214 | ALL ABOARD FOR SUNRISE LANDS.

told it to come along. The fox followed, assuming the form of
the man’s sister. He invited it to a restaurant, where they had
a splendid lunch. The man excused himself awhile, and sent his
servants into the room, who found no woman, but an immense fox
rapaciously devouring the good things there! A rush was made
for the animal, but it made off. The man came back and boasted
of the joke he had played on the fox, supposing it had been captured
or killed. Instead of either result, the fox was gone and a big
bill left behind for the man to pay.

“On the night preceding the day Kitsune is to be worshipped,
the foxes are said to have their Sabbath gathering around a scraggy
old tree, in the midst of an ugly marsh, and strange lights flash
and flare about them.” S