THE FIRE ROBE.  Lord Abe, whom the princess had ordered to go to China to get her the fire-robe, was very rich and much respected and had friends in all parts of the land. One of these lived over in China, and to him he despatched a faithful retainer with a large sum of money and begged him to spare neither time nor trouble in procuring a fur dress made of the skins of fire-rats, whatever they might be. The friend read the letter and exclaimed, “Well, well! here's a pretty to-do! To be sure I have heard of fire-rats, but a robe of their skins is not to be had for the asking, indeed it is only once in a lifetime		that one is brought from India. If it were for any one but Lord Abe I would positively decline to have anything to do with it, but for him I shall do my very best, though I am sure I do not know how to set about it.”  After long and careful inquiry he learned that years before a holy hermit from India had brought a mantle, or dress of some kind, made of the skins of fire-rats, but what had become of it, -that, nobody knew. One day by mere chance he learned that this fur robe was carefully kept as a sacred relic in a temple away off in the western mountains.  To this temple he despatched a messenger carrying letters of recommendation from high officials. By the help of these letters he at last obtained the robe, but had to pay
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