It is much better to keep it safely here, and think sometimes of
what it means, than to wear it only for display. You can show
that you are a son of the Samurai, by acting as a gentleman
should act. You do not need the sword for that. A Samurai should
never do a mean thing. He should keep his life clean and
shining, like the sword. And he must always do what is best for
Japan, whether it is best for him or not."

This was a long speech. The Twins listened with all their ears,--
four of them,--but they did not quite understand it all. They
understood that their Father loved the sword, and that some time
it was to be Taro's, and that he must be a brave, good boy or he
would not be worthy of it; and that was a good deal, after all.

"May I touch it?" Taro asked.

"You may take it in your own hands," said his Father. And he
gave it to Taro almost as tenderly as he had given Bot'Chan to
Take that morning.

He showed him the polite way to hold it, with the edge toward
himself.

Then while Taro held the sword, his Father said: "I want to tell
you a poem that our Emperor's father wrote while he was Emperor,
and by and by when you are bigger I want you to learn it by
heart. Then, when you are a man, and look at the sword, you will
remember it. This is the poem: