Then, in a dream which came to him, he saw a tall and beautiful maiden, who showed him her right foot, around which was bound a red cord.
“What does this mean?” asked Pei-Hang, who could hardly take his eyes away from her face to look at her foot.
“What does the red cord around your own foot mean?” replied the girl.
Then Pei-Hang looked at his right foot, and saw that it was tied to the girl’s by the same thin red cord. So he knew that he had met his future wife.
“My mother used to say that when a boy is born, the Moon Fairy ties an invisible red cord around his right foot, and the other end of the cord encircles the foot of the girl-baby whom he is to marry,” said he.
“Quite true,” said the maiden, “and to people who are awake this cord is invisible. Now I will tell you my name, that you may remember it. It is Yun-Ying.”
“And I will tell you mine,” began Pei-Hang, but Yun-Ying stopped him, smiling.
“Ah, I know yours, and all about you,” she said.
Pei-Hang was greatly surprised, but he need not have been, for everyone in Chang-ngan knew that he was Pin-Too’s wisest, handsomest, and best-loved pupil. And Yun-Ying lived close to the city, and had often seen him walking through the streets carrying his books.
When Pei-Hang awoke, he looked for the red cord around his foot, but he saw neither this nor the fair maiden.