Gift for the lover

　　Once upon a distant time, people made love by givin g up some part of their bodies to their lovers. Everyon e possessed leather bags into which their mates placed some part of their bodies as they made love. A fingerna il or strand of hair, an eyelash or a bit of skin were commonly exchanged. But it was not uncommon to hear of fingers or ears or a whole arm or leg being slipped int o a bag in moments of great love or great passion. Ther e were even a few stories of lovers who actually climbe d into the leather bags and disappeared, literally swep t away by their emotions.

　　The donated body parts sometimes rejuvenated miracu lously, the handicap evoked by their love. Of course, t hose who climbed into the leather bags of another never emerged again. It was commonly thought that such people were reborn, perhaps as a family member of their lovers .

　　In those days the phrases "giving yourself to your lover" and "making sacrifices for love" were taken quit e literally.

　　Notes:

　　1. strand: 缕

　　2. slip: 塞入

　　3. rejuvenate: 复原

　　4. evoke: 唤起