Three Spirits
The versatile Makoto, a son of Emperor Saga and the Minister of the Left,
was an especially fine musician. On the long, mellow-sounding zither
called the koto, no one could compare with him. One evening he
became so absorbed in his playing that he went on all night, never even
closing the latticework shutters that swung up horizontally to open onto
the garden. Finally, near dawn, he began a rare and difficult piece.
Noticing a light over one of the shutters he stole out, mystified, for a
look. Three spirits, each a foot tall, were dancing on the shutter and the
light was their shining presence. They had come down to hear him! He was
filled with a tender awe.
What a lovely thing to have happen!