We did it!" said Annie. "We made our ownmagic!""Yeah, we got the Cloud Dragon to put out the fire,"breathed Jack. He felt dazed. "Do you think we'renear Basho's house?""I think so," said Annie. "We asked the CloudDragon to take us there, so I bet she did. Come on,let's find Basho."Jack and Annie stood up and started walking alongthe edge of the river. They walked barefoot throughthe mud, under dripping trees.
97"Hey, there's the clearing," said Annie.
Jack and Annie headed toward the clearingnbeyond the trees and tall grass.
"Oh, no!" cried Annie. "Look!"In the clearing, rain was falling on the charredruins of Basho's house. The shingled roof and thebamboo walls of the little hut had burned andcollapsed.
"Where's Basho?" said Jack, scared.
"There!" said Annie.
The famous poet sat on a log next to his bananatree in the gray rain. His clothes were blackened. Hisface was covered with soot. He clutched his writingbox.
"Basho!" yelled Annie.
Basho looked up. A smile crossed his dirty,weathered face. "I looked for you by the river, butdidn't see you!" he said. "I am glad you are safe.""We're glad you're safe, too," said Jack.
"But your castle! Your castle burned down," saidAnnie.
98"Yes. It burned before the miracle of the rain," saidBasho, sighing.
Jack and Annie sat on the log next to him. Throughthe smoky drizzle, they all stared at the rubble. Treesand plants dripped with rain. A pigeon cooed.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Anniebroke the silence. "I'm glad you still have your bananatree," she said. "I like the sound of the rain falling onthe leaves."Basho looked up, but didn't say anything.
"Yeah, and I like the sound of the river," said Jack.
"It's louder now since the rain came."Basho tilted his head as if listening to the rain onthe leaves of the banana plant and to the steadyrushing sounds of the river. His face softened. "Yes, Ilike those things, too," he said. He held up his woodenbox. "And I still have my poems.""Don't worry, Basho," said Annie. "Everything canbe built again.""And your castle will be even more beautiful thanbefore," said Jack.
99Basho smiled. "I suppose that is why the ancientscalled our fires `the flowers of Edo,"' he said.
"What do you mean?" asked Jack.
"After something is destroyed by fire, a good newthing often takes its place," said Basho. "Just as afterthe bleakest winter, beautiful flowers return with thespring.""I'm sure you'll make many beautiful flowers," saidAnnie.
"Thank you," said Basho. "I am sorry, though, thatyou and Jack will not have a place to stay now.""Don't worry," said Annie. "We have to travel backto our own house.""How far away is that?" asked Basho.
"Veryfar," said Annie. She and Jack stood up. "But wejust need to get back to the Imperial Garden. We'llknow the way from there.""Good," said Basho. He stood up. "Come, I willaccompany you back to the garden.""Thanks, that would be great!" said Jack.
100Basho picked up his walking stick. Then he led Jackand Annie along the bank of the river. Through thelight drizzle, they saw a ferryboat moving upstream.
Basho waved, and the pilot steered the boat to shore.
Jack and Annie followed Basho onto the ferry. Thethree of them sat together on a wooden bench. Theother passengers stared at them. Many had ashes ontheir clothes and soot on their faces. Jack was relievedto see that no samurai were on board.
"Greetings, Master Basho," the pilot said. The otherpassengers nodded respectfully to Basho. They smiledas if the presence of the great poet gave them hope.
"The rains were a miracle, were they not, MasterBasho?" an old woman said. "Indeed they were," saidBasho.
"I guess the Cloud Dragon showed up just in time,"said Annie.
`Annie," whispered Jack.
101Basho smiled at her. "I am afraid no one believes inthe Cloud Dragon anymore, Annie," he said. "But it islovely to pretend, is it not?""Yes, it is lovely," said Annie.
The rain stopped as the ferryboat traveled on up theriver. Mist rose from the water, and birds began tosing.
When they passed the teahouses, Jack and Anniesaw firefighters cleaning up after the fire, sweepingup broken tiles and scrubbing the walkways. Waiterswere bringing them tea.
The sun was shining by the time they passed thepuppet stage and the charred lumberyard. Wisps ofsmoke still rose from the black piles of burned logs.
The ferryboat floated on through the brightmorning. It glided under the Great Bridge and pastthe crowded fish market. Fishermen were hauling intheir catch from the night before.
By the time they moved past the samurai castlesand came near the moat of the Imperial102Garden, the sun had completely dried out Jack's andAnnie's kimonos.
The boat pulled up to the landing. Basho helpedJack and Annie onto the dock. He waved good-bye tothe boat passengers.
Jack, Annie, and Basho walked over the stonebridge that crossed the moat. They walked throughthe massive gate in the high wall. Then they followedthe paths of the Imperial Garden, around the big rocksand the pond with the swans.
Jack kept an eye out for horses and samuraiwarriors. But the garden was as peaceful as whenthey had first landed. It was filled with birdsong. Thewillows swayed. Water from the waterfall tumbledinto the green pool. Jack caught sight of the sunshining on the tree house high in the cherry tree.
Jack stopped walking. "We know our way homefrom here," he said to Basho.
"Are you certain?" asked Basho. He did not seem tonotice the tree house in the cherry tree.
"We're sure," said Annie. "Once we start on ourway, the trip will be easy."Basho nodded. "You remind me of the famoussaying of the samurai Musashi," he said.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with onestep. "'
"I've heard that saying before," said Jack.
"Words can outlive their creators," said Basho.
"Though I will never be so lucky as to have mineoutlive me.""Don't be too sure of that," said Annie.
Basho gave them a little smile. "I hope you bothwill return to Edo someday," he said. "Look for mewhen you come back. I should have a lovely newcastle on the river by then.""Thanks," said Jack.
"Good-bye," said Annie.
They both bowed to Basho.
Basho bowed to them. Then the great poet turnedand left them. Falling cherry blossoms floated on thewind as he walked away.
Jack and Annie watched Basho until they could nolonger see him. Then they turned to go. Just as theystarted walking, a man stepped out from the shadowsof the garden. The man wore a blue coat and twoswords hung from his belt.
"Excuse me," said the samurai. "May I see yourpassports, please?" |