The Japanese Twins [8]
bring in dirt and soil the pretty white mats. That was why she took them off. Take bowed to the old woman. "Oha-yo?" she said politely. "Oha-yo?" said the old woman to Take. The Twins' Mother heard them. She came to the door. She bowed to the old woman, and the old woman bowed to her. "Come in," said the Mother. "I hope you will make my hair look very nice today, because we are going to the Temple." The old woman smiled. "I will make it shine like satin," she said. The Mother got out her little mirror and sat down on the floor. The hairdresser stood behind her and began to take down the Mother's long black hair. Bot'Chan had been awake a long time. Taro was playing with him on the floor. The Mother called Take. "Daughter," she said, "a little nap would make our baby wide awake and happy when we start for the Temple. Would you like to put him to sleep?" Take loved to put Bot'Chan to sleep better than anything else in the world. She took him in her arms and hugged him close. Then she swayed back and forth, and sang this little song: "How big and beautiful Sir Baby Boy is growing. "When he becomes a good boy, too, then I will make our garden larger, and build a little treasure house for him. "Next to the treasure-house I will plant pine trees. Next to the pine trees I will plant bamboo. Next to the bamboo I will plant plum trees. "To the branches of the plum trees shall be hung little bells! When those little bells ring, O Sir Baby Boy, how happy you will be!" (Adapted from translation by Sir Edwin Arnold.)
She sang over and over, and softer and softer, about the little bells; and by the time the hairdresser had finished the Mother's hair and gone away, Bot'Chan was fast asleep. Then Natsu put him down on some soft mats, and combed Take's hair. Take stood still, like a brave little girl, though there were three snarls in it, and Natsu pulled dreadfully! When every one was ready to go, they looked very splendid indeed. They all wore kimonos of the finest silk, with the family crest embroidered on the back and left sleeve. And Bot'Chan had new clothes that Grannie and Mother had made especially for him to wear on his first visit to the Temple. When everybody else was dressed and ready, Natsu waked Bot'Chan and put his new clothes on him. "Now, we can start," said the Mother. She took Bot'Chan in her arms. Natsu slid open the door, and they all stepped out on the porch.
HOW THEY WENT TO THE TEMPLE HOW THEY WENT TO THE TEMPLE THE Twins were just stepping into their clogs when the front gate opened, and what do you think they saw! In came trotting three brown men, each one pulling a little carriage behind him! They came right up to the porch. Take was just standing on one foot, ready to slip her other one into the strap of her clog, when they came in. She was so surprised she fell right over backward! She picked herself up again quickly, and hopped along, with one shoe on and one shoe off: "Are we going to ride?" she gasped. Her Father laughed. "Yes, little pop-eyes," he said; "we are going to ride to the Temple, and you and Taro shall ride in one rickshaw all by yourselves." The name of these little carriages drawn by men instead of horses is "jinrickshas," but he called them "rickshaws" for short. The Twins were so happy they could hardly keep still. They looked at all three rickshaws and all three men, and then they said to their Father: "May we ride in this one?" It had red wheels. "Yes, you may ride in that one," he said. Then he got into the one with green wheels, and rode away. Mother and Grannie and the Baby got into the next one, and their rickshaw man trotted away after Father. "Keep close behind us," the Mother called back to the Twins. They got into the rickshaw with the red wheels, and away they flew. The Twins had never been in a rickshaw alone before in all their lives. They sat up very straight, and held on tight because it bounced a good deal, and the rickshaw man could run very fast. "I feel as grand as a princess," Take whispered to Taro. "How do you feel?" "I feel like a son of the Samurai,"
She sang over and over, and softer and softer, about the little bells; and by the time the hairdresser had finished the Mother's hair and gone away, Bot'Chan was fast asleep. Then Natsu put him down on some soft mats, and combed Take's hair. Take stood still, like a brave little girl, though there were three snarls in it, and Natsu pulled dreadfully! When every one was ready to go, they looked very splendid indeed. They all wore kimonos of the finest silk, with the family crest embroidered on the back and left sleeve. And Bot'Chan had new clothes that Grannie and Mother had made especially for him to wear on his first visit to the Temple. When everybody else was dressed and ready, Natsu waked Bot'Chan and put his new clothes on him. "Now, we can start," said the Mother. She took Bot'Chan in her arms. Natsu slid open the door, and they all stepped out on the porch.
HOW THEY WENT TO THE TEMPLE HOW THEY WENT TO THE TEMPLE THE Twins were just stepping into their clogs when the front gate opened, and what do you think they saw! In came trotting three brown men, each one pulling a little carriage behind him! They came right up to the porch. Take was just standing on one foot, ready to slip her other one into the strap of her clog, when they came in. She was so surprised she fell right over backward! She picked herself up again quickly, and hopped along, with one shoe on and one shoe off: "Are we going to ride?" she gasped. Her Father laughed. "Yes, little pop-eyes," he said; "we are going to ride to the Temple, and you and Taro shall ride in one rickshaw all by yourselves." The name of these little carriages drawn by men instead of horses is "jinrickshas," but he called them "rickshaws" for short. The Twins were so happy they could hardly keep still. They looked at all three rickshaws and all three men, and then they said to their Father: "May we ride in this one?" It had red wheels. "Yes, you may ride in that one," he said. Then he got into the one with green wheels, and rode away. Mother and Grannie and the Baby got into the next one, and their rickshaw man trotted away after Father. "Keep close behind us," the Mother called back to the Twins. They got into the rickshaw with the red wheels, and away they flew. The Twins had never been in a rickshaw alone before in all their lives. They sat up very straight, and held on tight because it bounced a good deal, and the rickshaw man could run very fast. "I feel as grand as a princess," Take whispered to Taro. "How do you feel?" "I feel like a son of the Samurai,"