SENNIN THE HERMIT
In the far-away land of Japan, there was a little village that lay at the foot of a high mountain.
Every day the children went to play on the grassy bank near a pond at one end of the village. They threw stones into the water. They fished, and they sailed their toy boats. They picked the wild flowers that grew in the fields nearby. They carried with them rice to eat, and, from morning until evening, they played near the pond.
One day, while they were at play, the children were surprised to see an old man with a long, white beard walking toward them. He came from the direction of the mountain.
The children stopped their games to watch the old man. He came into their midst and, patting them upon their heads easily, made them his friends.
The children continued their play because they knew that the old man was kind.
The man watched the children, and when it was time for them to go home, he said, "Come to the flat rock on the side of the mountain tomorrow and I will show you some wonderful games."
Then he climbed up the mountain once more and disappeared.
The following morning, the children went to the flat rock. They found the old man waiting for them.
"Now, my dear children," he said, "I am going to amuse you. Look here!"
He picked up some dry sticks. He blew at the ends of the sticks, and at once they became sprays of beautiful cherry, plum, and peach blossoms. He passed a branch of each of the flowers to the girls.
Then he took a stone and threw it into the air. The stone turned into a dove!
Where was the little village? (choose two )
