Silkworms (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from SilkwormsThere is a pretty little legend as to the introduction of silk culture into Japan, which, though entirely mythical, is worth relating. There was a certain king of India who, following the fashion of the times, had many wives and a very large family, his favourite wife, however, was, much to his disappointment, for a long time childless. At last a child was born to them, but when the father heard that it was a daughter, instead of the son he had so passionately longed for, his exasperation was unbounded, and he expressed himself in no very guarded terms on the subject. His words were by some busybody reported to the mother of the unfortunate infant, and she was so deeply affected by them, that she soon afterwards died, leaving her husband a prey to the bitterest remorse. So inconsolable, indeed was he, that a few weeks after, he followed his wife to the grave, leaving the baby, Yonan Thsan Silkworm) by name, to the tender mercies of its very numerous step-mothers. Now step-mothers are not unfre quently very undesirable persons to be entrusted with the well being of a helpless orphan, and the present assemblage of ladies was no exception to the rule. They argued, rightly or wrongly, that this latest arrival would considerably interfere with the ambitious projects they had been forming for their own progeny, and that therefore it would really be an excellent thing if the little maiden could be comfortably and quietly disposed of. Having once made up their minds to this course, they did not take long to carry out their intention, but, in the attempt, they met with unexpected difficulties, for the young lady proved a good deal more self-assertive than they had calculated for. That their own hands might not be stained with its blood, they had the child conveyed to a desert infested with lions, and there abandoned. Presently a young lion approached, and assumed a threatening attitude. But the royal infant, putting on great dignity and boldness of manner, accosted the enemy with the question, Who are you? The reply came in majestic tones.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.