The Tengu's Game of Go Read Online Free PDF Page A

uncertainly. It was so long since he had seen her that he could not be sure of recognizing her. At first he thought it was her, grown taller and older, and then, as he came closer, he knew it was not. He remembered Kinpoge as bright and pretty, but this woman was the most beautiful he had ever seen, with pale skin, red lips, and hair so long and thick it covered her like a silky shawl. Her tiny white feet emerged from it like little flowers and he felt an almost uncontrollable urge to kneel before her and touch them with his lips.
    â€œA young warrior!” the woman said, her voice as charming and melodious as a songbird’s. “Come, let me take you to my house. I will give you food and wine.”
    Take refused politely, saying, “Thank you, I must not inconvenience you. But I am looking for a girl and her father. They live somewhere around here—do you know them? I’d be very grateful if you could direct me to their place.”
    The woman made a sound like a hiss and her tongue flickered in her perfectly formed mouth.
    â€œCome with me and refresh yourself. Then I will set you on your way.”
    She held out her hand and Take, suddenly realizing he was unbearably hungry and thirsty, was about to take it, when there was a clattering overhead, a shower of leaves and twigs fell, and the skull horse, Ban, with Kinpoge clinging to it, landed on the ground in front of him.
    â€œDon’t let her touch you!” she shrieked, as she let go of Ban and pushed Take back. He lost his footing and dropped the pole, but turned his fall into a backward roll and came up on his feet, grabbing the pole and brandishing it. Kinpoge turned to face the woman and said a few words that Take did not understand. The woman’s head flattened and her body stretched out, sucking her limbs and her tiny feet up into it. She hissed again, her snake tongue spitting at them, before her huge, brightly patterned shape slithered away between the vines.
    â€œShe will be very disappointed,” Kinpoge said. “She probably hasn’t run across a young man in years.”
    â€œWhat was she?” Take said.
    â€œA snake woman—a sort of ghost. She has an insatiable appetite for sex, but she sucks her lovers dry and then casts them aside like snakeskins. Luckily for you Ban and I came along when we did.”
    â€œI wasn’t taken in by her,” Take said. “I would never have gone with her.” But his heart was pounding with fear and regret.
    â€œFine! You can look after yourself. That’s why you’re wandering around lost. I suppose you were coming to find us? I’ll meet you at home.” She grabbed Ban’s reins and clicked her tongue at him. As the skull horse rose into the air, Take cried, “Wait! I’m sorry. It’s true, I am lost. That is, I’m not sure of the way. Please go with me.”
    The horse hovered. She called, “Say, ‘Thank you, Kinpoge, for saving me from the snake woman.’”
    He repeated the words and added, smiling, “I am very pleased to see you again.”
    â€œReally? Or is it just that you want my father to teach you?”
    â€œI am pleased, really,” he said.
    Ban came slowly down and Kinpoge slid off. “So you don’t want to learn from my father?”
    â€œOf course I do! Can’t both be true?”
    â€œOnce you start learning from my father, you won’t care for me anymore,” Kinpoge said, giving him a mournful look.
    â€œHe’ll probably turn me away again,” Take said, as they began to walk back the way he had come.
    â€œNo, he has been waiting for you,” Kinpoge said.
    â€œHe has? What made him change his mind?”
    â€œYou’ll have to ask him,” she returned.
    *   *   *
    The hut was still a long day’s walk away. Mostly he followed Kinpoge, but where the forest allowed they walked side by side.
    â€œMy real name is Takeyoshi,”