As soon as preparations could be made, the wedding of the prince and princess was celebrated with great splendor, and they lived happily ever after.
THE LOVE OF THE SNOW-WHITE FOX
ONCE upon a time there lived a young fox that was snow-white, and it was so gentle and intelligent that it was beloved by all the good people for miles around. If, in the evening, it knocked softly at their doors with its tail they were glad, and were quick to let it in. When it entered it would play with the children, eat of their humble fare, and then trot away. But there were hunters in the country who wanted to kill the beautiful white fox. Once or twice it nearly lost its life at the hands of these cruel men.
One summer afternoon, as it was frisking about in the woods with some young fox friends, two men caught sight of it. They were fleet of foot and had dogs with them. Away ran the white fox, and the men uttered an excited cry and gave chase. Instead of going deeper into the forest the fox ran across the open farm lands until it came to a holy temple. “There, surely, I will find a safe refuge from my pursuers,” it thought.
In the temple there happened to be a young prince of noble family named Yashi, deep in meditation. The white fox, whose strength was nearly spent, came running in at the door and went directly to the prince and took refuge behind him. The poor creature trembled with fright, and Yashi took pity on it and did all he could to calm its fears. “I will protect you, little one,” said he. “No one shall harm you.”
The fox looked up at him and seemed to understand his words. It ceased to tremble. The prince went to the door of the great temple. Two men hastened up to him and asked if he had seen a snow-white fox. “It must have run into the temple,” they declared.
But Yashi, faithful to his promise, answered, “I have been in the temple praying, but I can tell you nothing of the fox.”