The Japanese Twins [12]
garden," he said. "Take must have one cake for herself, and then we will go on." Take baked a cake for herself and ate it She called it a "poor" cake aloud, but inside she thought it was the very best cake that any one ever made! When she had finished, she and Taro and the Father bowed politely to the old woman. "Sayonara," they said. That means "good-bye." The old woman bowed. "Sayonara," she called to them. The Twins and their Father walked on. They soon found the dolls' garden. In it were many tiny pine trees like theirs at home. There were little plum trees, and bamboos, and a tiny tea-house in it. There was a pond with a little bridge, too. "Oh!" cried Take, "if it only had little bells on the plum trees, this would be the very garden I sang about to Bot'Chan; wouldn't it?" She stooped down and peeped under the little trees. Let's play we are giants!" she said to Taro. "Giants roar," said Taro. "You roar," said Take. "It wouldn't be polite for a lady giant to roar!" "Giants are different. They don't have to be polite," Taro explained. "Well, you can roar," said Take, "but I shall play I'm a polite lady giant taking a walk in my garden! My head is in the clouds, and every step I take is a mile long!" She picked up her kimono. She turned her little nose up to the sky, and took a very long step. Taro came roaring after her. But just that minute Take's clog turned on her foot, and the first thing she knew she was flat on her stomach on the bridge! She forgot that lady giants didn't roar. Taro was roaring already. Their Father was ahead of them. He jumped right up in the air when he heard the noise. He wasn't used to such sounds from the Twins. He turned back. "What is the matter?" he said. He picked Take up and set her on her feet. "We're giants," sobbed Take. "Her head was in the clouds," said Taro. "It is well even for giants to keep an eye on the earth when they are out walking," the Father said. "Are you hurt?" "Yes, I'm hurt," Take said; "but I don't think I'm broken anywhere." "Giants don't break easily at all," her Father answered. "I think you'll be all right if we go to your castle!" "My castle!" cried Take. "Where is it?" "Right over there through the trees." He pointed to it. The Twins looked. They saw a high tower. "Would you like to climb to the top with me?" their Father said. "Oh, yes," Taro cried. "We aren't tired." "Or broken," Take added. So they went into the tower and climbed, and climbed, and climbed. It seemed as if the dark stairs would never end. "I believe the tower reaches clear to the sky!" said Take. "I don't believe it has any top at all!" said Taro. But just that minute they came out on an open platform, and what a sight they saw! The whole city was spread out before them. They could see gray roofs, and green trees, and roadways with people on them. The people looked about as big as ants crawling along. They could see rivers, and blue ponds, and canals. It seemed to the Twins that they could see the whole world. In a minute the Father said, "Look! Look over there against the sky!" The Twins looked. Far away they saw a great lonely mountain- peak. It was very high, and very pale against the pale blue sky. The top of it was rosy, as if the sun shone on it. The shadows were blue. Below the top there were clouds and mists. The mountain seemed to rise out of them and float in the air. The Twins clasped their hands. "It is Fuji!" they cried, both together. "Yes," said the Father. "It is Fuji, the most beautiful mountain in the world." By and by Take said, "I don't feel a bit like a giant any more." And Taro said, "Neither do I." For a long time they stood looking at it. Then they turned and crept quietly down the dark stairs, holding tight to their Father's hands. They went back to Mother and Grandmother and Bot'Chan under the cherry trees. "We must take the Baby home," said the Mother as soon as she saw them. "It's growing late." "Oh, mayn't we stay just a little longer?" Take begged. "Please," said Taro. "If we go now, we can go home by boat," said the Father. "I didn't believe a single other nice