto； a kinsman of
Hatakeyama Yoshimune。 Having been ordered to journey through Echizen； the
youth requested and obtained permission to pay a visit； on the way； to his
widowed mother。
It was the coldest period of the year when he started； and； though mounted
upon a powerful horse； he found himself obliged to proceed slowly。 The road
which he followed passed through a mountain…district where the settlements
were few and far between； and on the second day of his journey； after a
weary ride of hours； he was dismayed to find that he