The Twins had a hot bath every day, but they usually took it before going to bed. The bath-tub was in a little room by itself. It was shaped a little like a barrel, and it had a stove set right in the side of it to heat the water. Taro went to the bathroom and climbed over the edge of the tub. It was hard to get up because the tub was high. He dropped into the water with a great splash. Take and her Mother heard the splash.
Then they heard something else. They heard screams! "Ow-ow-ow!" shrieked Taro. "Take me out! take me out! I'm boiled!"
The Mother and Take ran as fast as they could to the tub. Taro's head just showed over the edge. His mouth was open, the tears were streaming down his cheeks, and the air was full of "ows." His Mother reached her arm down into the water.
"It isn't so very hot, Taro," she said; "I can bear my hand in it."
"Ow—ow!" said Taro. He didn't even say, "Ow! ow! Honorable Mother!" as one might have thought such a very polite boy would do.
And he tried to get both feet off the bottom of the tub at the same time!
The Mother put some cold water into the tub. Taro stopped screaming.
"Oh, Taro," Take called to him, "you aren't really and truly boiled, are you?"
"Almost," sniffed Taro; "I'm as red as a red dragon. I think my skin will come off."
"I know you are dreadfully hurt, poor Taro," Take said, "because a son of the Samurai never complains, no matter how hard his lot."