Umé clapped her hands and danced about the room.
"May the Emperor live forever!" she sang; and Tara wheeled and marched like a soldier, shouting, "May Japan never be conquered!"
CHAPTER XIV
DARUMA SAMA
Among the stories which O Ba San told to Umé and her brother was one about Daruma Sama.
Daruma Sama was a Japanese saint who lived many, many years ago. It was his great desire to cross the sea on a leaf, but in order to do so it was first necessary for him to pray long and sincerely to the gods.
He knelt in prayer for many years, and at last his feet and legs fell from his body because they had been idle so long a time.
In all the toy-shops there are images of this saint with his large head and big round body which has no trouble in sitting still.