Green Willow
The Lord of Noto entrusts the samurai Tomodata with a message and imposes an unusual condition on his journey. Grace James opens the tale with a dialogue that sets loyalty and love on a collision course.
From the text
Now his daimyo, the Lord of Noto, wanted a man to undertake a mission of trust. He chose Tomodata, and called him to his presence. "Are you loyal? " said the daimyo. "My lord, you know it," answered Tomodata. "Do you love me, then? " asked the daimyo. "Ay, my good lord," said Tomodata, kneeling before him.
Grace James; illustrations by Warwick Goble · London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1910; forty colour illustrations by Warwick Goble. · Macmillan and Co., Limited · 1910
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