"Because no one can carry it at all," concluded the good-natured Geni softly to himself.
Pei-Hang folded his arms and sat still, and thought, and thought, and took no notice of their gibes and jeers. He had not studied for three years under the wisest man in Chang-ngan for nothing, and, besides, he was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when young men are very much in love, they sometimes accomplish things which seem to be impossible.
At last he jumped up and asked the friendly Geni if he would make a little heap of stones at one side of the mortar.
"I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough," said he.
"And why don't you do it yourself?" asked the Geni.
"Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious stones," replied Pei-Hang.
Then he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry.
