The son of lower-class goldfish sellers falls in love with the beautiful daughter of his rich patron. After he is sent away to study the science of goldfish breeding, with strict orders to return and make his patron's fortune, he vows to devote his life to producing one ideal, perfect goldfish specimen to reflect his loved-one's beauty. This poignant and deft tale is published here with another novella by Okamoto, the story of a pauper from Kyoto who teaches himself to be an accomplished chef. Together, these two novellas show the great Japanese writer at her most precise, fluent and lucid.