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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4018-0.txt b/4018-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5d8846 --- /dev/null +++ b/4018-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7930 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Japanese Fairy Tales + +Author: Yei Theodora Ozaki + +Release Date: October 11, 2001 [eBook #4018] +[Most recently updated: November 4, 2021] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Charles Franks, Greg Weeks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +Japanese Fairy Tales + +COMPILED BY + +by Yei Theodora Ozaki + +Profusely Illustrated by Japanese Artists + + +Contents + + PREFACE + JAPANESE FAIRY TALES + MY LORD BAG OF RICE + THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW + THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD + THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + THE “SHINANSHA,” OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE + THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY + THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE. A STORY OF OLD JAPAN + THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE + THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD + THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA A STORY OF OLD JAPAN + THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA + THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR + THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER + THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER + THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY + THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB + THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE + MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH + THE OGRE OF RASHOMON + HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN + THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. AN OLD CHINESE STORY + + + + +TO +ELEANOR MARION-CRAWFORD. + +I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO YOU AND TO THE SWEET CHILD-FRIENDSHIP THAT YOU +GAVE ME IN THE DAYS SPENT WITH YOU BY THE SOUTHERN SEA, WHEN YOU USED +TO LISTEN WITH UNFEIGNED PLEASURE TO THESE FAIRY STORIES FROM FAR +JAPAN. MAY THEY NOW REMIND YOU OF MY CHANGELESS LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE. + +Y. T. O. +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +PREFACE + + +This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a suggestion +made to me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew Lang. They have +been translated from the modern version written by Sadanami Sanjin. +These stories are not literal translations, and though the Japanese +story and all quaint Japanese expressions have been faithfully +preserved, they have been told more with the view to interest young +readers of the West than the technical student of folk-lore. + +Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, my +brother Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko Yamao, +who have helped me with translations. + +The story which I have named “The Story of the Man who did not Wish to +Die” is taken from a little book written a hundred years ago by one +Shinsui Tamenaga. It is named Chosei Furo, or “Longevity.” “The +Bamboo-cutter and the Moon-child” is taken from the classic “Taketari +Monogatari,” and is NOT classed by the Japanese among their fairy +tales, though it really belongs to this class of literature. + +The pictures were drawn by Mr. Kakuzo Fujiyama, a Tokio artist. + +In telling these stories in English I have followed my fancy in adding +such touches of local color or description as they seemed to need or as +pleased me, and in one or two instances I have gathered in an incident +from another version. At all times, among my friends, both young and +old, English or American, I have always found eager listeners to the +beautiful legends and fairy tales of Japan, and in telling them I have +also found that they were still unknown to the vast majority, and this +has encouraged me to write them for the children of the West. + +Y. T. O. +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +JAPANESE FAIRY TALES + + + + +MY LORD BAG OF RICE + + +Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as +Tawara Toda, or “My Lord Bag of Rice.” His true name was Fujiwara +Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to +change his name. + +One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature +of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two +swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and +slinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not gone far when +he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the +beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he +saw lying right across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so +big that it looked like the trunk of a large pine tree and it took up +the whole width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested on the +parapet of one side of the bridge, while its tail lay right against the +other. The monster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and +smoke came out of its nostrils. + +At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this +horrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or +walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting +aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he stepped now +on the dragon’s body, now between its coils, and without even one +glance backward he went on his way. + +He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him from +behind. On turning back he was much surprised to see that the monster +dragon had entirely disappeared and in its place was a strange-looking +man, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the ground. His red hair +streamed over his shoulders and was surmounted by a crown in the shape +of a dragon’s head, and his sea-green dress was patterned with shells. +Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal and he wondered +much at the strange occurrence. Where had the dragon gone in such a +short space of time? Or had it transformed itself into this man, and +what did the whole thing mean? While these thoughts passed through his +mind he had come up to the man on the bridge and now addressed him: + +“Was it you that called me just now?” + +“Yes, it was I,” answered the man: “I have an earnest request to make +to you. Do you think you can grant it to me?” + +“If it is in my power to do so I will,” answered Hidesato, “but first +tell me who you are?” + +“I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters just +under this bridge.” + +“And what is it you have to ask of me?” said Hidesato. + +“I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the +mountain beyond,” and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on the +opposite shore of the lake. + +“I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large family +of children and grand-children. For some time past we have lived in +terror, for a monster centipede has discovered our home, and night +after night it comes and carries off one of my family. I am powerless +to save them. If it goes on much longer like this, not only shall I +lose all my children, but I myself must fall a victim to the monster. I +am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I determined to ask +the help of a human being. For many days with this intention I have +waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that +you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man would come along. But +all who came this way, as soon as they saw me were terrified and ran +away as fast as they could. You are the first man I have found able to +look at me without fear, so I knew at once that you were a man of great +courage. I beg you to have pity upon me. Will you not help me and kill +my enemy the centipede?” + +Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, and +readily promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior asked +where the centipede lived, so that he might attack the creature at +once. The Dragon King replied that its home was on the mountain Mikami, +but that as it came every night at a certain hour to the palace of the +lake, it would be better to wait till then. So Hidesato was conducted +to the palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strange to say, as +he followed his host downwards the waters parted to let them pass, and +his clothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. +Never had Hidesato seen anything so beautiful as this palace built of +white marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of the Sea King’s +palace at the bottom of the sea, where all the servants and retainers +were salt-water fishes, but here was a magnificent building in the +heart of Lake Biwa. The dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout, +waited upon the Dragon King and his guest. + +Hidesato was astonished at the feast that was spread for him. The +dishes were crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the chopsticks +were of the rarest ebony. As soon as they sat down, the sliding doors +opened and ten lovely goldfish dancers came out, and behind them +followed ten red-carp musicians with the koto and the samisen. Thus the +hours flew by till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing had +banished all thoughts of the centipede. The Dragon King was about to +pledge the warrior in a fresh cup of wine when the palace was suddenly +shaken by a tramp, tramp! as if a mighty army had begun to march not +far away. + +Hidesato and his host both rose to their feet and rushed to the +balcony, and the warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls +of glowing fire coming nearer and nearer. The Dragon King stood by the +warrior’s side trembling with fear. + +“The centipede! The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its eyes. It +is coming for its prey! Now is the time to kill it.” + +Hidesato looked where his host pointed, and, in the dim light of the +starlit evening, behind the two balls of fire he saw the long body of +an enormous centipede winding round the mountains, and the light in its +hundred feet glowed like so many distant lanterns moving slowly towards +the shore. + +Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried to calm the Dragon +King. + +“Don’t be afraid. I shall surely kill the centipede. Just bring me my +bow and arrows.” + +The Dragon King did as he was bid, and the warrior noticed that he had +only three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow, and fitting an +arrow to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. + +The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, but +instead of penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell to the ground. + +Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted it to the notch of +the bow and let fly. Again the arrow hit the mark, it struck the +centipede right in the middle of its head, only to glance off and fall +to the ground. The centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When the +Dragon King saw that even this brave warrior’s arrows were powerless to +kill the centipede, he lost heart and began to tremble with fear. + +The warrior saw that he had now only one arrow left in his quiver, and +if this one failed he could not kill the centipede. He looked across +the waters. The huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times +round the mountain and would soon come down to the lake. Nearer and +nearer gleamed fireballs of eyes, and the light of its hundred feet +began to throw reflections in the still waters of the lake. + +Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that human +saliva was deadly to centipedes. But this was no ordinary centipede. +This was so monstrous that even to think of such a creature made one +creep with horror. Hidesato determined to try his last chance. So +taking his last arrow and first putting the end of it in his mouth, he +fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim once more and let fly. + +This time the arrow again hit the centipede right in the middle of its +head, but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it struck home +to the creature’s brain. Then with a convulsive shudder the serpentine +body stopped moving, and the fiery light of its great eyes and hundred +feet darkened to a dull glare like the sunset of a stormy day, and then +went out in blackness. A great darkness now overspread the heavens, the +thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, and the wind roared in fury, +and it seemed as if the world were coming to an end. The Dragon King +and his children and retainers all crouched in different parts of the +palace, frightened to death, for the building was shaken to its +foundation. At last the dreadful night was over. Day dawned beautiful +and clear. The centipede was gone from the mountain. + +Then Hidesato called to the Dragon King to come out with him on the +balcony, for the centipede was dead and he had nothing more to fear. + +Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy, and Hidesato +pointed to the lake. There lay the body of the dead centipede floating +on the water, which was dyed red with its blood. + +The gratitude of the Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family came +and bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and the +bravest warrior in all Japan. + +Another feast was prepared, more sumptuous than the first. All kinds of +fish, prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed, boiled and +roasted, served on coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before him, +and the wine was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in his life. To +add to the beauty of everything the sun shone brightly, the lake +glittered like a liquid diamond, and the palace was a thousand times +more beautiful by day than by night. + +His host tried to persuade the warrior to stay a few days, but Hidesato +insisted on going home, saying that he had now finished what he had +come to do, and must return. The Dragon King and his family were all +very sorry to have him leave so soon, but since he would go they begged +him to accept a few small presents (so they said) in token of their +gratitude to him for delivering them forever from their horrible enemy +the centipede. + +As the warrior stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish was +suddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial +robes and dragon’s crowns on their heads to show that they were +servants of the great Dragon King. The presents that they carried were +as follows: + +First, a large bronze bell. +Second, a bag of rice. +Third, a roll of silk. +Fourth, a cooking pot. +Fifth, a bell. + + +Hidesato did not want to accept all these presents, but as the Dragon +King insisted, he could not well refuse. + +The Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge, +and then took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, leaving the +procession of servants to accompany Hidesato to his house with the +presents. + +The warrior’s household and servants had been very much concerned when +they found that he did not return the night before, but they finally +concluded that he had been kept by the violent storm and had taken +shelter somewhere. When the servants on the watch for his return caught +sight of him they called to every one that he was approaching, and the +whole household turned out to meet him, wondering much what the retinue +of men, bearing presents and banners, that followed him, could mean. + +As soon as the Dragon King’s retainers had put down the presents they +vanished, and Hidesato told all that had happened to him. + +The presents which he had received from the grateful Dragon King were +found to be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and as Hidesato +had no use for it he presented it to the temple near by, where it was +hung up, to boom out the hour of day over the surrounding neighborhood. + +The single bag of rice, however much was taken from it day after day +for the meals of the knight and his whole family, never grew less—the +supply in the bag was inexhaustible. + +The roll of silk, too, never grew shorter, though time after time long +pieces were cut off to make the warrior a new suit of clothes to go to +Court in at the New Year. + +The cooking pot was wonderful, too. No matter what was put into it, it +cooked deliciously whatever was wanted without any firing—truly a very +economical saucepan. + +The fame of Hidesato’s fortune spread far and wide, and as there was no +need for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became very +rich and prosperous, and was henceforth known as My Lord Bag of Rice. + + + + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW + + +Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old +man was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his wife was +a regular cross-patch, who spoiled the happiness of her home by her +scolding tongue. She was always grumbling about something from morning +to night. The old man had for a long time ceased to take any notice of +her crossness. He was out most of the day at work in the fields, and as +he had no child, for his amusement when he came home, he kept a tame +sparrow. He loved the little bird just as much as if she had been his +child. + +When he came back at night after his hard day’s work in the open air it +was his only pleasure to pet the sparrow, to talk to her and to teach +her little tricks, which she learned very quickly. The old man would +open her cage and let her fly about the room, and they would play +together. Then when supper-time came, he always saved some tit-bits +from his meal with which to feed his little bird. + +Now one day the old man went out to chop wood in the forest, and the +old woman stopped at home to wash clothes. The day before, she had made +some starch, and now when she came to look for it, it was all gone; the +bowl which she had filled full yesterday was quite empty. + +While she was wondering who could have used or stolen the starch, down +flew the pet sparrow, and bowing her little feathered head—a trick +which she had been taught by her master—the pretty bird chirped and +said: + +“It is I who have taken the starch. I thought it was some food put out +for me in that basin, and I ate it all. If I have made a mistake I beg +you to forgive me! tweet, tweet, tweet!” + +You see from this that the sparrow was a truthful bird, and the old +woman ought to have been willing to forgive her at once when she asked +her pardon so nicely. But not so. + +The old woman had never loved the sparrow, and had often quarreled with +her husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the house, +saying that it only made extra work for her. Now she was only too +delighted to have some cause of complaint against the pet. She scolded +and even cursed the poor little bird for her bad behavior, and not +content with using these harsh, unfeeling words, in a fit of rage she +seized the sparrow—who all this time had spread out her wings and bowed +her head before the old woman, to show how sorry she was—and fetched +the scissors and cut off the poor little bird’s tongue. + +“I suppose you took my starch with that tongue! Now you may see what it +is like to go without it!” And with these dreadful words she drove the +bird away, not caring in the least what might happen to it and without +the smallest pity for its suffering, so unkind was she! + +The old woman, after she had driven the sparrow away, made some more +rice-paste, grumbling all the time at the trouble, and after starching +all her clothes, spread the things on boards to dry in the sun, instead +of ironing them as they do in England. + +In the evening the old man came home. As usual, on the way back he +looked forward to the time when he should reach his gate and see his +pet come flying and chirping to meet him, ruffling out her feathers to +show her joy, and at last coming to rest on his shoulder. But to-night +the old man was very disappointed, for not even the shadow of his dear +sparrow was to be seen. + +He quickened his steps, hastily drew off his straw sandals, and stepped +on to the veranda. Still no sparrow was to be seen. He now felt sure +that his wife, in one of her cross tempers, had shut the sparrow up in +its cage. So he called her and said anxiously: + +“Where is Suzume San (Miss Sparrow) today?” + +The old woman pretended not to know at first, and answered: + +“Your sparrow? I am sure I don’t know. Now I come to think of it, I +haven’t seen her all the afternoon. I shouldn’t wonder if the +ungrateful bird had flown away and left you after all your petting!” + +But at last, when the old man gave her no peace, but asked her again +and again, insisting that she must know what had happened to his pet, +she confessed all. She told him crossly how the sparrow had eaten the +rice-paste she had specially made for starching her clothes, and how +when the sparrow had confessed to what she had done, in great anger she +had taken her scissors and cut out her tongue, and how finally she had +driven the bird away and forbidden her to return to the house again. + +Then the old woman showed her husband the sparrow’s tongue, saying: + +“Here is the tongue I cut off! Horrid little bird, why did it eat all +my starch?” + +“How could you be so cruel? Oh! how could you so cruel?” was all that +the old man could answer. He was too kind-hearted to punish his be +shrew of a wife, but he was terribly distressed at what had happened to +his poor little sparrow. + +“What a dreadful misfortune for my poor Suzume San to lose her tongue!” +he said to himself. “She won’t be able to chirp any more, and surely +the pain of the cutting of it out in that rough way must have made her +ill! Is there nothing to be done?” + +The old man shed many tears after his cross wife had gone to sleep. +While he wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his cotton robe, a +bright thought comforted him: he would go and look for the sparrow on +the morrow. Having decided this he was able to go to sleep at last. + +The next morning he rose early, as soon as ever the day broke, and +snatching a hasty breakfast, started out over the hills and through the +woods, stopping at every clump of bamboos to cry: + +“Where, oh where does my tongue-cut sparrow stay? Where, oh where, does +my tongue-cut sparrow stay!” + +He never stopped to rest for his noonday meal, and it was far on in the +afternoon when he found himself near a large bamboo wood. Bamboo groves +are the favorite haunts of sparrows, and there sure enough at the edge +of the wood he saw his own dear sparrow waiting to welcome him. He +could hardly believe his eyes for joy, and ran forward quickly to greet +her. She bowed her little head and went through a number of the tricks +her master had taught her, to show her pleasure at seeing her old +friend again, and, wonderful to relate, she could talk as of old. The +old man told her how sorry he was for all that had happened, and +inquired after her tongue, wondering how she could speak so well +without it. Then the sparrow opened her beak and showed him that a new +tongue had grown in place of the old one, and begged him not to think +any more about the past, for she was quite well now. Then the old man +knew that his sparrow was a fairy, and no common bird. It would be +difficult to exaggerate the old man’s rejoicing now. He forgot all his +troubles, he forgot even how tired he was, for he had found his lost +sparrow, and instead of being ill and without a tongue as he had feared +and expected to find her, she was well and happy and with a new tongue, +and without a sign of the ill-treatment she had received from his wife. +And above all she was a fairy. + +The sparrow asked him to follow her, and flying before him she led him +to a beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove. The old man was +utterly astonished when he entered the house to find what a beautiful +place it was. It was built of the whitest wood, the soft cream-colored +mats which took the place of carpets were the finest he had ever seen, +and the cushions that the sparrow brought out for him to sit on were +made of the finest silk and crape. Beautiful vases and lacquer boxes +adorned the tokonoma[1] of every room. + +[1] An alcove where precious objects are displayed. + + +The sparrow led the old man to the place of honor, and then, taking her +place at a humble distance, she thanked him with many polite bows for +all the kindness he had shown her for many long years. + +Then the Lady Sparrow, as we will now call her, introduced all her +family to the old man. This done, her daughters, robed in dainty crape +gowns, brought in on beautiful old-fashioned trays a feast of all kinds +of delicious foods, till the old man began to think he must be +dreaming. In the middle of the dinner some of the sparrow’s daughters +performed a wonderful dance, called the “suzume-odori” or the +“Sparrow’s dance,” to amuse the guest. + +Never had the old man enjoyed himself so much. The hours flew by too +quickly in this lovely spot, with all these fairy sparrows to wait upon +him and to feast him and to dance before him. + +But the night came on and the darkness reminded him that he had a long +way to go and must think about taking his leave and return home. He +thanked his kind hostess for her splendid entertainment, and begged her +for his sake to forget all she had suffered at the hands of his cross +old wife. He told the Lady Sparrow that it was a great comfort and +happiness to him to find her in such a beautiful home and to know that +she wanted for nothing. It was his anxiety to know how she fared and +what had really happened to her that had led him to seek her. Now he +knew that all was well he could return home with a light heart. If ever +she wanted him for anything she had only to send for him and he would +come at once. + +The Lady Sparrow begged him to stay and rest several days and enjoy the +change, but the old man said he must return to his old wife—who would +probably be cross at his not coming home at the usual time—and to his +work, and there-fore, much as he wished to do so, he could not accept +her kind invitation. But now that he knew where the Lady Sparrow lived +he would come to see her whenever he had the time. + +When the Lady Sparrow saw that she could not persuade the old man to +stay longer, she gave an order to some of her servants, and they at +once brought in two boxes, one large and the other small. These were +placed before the old man, and the Lady Sparrow asked him to choose +whichever he liked for a present, which she wished to give him. + +The old man could not refuse this kind proposal, and he chose the +smaller box, saying: + +“I am now too old and feeble to carry the big and heavy box. As you are +so kind as to say that I may take whichever I like, I will choose the +small one, which will be easier for me to carry.” + +Then the sparrows all helped him put it on his back and went to the +gate to see him off, bidding him good-by with many bows and entreating +him to come again whenever he had the time. Thus the old man and his +pet sparrow separated quite happily, the sparrow showing not the least +ill-will for all the unkindness she had suffered at the hands of the +old wife. Indeed, she only felt sorrow for the old man who had to put +up with it all his life. + +When the old man reached home he found his wife even crosser than +usual, for it was late on in the night and she had been waiting up for +him for a long time. + +“Where have you been all this time?” she asked in a big voice. “Why do +you come back so late?” + +The old man tried to pacify her by showing her the box of presents he +had brought back with him, and then he told her of all that had +happened to him, and how wonderfully he had been entertained at the +sparrow’s house. + +“Now let us see what is in the box,” said the old man, not giving her +time to grumble again. “You must help me open it.” And they both sat +down before the box and opened it. + +To their utter astonishment they found the box filled to the brim with +gold and silver coins and many other precious things. The mats of their +little cottage fairly glittered as they took out the things one by one +and put them down and handled them over and over again. The old man was +overjoyed at the sight of the riches that were now his. Beyond his +brightest expectations was the sparrow’s gift, which would enable him +to give up work and live in ease and comfort the rest of his days. + +He said: “Thanks to my good little sparrow! Thanks to my good little +sparrow!” many times. + +But the old woman, after the first moments of surprise and satisfaction +at the sight of the gold and silver were over, could not suppress the +greed of her wicked nature. She now began to reproach the old man for +not having brought home the big box of presents, for in the innocence +of his heart he had told her how he had refused the large box of +presents which the sparrows had offered him, preferring the smaller one +because it was light and easy to carry home. + +“You silly old man,” said she, “Why did you not bring the large box? +Just think what we have lost. We might have had twice as much silver +and gold as this. You are certainly an old fool!” she screamed, and +then went to bed as angry as she could be. + +The old man now wished that he had said nothing about the big box, but +it was too late; the greedy old woman, not contented with the good luck +which had so unexpectedly befallen them and which she so little +deserved, made up her mind, if possible, to get more. + +Early the next morning she got up and made the old man describe the way +to the sparrow’s house. When he saw what was in her mind he tried to +keep her from going, but it was useless. She would not listen to one +word he said. It is strange that the old woman did not feel ashamed of +going to see the sparrow after the cruel way she had treated her in +cutting off her tongue in a fit of rage. But her greed to get the big +box made her forget everything else. It did not even enter her thoughts +that the sparrows might be angry with her—as, indeed, they were—and +might punish her for what she had done. + +Ever since the Lady Sparrow had returned home in the sad plight in +which they had first found her, weeping and bleeding from the mouth, +her whole family and relations had done little else but speak of the +cruelty of the old woman. “How could she,” they asked each other, +“inflict such a heavy punishment for such a trifling offense as that of +eating some rice-paste by mistake?” They all loved the old man who was +so kind and good and patient under all his troubles, but the old woman +they hated, and they determined, if ever they had the chance, to punish +her as she deserved. They had not long to wait. + +After walking for some hours the old woman had at last found the bamboo +grove which she had made her husband carefully describe, and now she +stood before it crying out: + +“Where is the tongue-cut sparrow’s house? Where is the tongue-cut +sparrow’s house?” + +At last she saw the eaves of the house peeping out from amongst the +bamboo foliage. She hastened to the door and knocked loudly. + +When the servants told the Lady Sparrow that her old mistress was at +the door asking to see her, she was somewhat surprised at the +unexpected visit, after all that had taken place, and she wondered not +a little at the boldness of the old woman in venturing to come to the +house. The Lady Sparrow, however, was a polite bird, and so she went +out to greet the old woman, remembering that she had once been her +mistress. + +The old woman intended, however, to waste no time in words, she went +right to the point, without the least shame, and said: + +“You need not trouble to entertain me as you did my old man. I have +come myself to get the box which he so stupidly left behind. I shall +soon take my leave if you will give me the big box—that is all I want!” + +The Lady Sparrow at once consented, and told her servants to bring out +the big box. The old woman eagerly seized it and hoisted it on her +back, and without even stopping to thank the Lady Sparrow began to +hurry homewards. + +The box was so heavy that she could not walk fast, much less run, as +she would have liked to do, so anxious was she to get home and see what +was inside the box, but she had often to sit down and rest herself by +the way. + +While she was staggering along under the heavy load, her desire to open +the box became too great to be resisted. She could wait no longer, for +she supposed this big box to be full of gold and silver and precious +jewels like the small one her husband had received. + +At last this greedy and selfish old woman put down the box by the +wayside and opened it carefully, expecting to gloat her eyes on a mine +of wealth. What she saw, however, so terrified her that she nearly lost +her senses. As soon as she lifted the lid, a number of horrible and +frightful looking demons bounced out of the box and surrounded her as +if they intended to kill her. Not even in nightmares had she ever seen +such horrible creatures as her much-coveted box contained. A demon with +one huge eye right in the middle of its forehead came and glared at +her, monsters with gaping mouths looked as if they would devour her, a +huge snake coiled and hissed about her, and a big frog hopped and +croaked towards her. + +The old woman had never been so frightened in her life, and ran from +the spot as fast as her quaking legs would carry her, glad to escape +alive. When she reached home she fell to the floor and told her husband +with tears all that had happened to her, and how she had been nearly +killed by the demons in the box. + +Then she began to blame the sparrow, but the old man stopped her at +once, saying: + +“Don’t blame the sparrow, it is your wickedness which has at last met +with its reward. I only hope this may be a lesson to you in the +future!” + +The old woman said nothing more, and from that day she repented of her +cross, unkind ways, and by degrees became a good old woman, so that her +husband hardly knew her to be the same person, and they spent their +last days together happily, free from want or care, spending carefully +the treasure the old man had received from his pet, the tongue-cut +sparrow. + + + + +THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD + + +Long, long ago in the province of Tango there lived on the shore of +Japan in the little fishing village of Mizu-no-ye a young fisherman +named Urashima Taro. His father had been a fisherman before him, and +his skill had more than doubly descended to his son, for Urashima was +the most skillful fisher in all that country side, and could catch more +Bonito and Tai in a day than his comrades could in a week. + +But in the little fishing village, more than for being a clever fisher +of the sea was he known for his kind heart. In his whole life he had +never hurt anything, either great or small, and when a boy, his +companions had always laughed at him, for he would never join with them +in teasing animals, but always tried to keep them from this cruel +sport. + +One soft summer twilight he was going home at the end of a day’s +fishing when he came upon a group of children. They were all screaming +and talking at the tops of their voices, and seemed to be in a state of +great excitement about something, and on his going up to them to see +what was the matter he saw that they were tormenting a tortoise. First +one boy pulled it this way, then another boy pulled it that way, while +a third child beat it with a stick, and the fourth hammered its shell +with a stone. + +Now Urashima felt very sorry for the poor tortoise and made up his mind +to rescue it. He spoke to the boys: + +“Look here, boys, you are treating that poor tortoise so badly that it +will soon die!” + +The boys, who were all of an age when children seem to delight in being +cruel to animals, took no notice of Urashima’s gentle reproof, but went +on teasing it as before. One of the older boys answered: + +“Who cares whether it lives or dies? We do not. Here, boys, go on, go +on!” + +And they began to treat the poor tortoise more cruelly than ever. +Urashima waited a moment, turning over in his mind what would be the +best way to deal with the boys. He would try to persuade them to give +the tortoise up to him, so he smiled at them and said: + +“I am sure you are all good, kind boys! Now won’t you give me the +tortoise? I should like to have it so much!” + +“No, we won’t give you the tortoise,” said one of the boys. “Why should +we? We caught it ourselves.” + +“What you say is true,” said Urashima, “but I do not ask you to give it +to me for nothing. I will give you some money for it—in other words, +the Ojisan (Uncle) will buy it of you. Won’t that do for you, my boys?” +He held up the money to them, strung on a piece of string through a +hole in the center of each coin. “Look, boys, you can buy anything you +like with this money. You can do much more with this money than you can +with that poor tortoise. See what good boys you are to listen to me.” + +The boys were not bad boys at all, they were only mischievous, and as +Urashima spoke they were won by his kind smile and gentle words and +began “to be of his spirit,” as they say in Japan. Gradually they all +came up to him, the ringleader of the little band holding out the +tortoise to him. + +“Very well, Ojisan, we will give you the tortoise if you will give us +the money!” And Urashima took the tortoise and gave the money to the +boys, who, calling to each other, scampered away and were soon out of +sight. + +Then Urashima stroked the tortoise’s back, saying as he did so: + +“Oh, you poor thing! Poor thing!—there, there! you are safe now! They +say that a stork lives for a thousand years, but the tortoise for ten +thousand years. You have the longest life of any creature in this +world, and you were in great danger of having that precious life cut +short by those cruel boys. Luckily I was passing by and saved you, and +so life is still yours. Now I am going to take you back to your home, +the sea, at once. Do not let yourself be caught again, for there might +be no one to save you next time!” + +All the time that the kind fisherman was speaking he was walking +quickly to the shore and out upon the rocks; then putting the tortoise +into the water he watched the animal disappear, and turned homewards +himself, for he was tired and the sun had set. + +The next morning Urashima went out as usual in his boat. The weather +was fine and the sea and sky were both blue and soft in the tender haze +of the summer morning. Urashima got into his boat and dreamily pushed +out to sea, throwing his line as he did so. He soon passed the other +fishing boats and left them behind him till they were lost to sight in +the distance, and his boat drifted further and further out upon the +blue waters. Somehow, he knew not why, he felt unusually happy that +morning; and he could not help wishing that, like the tortoise he set +free the day before, he had thousands of years to live instead of his +own short span of human life. + +He was suddenly startled from his reverie by hearing his own name +called: + +“Urashima, Urashima!” + +Clear as a bell and soft as the summer wind the name floated over the +sea. + +He stood up and looked in every direction, thinking that one of the +other boats had overtaken him, but gaze as he might over the wide +expanse of water, near or far there was no sign of a boat, so the voice +could not have come from any human being. + +Startled, and wondering who or what it was that had called him so +clearly, he looked in all directions round about him and saw that +without his knowing it a tortoise had come to the side of the boat. +Urashima saw with surprise that it was the very tortoise he had rescued +the day before. + +“Well, Mr. Tortoise,” said Urashima, “was it you who called my name +just now?” + +The tortoise nodded its head several times and said: + +“Yes, it was I. Yesterday in your honorable shadow (o kage sama de) my +life was saved, and I have come to offer you my thanks and to tell you +how grateful I am for your kindness to me.” + +“Indeed,” said Urashima, “that is very polite of you. Come up into the +boat. I would offer you a smoke, but as you are a tortoise doubtless +you do not smoke,” and the fisherman laughed at the joke. + +“He-he-he-he!” laughed the tortoise; “sake (rice wine) is my favorite +refreshment, but I do not care for tobacco.” + +“Indeed,” said Urashima, “I regret very much that I have no “sake” in +my boat to offer you, but come up and dry your back in the +sun—tortoises always love to do that.” + +So the tortoise climbed into the boat, the fisherman helping him, and +after an exchange of complimentary speeches the tortoise said: + +“Have you ever seen Rin Gin, the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, +Urashima?” + +The fisherman shook his head and replied; “No; year after year the sea +has been my home, but though I have often heard of the Dragon King’s +realm under the sea I have never yet set eyes on that wonderful place. +It must be very far away, if it exists at all!” + +“Is that really so? You have never seen the Sea King’s Palace? Then you +have missed seeing one of the most wonderful sights in the whole +universe. It is far away at the bottom of the sea, but if I take you +there we shall soon reach the place. If you would like to see the Sea +King’s land I will be your guide.” + +“I should like to go there, certainly, and you are very kind to think +of taking me, but you must remember that I am only a poor mortal and +have not the power of swimming like a sea creature such as you are—” + +Before the fisherman could say more the tortoise stopped him, saying: + +“What? You need not swim yourself. If you will ride on my back I will +take you without any trouble on your part.” + +“But,” said Urashima, “how is it possible for me to ride on your small +back?” + +“It may seem absurd to you, but I assure you that you can do so. Try at +once! Just come and get on my back, and see if it is as impossible as +you think!” + +As the tortoise finished speaking, Urashima looked at its shell, and +strange to say he saw that the creature had suddenly grown so big that +a man could easily sit on its back. + +“This is strange indeed!” said Urashima; “then. Mr. Tortoise, with your +kind permission I will get on your back. Dokoisho!”[2] he exclaimed as +he jumped on. + +[2] “All right” (only used by lower classes). + + +The tortoise, with an unmoved face, as if this strange proceeding were +quite an ordinary event, said: + +“Now we will set out at our leisure,” and with these words he leapt +into the sea with Urashima on his back. Down through the water the +tortoise dived. For a long time these two strange companions rode +through the sea. Urashima never grew tired, nor his clothes moist with +the water. At last, far away in the distance a magnificent gate +appeared, and behind the gate, the long, sloping roofs of a palace on +the horizon. + +“Ya,” exclaimed Urashima. “That looks like the gate of some large +palace just appearing! Mr. Tortoise, can you tell what that place is we +can now see?” + +“That is the great gate of the Rin Gin Palace, the large roof that you +see behind the gate is the Sea King’s Palace itself.” + +“Then we have at last come to the realm of the Sea King and to his +Palace,” said Urashima. + +“Yes, indeed,” answered the tortoise, “and don’t you think we have come +very quickly?” And while he was speaking the tortoise reached the side +of the gate. “And here we are, and you must please walk from here.” + +The tortoise now went in front, and speaking to the gatekeeper, said: + +“This is Urashima Taro, from the country of Japan. I have had the honor +of bringing him as a visitor to this kingdom. Please show him the way.” + +Then the gatekeeper, who was a fish, at once led the way through the +gate before them. + +The red bream, the flounder, the sole, the cuttlefish, and all the +chief vassals of the Dragon King of the Sea now came out with courtly +bows to welcome the stranger. + +“Urashima Sama, Urashima Sama! welcome to the Sea Palace, the home of +the Dragon King of the Sea. Thrice welcome are you, having come from +such a distant country. And you, Mr. Tortoise, we are greatly indebted +to you for all your trouble in bringing Urashima here.” Then, turning +again to Urashima, they said, “Please follow us this way,” and from +here the whole band of fishes became his guides. + +Urashima, being only a poor fisher lad, did not know how to behave in a +palace; but, strange though it was all to him, he did not feel ashamed +or embarrassed, but followed his kind guides quite calmly where they +led to the inner palace. When he reached the portals a beautiful +Princess with her attendant maidens came out to welcome him. She was +more beautiful than any human being, and was robed in flowing garments +of red and soft green like the under side of a wave, and golden threads +glimmered through the folds of her gown. Her lovely black hair streamed +over her shoulders in the fashion of a king’s daughter many hundreds of +years ago, and when she spoke her voice sounded like music over the +water. Urashima was lost in wonder while he looked upon her, and he +could not speak. Then he remembered that he ought to bow, but before he +could make a low obeisance the Princess took him by the hand and led +him to a beautiful hall, and to the seat of honor at the upper end, and +bade him be seated. + +“Urashima Taro, it gives me the highest pleasure to welcome you to my +father’s kingdom,” said the Princess. “Yesterday you set free a +tortoise, and I have sent for you to thank you for saving my life, for +I was that tortoise. Now if you like you shall live here forever in the +land of eternal youth, where summer never dies and where sorrow never +comes, and I will be your bride if you will, and we will live together +happily forever afterwards!” + +And as Urashima listened to her sweet words and gazed upon her lovely +face his heart was filled with a great wonder and joy, and he answered +her, wondering if it was not all a dream: + +“Thank you a thousand times for your kind speech. There is nothing I +could wish for more than to be permitted to stay here with you in this +beautiful land, of which I have often heard, but have never seen to +this day. Beyond all words, this is the most wonderful place I have +ever seen.” + +While he was speaking a train of fishes appeared, all dressed in +ceremonial, trailing garments. One by one, silently and with stately +steps, they entered the hall, bearing on coral trays delicacies of fish +and seaweed, such as no one can dream of, and this wondrous feast was +set before the bride and bridegroom. The bridal was celebrated with +dazzling splendor, and in the Sea King’s realm there was great +rejoicing. As soon as the young pair had pledged themselves in the +wedding cup of wine, three times three, music was played, and songs +were sung, and fishes with silver scales and golden tails stepped in +from the waves and danced. Urashima enjoyed himself with all his heart. +Never in his whole life had he sat down to such a marvelous feast. + +When the feast was over the Princes asked the bridegroom if he would +like to walk through the palace and see all there was to be seen. Then +the happy fisherman, following his bride, the Sea King’s daughter, was +shown all the wonders of that enchanted land where youth and joy go +hand in hand and neither time nor age can touch them. The palace was +built of coral and adorned with pearls, and the beauties and wonders of +the place were so great that the tongue fails to describe them. + +But, to Urashima, more wonderful than the palace was the garden that +surrounded it. Here was to be seen at one time the scenery of the four +different seasons; the beauties of summer and winter, spring and +autumn, were displayed to the wondering visitor at once. + +First, when he looked to the east, the plum and cherry trees were seen +in full bloom, the nightingales sang in the pink avenues, and +butterflies flitted from flower to flower. + +Looking to the south all the trees were green in the fullness of +summer, and the day cicala and the night cricket chirruped loudly. + +Looking to the west the autumn maples were ablaze like a sunset sky, +and the chrysanthemums were in perfection. + +Looking to the north the change made Urashima start, for the ground was +silver white with snow, and trees and bamboos were also covered with +snow and the pond was thick with ice. + +And each day there were new joys and new wonders for Urashima, and so +great was his happiness that he forgot everything, even the home he had +left behind and his parents and his own country, and three days passed +without his even thinking of all he had left behind. Then his mind came +back to him and he remembered who he was, and that he did not belong to +this wonderful land or the Sea King’s palace, and he said to himself: + +“O dear! I must not stay on here, for I have an old father and mother +at home. What can have happened to them all this time? How anxious they +must have been these days when I did not return as usual. I must go +back at once without letting one more day pass.” And he began to +prepare for the journey in great haste. + +Then he went to his beautiful wife, the Princess, and bowing low before +her he said: + +“Indeed, I have been very happy with you for a long time, Otohime Sama” +(for that was her name), “and you have been kinder to me than any words +can tell. But now I must say good-by. I must go back to my old +parents.” + +Then Otohime Sama began to weep, and said softly and sadly: + +“Is it not well with you here, Urashima, that you wish to leave me so +soon? Where is the haste? Stay with me yet another day only!” + +But Urashima had remembered his old parents, and in Japan the duty to +parents is stronger than everything else, stronger even than pleasure +or love, and he would not be persuaded, but answered: + +“Indeed, I must go. Do not think that I wish to leave you. It is not +that. I must go and see my old parents. Let me go for one day and I +will come back to you.” + +“Then,” said the Princess sorrowfully, “there is nothing to be done. I +will send you back to-day to your father and mother, and instead of +trying to keep you with me one more day, I shall give you this as a +token of our love—please take it back with you;” and she brought him a +beautiful lacquer box tied about with a silken cord and tassels of red +silk. + +Urashima had received so much from the Princess already that he felt +some compunction in taking the gift, and said: + +“It does not seem right for me to take yet another gift from you after +all the many favors I have received at your hands, but because it is +your wish I will do so,” and then he added: + +“Tell me what is this box?” + +“That,” answered the Princess “is the tamate-bako (Box of the Jewel +Hand), and it contains something very precious. You must not open this +box, whatever happens! If you open it something dreadful will happen to +you! Now promise me that you will never open this box!” + +And Urashima promised that he would never, never open the box whatever +happened. + +Then bidding good-by to Otohime Sama he went down to the seashore, the +Princess and her attendants following him, and there he found a large +tortoise waiting for him. + +He quickly mounted the creature’s back and was carried away over the +shining sea into the East. He looked back to wave his hand to Otohime +Sama till at last he could see her no more, and the land of the Sea +King and the roofs of the wonderful palace were lost in the far, far +distance. Then, with his face turned eagerly towards his own land, he +looked for the rising of the blue hills on the horizon before him. + +At last the tortoise carried him into the bay he knew so well, and to +the shore from whence he had set out. He stepped on to the shore and +looked about him while the tortoise rode away back to the Sea King’s +realm. + +But what is the strange fear that seizes Urashima as he stands and +looks about him? Why does he gaze so fixedly at the people that pass +him by, and why do they in turn stand and look at him? The shore is the +same and the hills are the same, but the people that he sees walking +past him have very different faces to those he had known so well +before. + +Wondering what it can mean he walks quickly towards his old home. Even +that looks different, but a house stands on the spot, and he calls out: + +“Father, I have just returned!” and he was about to enter, when he saw +a strange man coming out. + +“Perhaps my parents have moved while I have been away, and have gone +somewhere else,” was the fisherman’s thought. Somehow he began to feel +strangely anxious, he could not tell why. + +“Excuse me,” said he to the man who was staring at him, “but till +within the last few days I have lived in this house. My name is +Urashima Taro. Where have my parents gone whom I left here?” + +A very bewildered expression came over the face of the man, and, still +gazing intently on Urashima’s face, he said: + +“What? Are you Urashima Taro?” + +“Yes,” said the fisherman, “I am Urashima Taro!” + +“Ha, ha!” laughed the man, “you must not make such jokes. It is true +that once upon a time a man called Urashima Taro did live in this +village, but that is a story three hundred years old. He could not +possibly be alive now!” + +When Urashima heard these strange words he was frightened, and said: + +“Please, please, you must not joke with me, I am greatly perplexed. I +am really Urashima Taro, and I certainly have not lived three hundred +years. Till four or five days ago I lived on this spot. Tell me what I +want to know without more joking, please.” + +But the man’s face grew more and more grave, and he answered: + +“You may or may not be Urashima Taro, I don’t know. But the Urashima +Taro of whom I have heard is a man who lived three hundred years ago. +Perhaps you are his spirit come to revisit your old home?” + +“Why do you mock me?” said Urashima. “I am no spirit! I am a living +man—do you not see my feet;” and “don-don,” he stamped on the ground, +first with one foot and then with the other to show the man. (Japanese +ghosts have no feet.) + +“But Urashima Taro lived three hundred years ago, that is all I know; +it is written in the village chronicles,” persisted the man, who could +not believe what the fisherman said. + +Urashima was lost in bewilderment and trouble. He stood looking all +around him, terribly puzzled, and, indeed, something in the appearance +of everything was different to what he remembered before he went away, +and the awful feeling came over him that what the man said was perhaps +true. He seemed to be in a strange dream. The few days he had spent in +the Sea King’s palace beyond the sea had not been days at all: they had +been hundreds of years, and in that time his parents had died and all +the people he had ever known, and the village had written down his +story. There was no use in staying here any longer. He must get back to +his beautiful wife beyond the sea. + +He made his way back to the beach, carrying in his hand the box which +the Princess had given him. But which was the way? He could not find it +alone! Suddenly he remembered the box, the tamate-bako. + +“The Princess told me when she gave me the box never to open it—that it +contained a very precious thing. But now that I have no home, now that +I have lost everything that was dear to me here, and my heart grows +thin with sadness, at such a time, if I open the box, surely I shall +find something that will help me, something that will show me the way +back to my beautiful Princess over the sea. There is nothing else for +me to do now. Yes, yes, I will open the box and look in!” + +And so his heart consented to this act of disobedience, and he tried to +persuade himself that he was doing the right thing in breaking his +promise. + +Slowly, very slowly, he untied the red silk cord, slowly and +wonderingly he lifted the lid of the precious box. And what did he +find? Strange to say only a beautiful little purple cloud rose out of +the box in three soft wisps. For an instant it covered his face and +wavered over him as if loath to go, and then it floated away like vapor +over the sea. + +Urashima, who had been till that moment like a strong and handsome +youth of twenty-four, suddenly became very, very old. His back doubled +up with age, his hair turned snowy white, his face wrinkled and he fell +down dead on the beach. + +Poor Urashima! because of his disobedience he could never return to the +Sea King’s realm or the lovely Princess beyond the sea. + +Little children, never be disobedient to those who are wiser than you +for disobedience was the beginning of all the miseries and sorrows of +life. + + + + +THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made +their home in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was +a bad and malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night +and run across to the farmer’s field and spoil the vegetables and the +rice which the farmer spent his time in carefully cultivating. The +badger at last grew so ruthless in his mischievous work, and did so +much harm everywhere on the farm, that the good-natured farmer could +not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop to it. So he lay +in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club, hoping to +catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked +animal. + +The farmer’s trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on +going his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for +that purpose. The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and +carried him home securely bound with rope. When he reached the house +the farmer said to his wife: + +“I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him +while I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make +him into soup to-night.” + +Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and +went out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, +for he did not at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, +and he thought and thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some +plan by which he might escape. It was hard to think clearly in his +uncomfortable position, for he had been hung upside down. Very near +him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out towards the green +fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the farmer’s old +wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was seamed +with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then +she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face. + +“Dear lady,” said the wily badger, “you must be very weary doing such +heavy work in your old age. Won’t you let me do that for you? My arms +are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!” + +“Thank you for your kindness,” said the old woman, “but I cannot let +you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might +escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and +found you gone.” + +Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said +again in a very sad, gentle, voice: + +“You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to +escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again +before his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so +tired and sore tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a +few minutes I would indeed be thankful!” + +The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly +of any one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving +her in order to get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she +turned to look at him. He looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards +from the ceiling by his legs, which were all tied together so tightly +that the rope and the knots were cutting into the skin. So in the +kindness of her heart, and believing the creature’s promise that he +would not run away, she untied the cord and let him down. + +The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the +work for a short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead +of doing the work as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the +old woman and knocked her down with the heavy piece of wood. He then +killed her and cut her up and made soup of her, and waited for the +return of the old farmer. The old man worked hard in his fields all +day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no more now would +his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger. + +Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very +tired, but the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting +his return cheered him. The thought that the badger might get free and +take revenge on the poor old woman never once came into his mind. + +The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman’s form, and as soon as he +saw the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of +the little house, saying: + +“So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have +been waiting for you for a long time.” + +The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before +his tiny dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was +not his wife but the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once +for the soup. Then the badger suddenly transformed himself back to his +natural form and cried out: + +“You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!” + +Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away +to his den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could +hardly believe what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the +whole truth he was so scared and horrified that he fainted right away. +After a while he came round and burst into tears. He cried loudly and +bitterly. He rocked himself to and fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed +too terrible to be real that his faithful old wife had been killed and +cooked by the badger while he was working quietly in the fields, +knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating +himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so +often spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very +nearly drunk the soup which the creature had made of his poor old +woman. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!” he wailed aloud. Now, not far away +there lived in the same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He +heard the old man crying and sobbing and at once set out to see what +was the matter, and if there was anything he could do to help his +neighbor. The old man told him all that had happened. When the rabbit +heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and deceitful badger, +and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would avenge his +wife’s death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping away his +tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his +distress. + +The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his +home to lay his plans for the punishment of the badger. + +The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the +badger. He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the +fields anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger +hiding there, for the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since +he had escaped from the farmer’s house, for fear of the old man’s +wrath. + +The rabbit called out: + +“Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and we +will go and cut grass on the hills together.” + +The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, +willingly consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away from +the neighborhood of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The rabbit +led the way miles away from their homes, out on the hills where the +grass grew tall and thick and sweet. They both set to work to cut down +as much as they could carry home, to store it up for their winter’s +food. When they had each cut down all they wanted they tied it in +bundles and then started homewards, each carrying his bundle of grass +on his back. This time the rabbit made the badger go first. + +When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and steel, +and, striking it over the badger’s back as he stepped along in front, +set his bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the flint striking, +and asked: + +“What is that noise. ‘Crack, crack’?” + +“Oh, that is nothing.” replied the rabbit; “I only said ‘Crack, crack’ +because this mountain is called Crackling Mountain.” + +The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger’s back. +The badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, “What is +that?” + +“Now we have come to the ‘Burning Mountain,’” answered the rabbit. + +By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had been +burned off the badger’s back. He now knew what had happened by the +smell of the smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the badger +ran as fast as he could to his hole. The rabbit followed and found him +lying on his bed groaning with pain. + +“What an unlucky fellow you are!” said the rabbit. “I can’t imagine how +this happened! I will bring you some medicine which will heal your back +quickly!” + +The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment upon +the badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would die of his +burns, for he felt that nothing could be too bad for the animal, who +was guilty of murdering a poor helpless old woman who had trusted him. +He went home and made an ointment by mixing some sauce and red pepper +together. + +He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him +that it would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it patiently, +because it was a very wonderful medicine for burns and scalds and such +wounds. The badger thanked him and begged him to apply it at once. But +no language can describe the agony of the badger as soon as the red +pepper had been pasted all over his sore back. He rolled over and over +and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking on, felt that the farmer’s wife +was beginning to be avenged. + +The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of the +red pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When the +rabbit saw that the badger was getting well, he thought of another plan +by which he could compass the creature’s death. So he went one day to +pay the badger a visit and to congratulate him on his recovery. + +During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going fishing, +and described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was fine and +the sea smooth. + +The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit’s account of the way he +passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month’s illness, +and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing too; so he +asked the rabbit if he would take him the next time he went out to +fish. This was just what the rabbit wanted, so he agreed. + +Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of +clay. At last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and +looked at his work he felt that all his trouble would be well rewarded +if his plan succeeded, and he could manage to kill the wicked badger +now. + +The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger fishing. +He kept the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the clay boat. The +badger, who knew nothing about boats, was delighted with his new boat +and thought how kind it was of the rabbit to give it to him. They both +got into their boats and set out. After going some distance from the +shore the rabbit proposed that they should try their boats and see +which one could go the quickest. The badger fell in with the proposal, +and they both set to work to row as fast as they could for some time. +In the middle of the race the badger found his boat going to pieces, +for the water now began to soften the clay. He cried out in great fear +to the rabbit to help him. But the rabbit answered that he was avenging +the old woman’s murder, and that this had been his intention all along, +and that he was happy to think that the badger had at last met his +deserts for all his evil crimes, and was to drown with no one to help +him. Then he raised his oar and struck at the badger with all his +strength till he fell with the sinking clay boat and was seen no more. + +Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now +turned and rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat upon +the beach, hurried back to tell the old farmer everything, and how the +badger, his enemy, had been killed. + +The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till +now he could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, +thinking of how his wife’s death was unavenged, but from this time he +would be able to sleep and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to stay +with him and share his home, so from this day the rabbit went to stay +with the old farmer and they both lived together as good friends to the +end of their days. + + + + +THE “SHINANSHA,” OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE + + +The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite a +common thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though when +it was first invented it must have been a wonder. + +Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention +called the shinansha. This was a kind of chariot with the figure of a +man on it always pointing to the South. No matter how the chariot was +placed the figure always wheeled about and pointed to the South. + +This curious instrument was invented by Kotei, one of the three Chinese +Emperors of the Mythological age. Kotei was the son of the Emperor +Yuhi. Before he was born his mother had a vision which foretold that +her son would be a great man. + +One summer evening she went out to walk in the meadows to seek the cool +breezes which blow at the end of the day and to gaze with pleasure at +the star-lit heavens above her. As she looked at the North Star, +strange to relate, it shot forth vivid flashes of lightning in every +direction. Soon after this her son Kotei came into the world. + +Kotei in time grew to manhood and succeeded his father the Emperor +Yuhi. His early reign was greatly troubled by the rebel Shiyu. This +rebel wanted to make himself King, and many were the battles which he +fought to this end. Shiyu was a wicked magician, his head was made of +iron, and there was no man that could conquer him. + +At last Kotei declared war against the rebel and led his army to +battle, and the two armies met on a plain called Takuroku. The Emperor +boldly attacked the enemy, but the magician brought down a dense fog +upon the battlefield, and while the royal army were wandering about in +confusion, trying to find their way, Shiyu retreated with his troops, +laughing at having fooled the royal army. + +No matter however strong and brave the Emperor’s soldiers were, the +rebel with his magic could always escape in the end. + +Kotei returned to his Palace, and thought and pondered deeply as to how +he should conquer the magician, for he was determined not to give up +yet. After a long time he invented the shinansha with the figure of a +man always pointing South, for there were no compasses in those days. +With this instrument to show him the way he need not fear the dense +fogs raised up by the magician to confound his men. + +Kotei again declared war against Shiyu. He placed the shinansha in +front of his army and led the way to the battlefield. + +The battle began in earnest. The rebel was being driven backward by the +royal troops when he again resorted to magic, and upon his saying some +strange words in a loud voice, immediately a dense fog came down upon +the battlefield. + +But this time no soldier minded the fog, not one was confused. Kotei by +pointing to the shinansha could find his way and directed the army +without a single mistake. He closely pursued the rebel army and drove +them backward till they came to a big river. This river Kotei and his +men found was swollen by the floods and impossible to cross. + +Shiyu by using his magic art quickly passed over with his army and shut +himself up in a fortress on the opposite bank. + +When Kotei found his march checked he was wild with disappointment, for +he had very nearly overtaken the rebel when the river stopped him. + +He could do nothing, for there were no boats in those days, so the +Emperor ordered his tent to be pitched in the pleasantest spot that the +place afforded. + +One day he stepped forth from his tent and after walking about for a +short time he came to a pond. Here he sat down on the bank and was lost +in thought. + +It was autumn. The trees growing along the edge of the water were +shedding their leaves, which floated hither and thither on the surface +of the pond. By and by, Kotei’s attention was attracted to a spider on +the brink of the water. The little insect was trying to get on to one +of the floating leaves near by. It did so at last, and was soon +floating over the water to the other side of the pond. + +This little incident made the clever Emperor think that he might try to +make something that could carry himself and his men over the river in +the same way that the leaf had carried over the spider. He set to work +and persevered till he invented the first boat. When he found that it +was a success he set all his men to make more, and in time there were +enough boats for the whole army. + +Kotei now took his army across the river, and attacked Shiyu’s +headquarters. He gained a complete victory, and so put an end to the +war which had troubled his country for so long. + +This wise and good Emperor did not rest till he had secured peace and +prosperity throughout his whole land. He was beloved by his subjects, +who now enjoyed their happiness of peace for many long years under him. +He spent a great deal of time in making inventions which would benefit +his people, and he succeeded in many besides the boat and the South +Pointing shinansha. + +He had reigned about a hundred years when one day, as Kotei was looking +upwards, the sky became suddenly red, and something came glittering +like gold towards the earth. As it came nearer Kotei saw that it was a +great Dragon. The Dragon approached and bowed down its head before the +Emperor. The Empress and the courtiers were so frightened that they ran +away screaming. + +But the Emperor only smiled and called to them to stop, and said: + +“Do not be afraid. This is a messenger from Heaven. My time here is +finished!” He then mounted the Dragon, which began to ascend towards +the sky. + +When the Empress and the courtiers saw this they all cried out +together: + +“Wait a moment! We wish to come too.” And they all ran and caught hold +of the Dragon’s beard and tried to mount him. + +But it was impossible for so many people to ride on the Dragon. Several +of them hung on to the creature’s beard so that when it tried to mount +the hair was pulled out and they fell to the ground. + +Meanwhile the Empress and a few of the courtiers were safely seated on +the Dragon’s back. The Dragon flew up so high in the heavens that in a +short time the inmates of the Palace, who had been left behind +disappointed, could see them no more. + +After some time a bow and an arrow dropped to the earth in the +courtyard of the Palace. They were recognized as having belonged to the +Emperor Kotei. The courtiers took them up carefully and preserved them +as sacred relics in the Palace. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY + + +Long, long ago there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. Now +he fell in love with a beautiful lady and married her. Not long after +this, through the malice of some of his friends, he fell into disgrace +at Court and was dismissed. This misfortune so preyed upon his mind +that he did not long survive his dismissal—he died, leaving behind him +his beautiful young wife to face the world alone. Fearing her husband’s +enemies, she fled to the Ashigara Mountains as soon as her husband was +dead, and there in the lonely forests where no one ever came except +woodcutters, a little boy was born to her. She called him Kintaro or +the Golden Boy. Now the remarkable thing about this child was his great +strength, and as he grew older he grew stronger and stronger, so that +by the time he was eight years of age he was able to cut down trees as +quickly as the woodcutters. Then his mother gave him a large ax, and he +used to go out in the forest and help the woodcutters, who called him +“Wonder-child,” and his mother the “Old Nurse of the Mountains,” for +they did not know her high rank. Another favorite pastime of Kintaro’s +was to smash up rocks and stones. You can imagine how strong he was! + +Quite unlike other boys, Kintaro, grew up all alone in the mountain +wilds, and as he had no companions he made friends with all the animals +and learned to understand them and to speak their strange talk. By +degrees they all grew quite tame and looked upon Kintaro as their +master, and he used them as his servants and messengers. But his +special retainers were the bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare. + +The bear often brought her cubs for Kintaro to romp with, and when she +came to take them home Kintaro would get on her back and have a ride to +her cave. He was very fond of the deer too, and would often put his +arms round the creature’s neck to show that its long horns did not +frighten him. Great was the fun they all had together. + +One day, as usual, Kintaro went up into the mountains, followed by the +bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare. After walking for some time +up hill and down dale and over rough roads, they suddenly came out upon +a wide and grassy plain covered with pretty wild flowers. + +Here, indeed, was a nice place where they could all have a good romp +together. The deer rubbed his horns against a tree for pleasure, the +monkey scratched his back, the hare smoothed his long ears, and the +bear gave a grunt of satisfaction. + +Kintaro said, “Here is a place for a good game. What do you all say to +a wrestling match?” + +The bear being the biggest and the oldest, answered for the others: + +“That will be great fun,” said she. “I am the strongest animal, so I +will make the platform for the wrestlers;” and she set to work with a +will to dig up the earth and to pat it into shape. + +“All right,” said Kintaro, “I will look on while you all wrestle with +each other. I shall give a prize to the one who wins in each round.” + +“What fun! we shall all try to get the prize,” said the bear. + +The deer, the monkey and the hare set to work to help the bear raise +the platform on which they were all to wrestle. When this was finished, +Kintaro cried out: + +“Now begin! the monkey and the hare shall open the sports and the deer +shall be umpire. Now, Mr. Deer, you are to be umpire!” + +“He, he!” answered the deer. “I will be umpire. Now, Mr. Monkey and Mr. +Hare, if you are both ready, please walk out and take your places on +the platform.” + +Then the monkey and the hare both hopped out, quickly and nimbly, to +the wrestling platform. The deer, as umpire, stood between the two and +called out: + +“Red-back! Red-back!” (this to the monkey, who has a red back in +Japan). “Are you ready?” + +Then he turned to the hare: + +“Long-ears! Long-ears! are you ready?” + +Both the little wrestlers faced each other while the deer raised a leaf +on high as signal. When he dropped the leaf the monkey and the hare +rushed upon each other, crying “Yoisho, yoisho!” + +While the monkey and the hare wrestled, the deer called out +encouragingly or shouted warnings to each of them as the hare or the +monkey pushed each other near the edge of the platform and were in +danger of falling over. + +“Red-back! Red-back! stand your ground!” called out the deer. + +“Long-ears! Long-ears! be strong, be strong—don’t let the monkey beat +you!” grunted the bear. + +So the monkey and the hare, encouraged by their friends, tried their +very hardest to beat each other. The hare at last gained on the monkey. +The monkey seemed to trip up, and the hare giving him a good push sent +him flying off the platform with a bound. + +The poor monkey sat up rubbing his back, and his face was very long as +he screamed angrily. “Oh, oh! how my back hurts—my back hurts me!” + +Seeing the monkey in this plight on the ground, the deer holding his +leaf on high said: + +“This round is finished—the hare has won.” + +Kintaro then opened his luncheon box and taking out a rice-dumpling, +gave it to the hare saying: + +“Here is your prize, and you have earned, it well!” + +Now the monkey got up looking very cross, and as they say in Japan “his +stomach stood up,” for he felt that he had not been fairly beaten. So +he said to Kintaro and the others who were standing by: + +“I have not been fairly beaten. My foot slipped and I tumbled. Please +give me another chance and let the hare wrestle with me for another +round.” + +Then Kintaro consenting, the hare and the monkey began to wrestle +again. Now, as every one knows, the monkey is a cunning animal by +nature, and he made up his mind to get the best of the hare this time +if it were possible. To do this, he thought that the best and surest +way would be to get hold of the hare’s long ear. This he soon managed +to do. The hare was quite thrown off his guard by the pain of having +his long ear pulled so hard, and the monkey seizing his opportunity at +last, caught hold of one of the hare’s legs and sent him sprawling in +the middle of the dais. The monkey was now the victor and received, a +rice-dumpling from Kintaro, which pleased him so much that he quite +forgot his sore back. + +The deer now came up and asked the hare if he felt ready for another +round, and if so whether he would try a round with him, and the hare +consenting, they both stood up to wrestle. The bear came forward as +umpire. + +The deer with long horns and the hare with long ears, it must have been +an amusing sight to those who watched this queer match. Suddenly the +deer went down on one of his knees, and the bear with the leaf on high +declared him beaten. In this way, sometimes the one, sometimes the +other, conquering, the little party amused themselves till they were +tired. + +At last Kintaro got up and said: + +“This is enough for to-day. What a nice place we have found for +wrestling; let us come again to-morrow. Now, we will all go home. Come +along!” So saying, Kintaro led the way while the animals followed. + +After walking some little distance they came out on the banks of a +river flowing through a valley. Kintaro and his four furry friends +stood and looked about for some means of crossing. Bridge there was +none. The river rushed “don, don” on its way. All the animals looked +serious, wondering how they could cross the stream and get home that +evening. + +Kintaro, however, said: + +“Wait a moment. I will make a good bridge for you all in a few +minutes.” + +The bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare looked at him to see what +he would do now. + +Kintaro went from one tree to another that grew along the river bank. +At last he stopped in front of a very large tree that was growing at +the water’s edge. He took hold of the trunk and pulled it with all his +might, once, twice, thrice! At the third pull, so great was Kintaro’s +strength that the roots gave way, and “meri, meri” (crash, crash), over +fell the tree, forming an excellent bridge across the stream. + +“There,” said Kintaro, “what do you think of my bridge? It is quite +safe, so follow me,” and he stepped across first. The four animals +followed. Never had they seen any one so strong before, and they all +exclaimed: + +“How strong he is! how strong he is!” + +While all this was going on by the river a woodcutter, who happened to +be standing on a rock overlooking the stream, had seen all that passed +beneath him. He watched with great surprise Kintaro and his animal +companions. He rubbed his eyes to be sure that he was not dreaming when +he saw this boy pull over a tree by the roots and throw it across the +stream to form a bridge. + +The woodcutter, for such he seemed to be by his dress, marveled at all +he saw, and said to himself: + +“This is no ordinary child. Whose son can he be? I will find out before +this day is done.” + +He hastened after the strange party and crossed the bridge behind them. +Kintaro knew nothing of all this, and little guessed that he was being +followed. On reaching the other side of the river he and the animals +separated, they to their lairs in the woods and he to his mother, who +was waiting for him. + +As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the +heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying: + +“Okkasan (mother), here I am!” + +“O, Kimbo!” said his mother with a bright smile, glad to see her boy +home safe after the long day. “How late you are to-day. I feared that +something had happened to you. Where have you been all the time?” + +“I took my four friends, the bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare, +up into the hills, and there I made them try a wrestling match, to see +which was the strongest. We all enjoyed the sport, and are going to the +same place to-morrow to have another match.” + +“Now tell me who is the strongest of all?” asked his mother, pretending +not to know. + +“Oh, mother,” said Kintaro, “don’t you know that I am the strongest? +There was no need for me to wrestle with any of them.” + +“But next to you then, who is the strongest?” + +“The bear comes next to me in strength,” answered Kintaro. + +“And after the bear?” asked his mother again. + +“Next to the bear it is not easy to say which is the strongest, for the +deer, the monkey, and the hare all seem to be as strong as each other,” +said Kintaro. + +Suddenly Kintaro and his mother were startled by a voice from outside. + +“Listen to me, little boy! Next time you go, take this old man with you +to the wrestling match. He would like to join the sport too!” + +It was the old woodcutter who had followed Kintaro from the river. He +slipped off his clogs and entered the cottage. Yama-uba and her son +were both taken by surprise. They looked at the intruder wonderingly +and saw that he was some one they had never seen before. + +“Who are you?” they both exclaimed. + +Then the woodcutter laughed and said: + +“It does not matter who I am yet, but let us see who has the strongest +arm—this boy or myself?” + +Then Kintaro, who had lived all his life in the forest, answered the +old man without any ceremony, saying: + +“We will have a try if you wish it, but you must not be angry whoever +is beaten.” + +Then Kintaro and the woodcutter both put out their right arms and +grasped each other’s hands. For a long time Kintaro and the old man +wrestled together in this way, each trying to bend the other’s arm, but +the old man was very strong, and the strange pair were evenly matched. +At last the old man desisted, declaring it a drawn game. + +“You are, indeed, a very strong child. There are few men who can boast +of the strength of my right arm!” said the woodcutter. “I saw you first +on the banks of the river a few hours ago, when you pulled up that +large tree to make a bridge across the torrent. Hardly able to believe +what I saw I followed you home. Your strength of arm, which I have just +tried, proves what I saw this afternoon. When you are full-grown you +will surely be the strongest man in all Japan. It is a pity that you +are hidden away in these wild mountains.” + +Then he turned to Kintaro’s mother: + +“And you, mother, have you no thought of taking your child to the +Capital, and of teaching him to carry a sword as befits a samurai (a +Japanese knight)?” + +“You are very kind to take so much interest in my son.” replied the +mother; “but he is as you see, wild and uneducated, and I fear it would +be very difficult to do as you say. Because of his great strength as an +infant I hid him away in this unknown part of the country, for he hurt +every one that came near him. I have often wished that I could, one +day, see my boy a knight wearing two swords, but as we have no +influential friend to introduce us at the Capital, I fear my hope will +never come true.” + +“You need not trouble yourself about that. To tell you the truth I am +no woodcutter! I am one of the great generals of Japan. My name is +Sadamitsu, and I am a vassal of the powerful Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko. He +ordered me to go round the country and look for boys who give promise +of remarkable strength, so that they may be trained as soldiers for his +army. I thought that I could best do this by assuming the disguise of a +woodcutter. By good fortune, I have thus unexpectedly come across your +son. Now if you really wish him to be a SAMURAI (a knight), I will take +him and present him to the Lord Raiko as a candidate for his service. +What do you say to this?” + +As the kind general gradually unfolded his plan the mother’s heart was +filled with a great joy. She saw that here was a wonderful chance of +the one wish of her life being fulfilled—that of seeing Kintaro a +SAMURAI before she died. + +Bowing her head to the ground, she replied: + +“I will then intrust my son to you if you really mean what you say.” + +Kintaro had all this time been sitting by his mother’s side listening +to what they said. When his mother finished speaking, he exclaimed: + +“Oh, joy! joy! I am to go with the general and one day I shall be a +SAMURAI!” + +Thus Kintaro’s fate was settled, and the general decided to start for +the Capital at once, taking Kintaro with him. It need hardly be said +that Yama-uba was sad at parting with her boy, for he was all that was +left to her. But she hid her grief with a strong face, as they say in +Japan. She knew that it was for her boy’s good that he should leave her +now, and she must not discourage him just as he was setting out. +Kintaro promised never to forget her, and said that as soon as he was a +knight wearing two swords he would build her a home and take care of +her in her old age. + +All the animals, those he had tamed to serve him, the bear, the deer, +the monkey, and the hare, as soon as they found out that he was going +away, came to ask if they might attend him as usual. When they learned +that he was going away for good they followed him to the foot of the +mountain to see him off. + +“Kimbo,” said his mother, “mind and be a good boy.” + +“Mr. Kintaro,” said the faithful animals, “we wish you good health on +your travels.” + +Then they all climbed a tree to see the last of him, and from that +height they watched him and his shadow gradually grow smaller and +smaller, till he was lost to sight. + +The general Sadamitsu went on his way rejoicing at having so +unexpectedly found such a prodigy as Kintaro. + +Having arrived at their destination the general took Kintaro at once to +his Lord, Minamoto-no-Raiko, and told him all about Kintaro and how he +had found the child. Lord Raiko was delighted with the story, and +having commanded Kintaro to be brought to him, made him one of his +vassals at once. + +Lord Raiko’s army was famous for its band called “The Four Braves.” +These warriors were chosen by himself from amongst the bravest and +strongest of his soldiers, and the small and well-picked band was +distinguished throughout the whole of Japan for the dauntless courage +of its men. + +When Kintaro grew up to be a man his master made him the Chief of the +Four Braves. He was by far the strongest of them all. Soon after this +event, news was brought to the city that a cannibal monster had taken +up his abode not far away and that people were stricken with fear. Lord +Raiko ordered Kintaro to the rescue. He immediately started off, +delighted at the prospect of trying his sword. + +Surprising the monster in its den, he made short work of cutting off +its great head, which he carried back in triumph to his master. + +Kintaro now rose to be the greatest hero of his country, and great was +the power and honor and wealth that came to him. He now kept his +promise and built a comfortable home for his old mother, who lived +happily with him in the Capital to the end of her days. + +Is not this the story of a great hero? + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE. +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN + + +Many, many years ago there lived in Nara, the ancient Capital of Japan, +a wise State minister, by name Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His wife was a +noble, good, and beautiful woman called Princess Murasaki (Violet). +They had been married by their respective families according to +Japanese custom when very young, and had lived together happily ever +since. They had, however, one cause for great sorrow, for as the years +went by no child was born to them. This made them very unhappy, for +they both longed to see a child of their own who would grow up to +gladden their old age, carry on the family name, and keep up the +ancestral rites when they were dead. The Prince and his lovely wife, +after long consultation and much thought, determined to make a +pilgrimage to the temple of Hase-no-Kwannon (Goddess of Mercy at Hase), +for they believed, according to the beautiful tradition of their +religion, that the Mother of Mercy, Kwannon, comes to answer the +prayers of mortals in the form that they need the most. Surely after +all these years of prayer she would come to them in the form of a +beloved child in answer to their special pilgrimage, for that was the +greatest need of their two lives. Everything else they had that this +life could give them, but it was all as nothing because the cry of +their hearts was unsatisfied. + +So the Prince Toyonari and his wife went to the temple of Kwannon at +Hase and stayed there for a long time, both daily offering incense and +praying to Kwannon, the Heavenly Mother, to grant them the desire of +their whole lives. And their prayer was answered. + +A daughter was born at last to the Princess Murasaki, and great was the +joy of her heart. On presenting the child to her husband, they both +decided to call her Hase-Hime, or the Princess of Hase, because she was +the gift of the Kwannon at that place. They both reared her with great +care and tenderness, and the child grew in strength and beauty. + +When the little girl was five years old her mother fell dangerously ill +and all the doctors and their medicines could not save her. A little +before she breathed her last she called her daughter to her, and gently +stroking her head, said: + +“Hase-Hime, do you know that your mother cannot live any longer? Though +I die, you must grow up a good girl. Do your best not to give trouble +to your nurse or any other of your family. Perhaps your father will +marry again and some one will fill my place as your mother. If so do +not grieve for me, but look upon your father’s second wife as your true +mother, and be obedient and filial to both her and your father. +Remember when you are grown up to be submissive to those who are your +superiors, and to be kind to all those who are under you. Don’t forget +this. I die with the hope that you will grow up a model woman.” + +Hase-Hime listened in an attitude of respect while her mother spoke, +and promised to do all that she was told. There is a proverb which says +“As the soul is at three so it is at one hundred,” and so Hase-Hime +grew up as her mother had wished, a good and obedient little Princess, +though she was now too young to understand how great was the loss of +her mother. + +Not long after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari married +again, a lady of noble birth named Princess Terute. Very different in +character, alas! to the good and wise Princess Murasaki, this woman had +a cruel, bad heart. She did not love her step-daughter at all, and was +often very unkind to the little motherless girl, saying to herself: + +“This is not my child! this is not my child!” + +But Hase-Hime bore every unkindness with patience, and even waited upon +her step-mother kindly and obeyed her in every way and never gave any +trouble, just as she had been trained by her own good mother, so that +the Lady Terute had no cause for complaint against her. + +The little Princess was very diligent, and her favorite studies were +music and poetry. She would spend several hours practicing every day, +and her father had the most proficient of masters he could find to +teach her the koto (Japanese harp), the art of writing letters and +verse. When she was twelve years of age she could play so beautifully +that she and her step-mother were summoned to the Palace to perform +before the Emperor. + +It was the Festival of the Cherry Flowers, and there were great +festivities at the Court. The Emperor threw himself into the enjoyment +of the season, and commanded that Princess Hase should perform before +him on the koto, and that her mother Princess Terute should accompany +her on the flute. + +The Emperor sat on a raised dais, before which was hung a curtain of +finely-sliced bamboo and purple tassels, so that His Majesty might see +all and not be seen, for no ordinary subject was allowed to look upon +his sacred face. + +Hase-Hime was a skilled musician though so young, and often astonished +her masters by her wonderful memory and talent. On this momentous +occasion she played well. But Princess Terute, her step-mother, who was +a lazy woman and never took the trouble to practice daily, broke down +in her accompaniment and had to request one of the Court ladies to take +her place. This was a great disgrace, and she was furiously jealous to +think that she had failed where her step-daughter succeeded; and to +make matters worse the Emperor sent many beautiful gifts to the little +Princess to reward her for playing so well at the Palace. + +There was also now another reason why Princess Terute hated her +step-daughter, for she had had the good fortune to have a son born to +her, and in her inmost heart she kept saying: + +“If only Hase-Hime were not here, my son would have all the love of his +father.” + +And never having learned to control herself, she allowed this wicked +thought to grow into the awful desire of taking her step-daughter’s +life. + +So one day she secretly ordered some poison and poisoned some sweet +wine. This poisoned wine she put into a bottle. Into another similar +bottle she poured some good wine. It was the occasion of the Boys’ +Festival on the fifth of May, and Hase-Hime was playing with her little +brother. All his toys of warriors and heroes were spread out and she +was telling him wonderful stories about each of them. They were both +enjoying themselves and laughing merrily with their attendants when his +mother entered with the two bottles of wine and some delicious cakes. + +“You are both so good and happy.” said the wicked Princess Terute with +a smile, “that I have brought you some sweet wine as a reward—and here +are some nice cakes for my good children.” + +And she filled two cups from the different bottles. + +Hase-Hime, never dreaming of the dreadful part her step-mother was +acting, took one of the cups of wine and gave to her little step +brother the other that had been poured out for him. + +The wicked woman had carefully marked the poisoned bottle, but on +coming into the room she had grown nervous, and pouring out the wine +hurriedly had unconsciously given the poisoned cup to her own child. +All this time she was anxiously watching the little Princess, but to +her amazement no change whatever took place in the young girl’s face. +Suddenly the little boy screamed and threw himself on the floor, +doubled up with pain. His mother flew to him, taking the precaution to +upset the two tiny jars of wine which she had brought into the room, +and lifted him up. The attendants rushed for the doctor, but nothing +could save the child—he died within the hour in his mother’s arms. +Doctors did not know much in those ancient times, and it was thought +that the wine had disagreed with the boy, causing convulsions of which +he died. + +Thus was the wicked woman punished in losing her own child when she had +tried to do away with her step-daughter; but instead of blaming herself +she began to hate Hase-Hime more than ever in the bitterness and +wretchedness of her own heart, and she eagerly watched for an +opportunity to do her harm, which was, however, long in coming. + +When Hase-Hime was thirteen years of age, she had already become +mentioned as a poetess of some merit. This was an accomplishment very +much cultivated by the women of old Japan and one held in high esteem. + +It was the rainy season at Nara, and floods were reported every day as +doing damage in the neighborhood. The river Tatsuta, which flowed +through the Imperial Palace grounds, was swollen to the top of its +banks, and the roaring of the torrents of water rushing along a narrow +bed so disturbed the Emperor’s rest day and night, that a serious +nervous disorder was the result. An Imperial Edict was sent forth to +all the Buddhist temples commanding the priests to offer up continuous +prayers to Heaven to stop the noise of the flood. But this was of no +avail. + +Then it was whispered in Court circles that the Princess Hase, the +daughter of Prince Toyonari Fujiwara, second minister at Court, was the +most gifted poetess of the day, though still so young, and her masters +confirmed the report. Long ago, a beautiful and gifted maiden-poetess +had moved Heaven by praying in verse, had brought down rain upon a land +famished with drought—so said the ancient biographers of the poetess +Ono-no-Komachi. If the Princess Hase were to write a poem and offer it +in prayer, might it not stop the noise of the rushing river and remove +the cause of the Imperial illness? What the Court said at last reached +the ears of the Emperor himself, and he sent an order to the minister +Prince Toyonari to this effect. + +Great indeed was Hase-Hime’s fear and astonishment when her father sent +for her and told her what was required of her. Heavy, indeed, was the +duty that was laid on her young shoulders—that of saving the Emperor’s +life by the merit of her verse. + +At last the day came and her poem was finished. It was written on a +leaflet of paper heavily flecked with gold-dust. With her father and +attendants and some of the Court officials, she proceeded to the bank +of the roaring torrent and raising up her heart to Heaven, she read the +poem she had composed, aloud, lifting it heavenwards in her two hands. + +Strange indeed it seemed to all those standing round. The waters ceased +their roaring, and the river was quiet in direct answer to her prayer. +After this the Emperor soon recovered his health. + +His Majesty was highly pleased, and sent for her to the Palace and +rewarded her with the rank of Chinjo—that of Lieutenant-General—to +distinguish her. From that time she was called Chinjo-hime, or the +Lieutenant-General Princess, and respected and loved by all. + +There was only one person who was not pleased at Hase-Hime’s success. +That one was her stepmother. Forever brooding over the death of her own +child whom she had killed when trying to poison her step-daughter, she +had the mortification of seeing her rise to power and honor, marked by +Imperial favor and the admiration of the whole Court. Her envy and +jealousy burned in her heart like fire. Many were the lies she carried +to her husband about Hase-Hime, but all to no purpose. He would listen +to none of her tales, telling her sharply that she was quite mistaken. + +At last the step-mother, seizing the opportunity of her husband’s +absence, ordered one of her old servants to take the innocent girl to +the Hibari Mountains, the wildest part of the country, and to kill her +there. She invented a dreadful story about the little Princess, saying +that this was the only way to prevent disgrace falling upon the +family—by killing her. + +Katoda, her vassal, was bound to obey his mistress. Anyhow, he saw that +it would be the wisest plan to pretend obedience in the absence of the +girl’s father, so he placed Hase-Hime in a palanquin and accompanied +her to the most solitary place he could find in the wild district. The +poor child knew there was no good in protesting to her unkind +step-mother at being sent away in this strange manner, so she went as +she was told. + +But the old servant knew that the young Princess was quite innocent of +all the things her step-mother had invented to him as reasons for her +outrageous orders, and he determined to save her life. Unless he killed +her, however, he could not return to his cruel task-mistress, so he +decided to stay out in the wilderness. With the help of some peasants +he soon built a little cottage, and having sent secretly for his wife +to come, these two good old people did all in their power to take care +of the now unfortunate Princess. She all the time trusted in her +father, knowing that as soon as he returned home and found her absent, +he would search for her. + +Prince Toyonari, after some weeks, came home, and was told by his wife +that his daughter Hime had done something wrong and had run away for +fear of being punished. He was nearly ill with anxiety. Every one in +the house told the same story—that Hase-Hime had suddenly disappeared, +none of them knew why or whither. For fear of scandal he kept the +matter quiet and searched everywhere he could think of, but all to no +purpose. + +One day, trying to forget his terrible worry, he called all his men +together and told them to make ready for a several days’ hunt in the +mountains. They were soon ready and mounted, waiting at the gate for +their lord. He rode hard and fast to the district of the Hibari +Mountains, a great company following him. He was soon far ahead of +every one, and at last found himself in a narrow picturesque valley. + +Looking round and admiring the scenery, he noticed a tiny house on one +of the hills quite near, and then he distinctly heard a beautiful clear +voice reading aloud. Seized with curiosity as to who could be studying +so diligently in such a lonely spot, he dismounted, and leaving his +horse to his groom, he walked up the hillside and approached the +cottage. As he drew nearer his surprise increased, for he could see +that the reader was a beautiful girl. The cottage was wide open and she +was sitting facing the view. Listening attentively, he heard her +reading the Buddhist scriptures with great devotion. More and more +curious, he hurried on to the tiny gate and entered the little garden, +and looking up beheld his lost daughter Hase-Hime. She was so intent on +what she was saying that she neither heard nor saw her father till he +spoke. + +“Hase-Hime!” he cried, “it is you, my Hase-Hime!” + +Taken by surprise, she could hardly realize that it was her own dear +father who was calling her, and for a moment she was utterly bereft of +the power to speak or move. + +“My father, my father! It is indeed you—oh, my father!” was all she +could say, and running to him she caught hold of his thick sleeve, and +burying her face burst into a passion of tears. + +Her father stroked her dark hair, asking her gently to tell him all +that had happened, but she only wept on, and he wondered if he were not +really dreaming. + +Then the faithful old servant Katoda came out, and bowing himself to +the ground before his master, poured out the long tale of wrong, +telling him all that had happened, and how it was that he found his +daughter in such a wild and desolate spot with only two old servants to +take care of her. + +The Prince’s astonishment and indignation knew no bounds. He gave up +the hunt at once and hurried home with his daughter. One of the company +galloped ahead to inform the household of the glad news, and the +step-mother hearing what had happened, and fearful of meeting her +husband now that her wickedness was discovered, fled from the house and +returned in disgrace to her father’s roof, and nothing more was heard +of her. + +The old servant Katoda was rewarded with the highest promotion in his +master’s service, and lived happily to the end of his days, devoted to +the little Princess, who never forgot that she owed her life to this +faithful retainer. She was no longer troubled by an unkind step-mother, +and her days passed happily and quietly with her father. + +As Prince Toyonari had no son, he adopted a younger son of one of the +Court nobles to be his heir, and to marry his daughter Hase-Hime, and +in a few years the marriage took place. Hase-Hime lived to a good old +age, and all said that she was the wisest, most devout, and most +beautiful mistress that had ever reigned in Prince Toyonari’s ancient +house. She had the joy of presenting her son, the future lord of the +family, to her father just before he retired from active life. + +To this day there is preserved a piece of needle-work in one of the +Buddhist temples of Kioto. It is a beautiful piece of tapestry, with +the figure of Buddha embroidered in the silky threads drawn from the +stem of the lotus. This is said to have been the work of the hands of +the good Princess Hase. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE + + +Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant +“Millionaire,” but although he was not so rich as all that, he was +still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small +fortune from his father and lived on this, spending his time +carelessly, without any serious thoughts of work, till he was about +thirty-two years of age. + +One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and +sickness came to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very +wretched. + +“I should like to live,” he said to himself, “till I am five or six +hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary span +of a man’s life is very short.” + +He wondered whether it were possible, by living simply and frugally +henceforth, to prolong his life as long as he wished. + +He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who had +lived a thousand years, and there was a Princess of Yamato, who, it was +said, lived to the age of five hundred. This was the latest story of a +very long life record. + +Sentaro had often heard the tale of the Chinese King named +Shin-no-Shiko. He was one of the most able and powerful rulers in +Chinese history. He built all the large palaces, and also the famous +great wall of China. He had everything in the world he could wish for, +but in spite of all his happiness and the luxury and the splendor of +his Court, the wisdom of his councilors and the glory of his reign, he +was miserable because he knew that one day he must die and leave it +all. + +When Shin-no-Shiko went to bed at night, when he rose in the morning, +as he went through his day, the thought of death was always with him. +He could not get away from it. Ah—if only he could find the “Elixir of +Life,” he would be happy. + +The Emperor at last called a meeting of his courtiers and asked them +all if they could not find for him the “Elixir of Life” of which he had +so often read and heard. + +One old courtier, Jofuku by name, said that far away across the seas +there was a country called Horaizan, and that certain hermits lived +there who possessed the secret of the “Elixir of Life.” Whoever drank +of this wonderful draught lived forever. + +The Emperor ordered Jofuku to set out for the land of Horaizan, to find +the hermits, and to bring him back a phial of the magic elixir. He gave +Jofuku one of his best junks, fitted it out for him, and loaded it with +great quantities of treasures and precious stones for Jofuku to take as +presents to the hermits. + +Jofuku sailed for the land of Horaizan, but he never returned to the +waiting Emperor; but ever since that time Mount Fuji has been said to +be the fabled Horaizan and the home of hermits who had the secret of +the elixir, and Jofuku has been worshiped as their patron god. + +Now Sentaro determined to set out to find the hermits, and if he could, +to become one, so that he might obtain the water of perpetual life. He +remembered that as a child he had been told that not only did these +hermits live on Mount Fuji, but that they were said to inhabit all the +very high peaks. + +So he left his old home to the care of his relatives, and started out +on his quest. He traveled through all the mountainous regions of the +land, climbing to the tops of the highest peaks, but never a hermit did +he find. + +At last, after wandering in an unknown region for many days, he met a +hunter. + +“Can you tell me,” asked Sentaro, “where the hermits live who have the +Elixir of Life?” + +“No.” said the hunter; “I can’t tell you where such hermits live, but +there is a notorious robber living in these parts. It is said that he +is chief of a band of two hundred followers.” + +This odd answer irritated Sentaro very much, and he thought how foolish +it was to waste more time in looking for the hermits in this way, so he +decided to go at once to the shrine of Jofuku, who is worshiped as the +patron god of the hermits in the south of Japan. + +Sentaro reached the shrine and prayed for seven days, entreating Jofuku +to show him the way to a hermit who could give him what he wanted so +much to find. + +At midnight of the seventh day, as Sentaro knelt in the temple, the +door of the innermost shrine flew open, and Jofuku appeared in a +luminous cloud, and calling to Sentaro to come nearer, spoke thus: + +“Your desire is a very selfish one and cannot be easily granted. You +think that you would like to become a hermit so as to find the Elixir +of Life. Do you know how hard a hermit’s life is? A hermit is only +allowed to eat fruit and berries and the bark of pine trees; a hermit +must cut himself off from the world so that his heart may become as +pure as gold and free from every earthly desire. Gradually after +following these strict rules, the hermit ceases to feel hunger or cold +or heat, and his body becomes so light that he can ride on a crane or a +carp, and can walk on water without getting his feet wet.” + +“You, Sentaro, are fond of good living and of every comfort. You are +not even like an ordinary man, for you are exceptionally idle, and more +sensitive to heat and cold than most people. You would never be able to +go barefoot or to wear only one thin dress in the winter time! Do you +think that you would ever have the patience or the endurance to live a +hermit’s life?” + +“In answer to your prayer, however, I will help you in another way. I +will send you to the country of Perpetual Life, where death never +comes—where the people live forever!” + +Saying this, Jofuku put into Sentaro’s hand a little crane made of +paper, telling him to sit on its back and it would carry him there. + +Sentaro obeyed wonderingly. The crane grew large enough for him to ride +on it with comfort. It then spread its wings, rose high in the air, and +flew away over the mountains right out to sea. + +Sentaro was at first quite frightened; but by degrees he grew +accustomed to the swift flight through the air. On and on they went for +thousands of miles. The bird never stopped for rest or food, but as it +was a paper bird it doubtless did not require any nourishment, and +strange to say, neither did Sentaro. + +After several days they reached an island. The crane flew some distance +inland and then alighted. + +As soon as Sentaro got down from the bird’s back, the crane folded up +of its own accord and flew into his pocket. + +Now Sentaro began to look about him wonderingly, curious to see what +the country of Perpetual Life was like. He walked first round about the +country and then through the town. Everything was, of course, quite +strange, and different from his own land. But both the land and the +people seemed prosperous, so he decided that it would be good for him +to stay there and took up lodgings at one of the hotels. + +The proprietor was a kind man, and when Sentaro told him that he was a +stranger and had come to live there, he promised to arrange everything +that was necessary with the governor of the city concerning Sentaro’s +sojourn there. He even found a house for his guest, and in this way +Sentaro obtained his great wish and became a resident in the country of +Perpetual Life. + +Within the memory of all the islanders no man had ever died there, and +sickness was a thing unknown. Priests had come over from India and +China and told them of a beautiful country called Paradise, where +happiness and bliss and contentment fill all men’s hearts, but its +gates could only be reached by dying. This tradition was handed down +for ages from generation to generation—but none knew exactly what death +was except that it led to Paradise. + +Quite unlike Sentaro and other ordinary people, instead of having a +great dread of death, they all, both rich and poor, longed for it as +something good and desirable. They were all tired of their long, long +lives, and longed to go to the happy land of contentment called +Paradise of which the priests had told them centuries ago. + +All this Sentaro soon found out by talking to the islanders. He found +himself, according to his ideas, in the land of Topsyturvydom. +Everything was upside down. He had wished to escape from dying. He had +come to the land of Perpetual Life with great relief and joy, only to +find that the inhabitants themselves, doomed never to die, would +consider it bliss to find death. + +What he had hitherto considered poison these people ate as good food, +and all the things to which he had been accustomed as food they +rejected. Whenever any merchants from other countries arrived, the rich +people rushed to them eager to buy poisons. These they swallowed +eagerly, hoping for death to come so that they might go to Paradise. + +But what were deadly poisons in other lands were without effect in this +strange place, and people who swallowed them with the hope of dying, +only found that in a short time they felt better in health instead of +worse. + +Vainly they tried to imagine what death could be like. The wealthy +would have given all their money and all their goods if they could but +shorten their lives to two or three hundred years even. Without any +change to live on forever seemed to this people wearisome and sad. + +In the chemist shops there was a drug which was in constant demand, +because after using it for a hundred years, it was supposed to turn the +hair slightly gray and to bring about disorders of the stomach. + +Sentaro was astonished to find that the poisonous globe-fish was served +up in restaurants as a delectable dish, and hawkers in the streets went +about selling sauces made of Spanish flies. He never saw any one ill +after eating these horrible things, nor did he ever see any one with as +much as a cold. + +Sentaro was delighted. He said to himself that he would never grow +tired of living, and that he considered it profane to wish for death. +He was the only happy man on the island. For his part he wished to live +thousands of years and to enjoy life. He set himself up in business, +and for the present never even dreamed of going back to his native +land. + +As years went by, however, things did not go as smoothly as at first. +He had heavy losses in business, and several times some affairs went +wrong with his neighbors. This caused him great annoyance. + +Time passed like the flight of an arrow for him, for he was busy from +morning till night. Three hundred years went by in this monotonous way, +and then at last he began to grow tired of life in this country, and he +longed to see his own land and his old home. However long he lived +here, life would always be the same, so was it not foolish and +wearisome to stay on here forever? + +Sentaro, in his wish to escape from the country of Perpetual Life, +recollected Jofuku, who had helped him before when he was wishing to +escape from death—and he prayed to the saint to bring him back to his +own land again. + +No sooner did he pray than the paper crane popped out of his pocket. +Sentaro was amazed to see that it had remained undamaged after all +these years. Once more the bird grew and grew till it was large enough +for him to mount it. As he did so, the bird spread its wings and flew, +swiftly out across the sea in the direction of Japan. + +Such was the willfulness of the man’s nature that he looked back and +regretted all he had left behind. He tried to stop the bird in vain. +The crane held on its way for thousands of miles across the ocean. + +Then a storm came on, and the wonderful paper crane got damp, crumpled +up, and fell into the sea. Sentaro fell with it. Very much frightened +at the thought of being drowned, he cried out loudly to Jofuku to save +him. He looked round, but there was no ship in sight. He swallowed a +quantity of sea-water, which only increased his miserable plight. While +he was thus struggling to keep himself afloat, he saw a monstrous shark +swimming towards him. As it came nearer it opened its huge mouth ready +to devour him. Sentaro was all but paralyzed with fear now that he felt +his end so near, and screamed out as loudly as ever he could to Jofuku +to come and rescue him. + +Lo, and behold, Sentaro was awakened by his own screams, to find that +during his long prayer he had fallen asleep before the shrine, and that +all his extraordinary and frightful adventures had been only a wild +dream. He was in a cold perspiration with fright, and utterly +bewildered. + +Suddenly a bright light came towards him, and in the light stood a +messenger. The messenger held a book in his hand, and spoke to Sentaro: + +“I am sent to you by Jofuku, who in answer to your prayer, has +permitted you in a dream to see the land of Perpetual Life. But you +grew weary of living there, and begged to be allowed to return to your +native land so that you might die. Jofuku, so that he might try you, +allowed you to drop into the sea, and then sent a shark to swallow you +up. Your desire for death was not real, for even at that moment you +cried out loudly and shouted for help.” + +“It is also vain for you to wish to become a hermit, or to find the +Elixir of Life. These things are not for such as you—your life is not +austere enough. It is best for you to go back to your paternal home, +and to live a good and industrious life. Never neglect to keep the +anniversaries of your ancestors, and make it your duty to provide for +your children’s future. Thus will you live to a good old age and be +happy, but give up the vain desire to escape death, for no man can do +that, and by this time you have surely found out that even when selfish +desires are granted they do not bring happiness.” + +“In this book I give you there are many precepts good for you to +know—if you study them, you will be guided in the way I have pointed +out to you.” + +The angel disappeared as soon as he had finished speaking, and Sentaro +took the lesson to heart. With the book in his hand he returned to his +old home, and giving up all his old vain wishes, tried to live a good +and useful life and to observe the lessons taught him in the book, and +he and his house prospered henceforth. + + + + +THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very poor +and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old age, and in +his heart there was no hope of rest from work till he died and was laid +in the quiet grave. Every morning he went forth into the woods and +hills wherever the bamboo reared its lithe green plumes against the +sky. When he had made his choice, he would cut down these feathers of +the forest, and splitting them lengthwise, or cutting them into joints, +would carry the bamboo wood home and make it into various articles for +the household, and he and his old wife gained a small livelihood by +selling them. + +One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having found a +nice clump of bamboos, had set to work to cut some of them down. +Suddenly the green grove of bamboos was flooded with a bright soft +light, as if the full moon had risen over the spot. Looking round in +astonishment, he saw that the brilliance was streaming from one bamboo. +The old man, full of wonder, dropped his ax and went towards the light. +On nearer approach he saw that this soft splendor came from a hollow in +the green bamboo stem, and still more wonderful to behold, in the midst +of the brilliance stood a tiny human being, only three inches in +height, and exquisitely beautiful in appearance. + +“You must be sent to be my child, for I find you here among the bamboos +where lies my daily work,” said the old man, and taking the little +creature in his hand he took it home to his wife to bring up. The tiny +girl was so exceedingly beautiful and so small, that the old woman put +her into a basket to safeguard her from the least possibility of being +hurt in any way. + +The old couple were now very happy, for it had been a lifelong regret +that they had no children of their own, and with joy they now expended +all the love of their old age on the little child who had come to them +in so marvelous a manner. + +From this time on, the old man often found gold in the notches of the +bamboos when he hewed them down and cut them up; not only gold, but +precious stones also, so that by degrees he became rich. He built +himself a fine house, and was no longer known as the poor bamboo +woodcutter, but as a wealthy man. + +Three months passed quickly away, and in that time the bamboo child +had, wonderful to say, become a full-grown girl, so her foster-parents +did up her hair and dressed her in beautiful kimonos. She was of such +wondrous beauty that they placed her behind the screens like a +princess, and allowed no one to see her, waiting upon her themselves. +It seemed as if she were made of light, for the house was filled with a +soft shining, so that even in the dark of night it was like daytime. +Her presence seemed to have a benign influence on those there. Whenever +the old man felt sad, he had only to look upon his foster-daughter and +his sorrow vanished, and he became as happy as when he was a youth. + +At last the day came for the naming of their new-found child, so the +old couple called in a celebrated name-giver, and he gave her the name +of Princess Moonlight, because her body gave forth so much soft bright +light that she might have been a daughter of the Moon God. + +For three days the festival was kept up with song and dance and music. +All the friends and relations of the old couple were present, and great +was their enjoyment of the festivities held to celebrate the naming of +Princess Moonlight. Everyone who saw her declared that there never had +been seen any one so lovely; all the beauties throughout the length and +breadth of the land would grow pale beside her, so they said. The fame +of the Princess’s loveliness spread far and wide, and many were the +suitors who desired to win her hand, or even so much as to see her. + +Suitors from far and near posted themselves outside the house, and made +little holes in the fence, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the +Princess as she went from one room to the other along the veranda. They +stayed there day and night, sacrificing even their sleep for a chance +of seeing her, but all in vain. Then they approached the house, and +tried to speak to the old man and his wife or some of the servants, but +not even this was granted them. + +Still, in spite of all this disappointment they stayed on day after +day, and night after night, and counted it as nothing, so great was +their desire to see the Princess. + +At last, however, most of the men, seeing how hopeless their quest was, +lost heart and hope both, and returned to their homes. All except five +Knights, whose ardor and determination, instead of waning, seemed to +wax greater with obstacles. These five men even went without their +meals, and took snatches of whatever they could get brought to them, so +that they might always stand outside the dwelling. They stood there in +all weathers, in sunshine and in rain. + +Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was +vouchsafed to them. Then when letters failed to draw any reply, they +wrote poems to her telling her of the hopeless love which kept them +from sleep, from food, from rest, and even from their homes. Still +Princes Moonlight gave no sign of having received their verses. + +In this hopeless state the winter passed. The snow and frost and the +cold winds gradually gave place to the gentle warmth of spring. Then +the summer came, and the sun burned white and scorching in the heavens +above and on the earth beneath, and still these faithful Knights kept +watch and waited. At the end of these long months they called out to +the old bamboo-cutter and entreated him to have some mercy upon them +and to show them the Princess, but he answered only that as he was not +her real father he could not insist on her obeying him against her +wishes. + +The five Knights on receiving this stern answer returned to their +several homes, and pondered over the best means of touching the proud +Princess’s heart, even so much as to grant them a hearing. They took +their rosaries in hand and knelt before their household shrines, and +burned precious incense, praying to Buddha to give them their heart’s +desire. Thus several days passed, but even so they could not rest in +their homes. + +So again they set out for the bamboo-cutter’s house. This time the old +man came out to see them, and they asked him to let them know if it was +the Princess’s resolution never to see any man whatsoever, and they +implored him to speak for them and to tell her the greatness of their +love, and how long they had waited through the cold of winter and the +heat of summer, sleepless and roofless through all weathers, without +food and without rest, in the ardent hope of winning her, and they were +willing to consider this long vigil as pleasure if she would but give +them one chance of pleading their cause with her. + +The old man lent a willing ear to their tale of love, for in his inmost +heart he felt sorry for these faithful suitors and would have liked to +see his lovely foster-daughter married to one of them. So he went in to +Princess Moonlight and said reverently: + +“Although you have always seemed to me to be a heavenly being, yet I +have had the trouble of bringing you up as my own child and you have +been glad of the protection of my roof. Will you refuse to do as I +wish?” + +Then Princess Moonlight replied that there was nothing she would not do +for him, that she honored and loved him as her own father, and that as +for herself she could not remember the time before she came to earth. + +The old man listened with great joy as she spoke these dutiful words. +Then he told her how anxious he was to see her safely and happily +married before he died. + +“I am an old man, over seventy years of age, and my end may come any +time now. It is necessary and right that you should see these five +suitors and choose one of them.” + +“Oh, why,” said the Princess in distress, “must I do this? I have no +wish to marry now.” + +“I found you,” answered the old man, “many years ago, when you were a +little creature three inches high, in the midst of a great white light. +The light streamed from the bamboo in which you were hid and led me to +you. So I have always thought that you were more than mortal woman. +While I am alive it is right for you to remain as you are if you wish +to do so, but some day I shall cease to be and who will take care of +you then? Therefore I pray you to meet these five brave men one at a +time and make up your mind to marry one of them!” + +Then the Princess answered that she felt sure that she was not as +beautiful as perhaps report made her out to be, and that even if she +consented to marry any one of them, not really knowing her before, his +heart might change afterwards. So as she did not feel sure of them, +even though her father told her they were worthy Knights, she did not +feel it wise to see them. + +“All you say is very reasonable,” said the old man, “but what kind of +men will you consent to see? I do not call these five men who have +waited on you for months, light-hearted. They have stood outside this +house through the winter and the summer, often denying themselves food +and sleep so that they may win you. What more can you demand?” + +Then Princess Moonlight said she must make further trial of their love +before she would grant their request to interview her. The five +warriors were to prove their love by each bringing her from distant +countries something that she desired to possess. + +That same evening the suitors arrived and began to play their flutes in +turn, and to sing their self-composed songs telling of their great and +tireless love. The bamboo-cutter went out to them and offered them his +sympathy for all they had endured and all the patience they had shown +in their desire to win his foster-daughter. Then he gave them her +message, that she would consent to marry whosoever was successful in +bringing her what she wanted. This was to test them. + +The five all accepted the trial, and thought it an excellent plan, for +it would prevent jealousy between them. + +Princess Moonlight then sent word to the First Knight that she +requested him to bring her the stone bowl which had belonged to Buddha +in India. + +The Second Knight was asked to go to the Mountain of Horai, said to be +situated in the Eastern Sea, and to bring her a branch of the wonderful +tree that grew on its summit. The roots of this tree were of silver, +the trunk of gold, and the branches bore as fruit white jewels. + +The Third Knight was told to go to China and search for the fire-rat +and to bring her its skin. + +The Fourth Knight was told to search for the dragon that carried on its +head the stone radiating five colors and to bring the stone to her. + +The Fifth Knight was to find the swallow which carried a shell in its +stomach and to bring the shell to her. + +The old man thought these very hard tasks and hesitated to carry the +messages, but the Princess would make no other conditions. So her +commands were issued word for word to the five men who, when they heard +what was required of them, were all disheartened and disgusted at what +seemed to them the impossibility of the tasks given them and returned +to their own homes in despair. + +But after a time, when they thought of the Princess, the love in their +hearts revived for her, and they resolved to make an attempt to get +what she desired of them. + +The First Knight sent word to the Princess that he was starting out +that day on the quest of Buddha’s bowl, and he hoped soon to bring it +to her. But he had not the courage to go all the way to India, for in +those days traveling was very difficult and full of danger, so he went +to one of the temples in Kyoto and took a stone bowl from the altar +there, paying the priest a large sum of money for it. He then wrapped +it in a cloth of gold and, waiting quietly for three years, returned +and carried it to the old man. + +Princess Moonlight wondered that the Knight should have returned so +soon. She took the bowl from its gold wrapping, expecting it to make +the room full of light, but it did not shine at all, so she knew that +it was a sham thing and not the true bowl of Buddha. She returned it at +once and refused to see him. The Knight threw the bowl away and +returned to his home in despair. He gave up now all hopes of ever +winning the Princess. + +The Second Knight told his parents that he needed change of air for his +health, for he was ashamed to tell them that love for the Princess +Moonlight was the real cause of his leaving them. He then left his +home, at the same time sending word to the Princess that he was setting +out for Mount Horai in the hope of getting her a branch of the gold and +silver tree which she so much wished to have. He only allowed his +servants to accompany him half-way, and then sent them back. He reached +the seashore and embarked on a small ship, and after sailing away for +three days he landed and employed several carpenters to build him a +house contrived in such a way that no one could get access to it. He +then shut himself up with six skilled jewelers, and endeavored to make +such a gold and silver branch as he thought would satisfy the Princess +as having come from the wonderful tree growing on Mount Horai. Every +one whom he had asked declared that Mount Horai belonged to the land of +fable and not to fact. + +When the branch was finished, he took his journey home and tried to +make himself look as if he were wearied and worn out with travel. He +put the jeweled branch into a lacquer box and carried it to the +bamboo-cutter, begging him to present it to the Princess. + +The old man was quite deceived by the travel-stained appearance of the +Knight, and thought that he had only just returned from his long +journey with the branch. So he tried to persuade the Princess to +consent to see the man. But she remained silent and looked very sad. +The old man began to take out the branch and praised it as a wonderful +treasure to be found nowhere in the whole land. Then he spoke of the +Knight, how handsome and how brave he was to have undertaken a journey +to so remote a place as the Mount of Horai. + +Princess Moonlight took the branch in her hand and looked at it +carefully. She then told her foster-parent that she knew it was +impossible for the man to have obtained a branch from the gold and +silver tree growing on Mount Horai so quickly or so easily, and she was +sorry to say she believed it artificial. + +The old man then went out to the expectant Knight, who had now +approached the house, and asked where he had found the branch. Then the +man did not scruple to make up a long story. + +“Two years ago I took a ship and started in search of Mount Horai. +After going before the wind for some time I reached the far Eastern +Sea. Then a great storm arose and I was tossed about for many days, +losing all count of the points of the compass, and finally we were +blown ashore on an unknown island. Here I found the place inhabited by +demons who at one time threatened to kill and eat me. However, I +managed to make friends with these horrible creatures, and they helped +me and my sailors to repair the boat, and I set sail again. Our food +gave out, and we suffered much from sickness on board. At last, on the +five-hundredth day from the day of starting, I saw far off on the +horizon what looked like the peak of a mountain. On nearer approach, +this proved to be an island, in the center of which rose a high +mountain. I landed, and after wandering about for two or three days, I +saw a shining being coming towards me on the beach, holding in his +hands a golden bowl. I went up to him and asked him if I had, by good +chance, found the island of Mount Horai, and he answered:” + +“‘Yes, this is Mount Horai!’” + +“With much difficulty I climbed to the summit, here stood the golden +tree growing with silver roots in the ground. The wonders of that +strange land are many, and if I began to tell you about them I could +never stop. In spite of my wish to stay there long, on breaking off the +branch I hurried back. With utmost speed it has taken me four hundred +days to get back, and, as you see, my clothes are still damp from +exposure on the long sea voyage. I have not even waited to change my +raiment, so anxious was I to bring the branch to the Princess quickly.” + +Just at this moment the six jewelers, who had been employed on the +making of the branch, but not yet paid by the Knight, arrived at the +house and sent in a petition to the Princess to be paid for their +labor. They said that they had worked for over a thousand days making +the branch of gold, with its silver twigs and its jeweled fruit, that +was now presented to her by the Knight, but as yet they had received +nothing in payment. So this Knight’s deception was thus found out, and +the Princess, glad of an escape from one more importunate suitor, was +only too pleased to send back the branch. She called in the workmen and +had them paid liberally, and they went away happy. But on the way home +they were overtaken by the disappointed man, who beat them till they +were nearly dead, for letting out the secret, and they barely escaped +with their lives. The Knight then returned home, raging in his heart; +and in despair of ever winning the Princess gave up society and retired +to a solitary life among the mountains. + +Now the Third Knight had a friend in China, so he wrote to him to get +the skin of the fire-rat. The virtue of any part of this animal was +that no fire could harm it. He promised his friend any amount of money +he liked to ask if only he could get him the desired article. As soon +as the news came that the ship on which his friend had sailed home had +come into port, he rode seven days on horseback to meet him. He handed +his friend a large sum of money, and received the fire-rat’s skin. When +he reached home he put it carefully in a box and sent it in to the +Princess while he waited outside for her answer. + +The bamboo-cutter took the box from the Knight and, as usual, carried +it in to her and tried to coax her to see the Knight at once, but +Princess Moonlight refused, saying that she must first put the skin to +test by putting it into the fire. If it were the real thing it would +not burn. So she took off the crape wrapper and opened the box, and +then threw the skin into the fire. The skin crackled and burnt up at +once, and the Princess knew that this man also had not fulfilled his +word. So the Third Knight failed also. + +Now the Fourth Knight was no more enterprising than the rest. Instead +of starting out on the quest of the dragon bearing on its head the +five-color-radiating jewel, he called all his servants together and +gave them the order to seek for it far and wide in Japan and in China, +and he strictly forbade any of them to return till they had found it. + +His numerous retainers and servants started out in different +directions, with no intention, however, of obeying what they considered +an impossible order. They simply took a holiday, went to pleasant +country places together, and grumbled at their master’s +unreasonableness. + +The Knight meanwhile, thinking that his retainers could not fail to +find the jewel, repaired to his house, and fitted it up beautifully for +the reception of the Princess, he felt so sure of winning her. + +One year passed away in weary waiting, and still his men did not return +with the dragon-jewel. The Knight became desperate. He could wait no +longer, so taking with him only two men he hired a ship and commanded +the captain to go in search of the dragon; the captain and the sailors +refused to undertake what they said was an absurd search, but the +Knight compelled them at last to put out to sea. + +When they had been but a few days out they encountered a great storm +which lasted so long that, by the time its fury abated, the Knight had +determined to give up the hunt of the dragon. They were at last blown +on shore, for navigation was primitive in those days. Worn out with his +travels and anxiety, the fourth suitor gave himself up to rest. He had +caught a very heavy cold, and had to go to bed with a swollen face. + +The governor of the place, hearing of his plight, sent messengers with +a letter inviting him to his house. While he was there thinking over +all his troubles, his love for the Princess turned to anger, and he +blamed her for all the hardships he had undergone. He thought that it +was quite probable she had wished to kill him so that she might be rid +of him, and in order to carry out her wish had sent him upon his +impossible quest. + +At this point all the servants he had sent out to find the jewel came +to see him, and were surprised to find praise instead of displeasure +awaiting them. Their master told them that he was heartily sick of +adventure, and said that he never intended to go near the Princess’s +house again in the future. + +Like all the rest, the Fifth Knight failed in his quest—he could not +find the swallow’s shell. + +By this time the fame of Princess Moonlight’s beauty had reached the +ears of the Emperor, and he sent one of the Court ladies to see if she +were really as lovely as report said; if so he would summon her to the +Palace and make her one of the ladies-in-waiting. + +When the Court lady arrived, in spite of her father’s entreaties, +Princess Moonlight refused to see her. The Imperial messenger insisted, +saying it was the Emperor’s order. Then Princess Moonlight told the old +man that if she was forced to go to the Palace in obedience to the +Emperor’s order, she would vanish from the earth. + +When the Emperor was told of her persistence in refusing to obey his +summons, and that if pressed to obey she would disappear altogether +from sight, he determined to go and see her. So he planned to go on a +hunting excursion in the neighborhood of the bamboo-cutter’s house, and +see the Princess himself. He sent word to the old man of his intention, +and he received consent to the scheme. The next day the Emperor set out +with his retinue, which he soon managed to outride. He found the +bamboo-cutter’s house and dismounted. He then entered the house and +went straight to where the Princess was sitting with her attendant +maidens. + +Never had he seen any one so wonderfully beautiful, and he could not +but look at her, for she was more lovely than any human being as she +shone in her own soft radiance. When Princess Moonlight became aware +that a stranger was looking at her she tried to escape from the room, +but the Emperor caught her and begged her to listen to what he had to +say. Her only answer was to hide her face in her sleeves. + +The Emperor fell deeply in love with her, and begged her to come to the +Court, where he would give her a position of honor and everything she +could wish for. He was about to send for one of the Imperial palanquins +to take her back with him at once, saying that her grace and beauty +should adorn a Court, and not be hidden in a bamboo-cutter’s cottage. + +But the Princess stopped him. She said that if she were forced to go to +the Palace she would turn at once into a shadow, and even as she spoke +she began to lose her form. Her figure faded from his sight while he +looked. + +The Emperor then promised to leave her free if only she would resume +her former shape, which she did. + +It was now time for him to return, for his retinue would be wondering +what had happened to their Royal master when they missed him for so +long. So he bade her good-by, and left the house with a sad heart. +Princess Moonlight was for him the most beautiful woman in the world; +all others were dark beside her, and he thought of her night and day. +His Majesty now spent much of his time in writing poems, telling her of +his love and devotion, and sent them to her, and though she refused to +see him again she answered with many verses of her own composing, which +told him gently and kindly that she could never marry any one on this +earth. These little songs always gave him pleasure. + +At this time her foster-parents noticed that night after night the +Princess would sit on her balcony and gaze for hours at the moon, in a +spirit of the deepest dejection, ending always in a burst of tears. One +night the old man found her thus weeping as if her heart were broken, +and he besought her to tell him the reason of her sorrow. + +With many tears she told him that he had guessed rightly when he +supposed her not to belong to this world—that she had in truth come +from the moon, and that her time on earth would soon be over. On the +fifteenth day of that very month of August her friends from the moon +would come to fetch her, and she would have to return. Her parents were +both there, but having spent a lifetime on the earth she had forgotten +them, and also the moon-world to which she belonged. It made her weep, +she said, to think of leaving her kind foster-parents, and the home +where she had been happy for so long. + +When her attendants heard this they were very sad, and could not eat or +drink for sadness at the thought that the Princess was so soon to leave +them. + +The Emperor, as soon as the news was carried to him, sent messengers to +the house to find out if the report were true or not. + +The old bamboo-cutter went out to meet the Imperial messengers. The +last few days of sorrow had told upon the old man; he had aged greatly, +and looked much more than his seventy years. Weeping bitterly, he told +them that the report was only too true, but he intended, however, to +make prisoners of the envoys from the moon, and to do all he could to +prevent the Princess from being carried back. + +The men returned and told His Majesty all that had passed. On the +fifteenth day of that month the Emperor sent a guard of two thousand +warriors to watch the house. One thousand stationed themselves on the +roof, another thousand kept watch round all the entrances of the house. +All were well trained archers, with bows and arrows. The bamboo-cutter +and his wife hid Princess Moonlight in an inner room. + +The old man gave orders that no one was to sleep that night, all in the +house were to keep a strict watch, and be ready to protect the +Princess. With these precautions, and the help of the Emperor’s +men-at-arms, he hoped to withstand the moon-messengers, but the +Princess told him that all these measures to keep her would be useless, +and that when her people came for her nothing whatever could prevent +them from carrying out their purpose. Even the Emperors men would be +powerless. Then she added with tears that she was very, very sorry to +leave him and his wife, whom she had learned to love as her parents, +that if she could do as she liked she would stay with them in their old +age, and try to make some return for all the love and kindness they had +showered upon her during all her earthly life. + +The night wore on! The yellow harvest moon rose high in the heavens, +flooding the world asleep with her golden light. Silence reigned over +the pine and the bamboo forests, and on the roof where the thousand +men-at-arms waited. + +Then the night grew gray towards the dawn and all hoped that the danger +was over—that Princess Moonlight would not have to leave them after +all. Then suddenly the watchers saw a cloud form round the moon—and +while they looked this cloud began to roll earthwards. Nearer and +nearer it came, and every one saw with dismay that its course lay +towards the house. + +In a short time the sky was entirely obscured, till at last the cloud +lay over the dwelling only ten feet off the ground. In the midst of the +cloud there stood a flying chariot, and in the chariot a band of +luminous beings. One amongst them who looked like a king and appeared +to be the chief stepped out of the chariot, and, poised in air, called +to the old man to come out. + +“The time has come,” he said, “for Princess Moonlight to return to the +moon from whence she came. She committed a grave fault, and as a +punishment was sent to live down here for a time. We know what good +care you have taken of the Princess, and we have rewarded you for this +and have sent you wealth and prosperity. We put the gold in the bamboos +for you to find.” + +“I have brought up this Princess for twenty years and never once has +she done a wrong thing, therefore the lady you are seeking cannot be +this one,” said the old man. “I pray you to look elsewhere.” + +Then the messenger called aloud, saying: + +“Princess Moonlight, come out from this lowly dwelling. Rest not here +another moment.” + +At these words the screens of the Princess’s room slid open of their +own accord, revealing the Princess shining in her own radiance, bright +and wonderful and full of beauty. + +The messenger led her forth and placed her in the chariot. She looked +back, and saw with pity the deep sorrow of the old man. She spoke to +him many comforting words, and told him that it was not her will to +leave him and that he must always think of her when looking at the +moon. + +The bamboo-cutter implored to be allowed to accompany her, but this was +not allowed. The Princess took off her embroidered outer garment and +gave it to him as a keepsake. + +One of the moon beings in the chariot held a wonderful coat of wings, +another had a phial full of the Elixir of Life which was given the +Princess to drink. She swallowed a little and was about to give the +rest to the old man, but she was prevented from doing so. + +The robe of wings was about to be put upon her shoulders, but she said: + +“Wait a little. I must not forget my good friend the Emperor. I must +write him once more to say good-by while still in this human form.” + +In spite of the impatience of the messengers and charioteers she kept +them waiting while she wrote. She placed the phial of the Elixir of +Life with the letter, and, giving them to the old man, she asked him to +deliver them to the Emperor. + +Then the chariot began to roll heavenwards towards the moon, and as +they all gazed with tearful eyes at the receding Princess, the dawn +broke, and in the rosy light of day the moon-chariot and all in it were +lost amongst the fleecy clouds that were now wafted across the sky on +the wings of the morning wind. + +Princess Moonlight’s letter was carried to the Palace. His Majesty was +afraid to touch the Elixir of Life, so he sent it with the letter to +the top of the most sacred mountain in the land. Mount Fuji, and there +the Royal emissaries burnt it on the summit at sunrise. So to this day +people say there is smoke to be seen rising from the top of Mount Fuji +to the clouds. + + + + +THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN + + +Long years ago in old Japan there lived in the Province of Echigo, a +very remote part of Japan even in these days, a man and his wife. When +this story begins they had been married for some years and were blessed +with one little daughter. She was the joy and pride of both their +lives, and in her they stored an endless source of happiness for their +old age. + +What golden letter days in their memory were these that had marked her +growing up from babyhood; the visit to the temple when she was just +thirty days old, her proud mother carrying her, robed in ceremonial +kimono, to be put under the patronage of the family’s household god; +then her first dolls festival, when her parents gave her a set of dolls +and their miniature belongings, to be added to as year succeeded year; +and perhaps the most important occasion of all, on her third birthday, +when her first OBI (broad brocade sash) of scarlet and gold was tied +round her small waist, a sign that she had crossed the threshold of +girlhood and left infancy behind. Now that she was seven years of age, +and had learned to talk and to wait upon her parents in those several +little ways so dear to the hearts of fond parents, their cup of +happiness seemed full. There could not be found in the whole of the +Island Empire a happier little family. + +One day there was much excitement in the home, for the father had been +suddenly summoned to the capital on business. In these days of railways +and jinrickshas and other rapid modes of traveling, it is difficult to +realize what such a journey as that from Matsuyama to Kyoto meant. The +roads were rough and bad, and ordinary people had to walk every step of +the way, whether the distance were one hundred or several hundred +miles. Indeed, in those days it was as great an undertaking to go up to +the capital as it is for a Japanese to make a voyage to Europe now. + +So the wife was very anxious while she helped her husband get ready for +the long journey, knowing what an arduous task lay before him. Vainly +she wished that she could accompany him, but the distance was too great +for the mother and child to go, and besides that, it was the wife’s +duty to take care of the home. + +All was ready at last, and the husband stood in the porch with his +little family round him. + +“Do not be anxious, I will come back soon,” said the man. “While I am +away take care of everything, and especially of our little daughter.” + +“Yes, we shall be all right—but you—you must take care of yourself and +delay not a day in coming back to us,” said the wife, while the tears +fell like rain from her eyes. + +The little girl was the only one to smile, for she was ignorant of the +sorrow of parting, and did not know that going to the capital was at +all different from walking to the next village, which her father did +very often. She ran to his side, and caught hold of his long sleeve to +keep him a moment. + +“Father, I will be very good while I am waiting for you to come back, +so please bring me a present.” + +As the father turned to take a last look at his weeping wife and +smiling, eager child, he felt as if some one were pulling him back by +the hair, so hard was it for him to leave them behind, for they had +never been separated before. But he knew that he must go, for the call +was imperative. With a great effort he ceased to think, and resolutely +turning away he went quickly down the little garden and out through the +gate. His wife, catching up the child in her arms, ran as far as the +gate, and watched him as he went down the road between the pines till +he was lost in the haze of the distance and all she could see was his +quaint peaked hat, and at last that vanished too. + +“Now father has gone, you and I must take care of everything till he +comes back,” said the mother, as she made her way back to the house. + +“Yes, I will be very good,” said the child, nodding her head, “and when +father comes home please tell him how good I have been, and then +perhaps he will give me a present.” + +“Father is sure to bring you something that you want very much. I know, +for I asked him to bring you a doll. You must think of father every +day, and pray for a safe journey till he comes back.” + +“O, yes, when he comes home again how happy I shall be,” said the +child, clapping her hands, and her face growing bright with joy at the +glad thought. It seemed to the mother as she looked at the child’s face +that her love for her grew deeper and deeper. + +Then she set to work to make the winter clothes for the three of them. +She set up her simple wooden spinning-wheel and spun the thread before +she began to weave the stuffs. In the intervals of her work she +directed the little girl’s games and taught her to read the old stories +of her country. Thus did the wife find consolation in work during the +lonely days of her husband’s absence. While the time was thus slipping +quickly by in the quiet home, the husband finished his business and +returned. + +It would have been difficult for any one who did not know the man well +to recognize him. He had traveled day after day, exposed to all +weathers, for about a month altogether, and was sunburnt to bronze, but +his fond wife and child knew him at a glance, and flew to meet him from +either side, each catching hold of one of his sleeves in their eager +greeting. Both the man and his wife rejoiced to find each other well. +It seemed a very long time to all till—the mother and child helping—his +straw sandals were untied, his large umbrella hat taken off, and he was +again in their midst in the old familiar sitting-room that had been so +empty while he was away. + +As soon as they had sat down on the white mats, the father opened a +bamboo basket that he had brought in with him, and took out a beautiful +doll and a lacquer box full of cakes. + +“Here,” he said to the little girl, “is a present for you. It is a +prize for taking care of mother and the house so well while I was +away.” + +“Thank you,” said the child, as she bowed her head to the ground, and +then put out her hand just like a little maple leaf with its eager +wide-spread fingers to take the doll and the box, both of which, coming +from the capital, were prettier than anything she had ever seen. No +words can tell how delighted the little girl was—her face seemed as if +it would melt with joy, and she had no eyes and no thought for anything +else. + +Again the husband dived into the basket, and brought out this time a +square wooden box, carefully tied up with red and white string, and +handing it to his wife, said: + +“And this is for you.” + +The wife took the box, and opening it carefully took out a metal disk +with a handle attached. One side was bright and shining like a crystal, +and the other was covered with raised figures of pine-trees and storks, +which had been carved out of its smooth surface in lifelike reality. +Never had she seen such a thing in her life, for she had been born and +bred in the rural province of Echigo. She gazed into the shining disk, +and looking up with surprise and wonder pictured on her face, she said: + +“I see somebody looking at me in this round thing! What is it that you +have given me?” + +The husband laughed and said: + +“Why, it is your own face that you see. What I have brought you is +called a mirror, and whoever looks into its clear surface can see their +own form reflected there. Although there are none to be found in this +out of the way place, yet they have been in use in the capital from the +most ancient times. There the mirror is considered a very necessary +requisite for a woman to possess. There is an old proverb that ‘As the +sword is the soul of a samurai, so is the mirror the soul of a woman,’ +and according to popular tradition, a woman’s mirror is an index to her +own heart—if she keeps it bright and clear, so is her heart pure and +good. It is also one of the treasures that form the insignia of the +Emperor. So you must lay great store by your mirror, and use it +carefully.” + +The wife listened to all her husband told her, and was pleased at +learning so much that was new to her. She was still more pleased at the +precious gift—his token of remembrance while he had been away. + +“If the mirror represents my soul, I shall certainly treasure it as a +valuable possession, and never will I use it carelessly.” Saying so, +she lifted it as high as her forehead, in grateful acknowledgment of +the gift, and then shut it up in its box and put it away. + +The wife saw that her husband was very tired, and set about serving the +evening meal and making everything as comfortable as she could for him. +It seemed to the little family as if they had not known what true +happiness was before, so glad were they to be together again, and this +evening the father had much to tell of his journey and of all he had +seen at the great capital. + +Time passed away in the peaceful home, and the parents saw their +fondest hopes realized as their daughter grew from childhood into a +beautiful girl of sixteen. As a gem of priceless value is held in its +proud owner’s hand, so had they reared her with unceasing love and +care: and now their pains were more than doubly rewarded. What a +comfort she was to her mother as she went about the house taking her +part in the housekeeping, and how proud her father was of her, for she +daily reminded him of her mother when he had first married her. + +But, alas! in this world nothing lasts forever. Even the moon is not +always perfect in shape, but loses its roundness with time, and flowers +bloom and then fade. So at last the happiness of this family was broken +up by a great sorrow. The good and gentle wife and mother was one day +taken ill. + +In the first days of her illness the father and daughter thought that +it was only a cold, and were not particularly anxious. But the days +went by and still the mother did not get better; she only grew worse, +and the doctor was puzzled, for in spite of all he did the poor woman +grew weaker day by day. The father and daughter were stricken with +grief, and day or night the girl never left her mother’s side. But in +spite of all their efforts the woman’s life was not to be saved. + +One day as the girl sat near her mother’s bed, trying to hide with a +cheery smile the gnawing trouble at her heart, the mother roused +herself and taking her daughter’s hand, gazed earnestly and lovingly +into her eyes. Her breath was labored and she spoke with difficulty: + +“My daughter. I am sure that nothing can save me now. When I am dead, +promise me to take care of your dear father and to try to be a good and +dutiful woman.” + +“Oh, mother,” said the girl as the tears rushed to her eyes, “you must +not say such things. All you have to do is to make haste and get +well—that will bring the greatest happiness to father and myself.” + +“Yes, I know, and it is a comfort to me in my last days to know how +greatly you long for me to get better, but it is not to be. Do not look +so sorrowful, for it was so ordained in my previous state of existence +that I should die in this life just at this time; knowing this, I am +quite resigned to my fate. And now I have something to give you whereby +to remember me when I am gone.” + +Putting her hand out, she took from the side of the pillow a square +wooden box tied up with a silken cord and tassels. Undoing this very +carefully, she took out of the box the mirror that her husband had +given her years ago. + +“When you were still a little child your father went up to the capital +and brought me back as a present this treasure; it is called a mirror. +This I give you before I die. If, after I have ceased to be in this +life, you are lonely and long to see me sometimes, then take out this +mirror and in the clear and shining surface you will always see me—so +will you be able to meet with me often and tell me all your heart; and +though I shall not be able to speak, I shall understand and sympathize +with you, whatever may happen to you in the future.” With these words +the dying woman handed the mirror to her daughter. + +The mind of the good mother seemed to be now at rest, and sinking back +without another word her spirit passed quietly away that day. + +The bereaved father and daughter were wild with grief, and they +abandoned themselves to their bitter sorrow. They felt it to be +impossible to take leave of the loved woman who till now had filled +their whole lives and to commit her body to the earth. But this frantic +burst of grief passed, and then they took possession of their own +hearts again, crushed though they were in resignation. In spite of this +the daughter’s life seemed to her desolate. Her love for her dead +mother did not grow less with time, and so keen was her remembrance, +that everything in daily life, even the falling of the rain and the +blowing of the wind, reminded her of her mother’s death and of all that +they had loved and shared together. One day when her father was out, +and she was fulfilling her household duties alone, her loneliness and +sorrow seemed more than she could bear. She threw herself down in her +mother’s room and wept as if her heart would break. Poor child, she +longed just for one glimpse of the loved face, one sound of the voice +calling her pet name, or for one moment’s forgetfulness of the aching +void in her heart. Suddenly she sat up. Her mother’s last words had +rung through her memory hitherto dulled by grief. + +“Oh! my mother told me when she gave me the mirror as a parting gift, +that whenever I looked into it I should be able to meet her—to see her. +I had nearly forgotten her last words—how stupid I am; I will get the +mirror now and see if it can possibly be true!” + +She dried her eyes quickly, and going to the cupboard took out the box +that contained the mirror, her heart beating with expectation as she +lifted the mirror out and gazed into its smooth face. Behold, her +mother’s words were true! In the round mirror before her she saw her +mother’s face; but, oh, the joyful surprise! It was not her mother thin +and wasted by illness, but the young and beautiful woman as she +remembered her far back in the days of her own earliest childhood. It +seemed to the girl that the face in the mirror must soon speak, almost +that she heard the voice of her mother telling her again to grow up a +good woman and a dutiful daughter, so earnestly did the eyes in the +mirror look back into her own. + +“It is certainly my mother’s soul that I see. She knows how miserable I +am without her and she has come to comfort me. Whenever I long to see +her she will meet me here; how grateful I ought to be!” + +And from this time the weight of sorrow was greatly lightened for her +young heart. Every morning, to gather strength for the day’s duties +before her, and every evening, for consolation before she lay down to +rest, did the young girl take out the mirror and gaze at the reflection +which in the simplicity of her innocent heart she believed to be her +mother’s soul. Daily she grew in the likeness of her dead mother’s +character, and was gentle and kind to all, and a dutiful daughter to +her father. + +A year spent in mourning had thus passed away in the little household, +when, by the advice of his relations, the man married again, and the +daughter now found herself under the authority of a step-mother. It was +a trying position; but her days spent in the recollection of her own +beloved mother, and of trying to be what that mother would wish her to +be, had made the young girl docile and patient, and she now determined +to be filial and dutiful to her father’s wife, in all respects. +Everything went on apparently smoothly in the family for some time +under the new regime; there were no winds or waves of discord to ruffle +the surface of every-day life, and the father was content. + +But it is a woman’s danger to be petty and mean, and step-mothers are +proverbial all the world over, and this one’s heart was not as her +first smiles were. As the days and weeks grew into months, the +step-mother began to treat the motherless girl unkindly and to try and +come between the father and child. + +Sometimes she went to her husband and complained of her step-daughter’s +behavior, but the father knowing that this was to be expected, took no +notice of her ill-natured complaints. Instead of lessening his +affection for his daughter, as the woman desired, her grumblings only +made him think of her the more. The woman soon saw that he began to +show more concern for his lonely child than before. This did not please +her at all, and she began to turn over in her mind how she could, by +some means or other, drive her step-child out of the house. So crooked +did the woman’s heart become. + +She watched the girl carefully, and one day peeping into her room in +the early morning, she thought she discovered a grave enough sin of +which to accuse the child to her father. The woman herself was a little +frightened too at what she had seen. + +So she went at once to her husband, and wiping away some false tears +she said in a sad voice: + +“Please give me permission to leave you today.” + +The man was completely taken by surprise at the suddenness of her +request, and wondered whatever was the matter. + +“Do you find it so disagreeable,” he asked, “in my house, that you can +stay no longer?” + +“No! no! it has nothing to do with you—even in my dreams I have never +thought that I wished to leave your side; but if I go on living here I +am in danger of losing my life, so I think it best for all concerned +that you should allow me to go home!” + +And the woman began to weep afresh. Her husband, distressed to see her +so unhappy, and thinking that he could not have heard aright, said: + +“Tell me what you mean! How is your life in danger here?” + +“I will tell you since you ask me. Your daughter dislikes me as her +step-mother. For some time past she has shut herself up in her room +morning and evening, and looking in as I pass by, I am convinced that +she has made an image of me and is trying to kill me by magic art, +cursing me daily. It is not safe for me to stay here, such being the +case; indeed, indeed, I must go away, we cannot live under the same +roof any more.” + +The husband listened to the dreadful tale, but he could not believe his +gentle daughter guilty of such an evil act. He knew that by popular +superstition people believed that one person could cause the gradual +death of another by making an image of the hated one and cursing it +daily; but where had his young daughter learned such knowledge?—the +thing was impossible. Yet he remembered having noticed that his +daughter stayed much in her room of late and kept herself away from +every one, even when visitors came to the house. Putting this fact +together with his wife’s alarm, he thought that there might be +something to account for the strange story. + +His heart was torn between doubting his wife and trusting his child, +and he knew not what to do. He decided to go at once to his daughter +and try to find out the truth. Comforting his wife and assuring her +that her fears were groundless, he glided quietly to his daughter’s +room. + +The girl had for a long time past been very unhappy. She had tried by +amiability and obedience to show her goodwill and to mollify the new +wife, and to break down that wall of prejudice and misunderstanding +that she knew generally stood between step-parents and their +step-children. But she soon found that her efforts were in vain. The +step-mother never trusted her, and seemed to misinterpret all her +actions, and the poor child knew very well that she often carried +unkind and untrue tales to her father. She could not help comparing her +present unhappy condition with the time when her own mother was alive +only a little more than a year ago—so great a change in this short +time! Morning and evening she wept over the remembrance. Whenever she +could she went to her room, and sliding the screens to, took out the +mirror and gazed, as she thought, at her mother’s face. It was the only +comfort that she had in these wretched days. + +Her father found her occupied in this way. Pushing aside the fusama, he +saw her bending over something or other very intently. Looking over her +shoulder, to see who was entering her room, the girl was surprised to +see her father, for he generally sent for her when he wished to speak +to her. She was also confused at being found looking at the mirror, for +she had never told any one of her mother’s last promise, but had kept +it as the sacred secret of her heart. So before turning to her father +she slipped the mirror into her long sleeve. Her father noting her +confusion, and her act of hiding something, said in a severe manner: + +“Daughter, what are you doing here? And what is that that you have +hidden in your sleeve?” + +The girl was frightened by her father’s severity. Never had he spoken +to her in such a tone. Her confusion changed to apprehension, her color +from scarlet to white. She sat dumb and shamefaced, unable to reply. + +Appearances were certainly against her; the young girl looked guilty, +and the father thinking that perhaps after all what his wife had told +him was true, spoke angrily: + +“Then, is it really true that you are daily cursing your step-mother +and praying for her death? Have you forgotten what I told you, that +although she is your step-mother you must be obedient and loyal to her? +What evil spirit has taken possession of your heart that you should be +so wicked? You have certainly changed, my daughter! What has made you +so disobedient and unfaithful?” + +And the father’s eyes filled with sudden tears to think that he should +have to upbraid his daughter in this way. + +She on her part did not know what he meant, for she had never heard of +the superstition that by praying over an image it is possible to cause +the death of a hated person. But she saw that she must speak and clear +herself somehow. She loved her father dearly, and could not bear the +idea of his anger. She put out her hand on his knee deprecatingly: + +“Father! father! do not say such dreadful things to me. I am still your +obedient child. Indeed, I am. However stupid I may be, I should never +be able to curse any one who belonged to you, much less pray for the +death of one you love. Surely some one has been telling you lies, and +you are dazed, and you know not what you say—or some evil spirit has +taken possession of YOUR heart. As for me I do not know—no, not so much +as a dew-drop, of the evil thing of which you accuse me.” + +But the father remembered that she had hidden something away when he +first entered the room, and even this earnest protest did not satisfy +him. He wished to clear up his doubts once for all. + +“Then why are you always alone in your room these days? And tell me +what is that that you have hidden in your sleeve—show it to me at +once.” + +Then the daughter, though shy of confessing how she had cherished her +mother’s memory, saw that she must tell her father all in order to +clear herself. So she slipped the mirror out from her long sleeve and +laid it before him. + +“This,” she said, “is what you saw me looking at just now.” + +“Why,” he said in great surprise, “this is the mirror that I brought as +a gift to your mother when I went up to the capital many years ago! And +so you have kept it all this time? Now, why do you spend so much of +your time before this mirror?” + +Then she told him of her mother’s last words, and of how she had +promised to meet her child whenever she looked into the glass. But +still the father could not understand the simplicity of his daughter’s +character in not knowing that what she saw reflected in the mirror was +in reality her own face, and not that of her mother. + +“What do you mean?” he asked. “I do not understand how you can meet the +soul of your lost mother by looking in this mirror?” + +“It is indeed true,” said the girl: “and if you don’t believe what I +say, look for yourself,” and she placed the mirror before her. There, +looking back from the smooth metal disk, was her own sweet face. She +pointed to the reflection seriously: + +“Do you doubt me still?” she asked earnestly, looking up into his face. + +With an exclamation of sudden understanding the father smote his two +hands together. + +“How stupid I am! At last I understand. Your face is as like your +mother’s as the two sides of a melon—thus you have looked at the +reflection of your face all this time, thinking that you were brought +face to face with your lost mother! You are truly a faithful child. It +seems at first a stupid thing to have done, but it is not really so, It +shows how deep has been your filial piety, and how innocent your heart. +Living in constant remembrance of your lost mother has helped you to +grow like her in character. How clever it was of her to tell you to do +this. I admire and respect you, my daughter, and I am ashamed to think +that for one instant I believed your suspicious step-mother’s story and +suspected you of evil, and came with the intention of scolding you +severely, while all this time you have been so true and good. Before +you I have no countenance left, and I beg you to forgive me.” + +And here the father wept. He thought of how lonely the poor girl must +have been, and of all that she must have suffered under her +step-mother’s treatment. His daughter steadfastly keeping her faith and +simplicity in the midst of such adverse circumstances—bearing all her +troubles with so much patience and amiability—made him compare her to +the lotus which rears its blossom of dazzling beauty out of the slime +and mud of the moats and ponds, fitting emblem of a heart which keeps +itself unsullied while passing through the world. + +The step-mother, anxious to know what would happen, had all this while +been standing outside the room. She had grown interested, and had +gradually pushed the sliding screen back till she could see all that +went on. At this moment she suddenly entered the room, and dropping to +the mats, she bowed her head over her outspread hands before her +step-daughter. + +“I am ashamed! I am ashamed!” she exclaimed in broken tones. “I did not +know what a filial child you were. Through no fault of yours, but with +a step-mother’s jealous heart, I have disliked you all the time. Hating +you so much myself, it was but natural that I should think you +reciprocated the feeling, and thus when I saw you retire so often to +your room I followed you, and when I saw you gaze daily into the mirror +for long intervals, I concluded that you had found out how I disliked +you, and that you were out of revenge trying to take my life by magic +art. As long as I live I shall never forget the wrong I have done you +in so misjudging you, and in causing your father to suspect you. From +this day I throw away my old and wicked heart, and in its place I put a +new one, clean and full of repentance. I shall think of you as a child +that I have borne myself. I shall love and cherish you with all my +heart, and thus try to make up for all the unhappiness I have caused +you. Therefore, please throw into the water all that has gone before, +and give me, I beg of you, some of the filial love that you have +hitherto given to your own lost mother.” + +Thus did the unkind step-mother humble herself and ask forgiveness of +the girl she had so wronged. + +Such was the sweetness of the girl’s disposition that she willingly +forgave her step-mother, and never bore a moment’s resentment or malice +towards her afterwards. The father saw by his wife’s face that she was +truly sorry for the past, and was greatly relieved to see the terrible +misunderstanding wiped out of remembrance by both the wrong-doer and +the wronged. + +From this time on, the three lived together as happily as fish in +water. No such trouble ever darkened the home again, and the young girl +gradually forgot that year of unhappiness in the tender love and care +that her step-mother now bestowed on her. Her patience and goodness +were rewarded at last. + + + + +THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA + + +Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the +province of Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a +cannibal goblin who took the form of an old woman. From time to time +many travelers disappeared and were never heard of more, and the old +women round the charcoal braziers in the evenings, and the girls +washing the household rice at the wells in the mornings, whispered +dreadful stories of how the missing folk had been lured to the goblin’s +cottage and devoured, for the goblin lived only on human flesh. No one +dared to venture near the haunted spot after sunset, and all those who +could, avoided it in the daytime, and travelers were warned of the +dreaded place. + +One day as the sun was setting, a priest came to the plain. He was a +belated traveler, and his robe showed that he was a Buddhist pilgrim +walking from shrine to shrine to pray for some blessing or to crave for +forgiveness of sins. He had apparently lost his way, and as it was late +he met no one who could show him the road or warn him of the haunted +spot. + +He had walked the whole day and was now tired and hungry, and the +evenings were chilly, for it was late autumn, and he began to be very +anxious to find some house where he could obtain a night’s lodging. He +found himself lost in the midst of the large plain, and looked about in +vain for some sign of human habitation. + +At last, after wandering about for some hours, he saw a clump of trees +in the distance, and through the trees he caught sight of the glimmer +of a single ray of light. He exclaimed with joy: + +“Oh. surely that is some cottage where I can get a night’s lodging!” + +Keeping the light before his eyes he dragged his weary, aching feet as +quickly as he could towards the spot, and soon came to a +miserable-looking little cottage. As he drew near he saw that it was in +a tumble-down condition, the bamboo fence was broken and weeds and +grass pushed their way through the gaps. The paper screens which serve +as windows and doors in Japan were full of holes, and the posts of the +house were bent with age and seemed scarcely able to support the old +thatched roof. The hut was open, and by the light of an old lantern an +old woman sat industriously spinning. + +The pilgrim called to her across the bamboo fence and said: + +“O Baa San (old woman), good evening! I am a traveler! Please excuse +me, but I have lost my way and do not know what to do, for I have +nowhere to rest to-night. I beg you to be good enough to let me spend +the night under your roof.” + +The old woman as soon as she heard herself spoken to stopped spinning, +rose from her seat and approached the intruder. + +“I am very sorry for you. You must indeed be distressed to have lost +your way in such a lonely spot so late at night. Unfortunately I cannot +put you up, for I have no bed to offer you, and no accommodation +whatsoever for a guest in this poor place!” + +“Oh, that does not matter,” said the priest; “all I want is a shelter +under some roof for the night, and if you will be good enough just to +let me lie on the kitchen floor I shall be grateful. I am too tired to +walk further to-night, so I hope you will not refuse me, otherwise I +shall have to sleep out on the cold plain.” And in this way he pressed +the old woman to let him stay. + +She seemed very reluctant, but at last she said: + +“Very well, I will let you stay here. I can offer you a very poor +welcome only, but come in now and I will make a fire, for the night is +cold.” + +The pilgrim was only too glad to do as he was told. He took off his +sandals and entered the hut. The old woman then brought some sticks of +wood and lit the fire, and bade her guest draw near and warm himself. + +“You must be hungry after your long tramp,” said the old woman. “I will +go and cook some supper for you.” She then went to the kitchen to cook +some rice. + +After the priest had finished his supper the old woman sat down by the +fire-place, and they talked together for a long time. The pilgrim +thought to himself that he had been very lucky to come across such a +kind, hospitable old woman. At last the wood gave out, and as the fire +died slowly down he began to shiver with cold just as he had done when +he arrived. + +“I see you are cold,” said the old woman; “I will go out and gather +some wood, for we have used it all. You must stay and take care of the +house while I am gone.” + +“No, no,” said the pilgrim, “let me go instead, for you are old, and I +cannot think of letting you go out to get wood for me this cold night!” + +The old woman shook her head and said: + +“You must stay quietly here, for you are my guest.” Then she left him +and went out. + +In a minute she came back and said: + +“You must sit where you are and not move, and whatever happens don’t go +near or look into the inner room. Now mind what I tell you!” + +“If you tell me not to go near the back room, of course I won’t,” said +the priest, rather bewildered. + +The old woman then went out again, and the priest was left alone. The +fire had died out, and the only light in the hut was that of a dim +lantern. For the first time that night he began to feel that he was in +a weird place, and the old woman’s words, “Whatever you do don’t peep +into the back room,” aroused his curiosity and his fear. + +What hidden thing could be in that room that she did not wish him to +see? For some time the remembrance of his promise to the old woman kept +him still, but at last he could no longer resist his curiosity to peep +into the forbidden place. + +He got up and began to move slowly towards the back room. Then the +thought that the old woman would be very angry with him if he disobeyed +her made him come back to his place by the fireside. + +As the minutes went slowly by and the old woman did not return, he +began to feel more and more frightened, and to wonder what dreadful +secret was in the room behind him. He must find out. + +“She will not know that I have looked unless I tell her. I will just +have a peep before she comes back,” said the man to himself. + +With these words he got up on his feet (for he had been sitting all +this time in Japanese fashion with his feet under him) and stealthily +crept towards the forbidden spot. With trembling hands he pushed back +the sliding door and looked in. What he saw froze the blood in his +veins. The room was full of dead men’s bones and the walls were +splashed and the floor was covered with human blood. In one corner +skull upon skull rose to the ceiling, in another was a heap of arm +bones, in another a heap of leg bones. The sickening smell made him +faint. He fell backwards with horror, and for some time lay in a heap +with fright on the floor, a pitiful sight. He trembled all over and his +teeth chattered, and he could hardly crawl away from the dreadful spot. + +“How horrible!” he cried out. “What awful den have I come to in my +travels? May Buddha help me or I am lost. Is it possible that that kind +old woman is really the cannibal goblin? When she comes back she will +show herself in her true character and eat me up at one mouthful!” + +With these words his strength came back to him and, snatching up his +hat and staff, he rushed out of the house as fast as his legs could +carry him. Out into the night he ran, his one thought to get as far as +he could from the goblin’s haunt. He had not gone far when he heard +steps behind him and a voice crying: “Stop! stop!” + +He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear. As he ran he +heard the steps behind him come nearer and nearer, and at last he +recognized the old woman’s voice which grew louder and louder as she +came nearer. + +“Stop! stop, you wicked man, why did you look into the forbidden room?” + +The priest quite forgot how tired he was and his feet flew over the +ground faster than ever. Fear gave him strength, for he knew that if +the goblin caught him he would soon be one of her victims. With all his +heart he repeated the prayer to Buddha: + +“Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu.” + +And after him rushed the dreadful old hag, her hair flying in the wind, +and her face changing with rage into the demon that she was. In her +hand she carried a large blood-stained knife, and she still shrieked +after him, “Stop! stop!” + +At last, when the priest felt he could run no more, the dawn broke, and +with the darkness of night the goblin vanished and he was safe. The +priest now knew that he had met the Goblin of Adachigahara, the story +of whom he had often heard but never believed to be true. He felt that +he owed his wonderful escape to the protection of Buddha to whom he had +prayed for help, so he took out his rosary and bowing his head as the +sun rose he said his prayers and made his thanksgiving earnestly. He +then set forward for another part of the country, only too glad to +leave the haunted plain behind him. + + + + +THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR + + +Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a +traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey +and showing off the animal’s tricks. + +One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to +send for the butcher the next morning. + +The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband: + +“Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?” + +“It’s no use taking that monkey round any longer, he’s too old and +forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he +won’t dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what +money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done.” + +The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for +her husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in vain, the +man was determined to sell him to the butcher. + +Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard every word of the +conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said +to himself: + +“Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for +years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and in +peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body +is to be roasted and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah! +a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a wild boar living in +the forest near by. I have often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I +go to him and tell him the strait I am in he will give me his counsel. +I will go and try.” + +There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran +as quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar was at +home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once. + +“Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great +trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of my +master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me +to the butcher. What do you advise me to do? I know how clever you +are!” + +The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the monkey. +He thought for a little while and then said: + +“Hasn’t your master a baby?” + +“Oh, yes,” said the monkey, “he has one infant son.” + +“Doesn’t it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins +the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my +opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it.” + +“What then?” said the monkey. + +“Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master +and mistress know what to do, you must run after me and rescue the +child and take it home safely to its parents, and you will see that +when the butcher comes they won’t have the heart to sell you.” + +The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not +sleep much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the morrow. +His life depended on whether the boar’s plan succeeded or not. He was +the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to +him a very long time before his master’s wife began to move about and +open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then all happened as the +boar had planned. The mother placed her child near the porch as usual +while she tidied up the house and got her breakfast ready. + +The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the +mats at the play of light and shadow. Suddenly there was a noise in the +porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the +kitchen to the spot, only just in time to see the boar disappearing +through the gate with her child in its clutch. She flung out her hands +with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the inner room where her +husband was still sleeping soundly. + +He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his +wife was making all that noise about. By the time that the man was +alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the +boar had got well away, but they saw the monkey running after the thief +as hard as his legs would carry him. + +Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of +the sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the +faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms. + +“There!” said the wife. “This is the animal you want to kill—if the +monkey hadn’t been here we should have lost our child forever.” + +“You are right, wife, for once,” said the man as he carried the child +into the house. “You may send the butcher back when he comes, and now +give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too.” + +When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some boar’s +meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and lived the +rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him again. + + + + +THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER + + +Long, long ago Japan was governed by Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto (or +Augustness) in descent from the illustrious Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. +He was not only as handsome as his ancestress was beautiful, but he was +also very strong and brave, and was famous for being the greatest +hunter in the land. Because of his matchless skill as a hunter, he was +called “Yama-sachi-hiko” or “The Happy Hunter of the Mountains.” + +His elder brother was a very skillful fisher, and as he far surpassed +all rivals in fishing, he was named “Umi-sachi-hiko” or the “Skillful +Fisher of the Sea.” The brothers thus led happy lives, thoroughly +enjoying their respective occupations, and the days passed quickly and +pleasantly while each pursued his own way, the one hunting and the +other fishing. + +One day the Happy Hunter came to his brother, the Skillful Fisher, and +said: + +“Well, my brother, I see you go to the sea every day with your fishing +rod in your hand, and when you return you come laden with fish. And as +for me, it is my pleasure to take my bow and arrow and to hunt the wild +animals up the mountains and down in the valleys. For a long time we +have each followed our favorite occupation, so that now we must both be +tired, you of your fishing and I of my hunting. Would it not be wise +for us to make a change? Will you try hunting in the mountains and I +will go and fish in the sea?” + +The Skillful Fisher listened in silence to his brother, and for a +moment was thoughtful, but at last he answered: + +“O yes, why not? Your idea is not a bad one at all. Give me your bow +and arrow and I will set out at once for the mountains and hunt for +game.” + +So the matter was settled by this talk, and the two brothers each +started out to try the other’s occupation, little dreaming of all that +would happen. It was very unwise of them, for the Happy Hunter knew +nothing of fishing, and the Skillful Fisher, who was bad tempered, knew +as much about hunting. + +The Happy Hunter took his brother’s much-prized fishing hook and rod +and went down to the seashore and sat down on the rocks. He baited his +hook and then threw it into the sea clumsily. He sat and gazed at the +little float bobbing up and down in the water, and longed for a good +fish to come and be caught. Every time the buoy moved a little he +pulled up his rod, but there was never a fish at the end of it, only +the hook and the bait. If he had known how to fish properly, he would +have been able to catch plenty of fish, but although he was the +greatest hunter in the land he could not help being the most bungling +fisher. + +The whole day passed in this way, while he sat on the rocks holding the +fishing rod and waiting in vain for his luck to turn. At last the day +began to darken, and the evening came; still he had caught not a single +fish. Drawing up his line for the last time before going home, he found +that he had lost his hook without even knowing when he had dropped it. + +He now began to feel extremely anxious, for he knew that his brother +would be angry at his having lost his hook, for, it being his only one, +he valued it above all other things. The Happy Hunter now set to work +to look among the rocks and on the sand for the lost hook, and while he +was searching to and fro, his brother, the Skillful Fisher, arrived on +the scene. He had failed to find any game while hunting that day, and +was not only in a bad temper, but looked fearfully cross. When he saw +the Happy Hunter searching about on the shore he knew that something +must have gone wrong, so he said at once: + +“What are you doing, my brother?” + +The Happy Hunter went forward timidly, for he feared his brother’s +anger, and said: + +“Oh, my brother, I have indeed done badly.” + +“What is the matter?—what have you done?” asked the elder brother +impatiently. + +“I have lost your precious fishing hook—” + +While he was still speaking his brother stopped him, and cried out +fiercely: + +“Lost my hook! It is just what I expected. For this reason, when you +first proposed your plan of changing over our occupations I was really +against it, but you seemed to wish it so much that I gave in and +allowed you to do as you wished. The mistake of our trying unfamiliar +tasks is soon seen! And you have done badly. I will not return you your +bow and arrow till you have found my hook. Look to it that you find it +and return it to me quickly.” + +The Happy Hunter felt that he was to blame for all that had come to +pass, and bore his brother’s scornful scolding with humility and +patience. He hunted everywhere for the hook most diligently, but it was +nowhere to be found. He was at last obliged to give up all hope of +finding it. He then went home, and in desperation broke his beloved +sword into pieces and made five hundred hooks out of it. + +He took these to his angry brother and offered them to him, asking his +forgiveness, and begging him to accept them in the place of the one he +had lost for him. It was useless; his brother would not listen to him, +much less grant his request. + +The Happy Hunter then made another five hundred hooks, and again took +them to his brother, beseeching him to pardon him. + +“Though you make a million hooks,” said the Skillful Fisher, shaking +his head, “they are of no use to me. I cannot forgive you unless you +bring me back my own hook.” + +Nothing would appease the anger of the Skillful Fisher, for he had a +bad disposition, and had always hated his brother because of his +virtues, and now with the excuse of the lost fishing hook he planned to +kill him and to usurp his place as ruler of Japan. The Happy Hunter +knew all this full well, but he could say nothing, for being the +younger he owed his elder brother obedience; so he returned to the +seashore and once more began to look for the missing hook. He was much +cast down, for he had lost all hope of ever finding his brother’s hook +now. While he stood on the beach, lost in perplexity and wondering what +he had best do next, an old man suddenly appeared carrying a stick in +his hand. The Happy Hunter afterwards remembered that he did not see +from whence the old man came, neither did he know how he was there—he +happened to look up and saw the old man coming towards him. + +“You are Hohodemi, the Augustness, sometimes called the Happy Hunter, +are you not?” asked the old man. “What are you doing alone in such a +place?” + +“Yes, I am he,” answered the unhappy young man. “Unfortunately, while +fishing I lost my brother’s precious fishing hook. I have hunted this +shore all over, but alas! I cannot find it, and I am very troubled, for +my brother won’t forgive me till I restore it to him. But who are you?” + +“My name is Shiwozuchino Okina, and I live near by on this shore. I am +sorry to hear what misfortune has befallen you. You must indeed be +anxious. But if I tell you what I think, the hook is nowhere here—it is +either at the bottom of the sea or in the body of some fish who has +swallowed it, and for this reason, though you spend your whole life in +looking for it here, you will never find it.” + +“Then what can I do?” asked the distressed man. + +“You had better go down to Ryn Gu and tell Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of +the Sea, what your trouble is and ask him to find the hook for you. I +think that would be the best way.” + +“Your idea is a splendid one,” said the Happy Hunter, “but I fear I +cannot get to the Sea King’s realm, for I have always heard that it is +situated at the bottom of the sea.” + +“Oh, there will be no difficulty about your getting there,” said the +old man; “I can soon make something for you to ride on through the +sea.” + +“Thank you,” said the Happy Hunter, “I shall be very grateful to you if +you will be so kind.” + +The old man at once set to work, and soon made a basket and offered it +to the Happy Hunter. He received it with joy, and taking it to the +water, mounted it, and prepared to start. He bade good by to the kind +old man who had helped him so much, and told him that he would +certainly reward him as soon as he found his hook and could return to +Japan without fear of his brother’s anger. The old man pointed out the +direction he must take, and told him how to reach the realm of Ryn Gu, +and watched him ride out to sea on the basket, which resembled a small +boat. + +The Happy Hunter made all the haste he could, riding on the basket +which had been given him by his friend. His queer boat seemed to go +through the water of its own accord, and the distance was much shorter +than he had expected, for in a few hours he caught sight of the gate +and the roof of the Sea King’s Palace. And what a large place it was, +with its numberless sloping roofs and gables, its huge gateways, and +its gray stone walls! He soon landed, and leaving his basket on the +beach, he walked up to the large gateway. The pillars of the gate were +made of beautiful red coral, and the gate itself was adorned with +glittering gems of all kinds. Large katsura trees overshadowed it. Our +hero had often heard of the wonders of the Sea King’s Palace beneath +the sea, but all the stories he had ever heard fell short of the +reality which he now saw for the first time. + +The Happy Hunter would have liked to enter the gate there and then, but +he saw that it was fast closed, and also that there was no one about +whom he could ask to open it for him, so he stopped to think what he +should do. In the shade of the trees before the gate he noticed a well +full of fresh spring water. Surely some one would come out to draw +water from the well some time, he thought. Then he climbed into the +tree overhanging the well, and seated himself to rest on one of the +branches, and waited for what might happen. Ere long he saw the huge +gate swing open, and two beautiful women came out. Now the Mikoto +(Augustness) had always heard that Ryn Gu was the realm of the Dragon +King under the Sea, and had naturally supposed that the place was +inhabited by dragons and similar terrible creatures, so that when he +saw these two lovely princesses, whose beauty would be rare even in the +world from which he had just come, he was exceedingly surprised, and +wondered what it could mean. + +He said not a word, however, but silently gazed at them through the +foliage of the trees, waiting to see what they would do. He saw that in +their hands they carried golden buckets. Slowly and gracefully in their +trailing garments they approached the well, standing in the shade of +the katsura trees, and were about to draw water, all unknowing of the +stranger who was watching them, for the Happy Hunter was quite hidden +among the branches of the tree where he had posted himself. + +As the two ladies leaned over the side of the well to let down their +golden buckets, which they did every day in the year, they saw +reflected in the deep still water the face of a handsome youth gazing +at them from amidst the branches of the tree in whose shade they stood. +Never before had they seen the face of mortal man; they were +frightened, and drew back quickly with their golden buckets in their +hands. Their curiosity, however, soon gave them courage, and they +glanced timidly upwards to see the cause of the unusual reflection, and +then they beheld the Happy Hunter sitting in the tree looking down at +them with surprise and admiration. They gazed at him face to face, but +their tongues were still with wonder and could not find a word to say +to him. + +When the Mikoto saw that he was discovered, he sprang down lightly from +the tree and said: + +“I am a traveler, and as I was very thirsty I came to the well in the +hopes of quenching my thirst, but I could find no bucket with which to +draw the water. So I climbed into the tree, much vexed, and waited for +some one to come. Just at that moment, while I was thirstily and +impatiently waiting, you noble ladies appeared, as if in answer to my +great need. Therefore I pray you of your mercy give me some water to +drink, for I am a thirsty traveler in a strange land.” + +His dignity and graciousness overruled their timidity, and bowing in +silence they both once more approached the well, and letting down their +golden buckets drew up some water and poured it into a jeweled cup and +offered it to the stranger. + +He received it from them with both hands, raising it to the height of +his forehead in token of high respect and pleasure, and then drank the +water quickly, for his thirst was great. When he had finished his long +draught he set the cup down on the edge of the well, and drawing his +short sword he cut off one of the strange curved jewels (magatama), a +necklace of which hung round his neck and fell over his breast. He +placed the jewel in the cup and returned it to them, and said, bowing +deeply: + +“This is a token of my thanks!” + +The two ladies took the cup, and looking into it to see what he had put +inside—for they did not yet know what it was—they gave a start of +surprise, for there lay a beautiful gem at the bottom of the cup. + +“No ordinary mortal would give away a jewel so freely. Will you not +honor us by telling us who you are?” said the elder damsel. + +“Certainly,” said the Happy Hunter, “I am Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto, +also called in Japan, the Happy Hunter.” + +“Are you indeed Hohodemi, the grandson of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess?” +asked the damsel who had spoken first. “I am the eldest daughter of Ryn +Jin, the King of the Sea, and my name is Princess Tayotama.” + +“And,” said the younger maiden, who at last found her tongue, “I am her +sister, the Princess Tamayori.” + +“Are you indeed the daughters of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea? I cannot +tell you how glad I am to meet you,” said the Happy Hunter. And without +waiting for them to reply he went on: + +“The other day I went fishing with my brother’s hook and dropped it, +how, I am sure I can’t tell. As my brother prizes his fishing hook +above all his other possessions, this is the greatest calamity that +could have befallen me. Unless I find it again I can never hope to win +my brother’s forgiveness, for he is very angry at what I have done. I +have searched for it many, many times, but I cannot find it, therefore +I am much troubled. While I was hunting for the hook, in great +distress, I met a wise old man, and he told me that the best thing I +could do was to come to Ryn Gu, and to Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the +Sea, and ask him to help me. This kind old man also showed me how to +come. Now you know how it is I am here and why. I want to ask Ryn Jin, +if he knows where the lost hook is. Will you be so kind as to take me +to your father? And do you think he will see me?” asked the Happy +Hunter anxiously. + +Princess Tayotama listened to this long story, and then said: + +“Not only is it easy for you to see my father, but he will be much +pleased to meet you. I am sure he will say that good fortune has +befallen him, that so great and noble a man as you, the grandson of +Amaterasu, should come down to the bottom of the sea.” And then turning +to her younger sister, she said: + +“Do you not think so, Tamayori?” + +“Yes, indeed,” answered the Princess Tamayori, in her sweet voice. “As +you say, we can know no greater honor than to welcome the Mikoto to our +home.” + +“Then I ask you to be so kind as to lead the way,” said the Happy +Hunter. + +“Condescend to enter, Mikoto (Augustness),” said both the sisters, and +bowing low, they led him through the gate. + +The younger Princess left her sister to take charge of the Happy +Hunter, and going faster than they, she reached the Sea King’s Palace +first, and running quickly to her father’s room, she told him of all +that had happened to them at the gate, and that her sister was even now +bringing the Augustness to him. The Dragon King of the Sea was much +surprised at the news, for it was but seldom, perhaps only once in +several hundred years, that the Sea King’s Palace was visited by +mortals. + +Ryn Jin at once clapped his hands and summoned all his courtiers and +the servants of the Palace, and the chief fish of the sea together, and +solemnly told them that the grandson of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, was +coming to the Palace, and that they must be very ceremonious and polite +in serving the august visitor. He then ordered them all to the entrance +of the Palace to welcome the Happy Hunter. + +Ryn Jin then dressed himself in his robes of ceremony, and went out to +welcome him. In a few moments the Princess Tayotama and the Happy +Hunter reached the entrance, and the Sea King and his wife bowed to the +ground and thanked him for the honor he did them in coming to see them. +The Sea King then led the Happy Hunter to the guest room, and placing +him in the uppermost seat, he bowed respectfully before him, and said: + +“I am Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea, and this is my wife. +Condescend to remember us forever!” + +“Are you indeed Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, of whom I have so often +heard?” answered the Happy Hunter, saluting his host most +ceremoniously. “I must apologize for all the trouble I am giving you by +my unexpected visit.” And he bowed again, and thanked the Sea King. + +“You need not thank me,” said Ryn Jin. “It is I who must thank you for +coming. Although the Sea Palace is a poor place, as you see, I shall be +highly honored if you will make us a long visit.” + +There was much gladness between the Sea King and the Happy Hunter, and +they sat and talked for a long time. At last the Sea King clapped his +hands, and then a huge retinue of fishes appeared, all robed in +ceremonial garments, and bearing in their fins various trays on which +all kinds of sea delicacies were served. A great feast was now spread +before the King and his Royal guest. All the fishes-in-waiting were +chosen from amongst the finest fish in the sea, so you can imagine what +a wonderful array of sea creatures it was that waited upon the Happy +Hunter that day. All in the Palace tried to do their best to please him +and to show him that he was a much honored guest. During the long +repast, which lasted for hours, Ryn Jin commanded his daughters to play +some music, and the two Princesses came in and performed on the KOTO +(the Japanese harp), and sang and danced in turns. The time passed so +pleasantly that the Happy Hunter seemed to forget his trouble and why +he had come at all to the Sea King’s Realm, and he gave himself up to +the enjoyment of this wonderful place, the land of fairy fishes! Who +has ever heard of such a marvelous place? But the Mikoto soon +remembered what had brought him to Ryn Gu, and said to his host: + +“Perhaps your daughters have told you, King Ryn Jin, that I have come +here to try and recover my brother’s fishing hook, which I lost while +fishing the other day. May I ask you to be so kind as to inquire of all +your subjects if any of them have seen a fishing hook lost in the sea?” + +“Certainly,” said the obliging Sea King, “I will immediately summon +them all here and ask them.” + +As soon as he had issued his command, the octopus, the cuttlefish, the +bonito, the oxtail fish, the eel, the jelly fish, the shrimp, and the +plaice, and many other fishes of all kinds came in and sat down before +Ryn Jin their King, and arranged themselves and their fins in order. +Then the Sea King said solemnly: + +“Our visitor who is sitting before you all is the august grandson of +Amaterasu. His name is Hohodemi, the fourth Augustness, and he is also +called the Happy Hunter of the Mountains. While he was fishing the +other day upon the shore of Japan, some one robbed him of his brother’s +fishing hook. He has come all this way down to the bottom of the sea to +our Kingdom because he thought that one of you fishes may have taken +the hook from him in mischievous play. If any of you have done so you +must immediately return it, or if any of you know who the thief is you +must at once tell us his name and where he is now.” + +All the fishes were taken by surprise when they heard these words, and +could say nothing for some time. They sat looking at each other and at +the Dragon King. At last the cuttlefish came forward and said: + +“I think the TAI (the red bream) must be the thief who has stolen the +hook!” + +“Where is your proof?” asked the King. + +“Since yesterday evening the TAI has not been able to eat anything, and +he seems to be suffering from a bad throat! For this reason I think the +hook may be in his throat. You had better send for him at once!” + +All the fish agreed to this, and said: + +“It is certainly strange that the TAI is the only fish who has not +obeyed your summons. Will you send for him and inquire into the matter. +Then our innocence will be proved.” + +“Yes,” said the Sea King, “it is strange that the TAI has not come, for +he ought to be the first to be here. Send for him at once!” + +Without waiting for the King’s order the cuttlefish had already started +for the TAI’S dwelling, and he now returned, bringing the TAI with him. +He led him before the King. + +The TAI sat there looking frightened and ill. He certainly was in pain, +for his usually red face was pale, and his eyes were nearly closed and +looked but half their usual size. + +“Answer, O TAI!” cried the Sea King, “why did you not come in answer to +my summons today?” + +“I have been ill since yesterday,” answered the TAI; “that is why I +could not come.” + +“Don’t say another word!” cried out Ryn Jin angrily. “Your illness is +the punishment of the gods for stealing the Mikoto’s hook.” + +“It is only too true!” said the TAI; “the hook is still in my throat, +and all my efforts to get it out have been useless. I can’t eat, and I +can scarcely breathe, and each moment I feel that it will choke me, and +sometimes it gives me great pain. I had no intention of stealing the +Mikoto’s hook. I heedlessly snapped at the bait which I saw in the +water, and the hook came off and stuck in my throat. So I hope you will +pardon me.” + +The cuttlefish now came forward, and said to the King: + +“What I said was right. You see the hook still sticks in the TAI’S +throat. I hope to be able to pull it out in the presence of the Mikoto, +and then we can return it to him safely!” + +“O please make haste and pull it out!” cried the TAI, pitifully, for he +felt the pains in his throat coming on again; “I do so want to return +the hook to the Mikoto.” + +“All right, TAI SAN,” said his friend the cuttlefish, and then opening +the TAI’S mouth as wide as he could and putting one of his feelers down +the TAI’S throat, he quickly and easily drew the hook out of the +sufferer’s large mouth. He then washed it and brought it to the King. + +Ryn Jin took the hook from his subject, and then respectfully returned +it to the Happy Hunter (the Mikoto or Augustness, the fishes called +him), who was overjoyed at getting back his hook. He thanked Ryn Jin +many times, his face beaming with gratitude, and said that he owed the +happy ending of his quest to the Sea King’s wise authority and +kindness. + +Ryn Jin now desired to punish the TAI, but the Happy Hunter begged him +not to do so; since his lost hook was thus happily recovered he did not +wish to make more trouble for the poor TAI. It was indeed the TAI who +had taken the hook, but he had already suffered enough for his fault, +if fault it could be called. What had been done was done in +heedlessness and not by intention. The Happy Hunter said he blamed +himself; if he had understood how to fish properly he would never have +lost his hook, and therefore all this trouble had been caused in the +first place by his trying to do something which he did not know how to +do. So he begged the Sea King to forgive his subject. + +Who could resist the pleading of so wise and compassionate a judge? Ryn +Jin forgave his subject at once at the request of his august guest. The +TAI was so glad that he shook his fins for joy, and he and all the +other fish went out from the presence of their King, praising the +virtues of the Happy Hunter. + +Now that the hook was found the Happy Hunter had nothing to keep him in +Ryn Gu, and he was anxious to get back to his own kingdom and to make +peace with his angry brother, the Skillful Fisher; but the Sea King, +who had learnt to love him and would fain have kept him as a son, +begged him not to go so soon, but to make the Sea Palace his home as +long as ever he liked. While the Happy Hunter was still hesitating, the +two lovely Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, came, and with the +sweetest of bows and voices joined with their father in pressing him to +stay, so that without seeming ungracious he could not say them “Nay,” +and was obliged to stay on for some time. + +Between the Sea Realm and the Earth there was no difference in the +night of time, and the Happy Hunter found that three years went +fleeting quickly by in this delightful land. The years pass swiftly +when any one is truly happy. But though the wonders of that enchanted +land seemed to be new every day, and though the Sea King’s kindness +seemed rather to increase than to grow less with time, the Happy Hunter +grew more and more homesick as the days passed, and he could not +repress a great anxiety to know what had happened to his home and his +country and his brother while he had been away. + +So at last he went to the Sea King and said: + +“My stay with you here has been most happy and I am very grateful to +you for all your kindness to me, but I govern Japan, and, delightful as +this place is, I cannot absent myself forever from my country. I must +also return the fishing hook to my brother and ask his forgiveness for +having deprived him of it for so long. I am indeed very sorry to part +from you, but this time it cannot be helped. With your gracious +permission, I will take my leave to-day. I hope to make you another +visit some day. Please give up the idea of my staying longer now.” + +King Ryn Jin was overcome with sorrow at the thought that he must lose +his friend who had made a great diversion in the Palace of the Sea, and +his tears fell fast as he answered: + +“We are indeed very sorry to part with you, Mikoto, for we have enjoyed +your stay with us very much. You have been a noble and honored guest +and we have heartily made you welcome. I quite understand that as you +govern Japan you ought to be there and not here, and that it is vain +for us to try and keep you longer with us, much as we would like to +have you stay. I hope you will not forget us. Strange circumstances +have brought us together and I trust the friendship thus begun between +the Land and the Sea will last and grow stronger than it has ever been +before.” + +When the Sea King had finished speaking he turned to his two daughters +and bade them bring him the two Tide-Jewels of the Sea. The two +Princesses bowed low, rose and glided out of the hall. In a few minutes +they returned, each one carrying in her hands a flashing gem which +filled the room with light. As the Happy Hunter looked at them he +wondered what they could be. The Sea King took them from his daughters +and said to his guest: + +“These two valuable talismans we have inherited from our ancestors from +time immemorial. We now give them to you as a parting gift in token of +our great affection for you. These two gems are called the nanjiu and +the kanjiu.” + +The Happy Hunter bowed low to the ground and said: + +“I can never thank you enough for all your kindness to me. And now will +you add one more favor to the rest and tell me what these jewels are +and what I am to do with them?” + +“The nanjiu,” answered the Sea King, “is also called the Jewel of the +Flood Tide, and whoever holds it in his possession can command the sea +to roll in and to flood the land at any time that he wills. The kanjiu +is also called the Jewel of the Ebbing Tide, and this gem controls the +sea and the waves thereof, and will cause even a tidal wave to recede.” + +Then Ryn Jin showed his friend how to use the talismans one by one and +handed them to him. The Happy Hunter was very glad to have these two +wonderful gems, the Jewel of the Flood Tide and the Jewel of the Ebbing +Tide, to take back with him, for he felt that they would preserve him +in case of danger from enemies at any time. After thanking his kind +host again and again, he prepared to depart. The Sea King and the two +Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, and all the inmates of the Palace, +came out to say “Good-by,” and before the sound of the last farewell +had died away the Happy Hunter passed out from under the gateway, past +the well of happy memory standing in the shade of the great KATSURA +trees on his way to the beach. + +Here he found, instead of the queer basket on which he had come to the +Realm of Ryn Gu, a large crocodile waiting for him. Never had he seen +such a huge creature. It measured eight fathoms in length from the tip +of its tail to the end of its long mouth. The Sea King had ordered the +monster to carry the Happy Hunter back to Japan. Like the wonderful +basket which Shiwozuchino Okina had made, it could travel faster than +any steamboat, and in this strange way, riding on the back of a +crocodile, the Happy Hunter returned to his own land. + +As soon as the crocodile landed him, the Happy Hunter hastened to tell +the Skillful Fisher of his safe return. He then gave him back the +fishing hook which had been found in the mouth of the TAI and which had +been the cause of so much trouble between them. He earnestly begged his +brother’s forgiveness, telling him all that had happened to him in the +Sea King’s Palace and what wonderful adventures had led to the finding +of the hook. + +Now the Skillful Fisher had used the lost hook as an excuse for driving +his brother out of the country. When his brother had left him that day +three years ago, and had not returned, he had been very glad in his +evil heart and had at once usurped his brother’s place as ruler of the +land, and had become powerful and rich. Now in the midst of enjoying +what did not belong to him, and hoping that his brother might never +return to claim his rights, quite unexpectedly there stood the Happy +Hunter before him. + +The Skillful Fisher feigned forgiveness, for he could make no more +excuses for sending his brother away again, but in his heart he was +very angry and hated his brother more and more, till at last he could +no longer bear the sight of him day after day, and planned and watched +for an opportunity to kill him. + +One day when the Happy Hunter was walking in the rice fields his +brother followed him with a dagger. The Happy Hunter knew that his +brother was following him to kill him, and he felt that now, in this +hour of great danger, was the time to use the Jewels of the Flow and +Ebb of the Tide and prove whether what the Sea King had told him was +true or not. + +So he took out the Jewel of the Flood Tide from the bosom of his dress +and raised it to his forehead. Instantly over the fields and over the +farms the sea came rolling in wave upon wave till it reached the spot +where his brother was standing. The Skillful Fisher stood amazed and +terrified to see what was happening. In another minute he was +struggling in the water and calling on his brother to save him from +drowning. + +The Happy Hunter had a kind heart and could not bear the sight of his +brother’s distress. He at once put back the Jewel of the Flood Tide and +took out the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. No sooner did he hold it up as high +as his forehead than the sea ran back and back, and ere long the +tossing rolling floods had vanished, and the farms and fields and dry +land appeared as before. + +The Skillful Fisher was very frightened at the peril of death in which +he had stood, and was greatly impressed by the wonderful things he had +seen his brother do. He learned now that he was making a fatal mistake +to set himself against his brother, younger than he thought he was, for +he now had become so powerful that the sea would flow in and the tide +ebb at his word of command. So he humbled himself before the Happy +Hunter and asked him to forgive him all the wrong he had done him. The +Skillful Fisher promised to restore his brother to his rights and also +swore that though the Happy Hunter was the younger brother and owed him +allegiance by right of birth, that he, the Skillful Fisher, would exalt +him as his superior and bow before him as Lord of all Japan. + +Then the Happy Hunter said that he would forgive his brother if he +would throw into the receding tide all his evil ways. The Skillful +Fisher promised and there was peace between the two brothers. From this +time he kept his word and became a good man and a kind brother. + +The Happy Hunter now ruled his Kingdom without being disturbed by +family strife, and there was peace in Japan for a long, long time. +Above all the treasures in his house he prized the wonderful Jewels of +the Flow and Ebb of the Tide which had been given him by Ryn Jin, the +Dragon King of the Sea. + +This is the congratulatory ending of the Happy Hunter and the Skillful +Fisher. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER + + +Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported +themselves by cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been a +very happy and peaceful one save for one great sorrow, and this was +they had no child. Their only pet was a dog named Shiro, and on him +they lavished all the affection of their old age. Indeed, they loved +him so much that whenever they had anything nice to eat they denied +themselves to give it to Shiro. Now Shiro means “white,” and he was so +called because of his color. He was a real Japanese dog, and very like +a small wolf in appearance. + +The happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was when +the man returned from his work in the field, and having finished his +frugal supper of rice and vegetables, would take what he had saved from +the meal out to the little veranda that ran round the cottage. Sure +enough, Shiro was waiting for his master and the evening tit-bit. Then +the old man said “Chin, chin!” and Shiro sat up and begged, and his +master gave him the food. Next door to this good old couple there lived +another old man and his wife who were both wicked and cruel, and who +hated their good neighbors and the dog Shiro with all their might. +Whenever Shiro happened to look into their kitchen they at once kicked +him or threw something at him, sometimes even wounding him. + +One day Shiro was heard barking for a long time in the field at the +back of his master’s house. The old man, thinking that perhaps some +birds were attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the matter. +As soon as Shiro saw his master he ran to meet him, wagging his tail, +and, seizing the end of his kimono, dragged him under a large yenoki +tree. Here he began to dig very industriously with his paws, yelping +with joy all the time. The old man, unable to understand what it all +meant, stood looking on in bewilderment. But Shiro went on barking and +digging with all his might. + +The thought that something might be hidden beneath the tree, and that +the dog had scented it, at last struck the old man. He ran back to the +house, fetched his spade and began to dig the ground at that spot. What +was his astonishment when, after digging for some time, he came upon a +heap of old and valuable coins, and the deeper he dug the more gold +coins did he find. So intent was the old man on his work that he never +saw the cross face of his neighbor peering at him through the bamboo +hedge. At last all the gold coins lay shining on the ground. Shiro sat +by erect with pride and looking fondly at his master as if to say, “You +see, though only a dog, I can make some return for all the kindness you +show me.” + +The old man ran in to call his wife, and together they carried home the +treasure. Thus in one day the poor old man became rich. His gratitude +to the faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved and petted him more +than ever, if that were possible. + +The cross old neighbor, attracted by Shiro’s barking, had been an +unseen and envious witness of the finding of the treasure. He began to +think that he, too, would like to find a fortune. So a few days later +he called at the old man’s house and very ceremoniously asked +permission to borrow Shiro for a short time. + +Shiro’s master thought this a strange request, because he knew quite +well that not only did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that he +never lost an opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever the +dog crossed his path. But the good old man was too kind-hearted to +refuse his neighbor, so he consented to lend the dog on condition that +he should be taken great care of. + +The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on his face, +and told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty intentions. He +then took his spade and hastened to his own field, forcing the +unwilling Shiro to follow him. As soon as he reached a yenoki tree, he +said to the dog, threateningly: + +“If there were gold coins under your master’s tree, there must also be +gold coins under my tree. You must find them for me! Where are they? +Where? Where?” + +And catching hold of Shiro’s neck he held the dog’s head to the ground, +so that Shiro began to scratch and dig in order to free himself from +the horrid old man’s grasp. + +The old man was very pleased when he saw the dog begin to scratch and +dig, for he at once supposed that some gold coins lay buried under his +tree as well as under his neighbor’s, and that the dog had scented them +as before; so pushing Shiro away he began to dig himself, but there was +nothing to be found. As he went on digging a foul smell was noticeable, +and he at last came upon a refuse heap. + +The old man’s disgust can be imagined. This soon gave way to anger. He +had seen his neighbor’s good fortune, and hoping for the same luck +himself, he had borrowed the dog Shiro; and now, just as he seemed on +the point of finding what he sought, only a horrid smelling refuse heap +had rewarded him for a morning’s digging. Instead of blaming his own +greed for his disappointment, he blamed the poor dog. He seized his +spade, and with all his strength struck Shiro and killed him on the +spot. He then threw the dog’s body into the hole which he had dug in +the hope of finding a treasure of gold coins, and covered it over with +the earth. Then he returned to the house, telling no one, not even his +wife, what he had done. + +After waiting several days, as the dog Shiro did not return, his master +began to grow anxious. Day after day went by and the good old man +waited in vain. Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give him +back his dog. Without any shame or hesitation, the wicked neighbor +answered that he had killed Shiro because of his bad behavior. At this +dreadful news Shiro’s master wept many sad and bitter tears. Great +indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too good and gentle to +reproach his bad neighbor. Learning that Shiro was buried under the +yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to give him the tree, in +remembrance of his poor dog Shiro. + +Even the cross old neighbor could not refuse such a simple request, so +he consented to give the old man the tree under which Shiro lay buried. +Shiro’s master then cut the tree down and carried it home. Out of the +trunk he made a mortar. In this his wife put some rice, and he began to +pound it with the intention of making a festival to the memory of his +dog Shiro. + +A strange thing happened! His wife put the rice into the mortar, and no +sooner had he begun to pound it to make the cakes, than it began to +increase in quantity gradually till it was about five times the +original amount, and the cakes were turned out of the mortar as if an +invisible hand were at work. + +When the old man and his wife saw this, they understood that it was a +reward to them from Shiro for their faithful love to him. They tasted +the cakes and found them nicer than any other food. So from this time +they never troubled about food, for they lived upon the cakes with +which the mortar never ceased to supply them. + +The greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of good luck, was filled +with envy as before, and called on the old man and asked leave to +borrow the wonderful mortar for a short time, pretending that he, too, +sorrowed for the death of Shiro, and wished to make cakes for a +festival to the dog’s memory. + +The old man did not in the least wish to lend it to his cruel neighbor, +but he was too kind to refuse. So the envious man carried home the +mortar, but he never brought it back. + +Several days passed, and Shiro’s master waited in vain for the mortar, +so he went to call on the borrower, and asked him to be good enough to +return the mortar if he had finished with it. He found him sitting by a +big fire made of pieces of wood. On the ground lay what looked very +much like pieces of a broken mortar. In answer to the old man’s +inquiry, the wicked neighbor answered haughtily: + +“Have you come to ask me for your mortar? I broke it to pieces, and now +I am making a fire of the wood, for when I tried to pound cakes in it +only some horrid smelling stuff came out.” + +The good old man said: + +“I am very sorry for that. It is a great pity you did not ask me for +the cakes if you wanted them. I would have given you as many as ever +you wanted. Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to +keep them in remembrance of my dog.” + +The neighbor consented at once, and the old man carried home a basket +full of ashes. + +Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of the +ashes made by the burning of the mortar on the trees of his garden. A +wonderful thing happened! + +It was late in autumn and all the trees had shed their leaves, but no +sooner did the ashes touch their branches than the cherry trees, the +plum trees, and all other blossoming shrubs burst into bloom, so that +the old man’s garden was suddenly transformed into a beautiful picture +of spring. The old man’s delight knew no bounds, and he carefully +preserved the remaining ashes. + +The story of the old man’s garden spread far and wide, and people from +far and near came to see the wonderful sight. + +One day, soon after this, the old man heard some one knocking at his +door, and going to the porch to see who it was he was surprised to see +a Knight standing there. This Knight told him that he was a retainer of +a great Daimio (Earl); that one of the favorite cherry trees in this +nobleman’s garden had withered, and that though every one in his +service had tried all manner of means to revive it, none took effect. +The Knight was sore perplexed when he saw what great displeasure the +loss of his favorite cherry tree caused the Daimio. At this point, +fortunately, they had heard that there was a wonderful old man who +could make withered trees to blossom, and that his Lord had sent him to +ask the old man to come to him. + +“And,” added the Knight, “I shall be very much obliged if you will come +at once.” + +The good old man was greatly surprised at what he heard, but +respectfully followed the Knight to the nobleman’s Palace. + +The Daimio, who had been impatiently awaiting the old man’s coming, as +soon as he saw him asked him at once: + +“Are you the old man who can make withered trees flower even out of +season?” + +The old man made an obeisance, and replied: + +“I am that old man!” + +Then the Daimio said: + +“You must make that dead cherry tree in my garden blossom again by +means of your famous ashes. I shall look on.” + +Then they all went into the garden—the Daimio and his retainers and the +ladies-in waiting, who carried the Daimio’s sword. + +The old man now tucked up his kimono and made ready to climb the tree. +Saying “Excuse me,” he took the pot of ashes which he had brought with +him, and began to climb the tree, every one watching his movements with +great interest. + +At last he climbed to the spot where the tree divided into two great +branches, and taking up his position here, the old man sat down and +scattered the ashes right and left all over the branches and twigs. + +Wonderful, indeed, was the result! The withered tree at once burst into +full bloom! The Daimio was so transported with joy that he looked as if +he would go mad. He rose to his feet and spread out his fan, calling +the old man down from the tree. He himself gave the old man a wine cup +filled with the best SAKE, and rewarded him with much silver and gold +and many other precious things. The Daimio ordered that henceforth the +old man should call himself by the name of Hana-Saka-Jijii, or “The Old +Man who makes the Trees to Blossom,” and that henceforth all were to +recognize him by this name, and he sent him home with great honor. + +The wicked neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man’s fortune, +and of all that had so auspiciously befallen him, and he could not +suppress all the envy and jealousy that filled his heart. He called to +mind how he had failed in his attempt to find the gold coins, and then +in making the magic cakes; this time surely he must succeed if he +imitated the old man, who made withered trees to flower simply by +sprinkling ashes on them. This would be the simplest task of all. + +So he set to work and gathered together all the ashes which remained in +the fire-place from the burning of the wonderful mortar. Then he set +out in the hope of finding some great man to employ him, calling out +loudly as he went along: + +“Here comes the wonderful man who can make withered trees blossom! Here +comes the old man who can make dead trees blossom!” + +The Daimio in his Palace heard this cry, and said: + +“That must be the Hana-Saka-Jijii passing. I have nothing to do to-day. +Let him try his art again; it will amuse me to look on.” + +So the retainers went out and brought in the impostor before their +Lord. The satisfaction of false old man can now be imagined. + +But the Daimio looking at him, thought it strange that he was not at +all like the old man he had seen before, so he asked him: + +“Are you the man whom I named Hana-Saka-Jijii?” + +And the envious neighbor answered with a lie: + +“Yes, my Lord!” + +“That is strange!” said the Daimio. “I thought there was only one +Hana-Saka-Jijii in the world! Has he now some disciples?” + +“I am the true Hana-Saka-Jijii. The one who came to you before was only +my disciple!” replied the old man again. + +“Then you must be more skillful than the other. Try what you can do and +let me see!” + +The envious neighbor, with the Daimio and his Court following, then +went into the garden, and approaching a dead tree, took out a handful +of the ashes which he carried with him, and scattered them over the +tree. + +But not only did the tree not burst into flower, but not even a bud +came forth. Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man +took handfuls and again sprinkled them over the withered tree. But all +to no effect. After trying several times, the ashes were blown into the +Daimio’s eyes. This made him very angry, and he ordered his retainers +to arrest the false Hana-Saka-Jijii at once and put him in prison for +an impostor. From this imprisonment the wicked old man was never freed. +Thus did he meet with punishment at last for all his evil doings. + +The good old man, however, with the treasure of gold coins which Shiro +had found for him, and with all the gold and the silver which the +Daimio had showered on him, became a rich and prosperous man in his old +age, and lived a long and happy life, beloved and respected by all. + + + + +THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY + + +Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a +wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. +His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both +great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow +of the Tide. The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean +caused the sea to recede from the land, and the Jewel of the Flowing +Tide made the waves to rise mountains high and to flow in upon the +shore like a tidal wave. + +The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so +beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. +The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the +floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in +spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its +wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, +was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought that if +he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he +decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he +chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for +a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride. + +At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young +dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer +beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in +gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery +adorned them. + +The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was +celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the +great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their +congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and +prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay +festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried +the bride’s possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the +waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a +phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming +blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke +that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the +phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event. + +Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They +loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight +in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, +and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls +and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer’s day. + +Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill +and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he +saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to +come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants +to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in +spite of all the nurses’ assiduous care and the medicine that the +doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but +grew daily worse. + +Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not +curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin’s evident +displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he +knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible +to find it in the sea. + +“Do you mean to tell me that you can’t get the medicine here?” asked +the Dragon King. + +“It is just as you say!” said the doctor. + +“Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?” demanded Rin Jin. + +“I want the liver of a live monkey!” answered the doctor. + +“The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to +get,” said the King. + +“If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon +recover,” said the doctor. + +“Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where +are we most likely to find a monkey?” asked the King. + +Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south +there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived. + +“If only you could capture one of these monkeys?” said the doctor. + +“How can any of my people capture a monkey?” said the Dragon King, +greatly puzzled. “The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the +water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don’t see what +we can do!” + +“That has been my difficulty too,” said the doctor. “But amongst your +innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for +that express purpose!” + +“Something must be done,” said the King, and calling his chief steward +he consulted him on the matter. + +The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a +sudden thought, said joyfully: + +“I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is +certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on +land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island +of Monkeys to catch one.” + +The jelly fish was then summoned to the King’s presence, and was told +by His Majesty what was required of him. + +The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be +intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been +to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in +catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one. + +“Well,” said the chief steward, “if you depend on your strength or +dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a +trick on one!” + +“How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don’t know how to do it,” said +the perplexed jelly fish. + +“This is what you must do,” said the wily chief steward. “When you +approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to +get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the +Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon +King’s Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the +grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his +curiosity and make him long to see it all!” + +“But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don’t swim?” +said the reluctant jelly fish. + +“You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you +can’t do that!” said the chief steward. + +“Won’t he be very heavy?” queried kurage again. + +“You mustn’t mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King,” +replied the chief steward. + +“I will do my best then,” said the jelly fish, and he swam away from +the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly +he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient +wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big +pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just +what he was looking for—a live monkey. + +“I’m in luck!” thought the jelly fish. “Now I must flatter the creature +and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part +will be done!” + +So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient +days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. +When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said: + +“How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn’t it a lovely day?” + +“A very fine day,” answered the monkey from the tree. “I have never +seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and +what is your name?” + +“My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the +Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have +come on purpose to see it,” answered the jelly fish. + +“I am very glad to see you,” said the monkey. + +“By the bye,” said the jelly fish, “have you ever seen the Palace of +the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?” + +“I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!” answered the +monkey. + +“Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go +through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all +description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the +world,” said the jelly fish. + +“Is it so beautiful as all that?” asked the monkey in astonishment. + +Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best +of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King’s Palace, and +the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red +coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on +the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he +listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of +the wonderful story. + +“I have got him at last!” thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said: + +“Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of +the Dragon King, won’t you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity +by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you +all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a +land-lubber.” + +“I should love to go,” said the monkey, “but how am I to cross the +water! I can’t swim, as you surely know!” + +“There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back.” + +“That will be troubling you too much,” said the monkey. + +“I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn’t +hesitate,” said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he +stepped into the sea. + +“Keep very still, Mr. monkey,” said the jelly fish. “You mustn’t fall +into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King’s +Palace.” + +“Please don’t go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off,” said the +monkey. + +Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with +the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the +jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the +monkey had his liver with him or not! + +“Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?” + +The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked +what the jelly fish wanted with a liver. + +“That is the most important thing of all,” said the stupid jelly fish, +“so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with +you?” + +“Why is my liver so important to you?” asked the monkey. + +“Oh! you will learn the reason later,” said the jelly fish. + +The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the +jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by +appealing to his hearer’s feelings by saying that he was very troubled +at what he had been told. + +Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry +for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, +and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would +cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one. + +“Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace +the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!” said the +silly jelly fish. + +The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry +at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of +what was in store for him. + +But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan +not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself +and to think of some way by which he might escape. + +“The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I +shall die!” thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so +he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish: + +“What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this +before we left the island!” + +“If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly +have refused to come,” answered the jelly fish. + +“You are quite mistaken,” said the monkey. “Monkeys can very well spare +a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of +the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have +presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several +livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I +have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree.” + +“Have you left your liver behind you?” asked the jelly fish. + +“Yes,” said the cunning monkey, “during the daytime I usually leave my +liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way +when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your +interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I +came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have +remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!” + +The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he +believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without +a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so. + +“Well,” said the monkey, “that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to +think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the +place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver.” + +The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back +to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so +kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it +with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his +course towards the Monkey Island once more. + +No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey +landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had +first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at +being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said: + +“So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my +compliments to the Dragon King on your return!” + +The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it +was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn’t his intention to +come with him at once after getting his liver. + +The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn’t afford to lose his +liver: it was too precious. + +“But remember your promise!” pleaded the jelly fish, now very +discouraged. + +“That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!” answered the +monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he +had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his +life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea +King’s Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading +the jelly fish to return under false pretenses. + +“Of course, I won’t GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you can!” +added the monkey mockingly from the tree. + +There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his +stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess +his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last +thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was +the monkey laughing at him. + +Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the +servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. +When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him +with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he +had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they asked him where the +monkey was. + +Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all +over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over +the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; +how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left +his liver behind him. + +The Dragon King’s wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the +jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible +one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he +was to be beaten with sticks. + +The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried +out for pardon. But the Dragon King’s order had to be obeyed. The +servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and +surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat +him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and +threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his +foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of +bonelessness. + +From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once +had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the +Dragon King’s sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly +fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see +them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan. + + + + +THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB + + +Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a +pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the +bank of a river. As they were running about, the crab found a +rice-dumpling and the monkey a persimmon-seed. + +The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, +saying: + +“Look what a nice thing I have found!” + +Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said: + +“I also have found something good! Look!” + +Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no +use for the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard and +uneatable as a stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very +envious of the crab’s nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. The +crab naturally did not see why he should give up his prize for a hard +stone-like seed, and would not consent to the monkey’s proposition. + +Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying: + +“How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling can +be eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if you sow +this seed in the ground it will soon grow and become a great tree in a +few years, and bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons year after +year. If only I could show it to you then with the yellow fruit hanging +on its branches! Of course, if you don’t believe me I shall sow it +myself; though I am sure, later on, you will be very sorry that you did +not take my advice.” + +The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey’s clever persuasion. +He at last gave in and consented to the monkey’s proposal, and the +exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled up the dumpling, and +with great reluctance gave up the persimmon-seed to the crab. He would +have liked to keep that too, but he was afraid of making the crab angry +and of being pinched by his sharp scissor-like claws. They then +separated, the monkey going home to his forest trees and the crab to +his stones along the river-side. As soon as the crab reached home he +put the persimmon-seed in the ground as the monkey had told him. + +In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a +young tree push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew +bigger, till at last it blossomed one spring, and in the following +autumn bore some fine large persimmons. Among the broad smooth green +leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they +mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little crab’s pleasure to go out +day by day and sit in the sun and put out his long eyes in the same way +as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the persimmons ripening to +perfection. + +“How delicious they will be to eat!” he said to himself. + +At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he +wanted very much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the +tree, in the vain hope of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons +hanging above him; but he failed each time, for a crab’s legs are not +made for climbing trees but only for running along the ground and over +stones, both of which he can do most cleverly. In his dilemma he +thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he knew, could climb trees +better than any one else in the world. He determined to ask the monkey +to help him, and set out to find him. + +Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into +the shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an +afternoon nap in his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight +around a branch to prevent him from falling off in his dreams. He was +soon wide awake, however, when he heard himself called, and eagerly +listening to what the crab told him. When he heard that the seed which +he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had grown into a tree and +was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he at once devised a +cunning plan which would give him all the persimmons for himself. + +He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When they +both reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a fine +tree had sprung from the seed, and with what a number of ripe +persimmons the branches were loaded. + +He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as he +could, one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best and +ripest he could find, and went on eating till he could eat no more. Not +one would he give to the poor hungry crab waiting below, and when he +had finished there was little but the hard, unripe fruit left. + +You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting patiently, +for so long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the fruit to +ripen, when he saw the monkey devouring all the good persimmons. He was +so disappointed that he ran round and round the tree calling to the +monkey to remember his promise. The monkey at first took no notice of +the crab’s complaints, but at last he picked out the hardest, greenest +persimmon he could find and aimed it at the crab’s head. The persimmon +is as hard as stone when it is unripe. The monkey’s missile struck home +and the crab was sorely hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as +he could pick them, the monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw +them at the defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered with wounds +all over his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the tree +he had himself planted. + +When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away from +the spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a coward as +he was. + +Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far from +the spot where this sad work had taken place. On the way home he came +across his father dead, in a most dreadful condition—his head was +smashed and his shell broken in several places, and around his body lay +the unripe persimmons which had done their deadly work. At this +dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down and wept. + +But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying +would do no good; it was his duty to avenge his father’s murder, and +this he determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would +lead him to discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed +that the best fruit had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel and +numerous seeds strewn on the ground as well as the unripe persimmons +which had evidently been thrown at his father. Then he understood that +the monkey was the murderer, for he now remembered that his father had +once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and the persimmon-seed. +The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons above all other +fruit, and he felt sure that his greed for the coveted fruit had been +the cause of the old crab’s death. Alas! + +He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he +burned with rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was +useless, for the monkey was an old and cunning animal and would be hard +to overcome. He must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of his +friends to help him, for he knew it would be quite out of his power to +kill him alone. + +The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father’s old +friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the mortar +with tears to help him avenge his father’s death. The mortar was very +sorry when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to help the +young crab punish the monkey to death. He warned him that he must be +very careful in what he did, for the monkey was a strong and cunning +enemy. The mortar now sent to fetch the bee and the chestnut (also the +crab’s old friends) to consult them about the matter. In a short time +the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they were told all the details +of the old crab’s death and of the monkey’s wickedness and greed, they +both gladly consented to help the young crab in his revenge. + +After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying out +their plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the young +crab to help him bury his poor father. + +While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating himself +(as the wicked often do before their punishment comes upon them) on all +he had done so neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing that he had +robbed his friend of all his ripe persimmons and then that he had +killed him. Still, smile as hard as he might, he could not banish +altogether the fear of the consequences should his evil deeds be +discovered. IF he were found out (and he told himself that this could +not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab’s family would be sure to +bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he would not go +out, and kept himself at home for several days. He found this kind of +life, however, extremely dull, accustomed as he was to the free life of +the woods, and at last he said: + +“No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the old +thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no mouths! +Who is there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one knows, what +is the use of shutting myself up and brooding over the matter? What is +done cannot be undone!” + +With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about as +slyly as possible near the crab’s house and tried to hear the +neighbors’ gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs +were saving about their chief’s death, for the old crab had been the +chief of the tribe. But he heard nothing and said to himself: + +“They are all such fools that they don’t know and don’t care who +murdered their chief!” + +Little did he know in his so-called “monkey’s wisdom” that this seeming +unconcern was part of the young crab’s plan. He purposely pretended not +to know who killed his father, and also to believe that he had met his +death through his own fault. By this means he could the better keep +secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was meditating. + +So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told +himself he had nothing now to fear. + +One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by +the appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was +wondering what this might mean, the messenger bowed before him and +said: + +“I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the +other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the +tree after fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first anniversary +after his death, and my master has prepared a little festival in his +father’s honor, and bids you come to participate in it as you were one +of his best friends. My master hopes you will honor his house with your +kind visit.” + +When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, for +all his fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not guess +that a plot had just been set in motion against him. He pretended to be +very surprised at the news of the crab’s death, and said: + +“I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief’s death. We were great +friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice-dumpling +for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that seed was in +the end the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many +thanks. I shall be delighted to do honor to my poor old friend!” And he +screwed some false tears from his eyes. + +The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, “The wicked monkey is now +dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real ones.” +But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home. + +When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought +was the young crab’s innocence, and without the least feeling began to +look forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the dead +crab, to which he had been invited. He changed his dress and set out +solemnly to visit the young crab. + +He found all the members of the crab’s family and his relatives waiting +to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting were over +they led him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came to receive +him. Expressions of condolence and thanks were exchanged between them, +and then they all sat down to a luxurious feast and entertained the +monkey as the guest of honor. + +The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to drink a +cup of tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to the tearoom +he left him and retired. Time passed and still he did not return. At +last the monkey became impatient. He said to himself: + +“This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting +so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at the dinner!” + +He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out some +hot water from the kettle boiling there, when something burst out from +the ashes with a great pop and hit the monkey right in the neck. It was +the chestnut, one of the crab’s friends, who had hidden himself in the +fireplace. The monkey, taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then +started to run out of the room. + +The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung him +on the cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the +chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on screaming +and chattering with rage. + +Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on +the top of the crab’s gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the +mortar and all fell down on the top of the monkey’s head. Was it +possible for the monkey to bear the weight of the mortar falling on him +from the top of the gate? He lay crushed and in great pain, quite +unable to get up. As he lay there helpless the young crab came up, and, +holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, he said: + +“Do you now remember that you murdered my father?” + +“Then you—are—my—enemy?” gasped the monkey brokenly. + +“Of course,” said the young crab. + +“It—was—your—father’s—fault—not—mine!” gasped the unrepentant monkey. + +“Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!” and with +that he cut off the monkey’s head with his pitcher claws. Thus the +wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab +avenged his father’s death. + +This is the end of the story of the monkey, the crab, and the +persimmon-seed. + + + + +THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + + +Long, long ago, when all the animals could talk, there lived in the +province of Inaba in Japan, a little white hare. His home was on the +island of Oki, and just across the sea was the mainland of Inaba. + +Now the hare wanted very much to cross over to Inaba. Day after day he +would go out and sit on the shore and look longingly over the water in +the direction of Inaba, and day after day he hoped to find some way of +getting across. + +One day as usual, the hare was standing on the beach, looking towards +the mainland across the water, when he saw a great crocodile swimming +near the island. + +“This is very lucky!” thought the hare. “Now I shall be able to get my +wish. I will ask the crocodile to carry me across the sea!” + +But he was doubtful whether the crocodile would consent to do what +wanted. So he thought instead of asking a favor he would try to get +what he wanted by a trick. + +So with a loud voice he called to the crocodile, and said: + +“Oh, Mr. Crocodile, isn’t it a lovely day?” + +The crocodile, who had come out all by itself that day to enjoy the +bright sunshine, was just beginning to feel a bit lonely when the +hare’s cheerful greeting broke the silence. The crocodile swam nearer +the shore, very pleased to hear some one speak. + +“I wonder who it was that spoke to me just now! Was it you, Mr. Hare? +You must be very lonely all by yourself!” + +“Oh, no, I am not at all lonely,” said the hare, “but as it was such a +fine day I came out here to enjoy myself. Won’t you stop and play with +me a little while?” + +The crocodile came out of the sea and sat on the shore, and the two +played together for some time. Then the hare said: + +“Mr. Crocodile, you live in the sea and I live on this island, and we +do not often meet, so I know very little about you. Tell me, do you +think the number of your company is greater than mine?” + +“Of course, there are more crocodiles than hares,” answered the +crocodile. “Can you not see that for yourself? You live on this small +island, while I live in the sea, which spreads through all parts of the +world, so if I call together all the crocodiles who dwell in the sea +you hares will be as nothing compared to us!” The crocodile was very +conceited. + +The hare, who meant to play a trick on the crocodile, said: + +“Do you think it possible for you to call up enough crocodiles to form +a line from this island across the sea to Inaba?” + +The crocodile thought for a moment and then answered: + +“Of course, it is possible.” + +“Then do try,” said the artful hare, “and I will count the number from +here!” + +The crocodile, who was very simple-minded, and who hadn’t the least +idea that the hare intended to play a trick on him, agreed to do what +the hare asked, and said: + +“Wait a little while I go back into the sea and call my company +together!” + +The crocodile plunged into the sea and was gone for some time. The +hare, meanwhile, waited patiently on the shore. At last the crocodile +appeared, bringing with him a large number of other crocodiles. + +“Look, Mr. Hare!” said the crocodile, “it is nothing for my friends to +form a line between here and Inaba. There are enough crocodiles to +stretch from here even as far as China or India. Did you ever see so +many crocodiles?” + +Then the whole company of crocodiles arranged themselves in the water +so as to form a bridge between the Island of Oki and the mainland of +Inaba. When the hare saw the bridge of crocodiles, he said: + +“How splendid! I did not believe this was possible. Now let me count +you all! To do this, however, with your permission, I must walk over on +your backs to the other side, so please be so good as not to move, or +else I shall fall into the sea and be drowned!” + +So the hare hopped off the island on to the strange bridge of +crocodiles, counting as he jumped from one crocodile’s back to the +other: + +“Please keep quite still, or I shall not be able to count. One, two, +three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine—” + +Thus the cunning hare walked right across to the mainland of Inaba. Not +content with getting his wish, he began to jeer at the crocodiles +instead of thanking them, and said, as he leapt off the last one’s +back: + +“Oh! you stupid crocodiles, now I have done with you!” + +And he was just about to run away as fast as he could. But he did not +escape so easily, for so soon as the crocodiles understood that this +was a trick played upon them by the hare so as to enable him to cross +the sea, and that the hare was now laughing at them for their +stupidity, they became furiously angry and made up their minds to take +revenge. So some of them ran after the hare and caught him. Then they +all surrounded the poor little animal and pulled out all his fur. He +cried out loudly and entreated them to spare him, but with each tuft of +fur they pulled out they said: + +“Serve you right!” + +When the crocodiles had pulled out the last bit of fur, they threw the +poor hare on the beach, and all swam away laughing at what they had +done. + +The hare was now in a pitiful plight, all his beautiful white fur had +been pulled out, and his bare little body was quivering with pain and +bleeding all over. He could hardly move, and all he could do was to lie +on the beach quite helpless and weep over the misfortune that had +befallen him. Notwithstanding that it was his own fault that had +brought all this misery and suffering upon the white hare of Inaba, any +one seeing the poor little creature could not help feeling sorry for +him in his sad condition, for the crocodiles had been very cruel in +their revenge. + +Just at this time a number of men, who looked like King’s sons, +happened to pass by, and seeing the hare lying on the beach crying, +stopped and asked what was the matter. + +The hare lifted up his head from between his paws, and answered them, +saying: + +“I had a fight with some crocodiles, but I was beaten, and they pulled +out all my fur and left me to suffer here—that is why I am crying.” + +Now one of these young men had a bad and spiteful disposition. But he +feigned kindness, and said to the hare: + +“I feel very sorry for you. If you will only try it, I know of a remedy +which will cure your sore body. Go and bathe yourself in the sea, and +then come and sit in the wind. This will make your fur grow again, and +you will be just as you were before.” + +Then all the young men passed on. The hare was very pleased, thinking +that he had found a cure. He went and bathed in the sea and then came +out and sat where the wind could blow upon him. + +But as the wind blew and dried him, his skin became drawn and hardened, +and the salt increased the pain so much that he rolled on the sand in +his agony and cried aloud. + +Just then another King’s son passed by, carrying a great bag on his +back. He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so +loudly. + +But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very +like the man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to +cry. + +But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very pityingly, +and said: + +“You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your +skin is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?” + +When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the man, +and encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that had +befallen him. The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but told +him frankly how he had played a trick on the crocodiles and how he had +come across the bridge they had made, thinking that he wished to count +their number: how he had jeered at them for their stupidity, and then +how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on him. Then he went on to +say how he had been deceived by a party of men who looked very like his +kind friend: and the hare ended his long tale of woe by begging the man +to give him some medicine that would cure him and make his fur grow +again. + +When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity towards +him, and said: + +“I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was only +the consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles.” + +“I know,” answered the sorrowful hare, “but I have repented and made up +my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I may +cure my sore body and make the fur grow again.” + +“Then I will tell you of a good remedy,” said the man. “First go and +bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from +your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing near +the edge of the water, spread them on the ground and roll yourself on +them. If you do this the pollen will cause your fur to grow again, and +you will be quite well in a little while.” + +The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled to +the pond pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked the +kaba flowers growing near the water, and rolled himself on them. + +To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice white +fur growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had done +before all his misfortunes. + +The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping joyfully +towards the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling down at his +feet, said: + +“I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my +earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who you +are?” + +“I am no King’s son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto,” answered the man, “and those beings who passed +here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a beautiful Princess +called Yakami who lives in this province of Inaba, and they are on +their way to find her and to ask her to marry one of them. But on this +expedition I am only an attendant, so I am walking behind them with +this great big bag on my back.” + +The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto, +whom many in that part of the land worshiped as a god. + +“Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind you +have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind fellow +who sent me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am quite +sure that the Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, will +refuse to be the bride of any of them, and will prefer you for your +goodness of heart. I am quite sure that you will win her heart without +intending to do so, and she will ask to be your bride.” + +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but bidding +the little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon overtook his +brothers. He found them just entering the Princess’s gate. + +Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to +become the bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the +kind brother’s face she went straight up to him and said: + +“To you I give myself,” and so they were married. + +This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by the +people in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become famous +as “The White Hare of Inaba.” But what became of the crocodiles nobody +knows. + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE + + +The insignia of the great Japanese Empire is composed of three +treasures which have been considered sacred, and guarded with jealous +care from time immemorial. These are the Yatano-no-Kagami or the Mirror +of Yata, the Yasakami-no-Magatama or the Jewel of Yasakami, and the +Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or the Sword of Murakumo. + +Of these three treasures of the Empire, the sword of Murakumo, +afterwards known as Kusanagi-no-Tsrugugi, or the grass-cleaving sword, +is considered the most precious and most highly to be honored, for it +is the symbol of strength to this nation of warriors and the talisman +of invincibility for the Emperor, while he holds it sacred in the +shrine of his ancestors. + +Nearly two thousand years ago this sword was kept at the shrines of +Ite, the temples dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, the great and +beautiful Sun Goddess from whom the Japanese Emperors are said to be +descended. + +There is a story of knightly adventure and daring which explains why +the name of the sword was changed from that of Murakumo to Kasanagi, +which means grass clearing. + +Once, many, many years ago, there was born a son to the Emperor Keiko, +the twelfth in descent from the great Jimmu, the founder of the +Japanese dynasty. This Prince was the second son of the Emperor Keiko, +and he was named Yamato. From his childhood he proved himself to be of +remarkable strength, wisdom and courage, and his father noticed with +pride that he gave promise of great things, and he loved him even more +than he did his elder son. + +Now when Prince Yamato had grown to manhood (in the olden days of +Japanese history, a boy was considered to have reached man’s estate at +the early age of sixteen) the realm was much troubled by a band of +outlaws whose chiefs were two brothers, Kumaso and Takeru. These rebels +seemed to delight in rebelling against the King, in breaking the laws +and defying all authority. + +At last King Keiko ordered his younger son Prince Yamato to subdue the +brigands and, if possible, to rid the land of their evil lives. Prince +Yamato was only sixteen years of age, he had but reached his manhood +according to the law, yet though he was such a youth in years he +possessed the dauntless spirit of a warrior of fuller age and knew not +what fear was. Even then there was no man who could rival him for +courage and bold deeds, and he received his father’s command with great +joy. + +He at once made ready to start, and great was the stir in the precincts +of the Palace as he and his trusty followers gathered together and +prepared for the expedition, and polished up their armor and donned it. +Before he left his father’s Court he went to pray at the shrine of Ise +and to take leave of his aunt the Princess Yamato, for his heart was +somewhat heavy at the thought of the dangers he had to face, and he +felt that he needed the protection of his ancestress, Amaterasu, the +Sun Goddess. The Princess his aunt came out to give him glad welcome, +and congratulated him on being trusted with so great a mission by his +father the King. She then gave him one of her gorgeous robes as a +keepsake to go with him and to bring him good luck, saying that it +would surely be of service to him on this adventure. She then wished +him all success in his undertaking and bade him good speed. + +The young Prince bowed low before his aunt, and received her gracious +gift with much pleasure and many respectful bows. + +“I will now set out,” said the Prince, and returning to the Palace he +put himself at the head of his troops. Thus cheered by his aunt’s +blessing, he felt ready for all that might befall, and marching through +the land he went down to the Southern Island of Kiushiu, the home of +the brigands. + +Before many days had passed he reached the Southern Island, and then +slowly but surely made his way to the head-quarters of the chiefs +Kumaso and Takeru. He now met with great difficulties, for he found the +country exceedingly wild and rough. The mountains were high and steep, +the valleys dark and deep, and huge trees and bowlders of rock blocked +up the road and stopped the progress of his army. It was all but +impossible to go on. + +Though the Prince was but a youth he had the wisdom of years, and, +seeing that it was vain to try and lead his men further, he said to +himself: + +“To attempt to fight a battle in this impassable country unknown to my +men only makes my task harder. We cannot clear the roads and fight as +well. It is wiser for me to resort to stratagem and come upon my +enemies unawares. In that way I may be able to kill them without much +exertion.” + +So he now bade his army halt by the way. His wife, the Princess +Ototachibana, had accompanied him, and he bade her bring him the robe +his aunt the priestess of Ise had given him, and to help him attire +himself as a woman. With her help he put on the robe, and let his hair +down till it flowed over his shoulders. Ototachibana then brought him +her comb, which he put in his black tresses, and then adorned himself +with strings of strange jewels just as you see in the picture. When he +had finished his unusual toilet, Ototachibana brought him her mirror. +He smiled as he gazed at himself—the disguise was so perfect. + +He hardly knew himself, so changed was he. All traces of the warrior +had disappeared, and in the shining surface only a beautiful lady +looked back at him. + +Thus completely disguised, he set out for the enemy’s camp alone. In +the folds of his silk gown, next his strong heart, was hidden a sharp +dagger. + +The two chiefs Kumaso and Takeru wore sitting in their tent, resting in +the cool of the evening, when the Prince approached. They were talking +of the news which had recently been carried to them, that the King’s +son had entered their country with a large army determined to +exterminate their band. They had both heard of the young warrior’s +renown, and for the first time in their wicked lives they felt afraid. +In a pause in their talk they happened to look up, and saw through the +door of the tent a beautiful woman robed in sumptuous garments coming +towards them. Like an apparition of loveliness she appeared in the soft +twilight. Little did they dream that it was their enemy whose coming +they so dreaded who now stood before them in this disguise. + +“What a beautiful woman! Where has she come from?” said the astonished +Kumaso, forgetting war and council and everything as he looked at the +gentle intruder. + +He beckoned to the disguised Prince and bade him sit down and serve +them with wine. Yamato Take felt his heart swell with a fierce glee for +he now knew that his plan would succeed. However, he dissembled +cleverly, and putting on a sweet air of shyness he approached the rebel +chief with slow steps and eyes glancing like a frightened deer. Charmed +to distraction by the girl’s loveliness Kumaso drank cup after cup of +wine for the pleasure of seeing her pour it out for him, till at last +he was quite overcome with the quantity he had drunk. + +This was the moment for which the brave Prince had been waiting. +Flinging down the wine jar, he seized the tipsy and astonished Kumaso +and quickly stabbed him to death with the dagger which he had secretly +carried hidden in his breast. + +Takeru, the brigand’s brother, was terror-struck as soon as he saw what +was happening and tried to escape, but Prince Yamato was too quick for +him. Ere he could reach the tent door the Prince was at his heel, his +garments were clutched by a hand of iron, and a dagger flashed before +his eyes and he lay stabbed to the earth, dying but not yet dead. + +“Wait one moment!” gasped the brigand painfully, and he seized the +Prince’s hand. + +Yamato relaxed his hold somewhat and said. + +“Why should I pause, thou villain?” + +The brigand raised himself fearfully and said: + +“Tell me from whence you come, and whom I have the honor of addressing? +Hitherto I believed that my dead brother and I were the strongest men +in the land, and that there was no one who could overcome us. Alone you +have ventured into our stronghold, alone you have attacked and killed +us! Surely you are more than mortal?” + +Then the young Prince answered with a proud smile:—“I am the son of the +King and my name is Yamato, and I have been sent by my father as the +avenger of evil to bring death to all rebels! No longer shall robbery +and murder hold my people in terror!” and he held the dagger dripping +red above the rebel’s head. + +“Ah,” gasped the dying man with a great effort, “I have often heard of +you. You are indeed a strong man to have so easily overcome us. Allow +me to give you a new name. From henceforth you shall be known as Yamato +Take. Our title I bequeath to you as the bravest man in Yamato.” + +And with these noble words, Takeru fell back and died. + +The Prince having thus successfully put an end to his father’s enemies +in the world, was prepared to return to the capital. On the way back he +passed through the province of Idum. Here he met with another outlaw +named Idzumo Takeru who he knew had done much harm in the land. He +again resorted to stratagem, and feigned friendship with the rebel +under an assumed name. Having done this he made a sword of wood and +jammed it tightly in the shaft of his own strong sword. This he +purposedly buckled to his side and wore on every occasion when he +expected to meet the third robber Takeru. + +He now invited Takeru to the bank of the River Hinokawa, and persuaded +him to try a swim with him in the cool refreshing waters of the river. + +As it was a hot summer’s day, the rebel was nothing loath to take a +plunge in the river, while his enemy was still swimming down the stream +the Prince turned back and landed with all possible haste. Unperceived, +he managed to change swords, putting his wooden one in place of the +keen steel sword of Takeru. + +Knowing nothing of this, the brigand came up to the bank shortly. As +soon as he had landed and donned his clothes, the Prince came forward +and asked him to cross swords with him to prove his skill, saying: + +“Let us two prove which is the better swordsman of the two!” + +The robber agreed with delight, feeling certain of victory, for he was +famous as a fencer in his province and he did not know who his +adversary was. He seized quickly what he thought was his sword and +stood on guard to defend himself. Alas! for the rebel the sword was the +wooden one of the young Prince and in vain Takeru tried to unsheathe +it—it was jammed fast, not all his exerted strength could move it. Even +if his efforts had been successful the sword would have been of no use +to him for it was of wood. Yamato Take saw that his enemy was in his +power, and swinging high the sword he had taken from Takeru he brought +it down with great might and dexterity and cut off the robber’s head. + +In this way, sometimes by using his wisdom and sometimes by using his +bodily strength, and at other times by resorting to craftiness, which +was as much esteemed in those days as it is despised in these, he +prevailed against all the King’s foes one by one, and brought peace and +rest to the land and the people. + +When he returned to the capital the King praised him for his brave +deeds, and held a feast in the Palace in honor of his safe coming home +and presented him with many rare gifts. From this time forth the King +loved him more than ever and would not let Yamato Take go from his +side, for he said that his son was now as precious to him as one of his +arms. + +But the Prince was not allowed to live an idle life long. When he was +about thirty years old, news was brought that the Ainu race, the +aborigines of the islands of Japan, who had been conquered and pushed +northwards by the Japanese, had rebelled in the Eastern provinces, and +leaving the vicinity which had been allotted to them were causing great +trouble in the land. The King decided that it was necessary to send an +army to do battle with them and bring them to reason. But who was to +lead the men? + +Prince Yamato Take at once offered to go and bring the newly arisen +rebels into subjection. Now as the King loved the Prince dearly, and +could not bear to have him go out of his sight even for the length of +one day, he was of course very loath to send him on his dangerous +expedition. But in the whole army there was no warrior so strong or so +brave as the Prince his son, so that His Majesty, unable to do +otherwise, reluctantly complied with Yamato’s wish. + +When the time came for the Prince to start, the King gave him a spear +called the Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree (the handle was +probably made from the wood of the holly tree), and ordered him to set +out to subjugate the Eastern Barbarians as the Ainu were then called. + +The Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree of those old days, was +prized by warriors just as much as the Standard or Banner is valued by +a regiment in these modern days, when given by the King to his soldiers +on the occasion of setting out for war. + +The Prince respectfully and with great reverence received the King’s +spear, and leaving the capital, marched with his army to the East. On +his way he visited first of all the temples of Ise for worship, and his +aunt the Princess of Yamato and High Priestess came out to greet him. +She it was who had given him her robe which had proved such a boon to +him before in helping him to overcome and slay the brigands of the +West. + +He told her all that had happened to him, and of the great part her +keepsake had played in the success of his previous undertaking, and +thanked her very heartily. When she heard that he was starting out once +again to do battle with his father’s enemies, she went into the temple, +and reappeared bearing a sword and a beautiful bag which she had made +herself, and which was full of flints, which in those times people used +instead of matches for making fire. These she presented to him as a +parting gift. + +The sword was the sword of Murakumo, one of the three sacred treasures +which comprise the insignia of the Imperial House of Japan. No more +auspicious talisman of luck and success could she have given her +nephew, and she bade him use it in the hour of his greatest need. + +Yamato Take now bade farewell to his aunt, and once more placing +himself at the head of his men he marched to the farthest East through +the province of Owari, and then he reached the province of Suruga. Here +the governor welcomed the Prince right heartily and entertained him +royally with many feasts. When these were over, the governor told his +guest that his country was famous for its fine deer, and proposed a +deer hunt for the Prince’s amusement. The Prince was utterly deceived +by the cordiality of his host, which was all feigned, and gladly +consented to join in the hunt. + +The governor then led the Prince to a wild and extensive plain where +the grass grew high and in great abundance. Quite ignorant that the +governor had laid a trap for him with the desire to compass his death, +the Prince began to ride hard and hunt down the deer, when all of a +sudden to his amazement he saw flames and smoke bursting out from the +bush in front of him. Realizing his danger he tried to retreat, but no +sooner did he turn his horse in the opposite direction than he saw that +even there the prairie was on fire. At the same time the grass on his +left and right burst into flames, and these began to spread swiftly +towards him on all sides. He looked round for a chance of escape. There +was none. He was surrounded by fire. + +“This deer hunt was then only a cunning trick of the enemy!” said the +Prince, looking round on the flames and the smoke that crackled and +rolled in towards him on every side. “What a fool I was to be lured +into this trap like a wild beast!” and he ground his teeth with rage as +he thought of the governor’s smiling treachery. + +Dangerous as was his situation now, the Prince was not in the least +confounded. In his dire extremity he remembered the gifts his aunt had +given him when they parted, and it seemed to him as if she must, with +prophetic foresight, have divined this hour of need. He coolly opened +the flint-bag that his aunt had given him and set fire to the grass +near him. Then drawing the sword of Murakumo from its sheath he set to +work to cut down the grass on either side of him with all speed. He +determined to die, if that were necessary, fighting for his life and +not standing still waiting for death to come to him. + +Strange to say the wind began to change and to blow from the opposite +direction, and the fiercest portion of the burning bush which had +hitherto threatened to come upon him was now blown right away from him, +and the Prince, without even a scratch on his body or a single hair +burned, lived to tell the tale of his wonderful escape, while the wind +rising to a gale overtook the governor, and he was burned to death in +the flames he had set alight to kill Yamato Take. + +Now the Prince ascribed his escape entirely to the virtue of the sword +of Murakumo, and to the protection of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess of +Ise, who controls the wind and all the elements and insures the safety +of all who pray to her in the hour of danger. Lifting the precious +sword he raised it above his head many times in token of his great +respect, and as he did this he re-named it Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or the +Grass-Cleaving Sword, and the place where he set fire to the grass +round him and escaped from death in the burning prairie, he called +Yaidzu. To this day there is a spot along the great Tokaido railway +named Yaidzu, which is said to be the very place where this thrilling +event took place. + +Thus did the brave Prince Yamato Take escape out of the snare laid for +him by his enemy. He was full of resource and courage, and finally +outwitted and subdued all his foes. Leaving Yaidzu he marched eastward, +and came to the shore at Idzu from whence he wished to cross to +Kadzusa. + +In these dangers and adventures he had been followed by his faithful +loving wife the Princess Ototachibana. For his sake she counted the +weariness of the long journeys and the dangers of war as nothing, and +her love for her warrior husband was so great that she felt well repaid +for all her wanderings if she could but hand him his sword when he +sallied forth to battle, or minister to his wants when he returned +weary to the camp. + +But the heart of the Prince was full of war and conquest and he cared +little for the faithful Ototachibana. From long exposure in traveling, +and from care and grief at her lord’s coldness to her, her beauty had +faded, and her ivory skin was burnt brown by the sun, and the Prince +told her one day that her place was in the Palace behind the screens at +home and not with him upon the warpath. But in spite of rebuffs and +indifference on her husband’s part, Ototachibana could not find it in +her heart to leave him. But perhaps it would have been better for her +if she had done so, for on the way to Idzu, when they came to Owari, +her heart was well-nigh broken. + +Here dwelt in a Palace shaded by pine-trees and approached by imposing +gates, the Princess Miyadzu, beautiful as the cherry blossom in the +blushing dawn of a spring morning. Her garments were dainty and bright, +and her skin was white as snow, for she had never known what it was to +be weary along the path of duty or to walk in the heat of a summer’s +sun. And the Prince was ashamed of his sunburnt wife in her +travel-stained garments, and bade her remain behind while he went to +visit the Princess Miyadzu. Day after day he spent hours in the gardens +and the Palace of his new friend, thinking only of his pleasure, and +caring little for his poor wife who remained behind to weep in the tent +at the misery which had come into her life. Yet she was so faithful a +wife, and her character so patient, that she never allowed a reproach +to escape her lips, or a frown to mar the sweet sadness of her face, +and she was ever ready with a smile to welcome her husband back or +usher him forth wherever he went. + +At last the day came when the Prince Yamato Take must depart for Idzu +and cross over the sea to Kadzusa, and he bade his wife follow in his +retinue as an attendant while he went to take a ceremonious farewell of +the Princess Miyadzu. She came out to greet him dressed in gorgeous +robes, and she seemed more beautiful than ever, and when Yamato Take +saw her he forgot his wife, his duty, and everything except the joy of +the idle present, and swore that he would return to Owari and marry her +when the war was over. And as he looked up when he had said these words +he met the large almond eyes of Ototachibana fixed full upon him in +unspeakable sadness and wonder, and he knew that he had done wrong, but +he hardened his heart and rode on, caring little for the pain he had +caused her. + +When they reached the seashore at Idzu his men sought for boats in +which to cross the straits to Kadzusa, but it was difficult to find +boats enough to allow all the soldiers to embark. Then the Prince stood +on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and said: + +“This is not the sea! This is only a brook! Why do you men want so many +boats? I could jump this if I would.” + +When at last they had all embarked and were fairly on their way across +the straits, the sky suddenly clouded and a great storm arose. The +waves rose mountains high, the wind howled, the lightning flashed and +the thunder rolled, and the boat which held Ototachibana and the Prince +and his men was tossed from crest to crest of the rolling waves, till +it seemed that every moment must be their last and that they must all +be swallowed up in the angry sea. For Kin Jin, the Dragon King of the +Sea, had heard Yamato Take jeer, and had raised this terrible storm in +anger, to show the scoffing Prince how awful the sea could be though it +did but look like a brook. + +The terrified crew lowered the sails and looked after the rudder, and +worked for their dear lives’ sake, but all in vain—the storm only +seemed to increase in violence, and all gave themselves up for lost. +Then the faithful Ototachibana rose, and forgetting all the grief that +her husband had caused her, forgetting even that he had wearied of her, +in the one great desire of her love to save him, she determined to +sacrifice her life to rescue him from death if it were possible. + +While the waves dashed over the ship and the wind whirled round them in +fury she stood up and said: + +“Surely all this has come because the Prince has angered Rin Jin, the +God of the Sea, by his jesting. If so, I, Ototachibana, will appease +the wrath of the Sea God who desires nothing less than my husband’s +life!” + +Then addressing the sea she said: + +“I will take the place of His Augustness, Yamato Take. I will now cast +myself into your outraged depths, giving my life for his. Therefore +hear me and bring him safely to the shore of Kadzusa.” + +With these words she leaped quickly into the boisterous sea, and the +waves soon whirled her away and she was lost to sight. Strange to say, +the storm ceased at once, and the sea became as calm and smooth as the +matting on which the astonished onlookers were sitting. The gods of the +sea were now appeased, and the weather cleared and the sun shone as on +a summer’s day. + +Yamato Take soon reached the opposite shore and landed safely, even as +his wife Ototachibana had prayed. His prowess in war was marvelous, and +he succeeded after some time in conquering the Eastern Barbarians, the +Ainu. + +He ascribed his safe landing wholly to the faithfulness of his wife, +who had so willingly and lovingly sacrificed herself in the hour of his +utmost peril. His heart was softened at the remembrance of her, and he +never allowed her to pass from his thoughts even for a moment. Too late +had he learned to esteem the goodness of her heart and the greatness of +her love for him. + +As he was returning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of the +Usui Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect +beneath him. The country, from this great elevation, all lay open to +his sight, a vast panorama of mountain and plain and forest, with +rivers winding like silver ribbons through the land; then far off he +saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a luminous mist in the great +distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for him, and as he +turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of her love +which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his heart burst out +into a sorrowful and bitter cry: + +“Azuma, Azuma, Ya!” (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there is a +district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of Prince +Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into the sea +to save him is still pointed out. So, though in life the Princess +Ototachibana was unhappy, history keeps her memory green, and the story +of her unselfishness and heroic death will never pass away. + +Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father’s orders, he had subdued +all rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to the peace, +and his renown was great, for in the whole land there was no one who +could stand up against him, he was so strong in battle and wise in +council. + +He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come, when +the thought struck him that he would find it more interesting to take +another route, so he passed through the province of Owari and came to +the province of Omi. + +When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great +excitement and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the signs +of mourning and heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the cause of this +he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in the mountains, who +daily came down from thence and made raids on the villages, devouring +whoever he could seize. Many homes had been made desolate and the men +were afraid to go out to their daily work in the fields, or the women +to go to the rivers to wash their rice. + +When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said +fiercely: + +“From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I have +subdued all the King’s enemies—there is no one who dares to break the +laws or to rebel against the King. It is indeed a matter for wonder +that here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked monster has +dared to take up his abode and be the terror of the King’s subjects. +Not long shall it find pleasure in devouring innocent folk. I will +start out and kill it at once.” + +With these words he set out for the Ibuki Mountain, where the monster +was said to live. He climbed up a good distance, when all of a sudden, +at a winding in the path, a monster serpent appeared before him and +stopped the way. + +“This must be the monster,” said the Prince; “I do not need my sword +for a serpent. I can kill him with my hands.” + +He thereupon sprang upon the serpent and tried to strangle it to death +with his bare arms. It was not long before his prodigious strength +gained the mastery and the serpent lay dead at his feet. Now a sudden +darkness came over the mountain and rain began to fall, so that for the +gloom and the rain the Prince could hardly see which way to take. In a +short time, however, while he was groping his way down the pass, the +weather cleared, and our brave hero was able to make his way quickly +down the mountain. + +When he got back he began to feel ill and to have burning pains in his +feet, so he knew that the serpent had poisoned him. So great was his +suffering that he could hardly move, much less walk, so he had himself +carried to a place in the mountains famous for its hot mineral springs, +which rose bubbling out of the earth, and almost boiling from the +volcanic fires beneath. + +Yamato Take bathed daily in these waters, and gradually he felt his +strength come again, and the pains left him, till at last one day he +found with great joy that he was quite recovered. He now hastened to +the temples of Ise, where you will remember that he prayed before +undertaking this long expedition. His aunt, priestess of the shrine, +who had blessed him on his setting out, now came to welcome him back. +He told her of the many dangers he had encountered and of how +marvelously his life had been preserved through all—and she praised his +courage and his warrior’s prowess, and then putting on her most +magnificent robes she returned thanks to their ancestress the Sun +Goddess Amaterasu, to whose protection they both ascribed the Prince’s +wonderful preservation. + +Here ends the story of Prince Yamato Take of Japan. + + + + +MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH + + +Long, long ago there lived, an old man and an old woman; they were +peasants, and had to work hard to earn their daily rice. The old man +used to go and cut grass for the farmers around, and while he was gone +the old woman, his wife, did the work of the house and worked in their +own little rice field. + +One day the old man went to the hills as usual to cut grass and the old +woman took some clothes to the river to wash. + +It was nearly summer, and the country was very beautiful to see in its +fresh greenness as the two old people went on their way to work. The +grass on the banks of the river looked like emerald velvet, and the +pussy willows along the edge of the water were shaking out their soft +tassels. + +The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water into +wavelets, and passing on touched the cheeks of the old couple who, for +some reason they could not explain, felt very happy that morning. + +The old woman at last found a nice spot by the river bank and put her +basket down. Then she set to work to wash the clothes; she took them +one by one out of the basket and washed them in the river and rubbed +them on the stones. The water was as clear as crystal, and she could +see the tiny fish swimming to and fro, and the pebbles at the bottom. + +As she was busy washing her clothes a great peach came bumping down the +stream. The old woman looked up from her work and saw this large peach. +She was sixty years of age, yet in all her life she had never seen such +a big peach as this. + +“How delicious that peach must be!” she said to herself. “I must +certainly get it and take it home to my old man.” + +She stretched out her arm to try and get it, but it was quite out of +her reach. She looked about for a stick, but there was not one to be +seen, and if she went to look for one she would lose the peach. + +Stopping a moment to think what she would do, she remembered an old +charm-verse. Now she began to clap her hands to keep time to the +rolling of the peach down stream, and while she clapped she sang this +song: + +“Distant water is bitter, +The near water is sweet; +Pass by the distant water +And come into the sweet.” + + +Strange to say, as soon as she began to repeat this little song the +peach began to come nearer and nearer the bank where the old woman was +standing, till at last it stopped just in front of her so that she was +able to take it up in her hands. The old woman was delighted. She could +not go on with her work, so happy and excited was she, so she put all +the clothes back in her bamboo basket, and with the basket on her back +and the peach in her hand she hurried homewards. + +It seemed a very long time to her to wait till her husband returned. +The old man at last came back as the sun was setting, with a big bundle +of grass on his back—so big that he was almost hidden and she could +hardly see him. He seemed very tired and used the scythe for a walking +stick, leaning on it as he walked along. + +As soon as the old woman saw him she called out: + +“O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come home for such +a long time to-day!” + +“What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?” asked the old man, +wondering at her unusual eagerness. “Has anything happened while I have +been away?” + +“Oh, no!” answered the old woman, “nothing has happened, only I have +found a nice present for you!” + +“That is good,” said the old man. He then washed his feet in a basin of +water and stepped up to the veranda. + +The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the +cupboard the big peach. It felt even heavier than before. She held it +up to him, saying: + +“Just look at this! Did you ever see such a large peach in all your +life?” + +When the old man looked at the peach he was greatly astonished and +said: + +“This is indeed the largest peach I have ever seen! Wherever did you +buy it?” + +“I did not buy it,” answered the old woman. “I found it in the river +where I was washing.” And she told him the whole story. + +“I am very glad that you have found it. Let us eat it now, for I am +hungry,” said the O Fii San. + +He brought out the kitchen knife, and, placing the peach on a board, +was about to cut it when, wonderful to tell, the peach split in two of +itself and a clear voice said: + +“Wait a bit, old man!” and out stepped a beautiful little child. + +The old man and his wife were both so astonished at what they saw that +they fell to the ground. The child spoke again: + +“Don’t be afraid. I am no demon or fairy. I will tell you the truth. +Heaven has had compassion on you. Every day and every night you have +lamented that you had no child. Your cry has been heard and I am sent +to be the son of your old age!” + +On hearing this the old man and his wife were very happy. They had +cried night and day for sorrow at having no child to help them in their +lonely old age, and now that their prayer was answered they were so +lost with joy that they did not know where to put their hands or their +feet. First the old man took the child up in his arms, and then the old +woman did the same; and they named him MOMOTARO, OR SON OF A PEACH, +because he had come out of a peach. + +The years passed quickly by and the child grew to be fifteen years of +age. He was taller and far stronger than any other boys of his own age, +he had a handsome face and a heart full of courage, and he was very +wise for his years. The old couple’s pleasure was very great when they +looked at him, for he was just what they thought a hero ought to be +like. + +One day Momotaro came to his foster-father and said solemnly: + +“Father, by a strange chance we have become father and son. Your +goodness to me has been higher than the mountain grasses which it was +your daily work to cut, and deeper than the river where my mother +washes the clothes. I do not know how to thank you enough.” + +“Why,” answered the old man, “it is a matter of course that a father +should bring up his son. When you are older it will be your turn to +take care of us, so after all there will be no profit or loss between +us—all will be equal. Indeed, I am rather surprised that you should +thank me in this way!” and the old man looked bothered. + +“I hope you will be patient with me,” said Momotaro; “but before I +begin to pay back your goodness to me I have a request to make which I +hope you will grant me above everything else.” + +“I will let you do whatever you wish, for you are quite different to +all other boys!” + +“Then let me go away at once!” + +“What do you say? Do you wish to leave your old father and mother and +go away from your old home?” + +“I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!” + +“Where are you going?” + +“You must think it strange that I want to go away,” said Momotaro, +“because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to the +northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is the +stronghold of a band of devils. I have often heard how they invade this +land, kill and rob the people, and carry off all they can find. They +are not only very wicked but they are disloyal to our Emperor and +disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, for they kill and eat some +of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. +These devils are very hateful beings. I must go and conquer them and +bring back all the plunder of which they have robbed this land. It is +for this reason that I want to go away for a short time!” + +The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy of +fifteen. He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and +fearless, and besides all this, the old man knew he was no common +child, for he had been sent to them as a gift from Heaven, and he felt +quite sure that the devils would be powerless to harm him. + +“All you say is very interesting, Momotaro,” said the old man. “I will +not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish. Go to the +island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and bring peace +to the land.” + +“Thank you, for all your kindness,” said Momotaro, who began to get +ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know what +fear was. + +The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the kitchen +mortar to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his journey. + +At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his long +journey. + +Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people +were filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said: + +“Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!” + +Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he was +coming back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely they +would be while he was away. But he said “Good-by!” quite bravely. + +“I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away. +Good-by!” And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes +of Momotaro and his parents met in farewell. + +Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel +hungry, so he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and sat +down under a tree by the side of the road to eat it. While he was thus +having his lunch a dog almost as large as a colt came running out from +the high grass. He made straight for Momotaro, and showing his teeth, +said in a fierce way: + +“You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission first. +If you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may go; +otherwise I will bite you till I kill you!” + +Momotaro only laughed scornfully: + +“What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro, and +I am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold in the +northeast of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I will cut +you in two from the head downwards!” + +The dog’s manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs, +and coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground. + +“What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I have +often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I have +behaved in a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my rudeness? Are +you indeed on your way to invade the Island of Devils? If you will take +such a rude fellow with you as one of your followers, I shall be very +grateful to you.” + +“I think I can take you with me if you wish to go,” said Momotaro. + +“Thank you!” said the dog. “By the way, I am very very hungry. Will you +give me one of the cakes you are carrying?” + +“This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan,” said Momotaro. “I +cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one.” + +“Thank you very much,” said the dog, taking the piece thrown to him. + +Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they walked +over the hills and through the valleys. As they were going along an +animal came down from a tree a little ahead of them. The creature soon +came up to Momotaro and said: + +“Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the country. +Will you allow me to go with you?” + +The dog answered jealously: + +“Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a monkey +like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils! Get away!” + +The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two animals +always hate each other. + +“Now, don’t quarrel!” said Momotaro, putting himself between them. +“Wait a moment, dog!” + +“It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that +following you!” said the dog. + +“What do you know about it?” asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the dog, +he spoke to the monkey: + +“Who are you?” + +“I am a monkey living in these hills,” replied the monkey. “I heard of +your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go with +you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!” + +“Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with me?” + +“Yes, sir,” replied the monkey. + +“I admire your courage,” said Momotaro. “Here is a piece of one of my +fine rice-cakes. Come along!” + +So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on +well together. They were always snapping at each other as they went +along, and always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very +cross, and at last he sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the +monkey behind with a sword, and he placed himself between them with a +war-fan, which is made of iron. + +By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and +alighted on the ground just in front of the little party. It was the +most beautiful bird Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five +different robes of feathers and its head was covered with a scarlet +cap. + +The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But the +bird struck out its spurs and flew at the dog’s tail, and the fight +went hard with both. + +Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it showed +so much spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good fighter. + +Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back, said +to the bird: + +“You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I +will take you with me. If you don’t I will set this dog to bite your +head off!” + +Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into +Momotaro’s company. + +“I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog, your +servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a +pheasant. It is very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to take +me with you. Please allow me to follow you behind the dog and the +monkey!” + +“I congratulate you on surrendering so soon,” said Momotaro, smiling. +“Come and join us in our raid on the devils.” + +“Are you going to take this bird with you also?” asked the dog, +interrupting. + +“Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn’t you hear what I +said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!” + +“Humph!” said the dog. + +Then Momotaro stood and gave this order: + +“Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an army +is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that ‘Advantage on earth is +better than advantage in Heaven!’ Union amongst ourselves is better +than any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst ourselves it is +no easy thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you three, the dog, the +monkey and the pheasant, must be friends with one mind. The one who +first begins a quarrel will be discharged on the spot!” + +All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a +member of Momotaro’s suite, and received half a cake. + +Momotaro’s influence was so great that the three became good friends, +and hurried onwards with him as their leader. + +Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of the +North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the +horizon—not a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was the +rolling of the waves upon the shore. + +Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely all +the way through the long valleys and over the hills, but they had never +seen the sea before, and for the first time since they set out they +were bewildered and gazed at each other in silence. How were they to +cross the water and get to the Island of Devils? + +Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea, and +to try them he spoke loudly and roughly: + +“Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards you +are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me to +fight the demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I discharge +you all at once!” + +The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung to +Momotaro’s sleeve, begging him not to send them away. + +“Please, Momotaro!” said the dog. + +“We have come thus far!” said the monkey. + +“It is inhuman to leave us here!” said the pheasant. + +“We are not at all afraid of the sea,” said the monkey again. + +“Please do take us with you,” said the pheasant. + +“Do please,” said the dog. + +They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said: + +“Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!” + +Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind and +weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. It was +the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at first the +dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the waves and the +rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew accustomed to the water +and were quite happy again. Every day they paced the deck of their +little ship, eagerly looking out for the demons’ island. + +When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all their +exploits of which they were proud, and then played games together; and +Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the three animals and +watching their antics, and in this way he forgot that the way was long +and that he was tired of the voyage and of doing nothing. He longed to +be at work killing the monsters who had done so much harm in his +country. + +As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made a +quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a sight of +land rewarded the four watchers at the bow. + +Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils’ stronghold. On +the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large +castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in +thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should +begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for orders. +At last he called to the pheasant: + +“It is a great advantage for us to have you with us.” said Momotaro to +the bird, “for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and +engage the demons to fight. We will follow you.” + +The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the air +gladly with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took up his +position on the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out loudly: + +“All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro has +come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you wish to +save your lives surrender at once, and in token of your submission you +must break off the horns that grow on your forehead. If you do not +surrender at once, but make up your mind to fight, we, the pheasant, +the dog and the monkey, will kill you all by biting and tearing you to +death!” + +The horned demons looking up and only seeing a pheasant, laughed and +said: + +“A wild pheasant, indeed! It is ridiculous to hear such words from a +mean thing like you. Wait till you get a blow from one of our iron +bars!” + +Very angry, indeed, were the devils. They shook their horns and their +shocks of red hair fiercely, and rushed to put on tiger skin trousers +to make themselves look more terrible. They then brought out great iron +bars and ran to where the pheasant perched over their heads, and tried +to knock him down. The pheasant flew to one side to escape the blow, +and then attacked the head of first one and then another demon. He flew +round and round them, beating the air with his wings so fiercely and +ceaselessly, that the devils began to wonder whether they had to fight +one or many more birds. + +In the meantime, Momotaro had brought his ship to land. As they had +approached, he saw that the shore was like a precipice, and that the +large castle was surrounded by high walls and large iron gates and was +strongly fortified. + +Momotaro landed, and with the hope of finding some way of entrance, +walked up the path towards the top, followed by the monkey and the dog. +They soon came upon two beautiful damsels washing clothes in a stream. +Momotaro saw that the clothes were blood-stained, and that as the two +maidens washed, the tears were falling fast down their cheeks. He +stopped and spoke to them: + +“Who are you, and why do you weep?” + +“We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our homes +to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios (Lords), we +are obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill us”—and the +maidens held up the blood-stained clothes—“and eat us, and there is no +one to help us!” + +And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought. + +“I will rescue you,” said Momotaro. “Do not weep any more, only show me +how I may get into the castle.” + +Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back door +in the lowest part of the castle wall—so small that Momotaro could +hardly crawl in. + +The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and his +little band rush in at the back. + +Momotaro’s onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand +against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the pheasant, +but now that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had arrived they were +bewildered, for the four enemies fought like a hundred, so strong were +they. Some of the devils fell off the parapet of the castle and were +dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath; others fell into the sea and +were drowned; many were beaten to death by the three animals. + +The chief of the devils at last was the only one left. He made up his +mind to surrender, for he knew that his enemy was stronger than mortal +man. + +He came up humbly to Momotaro and threw down his iron bar, and kneeling +down at the victor’s feet he broke off the horns on his head in token +of submission, for they were the sign of his strength and power. + +“I am afraid of you,” he said meekly. “I cannot stand against you. I +will give you all the treasure hidden in this castle if you will spare +my life!” + +Momotaro laughed. + +“It is not like you, big devil, to beg for mercy, is it? I cannot spare +your wicked life, however much you beg, for you have killed and +tortured many people and robbed our country for many years.” + +Then Momotaro tied the devil chief up and gave him into the monkey’s +charge. Having done this, he went into all the rooms of the castle and +set the prisoners free and gathered together all the treasure he found. + +The dog and the pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro +returned triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief as a +captive. + +The two poor damsels, daughters of Daimios, and others whom the wicked +demon had carried off to be his slaves, were taken safely to their own +homes and delivered to their parents. + +The whole country made a hero of Momotaro on his triumphant return, and +rejoiced that the country was now freed from the robber devils who had +been a terror of the land for a long time. + +The old couple’s joy was greater than ever, and the treasure Momotaro +had brought home with him enabled them to live in peace and plenty to +the end of their days. + + + + +THE OGRE OF RASHOMON + + +Long, long ago in Kyoto, the people of the city were terrified by +accounts of a dreadful ogre, who, it was said, haunted the Gate of +Rashomon at twilight and seized whoever passed by. The missing victims +were never seen again, so it was whispered that the ogre was a horrible +cannibal, who not only killed the unhappy victims but ate them also. +Now everybody in the town and neighborhood was in great fear, and no +one durst venture out after sunset near the Gate of Rashomon. + +Now at this time there lived in Kyoto a general named Raiko, who had +made himself famous for his brave deeds. Some time before this he made +the country ring with his name, for he had attacked Oeyama, where a +band of ogres lived with their chief, who instead of wine drank the +blood of human beings. He had routed them all and cut off the head of +the chief monster. + +This brave warrior was always followed by a band of faithful knights. +In this band there were five knights of great valor. One evening as the +five knights sat at a feast quaffing SAKE in their rice bowls and +eating all kinds of fish, raw, and stewed, and broiled, and toasting +each other’s healths and exploits, the first knight, Hojo, said to the +others: + +“Have you all heard the rumor that every evening after sunset there +comes an ogre to the Gate of Rashomon, and that he seizes all who pass +by?” + +The second knight, Watanabe, answered him, saying: + +“Do not talk such nonsense! All the ogres were killed by our chief +Raiko at Oeyama! It cannot be true, because even if any ogres did +escape from that great killing they would not dare to show themselves +in this city, for they know that our brave master would at once attack +them if he knew that any of them were still alive!” + +“Then do you disbelieve what I say, and think that I am telling you a +falsehood?” + +“No, I do not think that you are telling a lie,” said Watanabe; “but +you have heard some old woman’s story which is not worth believing.” + +“Then the best plan is to prove what I say, by going there yourself and +finding out yourself whether it is true or not,” said Hojo. + +Watanabe, the second knight, could not bear the thought that his +companion should believe he was afraid, so he answered quickly: + +“Of course, I will go at once and find out for myself!” + +So Watanabe at once got ready to go—he buckled on his long sword and +put on a coat of armor, and tied on his large helmet. When he was ready +to start he said to the others: + +“Give me something so that I can prove I have been there!” + +Then one of the men got a roll of writing paper and his box of Indian +ink and brushes, and the four comrades wrote their names on a piece of +paper. + +“I will take this,” said Watanabe, “and put it on the Gate of Rashomon, +so to-morrow morning will you all go and look at it? I may be able to +catch an ogre or two by then!” and he mounted his horse and rode off +gallantly. + +It was a very dark night, and there was neither moon nor star to light +Watanabe on his way. To make the darkness worse a storm came on, the +rain fell heavily and the wind howled like wolves in the mountains. Any +ordinary man would have trembled at the thought of going out of doors, +but Watanabe was a brave warrior and dauntless, and his honor and word +were at stake, so he sped on into the night, while his companions +listened to the sound of his horse’s hoofs dying away in the distance, +then shut the sliding shutters close and gathered round the charcoal +fire and wondered what would happen—and whether their comrade would +encounter one of those horrible Oni. + +At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might +through the darkness he could see no sign of an ogre. + +“It is just as I thought,” said Watanabe to himself; “there are +certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman’s story. I will stick +this paper on the gate so that the others can see I have been here when +they come to-morrow, and then I will take my way home and laugh at them +all.” + +He fastened the piece of paper, signed by all his four companions, on +the gate, and then turned his horse’s head towards home. + +As he did so he became aware that some one was behind him, and at the +same time a voice called out to him to wait. Then his helmet was seized +from the back. “Who are you?” said Watanabe fearlessly. He then put out +his hand and groped around to find out who or what it was that held him +by the helmet. As he did so he touched something that felt like an +arm—it was covered with hair and as big round as the trunk of a tree! + +Watanabe knew at once that this was the arm of an ogre, so he drew his +sword and cut at it fiercely. + +There was a loud yell of pain, and then the ogre dashed in front of the +warrior. + +Watanabe’s eyes grew large with wonder, for he saw that the ogre was +taller than the great gate, his eyes were flashing like mirrors in the +sunlight, and his huge mouth was wide open, and as the monster +breathed, flames of fire shot out of his mouth. + +The ogre thought to terrify his foe, but Watanabe never flinched. He +attacked the ogre with all his strength, and thus they fought face to +face for a long time. At last the ogre, finding that he could neither +frighten nor beat Watanabe and that he might himself be beaten, took to +flight. But Watanabe, determined not to let the monster escape, put +spurs to his horse and gave chase. + +But though the knight rode very fast the ogre ran faster, and to his +disappointment he found himself unable to overtake the monster, who was +gradually lost to sight. + +Watanabe returned to the gate where the fierce fight had taken place, +and got down from his horse. As he did so he stumbled upon something +lying on the ground. + +Stooping to pick it up he found that it was one of the ogre’s huge arms +which he must have slashed off in the fight. His joy was great at +having secured such a prize, for this was the best of all proofs of his +adventure with the ogre. So he took it up carefully and carried it home +as a trophy of his victory. + +When he got back, he showed the arm to his comrades, who one and all +called him the hero of their band and gave him a great feast. His +wonderful deed was soon noised abroad in Kyoto, and people from far and +near came to see the ogre’s arm. + +Watanabe now began to grow uneasy as to how he should keep the arm in +safety, for he knew that the ogre to whom it belonged was still alive. +He felt sure that one day or other, as soon as the ogre got over his +scare, he would come to try to get his arm back again. Watanabe +therefore had a box made of the strongest wood and banded with iron. In +this he placed the arm, and then he sealed down the heavy lid, refusing +to open it for anyone. He kept the box in his own room and took charge +of it himself, never allowing it out of his sight. + +Now one night he heard some one knocking at the porch, asking for +admittance. + +When the servant went to the door to see who it was, there was only an +old woman, very respectable in appearance. On being asked who she was +and what was her business, the old woman replied with a smile that she +had been nurse to the master of the house when he was a little baby. If +the lord of the house were at home she begged to be allowed to see him. + +The servant left the old woman at the door and went to tell his master +that his old nurse had come to see him. Watanabe thought it strange +that she should come at that time of night, but at the thought of his +old nurse, who had been like a foster-mother to him and whom he had not +seen for a long time, a very tender feeling sprang up for her in his +heart. He ordered the servant to show her in. + +The old woman was ushered into the room, and after the customary bows +and greetings were over, she said: + +“Master, the report of your brave fight with the ogre at the Gate of +Rashomon is so widely known that even your poor old nurse has heard of +it. Is it really true, what every one says, that you cut off one of the +ogre’s arms? If you did, your deed is highly to be praised!” + +“I was very disappointed,” said Watanabe, “that I was not able take the +monster captive, which was what I wished to do, instead of only cutting +off an arm!” + +“I am very proud to think,” answered the old woman, “that my master was +so brave as to dare to cut off an ogre’s arm. There is nothing that can +be compared to your courage. Before I die it is the great wish of my +life to see this arm,” she added pleadingly. + +“No,” said Watanabe, “I am sorry, but I cannot grant your request.” + +“But why?” asked the old woman. + +“Because,” replied Watanabe, “ogres are very revengeful creatures, and +if I open the box there is no telling but that the ogre may suddenly +appear and carry off his arm. I have had a box made on purpose with a +very strong lid, and in this box I keep the ogre’s arm secure; and I +never show it to any one, whatever happens.” + +“Your precaution is very reasonable,” said the old woman. “But I am +your old nurse, so surely you will not refuse to show ME the arm. I +have only just heard of your brave act, and not being able to wait till +the morning I came at once to ask you to show it to me.” + +Watanabe was very troubled at the old woman’s pleading, but he still +persisted in refusing. Then the old woman said: + +“Do you suspect me of being a spy sent by the ogre?” + +“No, of course I do not suspect you of being the ogre’s spy, for you +are my old nurse,” answered Watanabe. + +“Then you cannot surely refuse to show me the arm any longer.” +entreated the old woman; “for it is the great wish of my heart to see +for once in my life the arm of an ogre!” + +Watanabe could not hold out in his refusal any longer, so he gave in at +last, saying: + +“Then I will show you the ogre’s arm, since you so earnestly wish to +see it. Come, follow me!” and he led the way to his own room, the old +woman following. + +When they were both in the room Watanabe shut the door carefully, and +then going towards a big box which stood in a corner of the room, he +took off the heavy lid. He then called to the old woman to come near +and look in, for he never took the arm out of the box. + +“What is it like? Let me have a good look at it,” said the old nurse, +with a joyful face. + +She came nearer and nearer, as if she were afraid, till she stood right +against the box. Suddenly she plunged her hand into the box and seized +the arm, crying with a fearful voice which made the room shake: + +“Oh, joy! I have got my arm back again!” + +And from an old woman she was suddenly transformed into the towering +figure of the frightful ogre! + +Watanabe sprang back and was unable to move for a moment, so great was +his astonishment; but recognizing the ogre who had attacked him at the +Gate of Rashomon, he determined with his usual courage to put an end to +him this time. He seized his sword, drew it out of its sheath in a +flash, and tried to cut the ogre down. + +So quick was Watanabe that the creature had a narrow escape. But the +ogre sprang up to the ceiling, and bursting through the roof, +disappeared in the mist and clouds. + +In this way the ogre escaped with his arm. The knight gnashed his teeth +with disappointment, but that was all he could do. He waited in +patience for another opportunity to dispatch the ogre. But the latter +was afraid of Watanabe’s great strength and daring, and never troubled +Kyoto again. So once more the people of the city were able to go out +without fear even at night time, and the brave deeds of Watanabe have +never been forgotten! + + + + +HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN + + +Many, many years ago there lived a good old man who had a wen like a +tennis-ball growing out of his right cheek. This lump was a great +disfigurement to the old man, and so annoyed him that for many years he +spent all his time and money in trying to get rid of it. He tried +everything he could think of. He consulted many doctors far and near, +and took all kinds of medicines both internally and externally. But it +was all of no use. The lump only grew bigger and bigger till it was +nearly as big as his face, and in despair he gave up all hopes of ever +losing it, and resigned himself to the thought of having to carry the +lump on his face all his life. + +One day the firewood gave out in his kitchen, so, as his wife wanted +some at once, the old man took his ax and set out for the woods up +among the hills not very far from his home. It was a fine day in the +early autumn, and the old man enjoyed the fresh air and was in no hurry +to get home. So the whole afternoon passed quickly while he was +chopping wood, and he had collected a goodly pile to take back to his +wife. When the day began to draw to a close, he turned his face +homewards. + +The old man had not gone far on his way down the mountain pass when the +sky clouded and rain began to fall heavily. He looked about for some +shelter, but there was not even a charcoal-burner’s hut near. At last +he espied a large hole in the hollow trunk of a tree. The hole was near +the ground, so he crept in easily, and sat down in hopes that he had +only been overtaken by a mountain shower, and that the weather would +soon clear. + +But much to the old man’s disappointment, instead of clearing the rain +fell more and more heavily, and finally a heavy thunderstorm broke over +the mountain. The thunder roared so terrifically, and the heavens +seemed to be so ablaze with lightning, that the old man could hardly +believe himself to be alive. He thought that he must die of fright. At +last, however, the sky cleared, and the whole country was aglow in the +rays of the setting sun. The old man’s spirits revived when he looked +out at the beautiful twilight, and he was about to step out from his +strange hiding-place in the hollow tree when the sound of what seemed +like the approaching steps of several people caught his ear. He at once +thought that his friends had come to look for him, and he was delighted +at the idea of having some jolly companions with whom to walk home. But +on looking out from the tree, what was his amazement to see, not his +friends, but hundreds of demons coming towards the spot. The more he +looked, the greater was his astonishment. Some of these demons were as +large as giants, others had great big eyes out of all proportion to the +rest of their bodies, others again had absurdly long noses, and some +had such big mouths that they seemed to open from ear to ear. All had +horns growing on their foreheads. The old man was so surprised at what +he saw that he lost his balance and fell out of the hollow tree. +Fortunately for him the demons did not see him, as the tree was in the +background. So he picked himself up and crept back into the tree. + +While he was sitting there and wondering impatiently when he would be +able to get home, he heard the sounds of gay music, and then some of +the demons began to sing. + +“What are these creatures doing?” said the old man to himself. “I will +look out, it sounds very amusing.” + +On peeping out, the old man saw that the demon chief himself was +actually sitting with his back against the tree in which he had taken +refuge, and all the other demons were sitting round, some drinking and +some dancing. Food and wine was spread before them on the ground, and +the demons were evidently having a great entertainment and enjoying +themselves immensely. + +It made the old man laugh to see their strange antics. + +“How amusing this is!” laughed the old man to himself “I am now quite +old, but I have never seen anything so strange in all my life.” + +He was so interested and excited in watching all that the demons were +doing, that he forgot himself and stepped out of the tree and stood +looking on. + +The demon chief was just taking a big cup of SAKE and watching one of +the demons dancing. In a little while he said with a bored air: + +“Your dance is rather monotonous. I am tired of watching it. Isn’t +there any one amongst you all who can dance better than this fellow?” + +Now the old man had been fond of dancing all his life, and was quite an +expert in the art, and he knew that he could do much better than the +demon. + +“Shall I go and dance before these demons and let them see what a human +being can do? It may be dangerous, for if I don’t please them they may +kill me!” said the old fellow to himself. + +His fears, however, were soon overcome by his love of dancing. In a few +minutes he could restrain himself no longer, and came out before the +whole party of demons and began to dance at once. The old man, +realizing that his life probably depended on whether he pleased these +strange creatures or not, exerted his skill and wit to the utmost. + +The demons were at first very surprised to see a man so fearlessly +taking part in their entertainment, and then their surprise soon gave +place to admiration. + +“How strange!” exclaimed the horned chief. “I never saw such a skillful +dancer before! He dances admirably!” + +When the old man had finished his dance, the big demon said: + +“Thank you very much for your amusing dance. Now give us the pleasure +of drinking a cup of wine with us,” and with these words he handed him +his largest wine-cup. + +The old man thanked him very humbly: + +“I did not expect such kindness from your lordship. I fear I have only +disturbed your pleasant party by my unskillful dancing.” + +“No, no,” answered the big demon. “You must come often and dance for +us. Your skill has given us much pleasure.” + +The old man thanked him again and promised to do so. + +“Then will you come again to-morrow, old man?” asked the demon. + +“Certainly, I will,” answered the old man. + +“Then you must leave some pledge of your word with us,” said the demon. + +“Whatever you like,” said the old man. + +“Now what is the best thing he can leave with us as a pledge?” asked +the demon, looking round. + +Then said one of the demon’s attendants kneeling behind the chief: + +“The token he leaves with us must be the most important thing to him in +his possession. I see the old man has a wen on his right cheek. Now +mortal men consider such a wen very fortunate. Let my lord take the +lump from the old man’s right cheek, and he will surely come to-morrow, +if only to get that back.” + +“You are very clever,” said the demon chief, giving his horns an +approving nod. Then he stretched out a hairy arm and claw-like hand, +and took the great lump from the old man’s right cheek. Strange to say, +it came off as easily as a ripe plum from the tree at the demon’s +touch, and then the merry troop of demons suddenly vanished. + +The old man was lost in bewilderment by all that had happened. He +hardly knew for some time where he was. When he came to understand what +had happened to him, he was delighted to find that the lump on his +face, which had for so many years disfigured him, had really been taken +away without any pain to himself. He put up his hand to feel if any +scar remained, but found that his right cheek was as smooth as his +left. + +The sun had long set, and the young moon had risen like a silver +crescent in the sky. The old man suddenly realized how late it was and +began to hurry home. He patted his right cheek all the time, as if to +make sure of his good fortune in having lost the wen. He was so happy +that he found it impossible to walk quietly—he ran and danced the whole +way home. + +He found his wife very anxious, wondering what had happened to make him +so late. He soon told her all that had passed since he left home that +afternoon. She was quite as happy as her husband when he showed her +that the ugly lump had disappeared from his face, for in her youth she +had prided herself on his good looks, and it had been a daily grief to +her to see the horrid growth. + +Now next door to this good old couple there lived a wicked and +disagreeable old man. He, too, had for many years been troubled with +the growth of a wen on his left cheek, and he, too, had tried all +manner of things to get rid of it, but in vain. + +He heard at once, through the servant, of his neighbor’s good luck in +losing the lump on his face, so he called that very evening and asked +his friend to tell him everything that concerned the loss of it. The +good old man told his disagreeable neighbor all that had happened to +him. He described the place where he would find the hollow tree in +which to hide, and advised him to be on the spot in the late afternoon +towards the time of sunset. + +The old neighbor started out the very next afternoon, and after hunting +about for some time, came to the hollow tree just as his friend had +described. Here he hid himself and waited for the twilight. + +Just as he had been told, the band of demons came at that hour and held +a feast with dance and song. When this had gone on for some time the +chief of the demons looked around and said: + +“It is now time for the old man to come as he promised us. Why doesn’t +he come?” + +When the second old man heard these words he ran out of his +hiding-place in the tree and, kneeling down before the Oni, said: + +“I have been waiting for a long time for you to speak!” + +“Ah, you are the old man of yesterday,” said the demon chief. “Thank +you for coming, you must dance for us soon.” + +The old man now stood up and opened his fan and began to dance. But he +had never learned to dance, and knew nothing about the necessary +gestures and different positions. He thought that anything would please +the demons, so he just hopped about, waving his arms and stamping his +feet, imitating as well as he could any dancing he had ever seen. + +The Oni were very dissatisfied at this exhibition, and said amongst +themselves: + +“How badly he dances to-day!” + +Then to the old man the demon chief said: + +“Your performance to-day is quite different from the dance of +yesterday. We don’t wish to see any more of such dancing. We will give +you back the pledge you left with us. You must go away at once.” + +With these words he took out from a fold of his dress the lump which he +had taken from the face of the old man who had danced so well the day +before, and threw it at the right cheek of the old man who stood before +him. The lump immediately attached itself to his cheek as firmly as if +it had grown there always, and all attempts to pull it off were +useless. The wicked old man, instead of losing the lump on his left +cheek as he had hoped, found to his dismay that he had but added +another to his right cheek in his attempt to get rid of the first. + +He put up first one hand and then the other to each side of his face to +make sure if he were not dreaming a horrible nightmare. No, sure enough +there was now a great wen on the right side of his face as on the left. +The demons had all disappeared, and there was nothing for him to do but +to return home. He was a pitiful sight, for his face, with the two +large lumps, one on each side, looked just like a Japanese gourd. + + + + +THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. +AN OLD CHINESE STORY + + +Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her +brother the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress +Jokwa, for that was her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as tall +as her brother. She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler. There is +an interesting story of how she mended a part of the broken heavens and +one of the terrestrial pillars which upheld the sky, both of which were +damaged during a rebellion raised by one of King Fuki’s subjects. + +The rebel’s name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body was +entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. He was a +wizard and a very terrible character indeed. When the Emperor Fuki +died, Kokai was bitten with the ambition to be Emperor of China, but +his plan failed, and Jokwa, the dead Emperor’s sister, mounted the +throne. Kokai was so angry at being thwarted in his desire that he +raised a revolt. His first act was to employ the Water Devil, who +caused a great flood to rush over the country. This swamped the poor +people out of their homes, and when the Empress Jokwa saw the plight of +her subjects, and knew it was Kokai’s fault, she declared war against +him. + +Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, +and the former she made General of the front forces. Hako was delighted +that the Empress’s choice should fall on him, and he prepared himself +for battle. He took up the longest lance he could find and mounted a +red horse, and was just about to set out when he heard some one +galloping hard behind him and shouting: + +“Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!” + +He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in +the act of unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako’s anger was +kindled, and as he turned to face his rival he cried: + +“Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the +front forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?” + +“Yes,” answered Eiko. “I ought to lead the army. It is you who should +follow me.” + +At this bold reply Hako’s anger burst from a spark into a flame. + +“Dare you answer me thus? Take that,” and he lunged at him with his +lance. + +But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his sword, +he wounded the head of the General’s horse. Obliged to dismount, Hako +was about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as quick as lightning, +tore from his breast the badge of commandership and galloped away. The +action was so quick that Hako stood dazed, not knowing what to do. + +The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but +admire the quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify the +rivals she determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of the +front army. + +So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and Eiko +of the right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and marched +to put down the rebel Kokai. + +Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai had +fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard said: + +“I will blow these two poor children away with one breath.” (He little +thought how hard he would find the fight.) + +With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, +and rushed forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes. + +As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said to +each other: “We must not let him escape alive,” and they attacked him +from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But the +all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten—he whirled his iron rod +round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they fought thus, +neither side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the wizard’s iron +rod, Hako turned his horse too quickly; the animal’s hoofs struck +against a large stone, and in a fright the horse reared as straight on +end as a screen, throwing his master to the ground. + +Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the +prostrate Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the +brave Eiko had wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to try +his strength with him, and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai was +tired, and he did not feel inclined to face this fresh and dauntless +young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse round, he fled from the +fray. + +Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon his +feet, and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, the one +on foot and the other on horseback. + +Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest assailant, +who was, of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth an arrow from +the quiver at his back, fitted it to his bow and drew upon Eiko. + +As quick as lightning the wary Eiko avoided the shaft, which only +touched his helmet strings, and glancing off, fell harmless against +Hako’s coat of armor. + +The wizard saw that both his enemies remained unscathed. He also knew +that there was no time to pull a second arrow before they would be upon +him, so to save himself he resorted to magic. He stretched forth his +wand, and immediately a great flood arose, and Jokwa’s army and her +brave young Generals were swept away like a falling of autumn leaves on +a stream. + +Hako and Eiko found themselves struggling neck deep in water, and +looking round they saw the ferocious Kokai making towards them through +the water with his iron rod on high. They thought every moment that +they would be cut down, but they bravely struck out to swim as far as +they could from Kokai’s reach. All of a sudden they found themselves in +front of what seemed to be an island rising straight out of the water. +They looked up, and there stood an old man with hair as white as snow, +smiling at them. They cried to him to help them. The old man nodded his +head and came down to the edge of the water. As soon as his feet +touched the flood it divided, and a good road appeared, to the +amazement of the drowning men, who now found themselves safe. + +Kokai had by this time reached the island which had risen as if by a +miracle out of the water, and seeing his enemies thus saved he was +furious. He rushed through the water upon the old man, and it seemed as +if he would surely be killed. But the old man appeared not in the least +dismayed, and calmly awaited the wizard’s onslaught. + +As Kokai drew near, the old man laughed aloud merrily, and turning into +a large and beautiful white crane, flapped his wings and flew upwards +into the heavens. + +When Hako and Eiko saw this, they knew that their deliverer was no mere +human being—was perhaps a god in disguise—and they hoped later on to +find out who the venerable old man was. + +In the meantime they had retreated, and it being now the close of day, +for the sun was setting, both Kokai and the young warriors gave up the +idea of fighting more that day. + +That night Hako and Eiko decided that it was useless to fight against +the wizard Kokai, for he had supernatural powers, while they were only +human. So they presented themselves before the Empress Jokwa. After a +long consultation, the Empress decided to ask the Fire King, Shikuyu, +to help her against the rebel wizard and to lead her army against him. + +Now Shikuyu, the Fire King, lived at the South Pole. It was the only +safe place for him to be in, for he burnt up everything around him +anywhere else, but it was impossible to burn up ice and snow. To look +at he was a giant, and stood thirty feet high. His face was just like +marble, and his hair and beard long and as white as snow. His strength +was stupendous, and he was master of all fire just as Kokai was of +water. + +“Surely,” thought the Empress, “Shikuyu can conquer Kokai.” So she sent +Eiko to the South Pole to beg Shikuyu to take the war against Kokai +into his own hands and conquer him once for all. + +The Fire King, on hearing the Empress’s request, smiled and said: + +“That is an easy matter, to be sure! It was none other than I who came +to your rescue when you and your companion were drowning in the flood +raised by Kokai!” + +Eiko was surprised at learning this. He thanked the Fire King for +coming to the rescue in their dire need, and then besought him to +return with him and lead the war and defeat the wicked Kokai. + +Shikuyu did as he was asked, and returned with Eiko to the Empress. She +welcomed the Fire King cordially, and at once told him why she had sent +for him—to ask him to be the Generalissimo of her army. His reply was +very reassuring: + +“Do not have any anxiety. I will certainly kill Kokai.” + +Shikuyu then placed himself at the head of thirty thousand soldiers, +and with Hako and Eiko showing him the way, marched to the enemy’s +castle. The Fire King knew the secret of Kokai’s power, and he now told +all the soldiers to gather a certain kind of shrub. This they burned in +large quantities, and each soldier was then ordered to fill a bag full +of the ashes thus obtained. + +Kokai, on the other hand, in his own conceit, thought that Shikuyu was +of inferior power to himself, and he murmured angrily: + +“Even though you are the Fire King, I can soon extinguish you.” + +Then he repeated an incantation, and the water-floods rose and welled +as high as mountains. Shikuyu, not in the least frightened, ordered his +soldiers to scatter the ashes which he had caused them to make. Every +man did as he was bid, and such was the power of the plant that they +had burned, that as soon as the ashes mingled with the water a stiff +mud was formed, and they were all safe from drowning. + +Now Kokai the wizard was dismayed when he saw that the Fire King was +superior in wisdom to himself, and his anger was so great that he +rushed headlong towards the enemy. + +Eiko rode to meet him, and the two fought together for some time. They +were well matched in a hand-to-hand combat. Hako, who was carefully +watching the fray, saw that Eiko began to tire, and fearing that his +companion would be killed, he took his place. + +But Kokai had tired as well, and feeling him self unable to hold out +against Hako, he said artfully: + +“You are too magnanimous, thus to fight for your friend and run the +risk of being killed. I will not hurt such a good man.” + +And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. His +intention was to throw Hako off his guard and then to wheel round and +take him by surprise. + +But Shikuyu understood the wily wizard, and he spoke at once: + +“You are a coward! You cannot deceive me!” + +Saying this, the Fire King made a sign to the unwary Hako to attack +him. Kokai now turned upon Shikuyu furiously, but he was tired and +unable to fight well, and he soon received a wound in his shoulder. He +now broke from the fray and tried to escape in earnest. + +While the fight between their leaders had been going on the two armies +had stood waiting for the issue. Shikuyu now turned and bade Jokwa’s +soldiers charge the enemy’s forces. This they did, and routed them with +great slaughter, and the wizard barely escaped with his life. + +It was in vain that Kokai called upon the Water Devil to help him, for +Shikuyu knew the counter-charm. The wizard found that the battle was +against him. Mad with pain, for his wound began to trouble him, and +frenzied with disappointment and fear, he dashed his head against the +rocks of Mount Shu and died on the spot. + +There was an end of the wicked Kokai, but not of trouble in the Empress +Jokwa’s Kingdom, as you shall see. The force with which the wizard fell +against the rocks was so great that the mountain burst, and fire rushed +out from the earth, and one of the pillars upholding the Heavens was +broken so that one corner of the sky dropped till it touched the earth. + +Shikuyu, the Fire King, took up the body of the wizard and carried it +to the Empress Jokwa, who rejoiced greatly that her enemy was +vanquished, and her generals victorious. She showered all manner of +gifts and honors upon Shikuyu. + +But all this time fire was bursting from the mountain broken by the +fall of Kokai. Whole villages were destroyed, rice-fields burnt up, +river beds filled with the burning lava, and the homeless people were +in great distress. So the Empress left the capital as soon as she had +rewarded the victor Shikuyu, and journeyed with all speed to the scene +of disaster. She found that both Heaven and earth had sustained damage, +and the place was so dark that she had to light her lamp to find out +the extent of the havoc that had been wrought. + +Having ascertained this, she set to work at repairs. To this end she +ordered her subjects to collect stones of five colors—blue, yellow, +red, white and black. When she had obtained these, she boiled them with +a kind of porcelain in a large caldron, and the mixture became a +beautiful paste, and with this she knew that she could mend the sky. +Now all was ready. + +Summoning the clouds that were sailing ever so high above her head, she +mounted them, and rode heavenwards, carrying in her hands the vase +containing the paste made from the stones of five colors. She soon +reached the corner of the sky that was broken, and applied the paste +and mended it. Having done this, she turned her attention to the broken +pillar, and with the legs of a very large tortoise she mended it. When +this was finished she mounted the clouds and descended to the earth, +hoping to find that all was now right, but to her dismay she found that +it was still quite dark. Neither the sun shone by day nor the moon by +night. + +Greatly perplexed, she at last called a meeting of all the wise men of +the Kingdom, and asked their advice as to what she should do in this +dilemma. + +Two of the wisest said: + +“The roads of Heaven have been damaged by the late accident, and the +Sun and Moon have been obliged to stay at home. Neither the Sun could +make his daily journey nor the Moon her nightly one because of the bad +roads. The Sun and Moon do not yet know that your Majesty has mended +all that was damaged, so we will go and inform them that since you have +repaired them the roads are safe.” + +The Empress approved of what the wise men suggested, and ordered them +to set out on their mission. But this was not easy, for the Palace of +the Sun and Moon was many, many hundreds of thousands of miles distant +into the East. If they traveled on foot they might never reach the +place, they would die of old age on the road. But Jokwa had recourse to +magic. She gave her two ambassadors wonderful chariots which could +whirl through the air by magic power a thousand miles per minute. They +set out in good spirits, riding above the clouds, and after many days +they reached the country where the Sun and the Moon were living happily +together. + +The two ambassadors were granted an interview with their Majesties of +Light and asked them why they had for so many days secluded themselves +from the Universe? Did they not know that by doing so they plunged the +world and all its people into uttermost darkness both day and night? + +Replied the Sun and the Moon: + +“Surely you know that Mount Shu has suddenly burst forth with fire, and +the roads of Heaven have been greatly damaged! I, the Sun, found it +impossible to make my daily journey along such rough roads—and +certainly the Moon could not issue forth at night! so we both retired +into private life for a time.” + +Then the two wise men bowed themselves to the ground and said: + +“Our Empress Jokwa has already repaired the roads with the wonderful +stones of five colors, so we beg to assure your Majesties that the +roads are just as they were before the eruption took place.” + +But the Sun and the Moon still hesitated, saying that they had heard +that one of the pillars of Heaven had been broken as well, and they +feared that, even if the roads had been remade, it would still be +dangerous for them to sally forth on their usual journeys. + +“You need have no anxiety about the broken pillar,” said the two +ambassadors. “Our Empress restored it with the legs of a great +tortoise, and it is as firm as ever it was.” + +Then the Sun and Moon appeared satisfied, and they both set out to try +the roads. They found that what the Empress’s deputies had told them +was correct. + +After the examination of the heavenly roads, the Sun and Moon again +gave light to the earth. All the people rejoiced greatly, and peace and +prosperity were secured in China for a long time under the reign of the +wise Empress Jokwa. + +THE END. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Japanese Fairy Tales</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Yei Theodora Ozaki</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 11, 2001 [eBook #4018]<br /> +[Most recently updated: November 4, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Charles Franks, Greg Weeks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES ***</div> + +<h1>Japanese Fairy Tales</h1> + +<h3><small>COMPILED BY</small></h3> + +<h2 class="no-break">by Yei Theodora Ozaki</h2> + +<h4>Profusely Illustrated by Japanese Artists</h4> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref01">PREFACE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> JAPANESE FAIRY TALES</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">MY LORD BAG OF RICE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">THE FARMER AND THE BADGER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">THE “SHINANSHA,” OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE. A STORY OF OLD JAPAN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA A STORY OF OLD JAPAN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">THE OGRE OF RASHOMON</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. AN OLD CHINESE STORY</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3>TO<br/> +ELEANOR MARION-CRAWFORD.</h3> + +<p class="letter"> +I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO YOU AND TO THE SWEET CHILD-FRIENDSHIP THAT YOU GAVE ME +IN THE DAYS SPENT WITH YOU BY THE SOUTHERN SEA, WHEN YOU USED TO LISTEN WITH +UNFEIGNED PLEASURE TO THESE FAIRY STORIES FROM FAR JAPAN. MAY THEY NOW REMIND +YOU OF MY CHANGELESS LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE.<br/> +<br/> +Y. T. O.<br/> +Tokio, 1908. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref01"></a>PREFACE</h2> + +<p> +This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a suggestion made to +me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew Lang. They have been translated +from the modern version written by Sadanami Sanjin. These stories are not +literal translations, and though the Japanese story and all quaint Japanese +expressions have been faithfully preserved, they have been told more with the +view to interest young readers of the West than the technical student of +folk-lore. +</p> + +<p> +Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, my brother +Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko Yamao, who have helped me +with translations. +</p> + +<p> +The story which I have named “The Story of the Man who did not Wish to +Die” is taken from a little book written a hundred years ago by one +Shinsui Tamenaga. It is named Chosei Furo, or “Longevity.” +“The Bamboo-cutter and the Moon-child” is taken from the classic +“Taketari Monogatari,” and is NOT classed by the Japanese among +their fairy tales, though it really belongs to this class of literature. +</p> + +<p> +The pictures were drawn by Mr. Kakuzo Fujiyama, a Tokio artist. +</p> + +<p> +In telling these stories in English I have followed my fancy in adding such +touches of local color or description as they seemed to need or as pleased me, +and in one or two instances I have gathered in an incident from another +version. At all times, among my friends, both young and old, English or +American, I have always found eager listeners to the beautiful legends and +fairy tales of Japan, and in telling them I have also found that they were +still unknown to the vast majority, and this has encouraged me to write them +for the children of the West. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +Y. T. O.<br/> +Tokio, 1908. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>JAPANESE FAIRY TALES</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>MY LORD BAG OF RICE</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara +Toda, or “My Lord Bag of Rice.” His true name was Fujiwara +Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change his +name. +</p> + +<p> +One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature of a +warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two swords, took +his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and slinging his quiver on +his back started out. He had not gone far when he came to the bridge of +Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he +set foot on the bridge than he saw lying right across his path a huge +serpent-dragon. Its body was so big that it looked like the trunk of a large +pine tree and it took up the whole width of the bridge. One of its huge claws +rested on the parapet of one side of the bridge, while its tail lay right +against the other. The monster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire +and smoke came out of its nostrils. +</p> + +<p> +At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this horrible +reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or walk right over its +body. He was a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear went forward +dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he stepped now on the dragon’s body, now +between its coils, and without even one glance backward he went on his way. +</p> + +<p> +He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him from behind. On +turning back he was much surprised to see that the monster dragon had entirely +disappeared and in its place was a strange-looking man, who was bowing most +ceremoniously to the ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders and was +surmounted by a crown in the shape of a dragon’s head, and his sea-green +dress was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no +ordinary mortal and he wondered much at the strange occurrence. Where had the +dragon gone in such a short space of time? Or had it transformed itself into +this man, and what did the whole thing mean? While these thoughts passed +through his mind he had come up to the man on the bridge and now addressed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Was it you that called me just now?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, it was I,” answered the man: “I have an earnest request +to make to you. Do you think you can grant it to me?” +</p> + +<p> +“If it is in my power to do so I will,” answered Hidesato, +“but first tell me who you are?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters just +under this bridge.” +</p> + +<p> +“And what is it you have to ask of me?” said Hidesato. +</p> + +<p> +“I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the +mountain beyond,” and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on the +opposite shore of the lake. +</p> + +<p> +“I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large family +of children and grand-children. For some time past we have lived in terror, for +a monster centipede has discovered our home, and night after night it comes and +carries off one of my family. I am powerless to save them. If it goes on much +longer like this, not only shall I lose all my children, but I myself must fall +a victim to the monster. I am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I +determined to ask the help of a human being. For many days with this intention +I have waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that +you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man would come along. But all who +came this way, as soon as they saw me were terrified and ran away as fast as +they could. You are the first man I have found able to look at me without fear, +so I knew at once that you were a man of great courage. I beg you to have pity +upon me. Will you not help me and kill my enemy the centipede?” +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, and readily +promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior asked where the centipede +lived, so that he might attack the creature at once. The Dragon King replied +that its home was on the mountain Mikami, but that as it came every night at a +certain hour to the palace of the lake, it would be better to wait till then. +So Hidesato was conducted to the palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. +Strange to say, as he followed his host downwards the waters parted to let them +pass, and his clothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. +Never had Hidesato seen anything so beautiful as this palace built of white +marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of the Sea King’s palace at +the bottom of the sea, where all the servants and retainers were salt-water +fishes, but here was a magnificent building in the heart of Lake Biwa. The +dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout, waited upon the Dragon King and +his guest. +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato was astonished at the feast that was spread for him. The dishes were +crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the chopsticks were of the rarest +ebony. As soon as they sat down, the sliding doors opened and ten lovely +goldfish dancers came out, and behind them followed ten red-carp musicians with +the koto and the samisen. Thus the hours flew by till midnight, and the +beautiful music and dancing had banished all thoughts of the centipede. The +Dragon King was about to pledge the warrior in a fresh cup of wine when the +palace was suddenly shaken by a tramp, tramp! as if a mighty army had begun to +march not far away. +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato and his host both rose to their feet and rushed to the balcony, and +the warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls of glowing fire coming +nearer and nearer. The Dragon King stood by the warrior’s side trembling +with fear. +</p> + +<p> +“The centipede! The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its eyes. It +is coming for its prey! Now is the time to kill it.” +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato looked where his host pointed, and, in the dim light of the starlit +evening, behind the two balls of fire he saw the long body of an enormous +centipede winding round the mountains, and the light in its hundred feet glowed +like so many distant lanterns moving slowly towards the shore. +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried to calm the Dragon King. +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t be afraid. I shall surely kill the centipede. Just bring me +my bow and arrows.” +</p> + +<p> +The Dragon King did as he was bid, and the warrior noticed that he had only +three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow, and fitting an arrow to the +notch, took careful aim and let fly. +</p> + +<p> +The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, but instead of +penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell to the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted it to the notch of the bow +and let fly. Again the arrow hit the mark, it struck the centipede right in the +middle of its head, only to glance off and fall to the ground. The centipede +was invulnerable to weapons! When the Dragon King saw that even this brave +warrior’s arrows were powerless to kill the centipede, he lost heart and +began to tremble with fear. +</p> + +<p> +The warrior saw that he had now only one arrow left in his quiver, and if this +one failed he could not kill the centipede. He looked across the waters. The +huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times round the mountain and would +soon come down to the lake. Nearer and nearer gleamed fireballs of eyes, and +the light of its hundred feet began to throw reflections in the still waters of +the lake. +</p> + +<p> +Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that human saliva was +deadly to centipedes. But this was no ordinary centipede. This was so monstrous +that even to think of such a creature made one creep with horror. Hidesato +determined to try his last chance. So taking his last arrow and first putting +the end of it in his mouth, he fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim +once more and let fly. +</p> + +<p> +This time the arrow again hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, +but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it struck home to the +creature’s brain. Then with a convulsive shudder the serpentine body +stopped moving, and the fiery light of its great eyes and hundred feet darkened +to a dull glare like the sunset of a stormy day, and then went out in +blackness. A great darkness now overspread the heavens, the thunder rolled and +the lightning flashed, and the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if the +world were coming to an end. The Dragon King and his children and retainers all +crouched in different parts of the palace, frightened to death, for the +building was shaken to its foundation. At last the dreadful night was over. Day +dawned beautiful and clear. The centipede was gone from the mountain. +</p> + +<p> +Then Hidesato called to the Dragon King to come out with him on the balcony, +for the centipede was dead and he had nothing more to fear. +</p> + +<p> +Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy, and Hidesato pointed +to the lake. There lay the body of the dead centipede floating on the water, +which was dyed red with its blood. +</p> + +<p> +The gratitude of the Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family came and +bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and the bravest +warrior in all Japan. +</p> + +<p> +Another feast was prepared, more sumptuous than the first. All kinds of fish, +prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed, boiled and roasted, served on +coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before him, and the wine was the best +that Hidesato had ever tasted in his life. To add to the beauty of everything +the sun shone brightly, the lake glittered like a liquid diamond, and the +palace was a thousand times more beautiful by day than by night. +</p> + +<p> +His host tried to persuade the warrior to stay a few days, but Hidesato +insisted on going home, saying that he had now finished what he had come to do, +and must return. The Dragon King and his family were all very sorry to have him +leave so soon, but since he would go they begged him to accept a few small +presents (so they said) in token of their gratitude to him for delivering them +forever from their horrible enemy the centipede. +</p> + +<p> +As the warrior stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish was suddenly +transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial robes and +dragon’s crowns on their heads to show that they were servants of the +great Dragon King. The presents that they carried were as follows: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +First, a large bronze bell.<br/> +Second, a bag of rice.<br/> +Third, a roll of silk.<br/> +Fourth, a cooking pot.<br/> +Fifth, a bell. +</p> + +<p> +Hidesato did not want to accept all these presents, but as the Dragon King +insisted, he could not well refuse. +</p> + +<p> +The Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge, and then +took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, leaving the procession of +servants to accompany Hidesato to his house with the presents. +</p> + +<p> +The warrior’s household and servants had been very much concerned when +they found that he did not return the night before, but they finally concluded +that he had been kept by the violent storm and had taken shelter somewhere. +When the servants on the watch for his return caught sight of him they called +to every one that he was approaching, and the whole household turned out to +meet him, wondering much what the retinue of men, bearing presents and banners, +that followed him, could mean. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as the Dragon King’s retainers had put down the presents they +vanished, and Hidesato told all that had happened to him. +</p> + +<p> +The presents which he had received from the grateful Dragon King were found to +be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and as Hidesato had no use for +it he presented it to the temple near by, where it was hung up, to boom out the +hour of day over the surrounding neighborhood. +</p> + +<p> +The single bag of rice, however much was taken from it day after day for the +meals of the knight and his whole family, never grew less—the supply in +the bag was inexhaustible. +</p> + +<p> +The roll of silk, too, never grew shorter, though time after time long pieces +were cut off to make the warrior a new suit of clothes to go to Court in at the +New Year. +</p> + +<p> +The cooking pot was wonderful, too. No matter what was put into it, it cooked +deliciously whatever was wanted without any firing—truly a very +economical saucepan. +</p> + +<p> +The fame of Hidesato’s fortune spread far and wide, and as there was no +need for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became very rich and +prosperous, and was henceforth known as My Lord Bag of Rice. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old man was a +good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his wife was a regular +cross-patch, who spoiled the happiness of her home by her scolding tongue. She +was always grumbling about something from morning to night. The old man had for +a long time ceased to take any notice of her crossness. He was out most of the +day at work in the fields, and as he had no child, for his amusement when he +came home, he kept a tame sparrow. He loved the little bird just as much as if +she had been his child. +</p> + +<p> +When he came back at night after his hard day’s work in the open air it +was his only pleasure to pet the sparrow, to talk to her and to teach her +little tricks, which she learned very quickly. The old man would open her cage +and let her fly about the room, and they would play together. Then when +supper-time came, he always saved some tit-bits from his meal with which to +feed his little bird. +</p> + +<p> +Now one day the old man went out to chop wood in the forest, and the old woman +stopped at home to wash clothes. The day before, she had made some starch, and +now when she came to look for it, it was all gone; the bowl which she had +filled full yesterday was quite empty. +</p> + +<p> +While she was wondering who could have used or stolen the starch, down flew the +pet sparrow, and bowing her little feathered head—a trick which she had +been taught by her master—the pretty bird chirped and said: +</p> + +<p> +“It is I who have taken the starch. I thought it was some food put out +for me in that basin, and I ate it all. If I have made a mistake I beg you to +forgive me! tweet, tweet, tweet!” +</p> + +<p> +You see from this that the sparrow was a truthful bird, and the old woman ought +to have been willing to forgive her at once when she asked her pardon so +nicely. But not so. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman had never loved the sparrow, and had often quarreled with her +husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the house, saying that +it only made extra work for her. Now she was only too delighted to have some +cause of complaint against the pet. She scolded and even cursed the poor little +bird for her bad behavior, and not content with using these harsh, unfeeling +words, in a fit of rage she seized the sparrow—who all this time had +spread out her wings and bowed her head before the old woman, to show how sorry +she was—and fetched the scissors and cut off the poor little bird’s +tongue. +</p> + +<p> +“I suppose you took my starch with that tongue! Now you may see what it +is like to go without it!” And with these dreadful words she drove the +bird away, not caring in the least what might happen to it and without the +smallest pity for its suffering, so unkind was she! +</p> + +<p> +The old woman, after she had driven the sparrow away, made some more +rice-paste, grumbling all the time at the trouble, and after starching all her +clothes, spread the things on boards to dry in the sun, instead of ironing them +as they do in England. +</p> + +<p> +In the evening the old man came home. As usual, on the way back he looked +forward to the time when he should reach his gate and see his pet come flying +and chirping to meet him, ruffling out her feathers to show her joy, and at +last coming to rest on his shoulder. But to-night the old man was very +disappointed, for not even the shadow of his dear sparrow was to be seen. +</p> + +<p> +He quickened his steps, hastily drew off his straw sandals, and stepped on to +the veranda. Still no sparrow was to be seen. He now felt sure that his wife, +in one of her cross tempers, had shut the sparrow up in its cage. So he called +her and said anxiously: +</p> + +<p> +“Where is Suzume San (Miss Sparrow) today?” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman pretended not to know at first, and answered: +</p> + +<p> +“Your sparrow? I am sure I don’t know. Now I come to think of it, I +haven’t seen her all the afternoon. I shouldn’t wonder if the +ungrateful bird had flown away and left you after all your petting!” +</p> + +<p> +But at last, when the old man gave her no peace, but asked her again and again, +insisting that she must know what had happened to his pet, she confessed all. +She told him crossly how the sparrow had eaten the rice-paste she had specially +made for starching her clothes, and how when the sparrow had confessed to what +she had done, in great anger she had taken her scissors and cut out her tongue, +and how finally she had driven the bird away and forbidden her to return to the +house again. +</p> + +<p> +Then the old woman showed her husband the sparrow’s tongue, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Here is the tongue I cut off! Horrid little bird, why did it eat all my +starch?” +</p> + +<p> +“How could you be so cruel? Oh! how could you so cruel?” was all +that the old man could answer. He was too kind-hearted to punish his be shrew +of a wife, but he was terribly distressed at what had happened to his poor +little sparrow. +</p> + +<p> +“What a dreadful misfortune for my poor Suzume San to lose her +tongue!” he said to himself. “She won’t be able to chirp any +more, and surely the pain of the cutting of it out in that rough way must have +made her ill! Is there nothing to be done?” +</p> + +<p> +The old man shed many tears after his cross wife had gone to sleep. While he +wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his cotton robe, a bright thought +comforted him: he would go and look for the sparrow on the morrow. Having +decided this he was able to go to sleep at last. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning he rose early, as soon as ever the day broke, and snatching a +hasty breakfast, started out over the hills and through the woods, stopping at +every clump of bamboos to cry: +</p> + +<p> +“Where, oh where does my tongue-cut sparrow stay? Where, oh where, does +my tongue-cut sparrow stay!” +</p> + +<p> +He never stopped to rest for his noonday meal, and it was far on in the +afternoon when he found himself near a large bamboo wood. Bamboo groves are the +favorite haunts of sparrows, and there sure enough at the edge of the wood he +saw his own dear sparrow waiting to welcome him. He could hardly believe his +eyes for joy, and ran forward quickly to greet her. She bowed her little head +and went through a number of the tricks her master had taught her, to show her +pleasure at seeing her old friend again, and, wonderful to relate, she could +talk as of old. The old man told her how sorry he was for all that had +happened, and inquired after her tongue, wondering how she could speak so well +without it. Then the sparrow opened her beak and showed him that a new tongue +had grown in place of the old one, and begged him not to think any more about +the past, for she was quite well now. Then the old man knew that his sparrow +was a fairy, and no common bird. It would be difficult to exaggerate the old +man’s rejoicing now. He forgot all his troubles, he forgot even how tired +he was, for he had found his lost sparrow, and instead of being ill and without +a tongue as he had feared and expected to find her, she was well and happy and +with a new tongue, and without a sign of the ill-treatment she had received +from his wife. And above all she was a fairy. +</p> + +<p> +The sparrow asked him to follow her, and flying before him she led him to a +beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove. The old man was utterly +astonished when he entered the house to find what a beautiful place it was. It +was built of the whitest wood, the soft cream-colored mats which took the place +of carpets were the finest he had ever seen, and the cushions that the sparrow +brought out for him to sit on were made of the finest silk and crape. Beautiful +vases and lacquer boxes adorned the tokonoma[1] of every room. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +[1] An alcove where precious objects are displayed. +</p> + +<p> +The sparrow led the old man to the place of honor, and then, taking her place +at a humble distance, she thanked him with many polite bows for all the +kindness he had shown her for many long years. +</p> + +<p> +Then the Lady Sparrow, as we will now call her, introduced all her family to +the old man. This done, her daughters, robed in dainty crape gowns, brought in +on beautiful old-fashioned trays a feast of all kinds of delicious foods, till +the old man began to think he must be dreaming. In the middle of the dinner +some of the sparrow’s daughters performed a wonderful dance, called the +“suzume-odori” or the “Sparrow’s dance,” to amuse +the guest. +</p> + +<p> +Never had the old man enjoyed himself so much. The hours flew by too quickly in +this lovely spot, with all these fairy sparrows to wait upon him and to feast +him and to dance before him. +</p> + +<p> +But the night came on and the darkness reminded him that he had a long way to +go and must think about taking his leave and return home. He thanked his kind +hostess for her splendid entertainment, and begged her for his sake to forget +all she had suffered at the hands of his cross old wife. He told the Lady +Sparrow that it was a great comfort and happiness to him to find her in such a +beautiful home and to know that she wanted for nothing. It was his anxiety to +know how she fared and what had really happened to her that had led him to seek +her. Now he knew that all was well he could return home with a light heart. If +ever she wanted him for anything she had only to send for him and he would come +at once. +</p> + +<p> +The Lady Sparrow begged him to stay and rest several days and enjoy the change, +but the old man said he must return to his old wife—who would probably be +cross at his not coming home at the usual time—and to his work, and +there-fore, much as he wished to do so, he could not accept her kind +invitation. But now that he knew where the Lady Sparrow lived he would come to +see her whenever he had the time. +</p> + +<p> +When the Lady Sparrow saw that she could not persuade the old man to stay +longer, she gave an order to some of her servants, and they at once brought in +two boxes, one large and the other small. These were placed before the old man, +and the Lady Sparrow asked him to choose whichever he liked for a present, +which she wished to give him. +</p> + +<p> +The old man could not refuse this kind proposal, and he chose the smaller box, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“I am now too old and feeble to carry the big and heavy box. As you are +so kind as to say that I may take whichever I like, I will choose the small +one, which will be easier for me to carry.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the sparrows all helped him put it on his back and went to the gate to see +him off, bidding him good-by with many bows and entreating him to come again +whenever he had the time. Thus the old man and his pet sparrow separated quite +happily, the sparrow showing not the least ill-will for all the unkindness she +had suffered at the hands of the old wife. Indeed, she only felt sorrow for the +old man who had to put up with it all his life. +</p> + +<p> +When the old man reached home he found his wife even crosser than usual, for it +was late on in the night and she had been waiting up for him for a long time. +</p> + +<p> +“Where have you been all this time?” she asked in a big voice. +“Why do you come back so late?” +</p> + +<p> +The old man tried to pacify her by showing her the box of presents he had +brought back with him, and then he told her of all that had happened to him, +and how wonderfully he had been entertained at the sparrow’s house. +</p> + +<p> +“Now let us see what is in the box,” said the old man, not giving +her time to grumble again. “You must help me open it.” And they +both sat down before the box and opened it. +</p> + +<p> +To their utter astonishment they found the box filled to the brim with gold and +silver coins and many other precious things. The mats of their little cottage +fairly glittered as they took out the things one by one and put them down and +handled them over and over again. The old man was overjoyed at the sight of the +riches that were now his. Beyond his brightest expectations was the +sparrow’s gift, which would enable him to give up work and live in ease +and comfort the rest of his days. +</p> + +<p> +He said: “Thanks to my good little sparrow! Thanks to my good little +sparrow!” many times. +</p> + +<p> +But the old woman, after the first moments of surprise and satisfaction at the +sight of the gold and silver were over, could not suppress the greed of her +wicked nature. She now began to reproach the old man for not having brought +home the big box of presents, for in the innocence of his heart he had told her +how he had refused the large box of presents which the sparrows had offered +him, preferring the smaller one because it was light and easy to carry home. +</p> + +<p> +“You silly old man,” said she, “Why did you not bring the +large box? Just think what we have lost. We might have had twice as much silver +and gold as this. You are certainly an old fool!” she screamed, and then +went to bed as angry as she could be. +</p> + +<p> +The old man now wished that he had said nothing about the big box, but it was +too late; the greedy old woman, not contented with the good luck which had so +unexpectedly befallen them and which she so little deserved, made up her mind, +if possible, to get more. +</p> + +<p> +Early the next morning she got up and made the old man describe the way to the +sparrow’s house. When he saw what was in her mind he tried to keep her +from going, but it was useless. She would not listen to one word he said. It is +strange that the old woman did not feel ashamed of going to see the sparrow +after the cruel way she had treated her in cutting off her tongue in a fit of +rage. But her greed to get the big box made her forget everything else. It did +not even enter her thoughts that the sparrows might be angry with her—as, +indeed, they were—and might punish her for what she had done. +</p> + +<p> +Ever since the Lady Sparrow had returned home in the sad plight in which they +had first found her, weeping and bleeding from the mouth, her whole family and +relations had done little else but speak of the cruelty of the old woman. +“How could she,” they asked each other, “inflict such a heavy +punishment for such a trifling offense as that of eating some rice-paste by +mistake?” They all loved the old man who was so kind and good and patient +under all his troubles, but the old woman they hated, and they determined, if +ever they had the chance, to punish her as she deserved. They had not long to +wait. +</p> + +<p> +After walking for some hours the old woman had at last found the bamboo grove +which she had made her husband carefully describe, and now she stood before it +crying out: +</p> + +<p> +“Where is the tongue-cut sparrow’s house? Where is the tongue-cut +sparrow’s house?” +</p> + +<p> +At last she saw the eaves of the house peeping out from amongst the bamboo +foliage. She hastened to the door and knocked loudly. +</p> + +<p> +When the servants told the Lady Sparrow that her old mistress was at the door +asking to see her, she was somewhat surprised at the unexpected visit, after +all that had taken place, and she wondered not a little at the boldness of the +old woman in venturing to come to the house. The Lady Sparrow, however, was a +polite bird, and so she went out to greet the old woman, remembering that she +had once been her mistress. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman intended, however, to waste no time in words, she went right to +the point, without the least shame, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“You need not trouble to entertain me as you did my old man. I have come +myself to get the box which he so stupidly left behind. I shall soon take my +leave if you will give me the big box—that is all I want!” +</p> + +<p> +The Lady Sparrow at once consented, and told her servants to bring out the big +box. The old woman eagerly seized it and hoisted it on her back, and without +even stopping to thank the Lady Sparrow began to hurry homewards. +</p> + +<p> +The box was so heavy that she could not walk fast, much less run, as she would +have liked to do, so anxious was she to get home and see what was inside the +box, but she had often to sit down and rest herself by the way. +</p> + +<p> +While she was staggering along under the heavy load, her desire to open the box +became too great to be resisted. She could wait no longer, for she supposed +this big box to be full of gold and silver and precious jewels like the small +one her husband had received. +</p> + +<p> +At last this greedy and selfish old woman put down the box by the wayside and +opened it carefully, expecting to gloat her eyes on a mine of wealth. What she +saw, however, so terrified her that she nearly lost her senses. As soon as she +lifted the lid, a number of horrible and frightful looking demons bounced out +of the box and surrounded her as if they intended to kill her. Not even in +nightmares had she ever seen such horrible creatures as her much-coveted box +contained. A demon with one huge eye right in the middle of its forehead came +and glared at her, monsters with gaping mouths looked as if they would devour +her, a huge snake coiled and hissed about her, and a big frog hopped and +croaked towards her. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman had never been so frightened in her life, and ran from the spot +as fast as her quaking legs would carry her, glad to escape alive. When she +reached home she fell to the floor and told her husband with tears all that had +happened to her, and how she had been nearly killed by the demons in the box. +</p> + +<p> +Then she began to blame the sparrow, but the old man stopped her at once, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t blame the sparrow, it is your wickedness which has at last +met with its reward. I only hope this may be a lesson to you in the +future!” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman said nothing more, and from that day she repented of her cross, +unkind ways, and by degrees became a good old woman, so that her husband hardly +knew her to be the same person, and they spent their last days together +happily, free from want or care, spending carefully the treasure the old man +had received from his pet, the tongue-cut sparrow. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago in the province of Tango there lived on the shore of Japan in +the little fishing village of Mizu-no-ye a young fisherman named Urashima Taro. +His father had been a fisherman before him, and his skill had more than doubly +descended to his son, for Urashima was the most skillful fisher in all that +country side, and could catch more Bonito and Tai in a day than his comrades +could in a week. +</p> + +<p> +But in the little fishing village, more than for being a clever fisher of the +sea was he known for his kind heart. In his whole life he had never hurt +anything, either great or small, and when a boy, his companions had always +laughed at him, for he would never join with them in teasing animals, but +always tried to keep them from this cruel sport. +</p> + +<p> +One soft summer twilight he was going home at the end of a day’s fishing +when he came upon a group of children. They were all screaming and talking at +the tops of their voices, and seemed to be in a state of great excitement about +something, and on his going up to them to see what was the matter he saw that +they were tormenting a tortoise. First one boy pulled it this way, then another +boy pulled it that way, while a third child beat it with a stick, and the +fourth hammered its shell with a stone. +</p> + +<p> +Now Urashima felt very sorry for the poor tortoise and made up his mind to +rescue it. He spoke to the boys: +</p> + +<p> +“Look here, boys, you are treating that poor tortoise so badly that it +will soon die!” +</p> + +<p> +The boys, who were all of an age when children seem to delight in being cruel +to animals, took no notice of Urashima’s gentle reproof, but went on +teasing it as before. One of the older boys answered: +</p> + +<p> +“Who cares whether it lives or dies? We do not. Here, boys, go on, go +on!” +</p> + +<p> +And they began to treat the poor tortoise more cruelly than ever. Urashima +waited a moment, turning over in his mind what would be the best way to deal +with the boys. He would try to persuade them to give the tortoise up to him, so +he smiled at them and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am sure you are all good, kind boys! Now won’t you give me the +tortoise? I should like to have it so much!” +</p> + +<p> +“No, we won’t give you the tortoise,” said one of the boys. +“Why should we? We caught it ourselves.” +</p> + +<p> +“What you say is true,” said Urashima, “but I do not ask you +to give it to me for nothing. I will give you some money for it—in other +words, the Ojisan (Uncle) will buy it of you. Won’t that do for you, my +boys?” He held up the money to them, strung on a piece of string through +a hole in the center of each coin. “Look, boys, you can buy anything you +like with this money. You can do much more with this money than you can with +that poor tortoise. See what good boys you are to listen to me.” +</p> + +<p> +The boys were not bad boys at all, they were only mischievous, and as Urashima +spoke they were won by his kind smile and gentle words and began “to be +of his spirit,” as they say in Japan. Gradually they all came up to him, +the ringleader of the little band holding out the tortoise to him. +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, Ojisan, we will give you the tortoise if you will give us the +money!” And Urashima took the tortoise and gave the money to the boys, +who, calling to each other, scampered away and were soon out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +Then Urashima stroked the tortoise’s back, saying as he did so: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, you poor thing! Poor thing!—there, there! you are safe now! +They say that a stork lives for a thousand years, but the tortoise for ten +thousand years. You have the longest life of any creature in this world, and +you were in great danger of having that precious life cut short by those cruel +boys. Luckily I was passing by and saved you, and so life is still yours. Now I +am going to take you back to your home, the sea, at once. Do not let yourself +be caught again, for there might be no one to save you next time!” +</p> + +<p> +All the time that the kind fisherman was speaking he was walking quickly to the +shore and out upon the rocks; then putting the tortoise into the water he +watched the animal disappear, and turned homewards himself, for he was tired +and the sun had set. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning Urashima went out as usual in his boat. The weather was fine +and the sea and sky were both blue and soft in the tender haze of the summer +morning. Urashima got into his boat and dreamily pushed out to sea, throwing +his line as he did so. He soon passed the other fishing boats and left them +behind him till they were lost to sight in the distance, and his boat drifted +further and further out upon the blue waters. Somehow, he knew not why, he felt +unusually happy that morning; and he could not help wishing that, like the +tortoise he set free the day before, he had thousands of years to live instead +of his own short span of human life. +</p> + +<p> +He was suddenly startled from his reverie by hearing his own name called: +</p> + +<p> +“Urashima, Urashima!” +</p> + +<p> +Clear as a bell and soft as the summer wind the name floated over the sea. +</p> + +<p> +He stood up and looked in every direction, thinking that one of the other boats +had overtaken him, but gaze as he might over the wide expanse of water, near or +far there was no sign of a boat, so the voice could not have come from any +human being. +</p> + +<p> +Startled, and wondering who or what it was that had called him so clearly, he +looked in all directions round about him and saw that without his knowing it a +tortoise had come to the side of the boat. Urashima saw with surprise that it +was the very tortoise he had rescued the day before. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, Mr. Tortoise,” said Urashima, “was it you who called +my name just now?” +</p> + +<p> +The tortoise nodded its head several times and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, it was I. Yesterday in your honorable shadow (o kage sama de) my +life was saved, and I have come to offer you my thanks and to tell you how +grateful I am for your kindness to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed,” said Urashima, “that is very polite of you. Come up +into the boat. I would offer you a smoke, but as you are a tortoise doubtless +you do not smoke,” and the fisherman laughed at the joke. +</p> + +<p> +“He-he-he-he!” laughed the tortoise; “sake (rice wine) is my +favorite refreshment, but I do not care for tobacco.” +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed,” said Urashima, “I regret very much that I have no +“sake” in my boat to offer you, but come up and dry your back in +the sun—tortoises always love to do that.” +</p> + +<p> +So the tortoise climbed into the boat, the fisherman helping him, and after an +exchange of complimentary speeches the tortoise said: +</p> + +<p> +“Have you ever seen Rin Gin, the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, +Urashima?” +</p> + +<p> +The fisherman shook his head and replied; “No; year after year the sea +has been my home, but though I have often heard of the Dragon King’s +realm under the sea I have never yet set eyes on that wonderful place. It must +be very far away, if it exists at all!” +</p> + +<p> +“Is that really so? You have never seen the Sea King’s Palace? Then +you have missed seeing one of the most wonderful sights in the whole universe. +It is far away at the bottom of the sea, but if I take you there we shall soon +reach the place. If you would like to see the Sea King’s land I will be +your guide.” +</p> + +<p> +“I should like to go there, certainly, and you are very kind to think of +taking me, but you must remember that I am only a poor mortal and have not the +power of swimming like a sea creature such as you are—” +</p> + +<p> +Before the fisherman could say more the tortoise stopped him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“What? You need not swim yourself. If you will ride on my back I will +take you without any trouble on your part.” +</p> + +<p> +“But,” said Urashima, “how is it possible for me to ride on +your small back?” +</p> + +<p> +“It may seem absurd to you, but I assure you that you can do so. Try at +once! Just come and get on my back, and see if it is as impossible as you +think!” +</p> + +<p> +As the tortoise finished speaking, Urashima looked at its shell, and strange to +say he saw that the creature had suddenly grown so big that a man could easily +sit on its back. +</p> + +<p> +“This is strange indeed!” said Urashima; “then. Mr. Tortoise, +with your kind permission I will get on your back. Dokoisho!”[2] he +exclaimed as he jumped on. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +[2] “All right” (only used by lower classes). +</p> + +<p> +The tortoise, with an unmoved face, as if this strange proceeding were quite an +ordinary event, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Now we will set out at our leisure,” and with these words he leapt +into the sea with Urashima on his back. Down through the water the tortoise +dived. For a long time these two strange companions rode through the sea. +Urashima never grew tired, nor his clothes moist with the water. At last, far +away in the distance a magnificent gate appeared, and behind the gate, the +long, sloping roofs of a palace on the horizon. +</p> + +<p> +“Ya,” exclaimed Urashima. “That looks like the gate of some +large palace just appearing! Mr. Tortoise, can you tell what that place is we +can now see?” +</p> + +<p> +“That is the great gate of the Rin Gin Palace, the large roof that you +see behind the gate is the Sea King’s Palace itself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then we have at last come to the realm of the Sea King and to his +Palace,” said Urashima. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, indeed,” answered the tortoise, “and don’t you +think we have come very quickly?” And while he was speaking the tortoise +reached the side of the gate. “And here we are, and you must please walk +from here.” +</p> + +<p> +The tortoise now went in front, and speaking to the gatekeeper, said: +</p> + +<p> +“This is Urashima Taro, from the country of Japan. I have had the honor +of bringing him as a visitor to this kingdom. Please show him the way.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the gatekeeper, who was a fish, at once led the way through the gate +before them. +</p> + +<p> +The red bream, the flounder, the sole, the cuttlefish, and all the chief +vassals of the Dragon King of the Sea now came out with courtly bows to welcome +the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +“Urashima Sama, Urashima Sama! welcome to the Sea Palace, the home of the +Dragon King of the Sea. Thrice welcome are you, having come from such a distant +country. And you, Mr. Tortoise, we are greatly indebted to you for all your +trouble in bringing Urashima here.” Then, turning again to Urashima, they +said, “Please follow us this way,” and from here the whole band of +fishes became his guides. +</p> + +<p> +Urashima, being only a poor fisher lad, did not know how to behave in a palace; +but, strange though it was all to him, he did not feel ashamed or embarrassed, +but followed his kind guides quite calmly where they led to the inner palace. +When he reached the portals a beautiful Princess with her attendant maidens +came out to welcome him. She was more beautiful than any human being, and was +robed in flowing garments of red and soft green like the under side of a wave, +and golden threads glimmered through the folds of her gown. Her lovely black +hair streamed over her shoulders in the fashion of a king’s daughter many +hundreds of years ago, and when she spoke her voice sounded like music over the +water. Urashima was lost in wonder while he looked upon her, and he could not +speak. Then he remembered that he ought to bow, but before he could make a low +obeisance the Princess took him by the hand and led him to a beautiful hall, +and to the seat of honor at the upper end, and bade him be seated. +</p> + +<p> +“Urashima Taro, it gives me the highest pleasure to welcome you to my +father’s kingdom,” said the Princess. “Yesterday you set free +a tortoise, and I have sent for you to thank you for saving my life, for I was +that tortoise. Now if you like you shall live here forever in the land of +eternal youth, where summer never dies and where sorrow never comes, and I will +be your bride if you will, and we will live together happily forever +afterwards!” +</p> + +<p> +And as Urashima listened to her sweet words and gazed upon her lovely face his +heart was filled with a great wonder and joy, and he answered her, wondering if +it was not all a dream: +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you a thousand times for your kind speech. There is nothing I +could wish for more than to be permitted to stay here with you in this +beautiful land, of which I have often heard, but have never seen to this day. +Beyond all words, this is the most wonderful place I have ever seen.” +</p> + +<p> +While he was speaking a train of fishes appeared, all dressed in ceremonial, +trailing garments. One by one, silently and with stately steps, they entered +the hall, bearing on coral trays delicacies of fish and seaweed, such as no one +can dream of, and this wondrous feast was set before the bride and bridegroom. +The bridal was celebrated with dazzling splendor, and in the Sea King’s +realm there was great rejoicing. As soon as the young pair had pledged +themselves in the wedding cup of wine, three times three, music was played, and +songs were sung, and fishes with silver scales and golden tails stepped in from +the waves and danced. Urashima enjoyed himself with all his heart. Never in his +whole life had he sat down to such a marvelous feast. +</p> + +<p> +When the feast was over the Princes asked the bridegroom if he would like to +walk through the palace and see all there was to be seen. Then the happy +fisherman, following his bride, the Sea King’s daughter, was shown all +the wonders of that enchanted land where youth and joy go hand in hand and +neither time nor age can touch them. The palace was built of coral and adorned +with pearls, and the beauties and wonders of the place were so great that the +tongue fails to describe them. +</p> + +<p> +But, to Urashima, more wonderful than the palace was the garden that surrounded +it. Here was to be seen at one time the scenery of the four different seasons; +the beauties of summer and winter, spring and autumn, were displayed to the +wondering visitor at once. +</p> + +<p> +First, when he looked to the east, the plum and cherry trees were seen in full +bloom, the nightingales sang in the pink avenues, and butterflies flitted from +flower to flower. +</p> + +<p> +Looking to the south all the trees were green in the fullness of summer, and +the day cicala and the night cricket chirruped loudly. +</p> + +<p> +Looking to the west the autumn maples were ablaze like a sunset sky, and the +chrysanthemums were in perfection. +</p> + +<p> +Looking to the north the change made Urashima start, for the ground was silver +white with snow, and trees and bamboos were also covered with snow and the pond +was thick with ice. +</p> + +<p> +And each day there were new joys and new wonders for Urashima, and so great was +his happiness that he forgot everything, even the home he had left behind and +his parents and his own country, and three days passed without his even +thinking of all he had left behind. Then his mind came back to him and he +remembered who he was, and that he did not belong to this wonderful land or the +Sea King’s palace, and he said to himself: +</p> + +<p> +“O dear! I must not stay on here, for I have an old father and mother at +home. What can have happened to them all this time? How anxious they must have +been these days when I did not return as usual. I must go back at once without +letting one more day pass.” And he began to prepare for the journey in +great haste. +</p> + +<p> +Then he went to his beautiful wife, the Princess, and bowing low before her he +said: +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed, I have been very happy with you for a long time, Otohime +Sama” (for that was her name), “and you have been kinder to me than +any words can tell. But now I must say good-by. I must go back to my old +parents.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Otohime Sama began to weep, and said softly and sadly: +</p> + +<p> +“Is it not well with you here, Urashima, that you wish to leave me so +soon? Where is the haste? Stay with me yet another day only!” +</p> + +<p> +But Urashima had remembered his old parents, and in Japan the duty to parents +is stronger than everything else, stronger even than pleasure or love, and he +would not be persuaded, but answered: +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed, I must go. Do not think that I wish to leave you. It is not +that. I must go and see my old parents. Let me go for one day and I will come +back to you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then,” said the Princess sorrowfully, “there is nothing to +be done. I will send you back to-day to your father and mother, and instead of +trying to keep you with me one more day, I shall give you this as a token of +our love—please take it back with you;” and she brought him a +beautiful lacquer box tied about with a silken cord and tassels of red silk. +</p> + +<p> +Urashima had received so much from the Princess already that he felt some +compunction in taking the gift, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“It does not seem right for me to take yet another gift from you after +all the many favors I have received at your hands, but because it is your wish +I will do so,” and then he added: +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me what is this box?” +</p> + +<p> +“That,” answered the Princess “is the tamate-bako (Box of the +Jewel Hand), and it contains something very precious. You must not open this +box, whatever happens! If you open it something dreadful will happen to you! +Now promise me that you will never open this box!” +</p> + +<p> +And Urashima promised that he would never, never open the box whatever +happened. +</p> + +<p> +Then bidding good-by to Otohime Sama he went down to the seashore, the Princess +and her attendants following him, and there he found a large tortoise waiting +for him. +</p> + +<p> +He quickly mounted the creature’s back and was carried away over the +shining sea into the East. He looked back to wave his hand to Otohime Sama till +at last he could see her no more, and the land of the Sea King and the roofs of +the wonderful palace were lost in the far, far distance. Then, with his face +turned eagerly towards his own land, he looked for the rising of the blue hills +on the horizon before him. +</p> + +<p> +At last the tortoise carried him into the bay he knew so well, and to the shore +from whence he had set out. He stepped on to the shore and looked about him +while the tortoise rode away back to the Sea King’s realm. +</p> + +<p> +But what is the strange fear that seizes Urashima as he stands and looks about +him? Why does he gaze so fixedly at the people that pass him by, and why do +they in turn stand and look at him? The shore is the same and the hills are the +same, but the people that he sees walking past him have very different faces to +those he had known so well before. +</p> + +<p> +Wondering what it can mean he walks quickly towards his old home. Even that +looks different, but a house stands on the spot, and he calls out: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, I have just returned!” and he was about to enter, when he +saw a strange man coming out. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps my parents have moved while I have been away, and have gone +somewhere else,” was the fisherman’s thought. Somehow he began to +feel strangely anxious, he could not tell why. +</p> + +<p> +“Excuse me,” said he to the man who was staring at him, “but +till within the last few days I have lived in this house. My name is Urashima +Taro. Where have my parents gone whom I left here?” +</p> + +<p> +A very bewildered expression came over the face of the man, and, still gazing +intently on Urashima’s face, he said: +</p> + +<p> +“What? Are you Urashima Taro?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” said the fisherman, “I am Urashima Taro!” +</p> + +<p> +“Ha, ha!” laughed the man, “you must not make such jokes. It +is true that once upon a time a man called Urashima Taro did live in this +village, but that is a story three hundred years old. He could not possibly be +alive now!” +</p> + +<p> +When Urashima heard these strange words he was frightened, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Please, please, you must not joke with me, I am greatly perplexed. I am +really Urashima Taro, and I certainly have not lived three hundred years. Till +four or five days ago I lived on this spot. Tell me what I want to know without +more joking, please.” +</p> + +<p> +But the man’s face grew more and more grave, and he answered: +</p> + +<p> +“You may or may not be Urashima Taro, I don’t know. But the +Urashima Taro of whom I have heard is a man who lived three hundred years ago. +Perhaps you are his spirit come to revisit your old home?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you mock me?” said Urashima. “I am no spirit! I am a +living man—do you not see my feet;” and “don-don,” he +stamped on the ground, first with one foot and then with the other to show the +man. (Japanese ghosts have no feet.) +</p> + +<p> +“But Urashima Taro lived three hundred years ago, that is all I know; it +is written in the village chronicles,” persisted the man, who could not +believe what the fisherman said. +</p> + +<p> +Urashima was lost in bewilderment and trouble. He stood looking all around him, +terribly puzzled, and, indeed, something in the appearance of everything was +different to what he remembered before he went away, and the awful feeling came +over him that what the man said was perhaps true. He seemed to be in a strange +dream. The few days he had spent in the Sea King’s palace beyond the sea +had not been days at all: they had been hundreds of years, and in that time his +parents had died and all the people he had ever known, and the village had +written down his story. There was no use in staying here any longer. He must +get back to his beautiful wife beyond the sea. +</p> + +<p> +He made his way back to the beach, carrying in his hand the box which the +Princess had given him. But which was the way? He could not find it alone! +Suddenly he remembered the box, the tamate-bako. +</p> + +<p> +“The Princess told me when she gave me the box never to open +it—that it contained a very precious thing. But now that I have no home, +now that I have lost everything that was dear to me here, and my heart grows +thin with sadness, at such a time, if I open the box, surely I shall find +something that will help me, something that will show me the way back to my +beautiful Princess over the sea. There is nothing else for me to do now. Yes, +yes, I will open the box and look in!” +</p> + +<p> +And so his heart consented to this act of disobedience, and he tried to +persuade himself that he was doing the right thing in breaking his promise. +</p> + +<p> +Slowly, very slowly, he untied the red silk cord, slowly and wonderingly he +lifted the lid of the precious box. And what did he find? Strange to say only a +beautiful little purple cloud rose out of the box in three soft wisps. For an +instant it covered his face and wavered over him as if loath to go, and then it +floated away like vapor over the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Urashima, who had been till that moment like a strong and handsome youth of +twenty-four, suddenly became very, very old. His back doubled up with age, his +hair turned snowy white, his face wrinkled and he fell down dead on the beach. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Urashima! because of his disobedience he could never return to the Sea +King’s realm or the lovely Princess beyond the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Little children, never be disobedient to those who are wiser than you for +disobedience was the beginning of all the miseries and sorrows of life. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>THE FARMER AND THE BADGER</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made their home +in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was a bad and +malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night and run across to +the farmer’s field and spoil the vegetables and the rice which the farmer +spent his time in carefully cultivating. The badger at last grew so ruthless in +his mischievous work, and did so much harm everywhere on the farm, that the +good-natured farmer could not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop +to it. So he lay in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club, +hoping to catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked +animal. +</p> + +<p> +The farmer’s trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on going +his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for that purpose. +The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and carried him home +securely bound with rope. When he reached the house the farmer said to his +wife: +</p> + +<p> +“I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him while +I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make him into soup +to-night.” +</p> + +<p> +Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and went +out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, for he did not +at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, and he thought and +thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some plan by which he might escape. +It was hard to think clearly in his uncomfortable position, for he had been +hung upside down. Very near him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out +towards the green fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the +farmer’s old wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was +seamed with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then +she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear lady,” said the wily badger, “you must be very weary +doing such heavy work in your old age. Won’t you let me do that for you? +My arms are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you for your kindness,” said the old woman, “but I +cannot let you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might +escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and found +you gone.” +</p> + +<p> +Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said again in a +very sad, gentle, voice: +</p> + +<p> +“You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to +escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again before +his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so tired and sore +tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a few minutes I would +indeed be thankful!” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly of any +one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving her in order to +get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she turned to look at him. He +looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards from the ceiling by his legs, +which were all tied together so tightly that the rope and the knots were +cutting into the skin. So in the kindness of her heart, and believing the +creature’s promise that he would not run away, she untied the cord and +let him down. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the work for a +short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead of doing the work +as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the old woman and knocked her +down with the heavy piece of wood. He then killed her and cut her up and made +soup of her, and waited for the return of the old farmer. The old man worked +hard in his fields all day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no +more now would his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger. +</p> + +<p> +Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very tired, but +the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting his return cheered +him. The thought that the badger might get free and take revenge on the poor +old woman never once came into his mind. +</p> + +<p> +The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman’s form, and as soon as he saw +the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of the little +house, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have been +waiting for you for a long time.” +</p> + +<p> +The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before his tiny +dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was not his wife but +the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once for the soup. Then the +badger suddenly transformed himself back to his natural form and cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!” +</p> + +<p> +Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away to his +den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could hardly believe +what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the whole truth he was so +scared and horrified that he fainted right away. After a while he came round +and burst into tears. He cried loudly and bitterly. He rocked himself to and +fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed too terrible to be real that his faithful +old wife had been killed and cooked by the badger while he was working quietly +in the fields, knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating +himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so often +spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very nearly drunk the +soup which the creature had made of his poor old woman. “Oh dear, oh +dear, oh dear!” he wailed aloud. Now, not far away there lived in the +same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He heard the old man crying and +sobbing and at once set out to see what was the matter, and if there was +anything he could do to help his neighbor. The old man told him all that had +happened. When the rabbit heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and +deceitful badger, and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would +avenge his wife’s death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping +away his tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his +distress. +</p> + +<p> +The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his home to +lay his plans for the punishment of the badger. +</p> + +<p> +The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the badger. +He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the fields +anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger hiding there, for +the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since he had escaped from the +farmer’s house, for fear of the old man’s wrath. +</p> + +<p> +The rabbit called out: +</p> + +<p> +“Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and we +will go and cut grass on the hills together.” +</p> + +<p> +The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, willingly +consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away from the neighborhood +of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The rabbit led the way miles away +from their homes, out on the hills where the grass grew tall and thick and +sweet. They both set to work to cut down as much as they could carry home, to +store it up for their winter’s food. When they had each cut down all they +wanted they tied it in bundles and then started homewards, each carrying his +bundle of grass on his back. This time the rabbit made the badger go first. +</p> + +<p> +When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and steel, and, +striking it over the badger’s back as he stepped along in front, set his +bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the flint striking, and asked: +</p> + +<p> +“What is that noise. ‘Crack, crack’?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, that is nothing.” replied the rabbit; “I only said +‘Crack, crack’ because this mountain is called Crackling +Mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger’s back. The +badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, “What is +that?” +</p> + +<p> +“Now we have come to the ‘Burning Mountain,’” answered +the rabbit. +</p> + +<p> +By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had been burned +off the badger’s back. He now knew what had happened by the smell of the +smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the badger ran as fast as he +could to his hole. The rabbit followed and found him lying on his bed groaning +with pain. +</p> + +<p> +“What an unlucky fellow you are!” said the rabbit. “I +can’t imagine how this happened! I will bring you some medicine which +will heal your back quickly!” +</p> + +<p> +The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment upon the +badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would die of his burns, for +he felt that nothing could be too bad for the animal, who was guilty of +murdering a poor helpless old woman who had trusted him. He went home and made +an ointment by mixing some sauce and red pepper together. +</p> + +<p> +He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him that it +would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it patiently, because it was +a very wonderful medicine for burns and scalds and such wounds. The badger +thanked him and begged him to apply it at once. But no language can describe +the agony of the badger as soon as the red pepper had been pasted all over his +sore back. He rolled over and over and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking on, +felt that the farmer’s wife was beginning to be avenged. +</p> + +<p> +The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of the red +pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When the rabbit saw that +the badger was getting well, he thought of another plan by which he could +compass the creature’s death. So he went one day to pay the badger a +visit and to congratulate him on his recovery. +</p> + +<p> +During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going fishing, and +described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was fine and the sea +smooth. +</p> + +<p> +The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit’s account of the way he +passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month’s illness, +and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing too; so he asked the +rabbit if he would take him the next time he went out to fish. This was just +what the rabbit wanted, so he agreed. +</p> + +<p> +Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of clay. At +last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and looked at his work he +felt that all his trouble would be well rewarded if his plan succeeded, and he +could manage to kill the wicked badger now. +</p> + +<p> +The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger fishing. He kept +the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the clay boat. The badger, who knew +nothing about boats, was delighted with his new boat and thought how kind it +was of the rabbit to give it to him. They both got into their boats and set +out. After going some distance from the shore the rabbit proposed that they +should try their boats and see which one could go the quickest. The badger fell +in with the proposal, and they both set to work to row as fast as they could +for some time. In the middle of the race the badger found his boat going to +pieces, for the water now began to soften the clay. He cried out in great fear +to the rabbit to help him. But the rabbit answered that he was avenging the old +woman’s murder, and that this had been his intention all along, and that +he was happy to think that the badger had at last met his deserts for all his +evil crimes, and was to drown with no one to help him. Then he raised his oar +and struck at the badger with all his strength till he fell with the sinking +clay boat and was seen no more. +</p> + +<p> +Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now turned and +rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat upon the beach, hurried +back to tell the old farmer everything, and how the badger, his enemy, had been +killed. +</p> + +<p> +The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till now he +could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, thinking of how his +wife’s death was unavenged, but from this time he would be able to sleep +and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to stay with him and share his home, so +from this day the rabbit went to stay with the old farmer and they both lived +together as good friends to the end of their days. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>THE “SHINANSHA,” OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE</h2> + +<p> +The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite a common +thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though when it was first +invented it must have been a wonder. +</p> + +<p> +Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention called the +shinansha. This was a kind of chariot with the figure of a man on it always +pointing to the South. No matter how the chariot was placed the figure always +wheeled about and pointed to the South. +</p> + +<p> +This curious instrument was invented by Kotei, one of the three Chinese +Emperors of the Mythological age. Kotei was the son of the Emperor Yuhi. Before +he was born his mother had a vision which foretold that her son would be a +great man. +</p> + +<p> +One summer evening she went out to walk in the meadows to seek the cool breezes +which blow at the end of the day and to gaze with pleasure at the star-lit +heavens above her. As she looked at the North Star, strange to relate, it shot +forth vivid flashes of lightning in every direction. Soon after this her son +Kotei came into the world. +</p> + +<p> +Kotei in time grew to manhood and succeeded his father the Emperor Yuhi. His +early reign was greatly troubled by the rebel Shiyu. This rebel wanted to make +himself King, and many were the battles which he fought to this end. Shiyu was +a wicked magician, his head was made of iron, and there was no man that could +conquer him. +</p> + +<p> +At last Kotei declared war against the rebel and led his army to battle, and +the two armies met on a plain called Takuroku. The Emperor boldly attacked the +enemy, but the magician brought down a dense fog upon the battlefield, and +while the royal army were wandering about in confusion, trying to find their +way, Shiyu retreated with his troops, laughing at having fooled the royal army. +</p> + +<p> +No matter however strong and brave the Emperor’s soldiers were, the rebel +with his magic could always escape in the end. +</p> + +<p> +Kotei returned to his Palace, and thought and pondered deeply as to how he +should conquer the magician, for he was determined not to give up yet. After a +long time he invented the shinansha with the figure of a man always pointing +South, for there were no compasses in those days. With this instrument to show +him the way he need not fear the dense fogs raised up by the magician to +confound his men. +</p> + +<p> +Kotei again declared war against Shiyu. He placed the shinansha in front of his +army and led the way to the battlefield. +</p> + +<p> +The battle began in earnest. The rebel was being driven backward by the royal +troops when he again resorted to magic, and upon his saying some strange words +in a loud voice, immediately a dense fog came down upon the battlefield. +</p> + +<p> +But this time no soldier minded the fog, not one was confused. Kotei by +pointing to the shinansha could find his way and directed the army without a +single mistake. He closely pursued the rebel army and drove them backward till +they came to a big river. This river Kotei and his men found was swollen by the +floods and impossible to cross. +</p> + +<p> +Shiyu by using his magic art quickly passed over with his army and shut himself +up in a fortress on the opposite bank. +</p> + +<p> +When Kotei found his march checked he was wild with disappointment, for he had +very nearly overtaken the rebel when the river stopped him. +</p> + +<p> +He could do nothing, for there were no boats in those days, so the Emperor +ordered his tent to be pitched in the pleasantest spot that the place afforded. +</p> + +<p> +One day he stepped forth from his tent and after walking about for a short time +he came to a pond. Here he sat down on the bank and was lost in thought. +</p> + +<p> +It was autumn. The trees growing along the edge of the water were shedding +their leaves, which floated hither and thither on the surface of the pond. By +and by, Kotei’s attention was attracted to a spider on the brink of the +water. The little insect was trying to get on to one of the floating leaves +near by. It did so at last, and was soon floating over the water to the other +side of the pond. +</p> + +<p> +This little incident made the clever Emperor think that he might try to make +something that could carry himself and his men over the river in the same way +that the leaf had carried over the spider. He set to work and persevered till +he invented the first boat. When he found that it was a success he set all his +men to make more, and in time there were enough boats for the whole army. +</p> + +<p> +Kotei now took his army across the river, and attacked Shiyu’s +headquarters. He gained a complete victory, and so put an end to the war which +had troubled his country for so long. +</p> + +<p> +This wise and good Emperor did not rest till he had secured peace and +prosperity throughout his whole land. He was beloved by his subjects, who now +enjoyed their happiness of peace for many long years under him. He spent a +great deal of time in making inventions which would benefit his people, and he +succeeded in many besides the boat and the South Pointing shinansha. +</p> + +<p> +He had reigned about a hundred years when one day, as Kotei was looking +upwards, the sky became suddenly red, and something came glittering like gold +towards the earth. As it came nearer Kotei saw that it was a great Dragon. The +Dragon approached and bowed down its head before the Emperor. The Empress and +the courtiers were so frightened that they ran away screaming. +</p> + +<p> +But the Emperor only smiled and called to them to stop, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Do not be afraid. This is a messenger from Heaven. My time here is +finished!” He then mounted the Dragon, which began to ascend towards the +sky. +</p> + +<p> +When the Empress and the courtiers saw this they all cried out together: +</p> + +<p> +“Wait a moment! We wish to come too.” And they all ran and caught +hold of the Dragon’s beard and tried to mount him. +</p> + +<p> +But it was impossible for so many people to ride on the Dragon. Several of them +hung on to the creature’s beard so that when it tried to mount the hair +was pulled out and they fell to the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the Empress and a few of the courtiers were safely seated on the +Dragon’s back. The Dragon flew up so high in the heavens that in a short +time the inmates of the Palace, who had been left behind disappointed, could +see them no more. +</p> + +<p> +After some time a bow and an arrow dropped to the earth in the courtyard of the +Palace. They were recognized as having belonged to the Emperor Kotei. The +courtiers took them up carefully and preserved them as sacred relics in the +Palace. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. Now he fell +in love with a beautiful lady and married her. Not long after this, through the +malice of some of his friends, he fell into disgrace at Court and was +dismissed. This misfortune so preyed upon his mind that he did not long survive +his dismissal—he died, leaving behind him his beautiful young wife to +face the world alone. Fearing her husband’s enemies, she fled to the +Ashigara Mountains as soon as her husband was dead, and there in the lonely +forests where no one ever came except woodcutters, a little boy was born to +her. She called him Kintaro or the Golden Boy. Now the remarkable thing about +this child was his great strength, and as he grew older he grew stronger and +stronger, so that by the time he was eight years of age he was able to cut down +trees as quickly as the woodcutters. Then his mother gave him a large ax, and +he used to go out in the forest and help the woodcutters, who called him +“Wonder-child,” and his mother the “Old Nurse of the +Mountains,” for they did not know her high rank. Another favorite pastime +of Kintaro’s was to smash up rocks and stones. You can imagine how strong +he was! +</p> + +<p> +Quite unlike other boys, Kintaro, grew up all alone in the mountain wilds, and +as he had no companions he made friends with all the animals and learned to +understand them and to speak their strange talk. By degrees they all grew quite +tame and looked upon Kintaro as their master, and he used them as his servants +and messengers. But his special retainers were the bear, the deer, the monkey +and the hare. +</p> + +<p> +The bear often brought her cubs for Kintaro to romp with, and when she came to +take them home Kintaro would get on her back and have a ride to her cave. He +was very fond of the deer too, and would often put his arms round the +creature’s neck to show that its long horns did not frighten him. Great +was the fun they all had together. +</p> + +<p> +One day, as usual, Kintaro went up into the mountains, followed by the bear, +the deer, the monkey, and the hare. After walking for some time up hill and +down dale and over rough roads, they suddenly came out upon a wide and grassy +plain covered with pretty wild flowers. +</p> + +<p> +Here, indeed, was a nice place where they could all have a good romp together. +The deer rubbed his horns against a tree for pleasure, the monkey scratched his +back, the hare smoothed his long ears, and the bear gave a grunt of +satisfaction. +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro said, “Here is a place for a good game. What do you all say to a +wrestling match?” +</p> + +<p> +The bear being the biggest and the oldest, answered for the others: +</p> + +<p> +“That will be great fun,” said she. “I am the strongest +animal, so I will make the platform for the wrestlers;” and she set to +work with a will to dig up the earth and to pat it into shape. +</p> + +<p> +“All right,” said Kintaro, “I will look on while you all +wrestle with each other. I shall give a prize to the one who wins in each +round.” +</p> + +<p> +“What fun! we shall all try to get the prize,” said the bear. +</p> + +<p> +The deer, the monkey and the hare set to work to help the bear raise the +platform on which they were all to wrestle. When this was finished, Kintaro +cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“Now begin! the monkey and the hare shall open the sports and the deer +shall be umpire. Now, Mr. Deer, you are to be umpire!” +</p> + +<p> +“He, he!” answered the deer. “I will be umpire. Now, Mr. +Monkey and Mr. Hare, if you are both ready, please walk out and take your +places on the platform.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the monkey and the hare both hopped out, quickly and nimbly, to the +wrestling platform. The deer, as umpire, stood between the two and called out: +</p> + +<p> +“Red-back! Red-back!” (this to the monkey, who has a red back in +Japan). “Are you ready?” +</p> + +<p> +Then he turned to the hare: +</p> + +<p> +“Long-ears! Long-ears! are you ready?” +</p> + +<p> +Both the little wrestlers faced each other while the deer raised a leaf on high +as signal. When he dropped the leaf the monkey and the hare rushed upon each +other, crying “Yoisho, yoisho!” +</p> + +<p> +While the monkey and the hare wrestled, the deer called out encouragingly or +shouted warnings to each of them as the hare or the monkey pushed each other +near the edge of the platform and were in danger of falling over. +</p> + +<p> +“Red-back! Red-back! stand your ground!” called out the deer. +</p> + +<p> +“Long-ears! Long-ears! be strong, be strong—don’t let the +monkey beat you!” grunted the bear. +</p> + +<p> +So the monkey and the hare, encouraged by their friends, tried their very +hardest to beat each other. The hare at last gained on the monkey. The monkey +seemed to trip up, and the hare giving him a good push sent him flying off the +platform with a bound. +</p> + +<p> +The poor monkey sat up rubbing his back, and his face was very long as he +screamed angrily. “Oh, oh! how my back hurts—my back hurts +me!” +</p> + +<p> +Seeing the monkey in this plight on the ground, the deer holding his leaf on +high said: +</p> + +<p> +“This round is finished—the hare has won.” +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro then opened his luncheon box and taking out a rice-dumpling, gave it to +the hare saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Here is your prize, and you have earned, it well!” +</p> + +<p> +Now the monkey got up looking very cross, and as they say in Japan “his +stomach stood up,” for he felt that he had not been fairly beaten. So he +said to Kintaro and the others who were standing by: +</p> + +<p> +“I have not been fairly beaten. My foot slipped and I tumbled. Please +give me another chance and let the hare wrestle with me for another +round.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Kintaro consenting, the hare and the monkey began to wrestle again. Now, +as every one knows, the monkey is a cunning animal by nature, and he made up +his mind to get the best of the hare this time if it were possible. To do this, +he thought that the best and surest way would be to get hold of the +hare’s long ear. This he soon managed to do. The hare was quite thrown +off his guard by the pain of having his long ear pulled so hard, and the monkey +seizing his opportunity at last, caught hold of one of the hare’s legs +and sent him sprawling in the middle of the dais. The monkey was now the victor +and received, a rice-dumpling from Kintaro, which pleased him so much that he +quite forgot his sore back. +</p> + +<p> +The deer now came up and asked the hare if he felt ready for another round, and +if so whether he would try a round with him, and the hare consenting, they both +stood up to wrestle. The bear came forward as umpire. +</p> + +<p> +The deer with long horns and the hare with long ears, it must have been an +amusing sight to those who watched this queer match. Suddenly the deer went +down on one of his knees, and the bear with the leaf on high declared him +beaten. In this way, sometimes the one, sometimes the other, conquering, the +little party amused themselves till they were tired. +</p> + +<p> +At last Kintaro got up and said: +</p> + +<p> +“This is enough for to-day. What a nice place we have found for +wrestling; let us come again to-morrow. Now, we will all go home. Come +along!” So saying, Kintaro led the way while the animals followed. +</p> + +<p> +After walking some little distance they came out on the banks of a river +flowing through a valley. Kintaro and his four furry friends stood and looked +about for some means of crossing. Bridge there was none. The river rushed +“don, don” on its way. All the animals looked serious, wondering +how they could cross the stream and get home that evening. +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro, however, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Wait a moment. I will make a good bridge for you all in a few +minutes.” +</p> + +<p> +The bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare looked at him to see what he would +do now. +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro went from one tree to another that grew along the river bank. At last +he stopped in front of a very large tree that was growing at the water’s +edge. He took hold of the trunk and pulled it with all his might, once, twice, +thrice! At the third pull, so great was Kintaro’s strength that the roots +gave way, and “meri, meri” (crash, crash), over fell the tree, +forming an excellent bridge across the stream. +</p> + +<p> +“There,” said Kintaro, “what do you think of my bridge? It is +quite safe, so follow me,” and he stepped across first. The four animals +followed. Never had they seen any one so strong before, and they all exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“How strong he is! how strong he is!” +</p> + +<p> +While all this was going on by the river a woodcutter, who happened to be +standing on a rock overlooking the stream, had seen all that passed beneath +him. He watched with great surprise Kintaro and his animal companions. He +rubbed his eyes to be sure that he was not dreaming when he saw this boy pull +over a tree by the roots and throw it across the stream to form a bridge. +</p> + +<p> +The woodcutter, for such he seemed to be by his dress, marveled at all he saw, +and said to himself: +</p> + +<p> +“This is no ordinary child. Whose son can he be? I will find out before +this day is done.” +</p> + +<p> +He hastened after the strange party and crossed the bridge behind them. Kintaro +knew nothing of all this, and little guessed that he was being followed. On +reaching the other side of the river he and the animals separated, they to +their lairs in the woods and he to his mother, who was waiting for him. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the heart of +the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Okkasan (mother), here I am!” +</p> + +<p> +“O, Kimbo!” said his mother with a bright smile, glad to see her +boy home safe after the long day. “How late you are to-day. I feared that +something had happened to you. Where have you been all the time?” +</p> + +<p> +“I took my four friends, the bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare, up +into the hills, and there I made them try a wrestling match, to see which was +the strongest. We all enjoyed the sport, and are going to the same place +to-morrow to have another match.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now tell me who is the strongest of all?” asked his mother, +pretending not to know. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, mother,” said Kintaro, “don’t you know that I am +the strongest? There was no need for me to wrestle with any of them.” +</p> + +<p> +“But next to you then, who is the strongest?” +</p> + +<p> +“The bear comes next to me in strength,” answered Kintaro. +</p> + +<p> +“And after the bear?” asked his mother again. +</p> + +<p> +“Next to the bear it is not easy to say which is the strongest, for the +deer, the monkey, and the hare all seem to be as strong as each other,” +said Kintaro. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly Kintaro and his mother were startled by a voice from outside. +</p> + +<p> +“Listen to me, little boy! Next time you go, take this old man with you +to the wrestling match. He would like to join the sport too!” +</p> + +<p> +It was the old woodcutter who had followed Kintaro from the river. He slipped +off his clogs and entered the cottage. Yama-uba and her son were both taken by +surprise. They looked at the intruder wonderingly and saw that he was some one +they had never seen before. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” they both exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +Then the woodcutter laughed and said: +</p> + +<p> +“It does not matter who I am yet, but let us see who has the strongest +arm—this boy or myself?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Kintaro, who had lived all his life in the forest, answered the old man +without any ceremony, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“We will have a try if you wish it, but you must not be angry whoever is +beaten.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Kintaro and the woodcutter both put out their right arms and grasped each +other’s hands. For a long time Kintaro and the old man wrestled together +in this way, each trying to bend the other’s arm, but the old man was +very strong, and the strange pair were evenly matched. At last the old man +desisted, declaring it a drawn game. +</p> + +<p> +“You are, indeed, a very strong child. There are few men who can boast of +the strength of my right arm!” said the woodcutter. “I saw you +first on the banks of the river a few hours ago, when you pulled up that large +tree to make a bridge across the torrent. Hardly able to believe what I saw I +followed you home. Your strength of arm, which I have just tried, proves what I +saw this afternoon. When you are full-grown you will surely be the strongest +man in all Japan. It is a pity that you are hidden away in these wild +mountains.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he turned to Kintaro’s mother: +</p> + +<p> +“And you, mother, have you no thought of taking your child to the +Capital, and of teaching him to carry a sword as befits a samurai (a Japanese +knight)?” +</p> + +<p> +“You are very kind to take so much interest in my son.” replied the +mother; “but he is as you see, wild and uneducated, and I fear it would +be very difficult to do as you say. Because of his great strength as an infant +I hid him away in this unknown part of the country, for he hurt every one that +came near him. I have often wished that I could, one day, see my boy a knight +wearing two swords, but as we have no influential friend to introduce us at the +Capital, I fear my hope will never come true.” +</p> + +<p> +“You need not trouble yourself about that. To tell you the truth I am no +woodcutter! I am one of the great generals of Japan. My name is Sadamitsu, and +I am a vassal of the powerful Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko. He ordered me to go round +the country and look for boys who give promise of remarkable strength, so that +they may be trained as soldiers for his army. I thought that I could best do +this by assuming the disguise of a woodcutter. By good fortune, I have thus +unexpectedly come across your son. Now if you really wish him to be a SAMURAI +(a knight), I will take him and present him to the Lord Raiko as a candidate +for his service. What do you say to this?” +</p> + +<p> +As the kind general gradually unfolded his plan the mother’s heart was +filled with a great joy. She saw that here was a wonderful chance of the one +wish of her life being fulfilled—that of seeing Kintaro a SAMURAI before +she died. +</p> + +<p> +Bowing her head to the ground, she replied: +</p> + +<p> +“I will then intrust my son to you if you really mean what you +say.” +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro had all this time been sitting by his mother’s side listening to +what they said. When his mother finished speaking, he exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, joy! joy! I am to go with the general and one day I shall be a +SAMURAI!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Kintaro’s fate was settled, and the general decided to start for the +Capital at once, taking Kintaro with him. It need hardly be said that Yama-uba +was sad at parting with her boy, for he was all that was left to her. But she +hid her grief with a strong face, as they say in Japan. She knew that it was +for her boy’s good that he should leave her now, and she must not +discourage him just as he was setting out. Kintaro promised never to forget +her, and said that as soon as he was a knight wearing two swords he would build +her a home and take care of her in her old age. +</p> + +<p> +All the animals, those he had tamed to serve him, the bear, the deer, the +monkey, and the hare, as soon as they found out that he was going away, came to +ask if they might attend him as usual. When they learned that he was going away +for good they followed him to the foot of the mountain to see him off. +</p> + +<p> +“Kimbo,” said his mother, “mind and be a good boy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Mr. Kintaro,” said the faithful animals, “we wish you good +health on your travels.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they all climbed a tree to see the last of him, and from that height they +watched him and his shadow gradually grow smaller and smaller, till he was lost +to sight. +</p> + +<p> +The general Sadamitsu went on his way rejoicing at having so unexpectedly found +such a prodigy as Kintaro. +</p> + +<p> +Having arrived at their destination the general took Kintaro at once to his +Lord, Minamoto-no-Raiko, and told him all about Kintaro and how he had found +the child. Lord Raiko was delighted with the story, and having commanded +Kintaro to be brought to him, made him one of his vassals at once. +</p> + +<p> +Lord Raiko’s army was famous for its band called “The Four +Braves.” These warriors were chosen by himself from amongst the bravest +and strongest of his soldiers, and the small and well-picked band was +distinguished throughout the whole of Japan for the dauntless courage of its +men. +</p> + +<p> +When Kintaro grew up to be a man his master made him the Chief of the Four +Braves. He was by far the strongest of them all. Soon after this event, news +was brought to the city that a cannibal monster had taken up his abode not far +away and that people were stricken with fear. Lord Raiko ordered Kintaro to the +rescue. He immediately started off, delighted at the prospect of trying his +sword. +</p> + +<p> +Surprising the monster in its den, he made short work of cutting off its great +head, which he carried back in triumph to his master. +</p> + +<p> +Kintaro now rose to be the greatest hero of his country, and great was the +power and honor and wealth that came to him. He now kept his promise and built +a comfortable home for his old mother, who lived happily with him in the +Capital to the end of her days. +</p> + +<p> +Is not this the story of a great hero? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE.<br/> +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN</h2> + +<p> +Many, many years ago there lived in Nara, the ancient Capital of Japan, a wise +State minister, by name Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His wife was a noble, good, +and beautiful woman called Princess Murasaki (Violet). They had been married by +their respective families according to Japanese custom when very young, and had +lived together happily ever since. They had, however, one cause for great +sorrow, for as the years went by no child was born to them. This made them very +unhappy, for they both longed to see a child of their own who would grow up to +gladden their old age, carry on the family name, and keep up the ancestral +rites when they were dead. The Prince and his lovely wife, after long +consultation and much thought, determined to make a pilgrimage to the temple of +Hase-no-Kwannon (Goddess of Mercy at Hase), for they believed, according to the +beautiful tradition of their religion, that the Mother of Mercy, Kwannon, comes +to answer the prayers of mortals in the form that they need the most. Surely +after all these years of prayer she would come to them in the form of a beloved +child in answer to their special pilgrimage, for that was the greatest need of +their two lives. Everything else they had that this life could give them, but +it was all as nothing because the cry of their hearts was unsatisfied. +</p> + +<p> +So the Prince Toyonari and his wife went to the temple of Kwannon at Hase and +stayed there for a long time, both daily offering incense and praying to +Kwannon, the Heavenly Mother, to grant them the desire of their whole lives. +And their prayer was answered. +</p> + +<p> +A daughter was born at last to the Princess Murasaki, and great was the joy of +her heart. On presenting the child to her husband, they both decided to call +her Hase-Hime, or the Princess of Hase, because she was the gift of the Kwannon +at that place. They both reared her with great care and tenderness, and the +child grew in strength and beauty. +</p> + +<p> +When the little girl was five years old her mother fell dangerously ill and all +the doctors and their medicines could not save her. A little before she +breathed her last she called her daughter to her, and gently stroking her head, +said: +</p> + +<p> +“Hase-Hime, do you know that your mother cannot live any longer? Though I +die, you must grow up a good girl. Do your best not to give trouble to your +nurse or any other of your family. Perhaps your father will marry again and +some one will fill my place as your mother. If so do not grieve for me, but +look upon your father’s second wife as your true mother, and be obedient +and filial to both her and your father. Remember when you are grown up to be +submissive to those who are your superiors, and to be kind to all those who are +under you. Don’t forget this. I die with the hope that you will grow up a +model woman.” +</p> + +<p> +Hase-Hime listened in an attitude of respect while her mother spoke, and +promised to do all that she was told. There is a proverb which says “As +the soul is at three so it is at one hundred,” and so Hase-Hime grew up +as her mother had wished, a good and obedient little Princess, though she was +now too young to understand how great was the loss of her mother. +</p> + +<p> +Not long after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari married again, a +lady of noble birth named Princess Terute. Very different in character, alas! +to the good and wise Princess Murasaki, this woman had a cruel, bad heart. She +did not love her step-daughter at all, and was often very unkind to the little +motherless girl, saying to herself: +</p> + +<p> +“This is not my child! this is not my child!” +</p> + +<p> +But Hase-Hime bore every unkindness with patience, and even waited upon her +step-mother kindly and obeyed her in every way and never gave any trouble, just +as she had been trained by her own good mother, so that the Lady Terute had no +cause for complaint against her. +</p> + +<p> +The little Princess was very diligent, and her favorite studies were music and +poetry. She would spend several hours practicing every day, and her father had +the most proficient of masters he could find to teach her the koto (Japanese +harp), the art of writing letters and verse. When she was twelve years of age +she could play so beautifully that she and her step-mother were summoned to the +Palace to perform before the Emperor. +</p> + +<p> +It was the Festival of the Cherry Flowers, and there were great festivities at +the Court. The Emperor threw himself into the enjoyment of the season, and +commanded that Princess Hase should perform before him on the koto, and that +her mother Princess Terute should accompany her on the flute. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor sat on a raised dais, before which was hung a curtain of +finely-sliced bamboo and purple tassels, so that His Majesty might see all and +not be seen, for no ordinary subject was allowed to look upon his sacred face. +</p> + +<p> +Hase-Hime was a skilled musician though so young, and often astonished her +masters by her wonderful memory and talent. On this momentous occasion she +played well. But Princess Terute, her step-mother, who was a lazy woman and +never took the trouble to practice daily, broke down in her accompaniment and +had to request one of the Court ladies to take her place. This was a great +disgrace, and she was furiously jealous to think that she had failed where her +step-daughter succeeded; and to make matters worse the Emperor sent many +beautiful gifts to the little Princess to reward her for playing so well at the +Palace. +</p> + +<p> +There was also now another reason why Princess Terute hated her step-daughter, +for she had had the good fortune to have a son born to her, and in her inmost +heart she kept saying: +</p> + +<p> +“If only Hase-Hime were not here, my son would have all the love of his +father.” +</p> + +<p> +And never having learned to control herself, she allowed this wicked thought to +grow into the awful desire of taking her step-daughter’s life. +</p> + +<p> +So one day she secretly ordered some poison and poisoned some sweet wine. This +poisoned wine she put into a bottle. Into another similar bottle she poured +some good wine. It was the occasion of the Boys’ Festival on the fifth of +May, and Hase-Hime was playing with her little brother. All his toys of +warriors and heroes were spread out and she was telling him wonderful stories +about each of them. They were both enjoying themselves and laughing merrily +with their attendants when his mother entered with the two bottles of wine and +some delicious cakes. +</p> + +<p> +“You are both so good and happy.” said the wicked Princess Terute +with a smile, “that I have brought you some sweet wine as a +reward—and here are some nice cakes for my good children.” +</p> + +<p> +And she filled two cups from the different bottles. +</p> + +<p> +Hase-Hime, never dreaming of the dreadful part her step-mother was acting, took +one of the cups of wine and gave to her little step brother the other that had +been poured out for him. +</p> + +<p> +The wicked woman had carefully marked the poisoned bottle, but on coming into +the room she had grown nervous, and pouring out the wine hurriedly had +unconsciously given the poisoned cup to her own child. All this time she was +anxiously watching the little Princess, but to her amazement no change whatever +took place in the young girl’s face. Suddenly the little boy screamed and +threw himself on the floor, doubled up with pain. His mother flew to him, +taking the precaution to upset the two tiny jars of wine which she had brought +into the room, and lifted him up. The attendants rushed for the doctor, but +nothing could save the child—he died within the hour in his +mother’s arms. Doctors did not know much in those ancient times, and it +was thought that the wine had disagreed with the boy, causing convulsions of +which he died. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was the wicked woman punished in losing her own child when she had tried +to do away with her step-daughter; but instead of blaming herself she began to +hate Hase-Hime more than ever in the bitterness and wretchedness of her own +heart, and she eagerly watched for an opportunity to do her harm, which was, +however, long in coming. +</p> + +<p> +When Hase-Hime was thirteen years of age, she had already become mentioned as a +poetess of some merit. This was an accomplishment very much cultivated by the +women of old Japan and one held in high esteem. +</p> + +<p> +It was the rainy season at Nara, and floods were reported every day as doing +damage in the neighborhood. The river Tatsuta, which flowed through the +Imperial Palace grounds, was swollen to the top of its banks, and the roaring +of the torrents of water rushing along a narrow bed so disturbed the +Emperor’s rest day and night, that a serious nervous disorder was the +result. An Imperial Edict was sent forth to all the Buddhist temples commanding +the priests to offer up continuous prayers to Heaven to stop the noise of the +flood. But this was of no avail. +</p> + +<p> +Then it was whispered in Court circles that the Princess Hase, the daughter of +Prince Toyonari Fujiwara, second minister at Court, was the most gifted poetess +of the day, though still so young, and her masters confirmed the report. Long +ago, a beautiful and gifted maiden-poetess had moved Heaven by praying in +verse, had brought down rain upon a land famished with drought—so said +the ancient biographers of the poetess Ono-no-Komachi. If the Princess Hase +were to write a poem and offer it in prayer, might it not stop the noise of the +rushing river and remove the cause of the Imperial illness? What the Court said +at last reached the ears of the Emperor himself, and he sent an order to the +minister Prince Toyonari to this effect. +</p> + +<p> +Great indeed was Hase-Hime’s fear and astonishment when her father sent +for her and told her what was required of her. Heavy, indeed, was the duty that +was laid on her young shoulders—that of saving the Emperor’s life +by the merit of her verse. +</p> + +<p> +At last the day came and her poem was finished. It was written on a leaflet of +paper heavily flecked with gold-dust. With her father and attendants and some +of the Court officials, she proceeded to the bank of the roaring torrent and +raising up her heart to Heaven, she read the poem she had composed, aloud, +lifting it heavenwards in her two hands. +</p> + +<p> +Strange indeed it seemed to all those standing round. The waters ceased their +roaring, and the river was quiet in direct answer to her prayer. After this the +Emperor soon recovered his health. +</p> + +<p> +His Majesty was highly pleased, and sent for her to the Palace and rewarded her +with the rank of Chinjo—that of Lieutenant-General—to distinguish +her. From that time she was called Chinjo-hime, or the Lieutenant-General +Princess, and respected and loved by all. +</p> + +<p> +There was only one person who was not pleased at Hase-Hime’s success. +That one was her stepmother. Forever brooding over the death of her own child +whom she had killed when trying to poison her step-daughter, she had the +mortification of seeing her rise to power and honor, marked by Imperial favor +and the admiration of the whole Court. Her envy and jealousy burned in her +heart like fire. Many were the lies she carried to her husband about Hase-Hime, +but all to no purpose. He would listen to none of her tales, telling her +sharply that she was quite mistaken. +</p> + +<p> +At last the step-mother, seizing the opportunity of her husband’s +absence, ordered one of her old servants to take the innocent girl to the +Hibari Mountains, the wildest part of the country, and to kill her there. She +invented a dreadful story about the little Princess, saying that this was the +only way to prevent disgrace falling upon the family—by killing her. +</p> + +<p> +Katoda, her vassal, was bound to obey his mistress. Anyhow, he saw that it +would be the wisest plan to pretend obedience in the absence of the +girl’s father, so he placed Hase-Hime in a palanquin and accompanied her +to the most solitary place he could find in the wild district. The poor child +knew there was no good in protesting to her unkind step-mother at being sent +away in this strange manner, so she went as she was told. +</p> + +<p> +But the old servant knew that the young Princess was quite innocent of all the +things her step-mother had invented to him as reasons for her outrageous +orders, and he determined to save her life. Unless he killed her, however, he +could not return to his cruel task-mistress, so he decided to stay out in the +wilderness. With the help of some peasants he soon built a little cottage, and +having sent secretly for his wife to come, these two good old people did all in +their power to take care of the now unfortunate Princess. She all the time +trusted in her father, knowing that as soon as he returned home and found her +absent, he would search for her. +</p> + +<p> +Prince Toyonari, after some weeks, came home, and was told by his wife that his +daughter Hime had done something wrong and had run away for fear of being +punished. He was nearly ill with anxiety. Every one in the house told the same +story—that Hase-Hime had suddenly disappeared, none of them knew why or +whither. For fear of scandal he kept the matter quiet and searched everywhere +he could think of, but all to no purpose. +</p> + +<p> +One day, trying to forget his terrible worry, he called all his men together +and told them to make ready for a several days’ hunt in the mountains. +They were soon ready and mounted, waiting at the gate for their lord. He rode +hard and fast to the district of the Hibari Mountains, a great company +following him. He was soon far ahead of every one, and at last found himself in +a narrow picturesque valley. +</p> + +<p> +Looking round and admiring the scenery, he noticed a tiny house on one of the +hills quite near, and then he distinctly heard a beautiful clear voice reading +aloud. Seized with curiosity as to who could be studying so diligently in such +a lonely spot, he dismounted, and leaving his horse to his groom, he walked up +the hillside and approached the cottage. As he drew nearer his surprise +increased, for he could see that the reader was a beautiful girl. The cottage +was wide open and she was sitting facing the view. Listening attentively, he +heard her reading the Buddhist scriptures with great devotion. More and more +curious, he hurried on to the tiny gate and entered the little garden, and +looking up beheld his lost daughter Hase-Hime. She was so intent on what she +was saying that she neither heard nor saw her father till he spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“Hase-Hime!” he cried, “it is you, my Hase-Hime!” +</p> + +<p> +Taken by surprise, she could hardly realize that it was her own dear father who +was calling her, and for a moment she was utterly bereft of the power to speak +or move. +</p> + +<p> +“My father, my father! It is indeed you—oh, my father!” was +all she could say, and running to him she caught hold of his thick sleeve, and +burying her face burst into a passion of tears. +</p> + +<p> +Her father stroked her dark hair, asking her gently to tell him all that had +happened, but she only wept on, and he wondered if he were not really dreaming. +</p> + +<p> +Then the faithful old servant Katoda came out, and bowing himself to the ground +before his master, poured out the long tale of wrong, telling him all that had +happened, and how it was that he found his daughter in such a wild and desolate +spot with only two old servants to take care of her. +</p> + +<p> +The Prince’s astonishment and indignation knew no bounds. He gave up the +hunt at once and hurried home with his daughter. One of the company galloped +ahead to inform the household of the glad news, and the step-mother hearing +what had happened, and fearful of meeting her husband now that her wickedness +was discovered, fled from the house and returned in disgrace to her +father’s roof, and nothing more was heard of her. +</p> + +<p> +The old servant Katoda was rewarded with the highest promotion in his +master’s service, and lived happily to the end of his days, devoted to +the little Princess, who never forgot that she owed her life to this faithful +retainer. She was no longer troubled by an unkind step-mother, and her days +passed happily and quietly with her father. +</p> + +<p> +As Prince Toyonari had no son, he adopted a younger son of one of the Court +nobles to be his heir, and to marry his daughter Hase-Hime, and in a few years +the marriage took place. Hase-Hime lived to a good old age, and all said that +she was the wisest, most devout, and most beautiful mistress that had ever +reigned in Prince Toyonari’s ancient house. She had the joy of presenting +her son, the future lord of the family, to her father just before he retired +from active life. +</p> + +<p> +To this day there is preserved a piece of needle-work in one of the Buddhist +temples of Kioto. It is a beautiful piece of tapestry, with the figure of +Buddha embroidered in the silky threads drawn from the stem of the lotus. This +is said to have been the work of the hands of the good Princess Hase. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant +“Millionaire,” but although he was not so rich as all that, he was +still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small fortune from +his father and lived on this, spending his time carelessly, without any serious +thoughts of work, till he was about thirty-two years of age. +</p> + +<p> +One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and sickness came +to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very wretched. +</p> + +<p> +“I should like to live,” he said to himself, “till I am five +or six hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary span of +a man’s life is very short.” +</p> + +<p> +He wondered whether it were possible, by living simply and frugally henceforth, +to prolong his life as long as he wished. +</p> + +<p> +He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who had lived a +thousand years, and there was a Princess of Yamato, who, it was said, lived to +the age of five hundred. This was the latest story of a very long life record. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro had often heard the tale of the Chinese King named Shin-no-Shiko. He +was one of the most able and powerful rulers in Chinese history. He built all +the large palaces, and also the famous great wall of China. He had everything +in the world he could wish for, but in spite of all his happiness and the +luxury and the splendor of his Court, the wisdom of his councilors and the +glory of his reign, he was miserable because he knew that one day he must die +and leave it all. +</p> + +<p> +When Shin-no-Shiko went to bed at night, when he rose in the morning, as he +went through his day, the thought of death was always with him. He could not +get away from it. Ah—if only he could find the “Elixir of +Life,” he would be happy. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor at last called a meeting of his courtiers and asked them all if +they could not find for him the “Elixir of Life” of which he had so +often read and heard. +</p> + +<p> +One old courtier, Jofuku by name, said that far away across the seas there was +a country called Horaizan, and that certain hermits lived there who possessed +the secret of the “Elixir of Life.” Whoever drank of this wonderful +draught lived forever. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor ordered Jofuku to set out for the land of Horaizan, to find the +hermits, and to bring him back a phial of the magic elixir. He gave Jofuku one +of his best junks, fitted it out for him, and loaded it with great quantities +of treasures and precious stones for Jofuku to take as presents to the hermits. +</p> + +<p> +Jofuku sailed for the land of Horaizan, but he never returned to the waiting +Emperor; but ever since that time Mount Fuji has been said to be the fabled +Horaizan and the home of hermits who had the secret of the elixir, and Jofuku +has been worshiped as their patron god. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sentaro determined to set out to find the hermits, and if he could, to +become one, so that he might obtain the water of perpetual life. He remembered +that as a child he had been told that not only did these hermits live on Mount +Fuji, but that they were said to inhabit all the very high peaks. +</p> + +<p> +So he left his old home to the care of his relatives, and started out on his +quest. He traveled through all the mountainous regions of the land, climbing to +the tops of the highest peaks, but never a hermit did he find. +</p> + +<p> +At last, after wandering in an unknown region for many days, he met a hunter. +</p> + +<p> +“Can you tell me,” asked Sentaro, “where the hermits live who +have the Elixir of Life?” +</p> + +<p> +“No.” said the hunter; “I can’t tell you where such +hermits live, but there is a notorious robber living in these parts. It is said +that he is chief of a band of two hundred followers.” +</p> + +<p> +This odd answer irritated Sentaro very much, and he thought how foolish it was +to waste more time in looking for the hermits in this way, so he decided to go +at once to the shrine of Jofuku, who is worshiped as the patron god of the +hermits in the south of Japan. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro reached the shrine and prayed for seven days, entreating Jofuku to show +him the way to a hermit who could give him what he wanted so much to find. +</p> + +<p> +At midnight of the seventh day, as Sentaro knelt in the temple, the door of the +innermost shrine flew open, and Jofuku appeared in a luminous cloud, and +calling to Sentaro to come nearer, spoke thus: +</p> + +<p> +“Your desire is a very selfish one and cannot be easily granted. You +think that you would like to become a hermit so as to find the Elixir of Life. +Do you know how hard a hermit’s life is? A hermit is only allowed to eat +fruit and berries and the bark of pine trees; a hermit must cut himself off +from the world so that his heart may become as pure as gold and free from every +earthly desire. Gradually after following these strict rules, the hermit ceases +to feel hunger or cold or heat, and his body becomes so light that he can ride +on a crane or a carp, and can walk on water without getting his feet +wet.” +</p> + +<p> +“You, Sentaro, are fond of good living and of every comfort. You are not +even like an ordinary man, for you are exceptionally idle, and more sensitive +to heat and cold than most people. You would never be able to go barefoot or to +wear only one thin dress in the winter time! Do you think that you would ever +have the patience or the endurance to live a hermit’s life?” +</p> + +<p> +“In answer to your prayer, however, I will help you in another way. I +will send you to the country of Perpetual Life, where death never +comes—where the people live forever!” +</p> + +<p> +Saying this, Jofuku put into Sentaro’s hand a little crane made of paper, +telling him to sit on its back and it would carry him there. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro obeyed wonderingly. The crane grew large enough for him to ride on it +with comfort. It then spread its wings, rose high in the air, and flew away +over the mountains right out to sea. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro was at first quite frightened; but by degrees he grew accustomed to the +swift flight through the air. On and on they went for thousands of miles. The +bird never stopped for rest or food, but as it was a paper bird it doubtless +did not require any nourishment, and strange to say, neither did Sentaro. +</p> + +<p> +After several days they reached an island. The crane flew some distance inland +and then alighted. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Sentaro got down from the bird’s back, the crane folded up of +its own accord and flew into his pocket. +</p> + +<p> +Now Sentaro began to look about him wonderingly, curious to see what the +country of Perpetual Life was like. He walked first round about the country and +then through the town. Everything was, of course, quite strange, and different +from his own land. But both the land and the people seemed prosperous, so he +decided that it would be good for him to stay there and took up lodgings at one +of the hotels. +</p> + +<p> +The proprietor was a kind man, and when Sentaro told him that he was a stranger +and had come to live there, he promised to arrange everything that was +necessary with the governor of the city concerning Sentaro’s sojourn +there. He even found a house for his guest, and in this way Sentaro obtained +his great wish and became a resident in the country of Perpetual Life. +</p> + +<p> +Within the memory of all the islanders no man had ever died there, and sickness +was a thing unknown. Priests had come over from India and China and told them +of a beautiful country called Paradise, where happiness and bliss and +contentment fill all men’s hearts, but its gates could only be reached by +dying. This tradition was handed down for ages from generation to +generation—but none knew exactly what death was except that it led to +Paradise. +</p> + +<p> +Quite unlike Sentaro and other ordinary people, instead of having a great dread +of death, they all, both rich and poor, longed for it as something good and +desirable. They were all tired of their long, long lives, and longed to go to +the happy land of contentment called Paradise of which the priests had told +them centuries ago. +</p> + +<p> +All this Sentaro soon found out by talking to the islanders. He found himself, +according to his ideas, in the land of Topsyturvydom. Everything was upside +down. He had wished to escape from dying. He had come to the land of Perpetual +Life with great relief and joy, only to find that the inhabitants themselves, +doomed never to die, would consider it bliss to find death. +</p> + +<p> +What he had hitherto considered poison these people ate as good food, and all +the things to which he had been accustomed as food they rejected. Whenever any +merchants from other countries arrived, the rich people rushed to them eager to +buy poisons. These they swallowed eagerly, hoping for death to come so that +they might go to Paradise. +</p> + +<p> +But what were deadly poisons in other lands were without effect in this strange +place, and people who swallowed them with the hope of dying, only found that in +a short time they felt better in health instead of worse. +</p> + +<p> +Vainly they tried to imagine what death could be like. The wealthy would have +given all their money and all their goods if they could but shorten their lives +to two or three hundred years even. Without any change to live on forever +seemed to this people wearisome and sad. +</p> + +<p> +In the chemist shops there was a drug which was in constant demand, because +after using it for a hundred years, it was supposed to turn the hair slightly +gray and to bring about disorders of the stomach. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro was astonished to find that the poisonous globe-fish was served up in +restaurants as a delectable dish, and hawkers in the streets went about selling +sauces made of Spanish flies. He never saw any one ill after eating these +horrible things, nor did he ever see any one with as much as a cold. +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro was delighted. He said to himself that he would never grow tired of +living, and that he considered it profane to wish for death. He was the only +happy man on the island. For his part he wished to live thousands of years and +to enjoy life. He set himself up in business, and for the present never even +dreamed of going back to his native land. +</p> + +<p> +As years went by, however, things did not go as smoothly as at first. He had +heavy losses in business, and several times some affairs went wrong with his +neighbors. This caused him great annoyance. +</p> + +<p> +Time passed like the flight of an arrow for him, for he was busy from morning +till night. Three hundred years went by in this monotonous way, and then at +last he began to grow tired of life in this country, and he longed to see his +own land and his old home. However long he lived here, life would always be the +same, so was it not foolish and wearisome to stay on here forever? +</p> + +<p> +Sentaro, in his wish to escape from the country of Perpetual Life, recollected +Jofuku, who had helped him before when he was wishing to escape from +death—and he prayed to the saint to bring him back to his own land again. +</p> + +<p> +No sooner did he pray than the paper crane popped out of his pocket. Sentaro +was amazed to see that it had remained undamaged after all these years. Once +more the bird grew and grew till it was large enough for him to mount it. As he +did so, the bird spread its wings and flew, swiftly out across the sea in the +direction of Japan. +</p> + +<p> +Such was the willfulness of the man’s nature that he looked back and +regretted all he had left behind. He tried to stop the bird in vain. The crane +held on its way for thousands of miles across the ocean. +</p> + +<p> +Then a storm came on, and the wonderful paper crane got damp, crumpled up, and +fell into the sea. Sentaro fell with it. Very much frightened at the thought of +being drowned, he cried out loudly to Jofuku to save him. He looked round, but +there was no ship in sight. He swallowed a quantity of sea-water, which only +increased his miserable plight. While he was thus struggling to keep himself +afloat, he saw a monstrous shark swimming towards him. As it came nearer it +opened its huge mouth ready to devour him. Sentaro was all but paralyzed with +fear now that he felt his end so near, and screamed out as loudly as ever he +could to Jofuku to come and rescue him. +</p> + +<p> +Lo, and behold, Sentaro was awakened by his own screams, to find that during +his long prayer he had fallen asleep before the shrine, and that all his +extraordinary and frightful adventures had been only a wild dream. He was in a +cold perspiration with fright, and utterly bewildered. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly a bright light came towards him, and in the light stood a messenger. +The messenger held a book in his hand, and spoke to Sentaro: +</p> + +<p> +“I am sent to you by Jofuku, who in answer to your prayer, has permitted +you in a dream to see the land of Perpetual Life. But you grew weary of living +there, and begged to be allowed to return to your native land so that you might +die. Jofuku, so that he might try you, allowed you to drop into the sea, and +then sent a shark to swallow you up. Your desire for death was not real, for +even at that moment you cried out loudly and shouted for help.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is also vain for you to wish to become a hermit, or to find the +Elixir of Life. These things are not for such as you—your life is not +austere enough. It is best for you to go back to your paternal home, and to +live a good and industrious life. Never neglect to keep the anniversaries of +your ancestors, and make it your duty to provide for your children’s +future. Thus will you live to a good old age and be happy, but give up the vain +desire to escape death, for no man can do that, and by this time you have +surely found out that even when selfish desires are granted they do not bring +happiness.” +</p> + +<p> +“In this book I give you there are many precepts good for you to +know—if you study them, you will be guided in the way I have pointed out +to you.” +</p> + +<p> +The angel disappeared as soon as he had finished speaking, and Sentaro took the +lesson to heart. With the book in his hand he returned to his old home, and +giving up all his old vain wishes, tried to live a good and useful life and to +observe the lessons taught him in the book, and he and his house prospered +henceforth. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very poor and sad +also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old age, and in his heart there +was no hope of rest from work till he died and was laid in the quiet grave. +Every morning he went forth into the woods and hills wherever the bamboo reared +its lithe green plumes against the sky. When he had made his choice, he would +cut down these feathers of the forest, and splitting them lengthwise, or +cutting them into joints, would carry the bamboo wood home and make it into +various articles for the household, and he and his old wife gained a small +livelihood by selling them. +</p> + +<p> +One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having found a nice clump +of bamboos, had set to work to cut some of them down. Suddenly the green grove +of bamboos was flooded with a bright soft light, as if the full moon had risen +over the spot. Looking round in astonishment, he saw that the brilliance was +streaming from one bamboo. The old man, full of wonder, dropped his ax and went +towards the light. On nearer approach he saw that this soft splendor came from +a hollow in the green bamboo stem, and still more wonderful to behold, in the +midst of the brilliance stood a tiny human being, only three inches in height, +and exquisitely beautiful in appearance. +</p> + +<p> +“You must be sent to be my child, for I find you here among the bamboos +where lies my daily work,” said the old man, and taking the little +creature in his hand he took it home to his wife to bring up. The tiny girl was +so exceedingly beautiful and so small, that the old woman put her into a basket +to safeguard her from the least possibility of being hurt in any way. +</p> + +<p> +The old couple were now very happy, for it had been a lifelong regret that they +had no children of their own, and with joy they now expended all the love of +their old age on the little child who had come to them in so marvelous a +manner. +</p> + +<p> +From this time on, the old man often found gold in the notches of the bamboos +when he hewed them down and cut them up; not only gold, but precious stones +also, so that by degrees he became rich. He built himself a fine house, and was +no longer known as the poor bamboo woodcutter, but as a wealthy man. +</p> + +<p> +Three months passed quickly away, and in that time the bamboo child had, +wonderful to say, become a full-grown girl, so her foster-parents did up her +hair and dressed her in beautiful kimonos. She was of such wondrous beauty that +they placed her behind the screens like a princess, and allowed no one to see +her, waiting upon her themselves. It seemed as if she were made of light, for +the house was filled with a soft shining, so that even in the dark of night it +was like daytime. Her presence seemed to have a benign influence on those +there. Whenever the old man felt sad, he had only to look upon his +foster-daughter and his sorrow vanished, and he became as happy as when he was +a youth. +</p> + +<p> +At last the day came for the naming of their new-found child, so the old couple +called in a celebrated name-giver, and he gave her the name of Princess +Moonlight, because her body gave forth so much soft bright light that she might +have been a daughter of the Moon God. +</p> + +<p> +For three days the festival was kept up with song and dance and music. All the +friends and relations of the old couple were present, and great was their +enjoyment of the festivities held to celebrate the naming of Princess +Moonlight. Everyone who saw her declared that there never had been seen any one +so lovely; all the beauties throughout the length and breadth of the land would +grow pale beside her, so they said. The fame of the Princess’s loveliness +spread far and wide, and many were the suitors who desired to win her hand, or +even so much as to see her. +</p> + +<p> +Suitors from far and near posted themselves outside the house, and made little +holes in the fence, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Princess as she +went from one room to the other along the veranda. They stayed there day and +night, sacrificing even their sleep for a chance of seeing her, but all in +vain. Then they approached the house, and tried to speak to the old man and his +wife or some of the servants, but not even this was granted them. +</p> + +<p> +Still, in spite of all this disappointment they stayed on day after day, and +night after night, and counted it as nothing, so great was their desire to see +the Princess. +</p> + +<p> +At last, however, most of the men, seeing how hopeless their quest was, lost +heart and hope both, and returned to their homes. All except five Knights, +whose ardor and determination, instead of waning, seemed to wax greater with +obstacles. These five men even went without their meals, and took snatches of +whatever they could get brought to them, so that they might always stand +outside the dwelling. They stood there in all weathers, in sunshine and in +rain. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was vouchsafed to +them. Then when letters failed to draw any reply, they wrote poems to her +telling her of the hopeless love which kept them from sleep, from food, from +rest, and even from their homes. Still Princes Moonlight gave no sign of having +received their verses. +</p> + +<p> +In this hopeless state the winter passed. The snow and frost and the cold winds +gradually gave place to the gentle warmth of spring. Then the summer came, and +the sun burned white and scorching in the heavens above and on the earth +beneath, and still these faithful Knights kept watch and waited. At the end of +these long months they called out to the old bamboo-cutter and entreated him to +have some mercy upon them and to show them the Princess, but he answered only +that as he was not her real father he could not insist on her obeying him +against her wishes. +</p> + +<p> +The five Knights on receiving this stern answer returned to their several +homes, and pondered over the best means of touching the proud Princess’s +heart, even so much as to grant them a hearing. They took their rosaries in +hand and knelt before their household shrines, and burned precious incense, +praying to Buddha to give them their heart’s desire. Thus several days +passed, but even so they could not rest in their homes. +</p> + +<p> +So again they set out for the bamboo-cutter’s house. This time the old +man came out to see them, and they asked him to let them know if it was the +Princess’s resolution never to see any man whatsoever, and they implored +him to speak for them and to tell her the greatness of their love, and how long +they had waited through the cold of winter and the heat of summer, sleepless +and roofless through all weathers, without food and without rest, in the ardent +hope of winning her, and they were willing to consider this long vigil as +pleasure if she would but give them one chance of pleading their cause with +her. +</p> + +<p> +The old man lent a willing ear to their tale of love, for in his inmost heart +he felt sorry for these faithful suitors and would have liked to see his lovely +foster-daughter married to one of them. So he went in to Princess Moonlight and +said reverently: +</p> + +<p> +“Although you have always seemed to me to be a heavenly being, yet I have +had the trouble of bringing you up as my own child and you have been glad of +the protection of my roof. Will you refuse to do as I wish?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Princess Moonlight replied that there was nothing she would not do for +him, that she honored and loved him as her own father, and that as for herself +she could not remember the time before she came to earth. +</p> + +<p> +The old man listened with great joy as she spoke these dutiful words. Then he +told her how anxious he was to see her safely and happily married before he +died. +</p> + +<p> +“I am an old man, over seventy years of age, and my end may come any time +now. It is necessary and right that you should see these five suitors and +choose one of them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, why,” said the Princess in distress, “must I do this? I +have no wish to marry now.” +</p> + +<p> +“I found you,” answered the old man, “many years ago, when +you were a little creature three inches high, in the midst of a great white +light. The light streamed from the bamboo in which you were hid and led me to +you. So I have always thought that you were more than mortal woman. While I am +alive it is right for you to remain as you are if you wish to do so, but some +day I shall cease to be and who will take care of you then? Therefore I pray +you to meet these five brave men one at a time and make up your mind to marry +one of them!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the Princess answered that she felt sure that she was not as beautiful as +perhaps report made her out to be, and that even if she consented to marry any +one of them, not really knowing her before, his heart might change afterwards. +So as she did not feel sure of them, even though her father told her they were +worthy Knights, she did not feel it wise to see them. +</p> + +<p> +“All you say is very reasonable,” said the old man, “but what +kind of men will you consent to see? I do not call these five men who have +waited on you for months, light-hearted. They have stood outside this house +through the winter and the summer, often denying themselves food and sleep so +that they may win you. What more can you demand?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Princess Moonlight said she must make further trial of their love before +she would grant their request to interview her. The five warriors were to prove +their love by each bringing her from distant countries something that she +desired to possess. +</p> + +<p> +That same evening the suitors arrived and began to play their flutes in turn, +and to sing their self-composed songs telling of their great and tireless love. +The bamboo-cutter went out to them and offered them his sympathy for all they +had endured and all the patience they had shown in their desire to win his +foster-daughter. Then he gave them her message, that she would consent to marry +whosoever was successful in bringing her what she wanted. This was to test +them. +</p> + +<p> +The five all accepted the trial, and thought it an excellent plan, for it would +prevent jealousy between them. +</p> + +<p> +Princess Moonlight then sent word to the First Knight that she requested him to +bring her the stone bowl which had belonged to Buddha in India. +</p> + +<p> +The Second Knight was asked to go to the Mountain of Horai, said to be situated +in the Eastern Sea, and to bring her a branch of the wonderful tree that grew +on its summit. The roots of this tree were of silver, the trunk of gold, and +the branches bore as fruit white jewels. +</p> + +<p> +The Third Knight was told to go to China and search for the fire-rat and to +bring her its skin. +</p> + +<p> +The Fourth Knight was told to search for the dragon that carried on its head +the stone radiating five colors and to bring the stone to her. +</p> + +<p> +The Fifth Knight was to find the swallow which carried a shell in its stomach +and to bring the shell to her. +</p> + +<p> +The old man thought these very hard tasks and hesitated to carry the messages, +but the Princess would make no other conditions. So her commands were issued +word for word to the five men who, when they heard what was required of them, +were all disheartened and disgusted at what seemed to them the impossibility of +the tasks given them and returned to their own homes in despair. +</p> + +<p> +But after a time, when they thought of the Princess, the love in their hearts +revived for her, and they resolved to make an attempt to get what she desired +of them. +</p> + +<p> +The First Knight sent word to the Princess that he was starting out that day on +the quest of Buddha’s bowl, and he hoped soon to bring it to her. But he +had not the courage to go all the way to India, for in those days traveling was +very difficult and full of danger, so he went to one of the temples in Kyoto +and took a stone bowl from the altar there, paying the priest a large sum of +money for it. He then wrapped it in a cloth of gold and, waiting quietly for +three years, returned and carried it to the old man. +</p> + +<p> +Princess Moonlight wondered that the Knight should have returned so soon. She +took the bowl from its gold wrapping, expecting it to make the room full of +light, but it did not shine at all, so she knew that it was a sham thing and +not the true bowl of Buddha. She returned it at once and refused to see him. +The Knight threw the bowl away and returned to his home in despair. He gave up +now all hopes of ever winning the Princess. +</p> + +<p> +The Second Knight told his parents that he needed change of air for his health, +for he was ashamed to tell them that love for the Princess Moonlight was the +real cause of his leaving them. He then left his home, at the same time sending +word to the Princess that he was setting out for Mount Horai in the hope of +getting her a branch of the gold and silver tree which she so much wished to +have. He only allowed his servants to accompany him half-way, and then sent +them back. He reached the seashore and embarked on a small ship, and after +sailing away for three days he landed and employed several carpenters to build +him a house contrived in such a way that no one could get access to it. He then +shut himself up with six skilled jewelers, and endeavored to make such a gold +and silver branch as he thought would satisfy the Princess as having come from +the wonderful tree growing on Mount Horai. Every one whom he had asked declared +that Mount Horai belonged to the land of fable and not to fact. +</p> + +<p> +When the branch was finished, he took his journey home and tried to make +himself look as if he were wearied and worn out with travel. He put the jeweled +branch into a lacquer box and carried it to the bamboo-cutter, begging him to +present it to the Princess. +</p> + +<p> +The old man was quite deceived by the travel-stained appearance of the Knight, +and thought that he had only just returned from his long journey with the +branch. So he tried to persuade the Princess to consent to see the man. But she +remained silent and looked very sad. The old man began to take out the branch +and praised it as a wonderful treasure to be found nowhere in the whole land. +Then he spoke of the Knight, how handsome and how brave he was to have +undertaken a journey to so remote a place as the Mount of Horai. +</p> + +<p> +Princess Moonlight took the branch in her hand and looked at it carefully. She +then told her foster-parent that she knew it was impossible for the man to have +obtained a branch from the gold and silver tree growing on Mount Horai so +quickly or so easily, and she was sorry to say she believed it artificial. +</p> + +<p> +The old man then went out to the expectant Knight, who had now approached the +house, and asked where he had found the branch. Then the man did not scruple to +make up a long story. +</p> + +<p> +“Two years ago I took a ship and started in search of Mount Horai. After +going before the wind for some time I reached the far Eastern Sea. Then a great +storm arose and I was tossed about for many days, losing all count of the +points of the compass, and finally we were blown ashore on an unknown island. +Here I found the place inhabited by demons who at one time threatened to kill +and eat me. However, I managed to make friends with these horrible creatures, +and they helped me and my sailors to repair the boat, and I set sail again. Our +food gave out, and we suffered much from sickness on board. At last, on the +five-hundredth day from the day of starting, I saw far off on the horizon what +looked like the peak of a mountain. On nearer approach, this proved to be an +island, in the center of which rose a high mountain. I landed, and after +wandering about for two or three days, I saw a shining being coming towards me +on the beach, holding in his hands a golden bowl. I went up to him and asked +him if I had, by good chance, found the island of Mount Horai, and he +answered:” +</p> + +<p> +“‘Yes, this is Mount Horai!’” +</p> + +<p> +“With much difficulty I climbed to the summit, here stood the golden tree +growing with silver roots in the ground. The wonders of that strange land are +many, and if I began to tell you about them I could never stop. In spite of my +wish to stay there long, on breaking off the branch I hurried back. With utmost +speed it has taken me four hundred days to get back, and, as you see, my +clothes are still damp from exposure on the long sea voyage. I have not even +waited to change my raiment, so anxious was I to bring the branch to the +Princess quickly.” +</p> + +<p> +Just at this moment the six jewelers, who had been employed on the making of +the branch, but not yet paid by the Knight, arrived at the house and sent in a +petition to the Princess to be paid for their labor. They said that they had +worked for over a thousand days making the branch of gold, with its silver +twigs and its jeweled fruit, that was now presented to her by the Knight, but +as yet they had received nothing in payment. So this Knight’s deception +was thus found out, and the Princess, glad of an escape from one more +importunate suitor, was only too pleased to send back the branch. She called in +the workmen and had them paid liberally, and they went away happy. But on the +way home they were overtaken by the disappointed man, who beat them till they +were nearly dead, for letting out the secret, and they barely escaped with +their lives. The Knight then returned home, raging in his heart; and in despair +of ever winning the Princess gave up society and retired to a solitary life +among the mountains. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Third Knight had a friend in China, so he wrote to him to get the skin +of the fire-rat. The virtue of any part of this animal was that no fire could +harm it. He promised his friend any amount of money he liked to ask if only he +could get him the desired article. As soon as the news came that the ship on +which his friend had sailed home had come into port, he rode seven days on +horseback to meet him. He handed his friend a large sum of money, and received +the fire-rat’s skin. When he reached home he put it carefully in a box +and sent it in to the Princess while he waited outside for her answer. +</p> + +<p> +The bamboo-cutter took the box from the Knight and, as usual, carried it in to +her and tried to coax her to see the Knight at once, but Princess Moonlight +refused, saying that she must first put the skin to test by putting it into the +fire. If it were the real thing it would not burn. So she took off the crape +wrapper and opened the box, and then threw the skin into the fire. The skin +crackled and burnt up at once, and the Princess knew that this man also had not +fulfilled his word. So the Third Knight failed also. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Fourth Knight was no more enterprising than the rest. Instead of +starting out on the quest of the dragon bearing on its head the +five-color-radiating jewel, he called all his servants together and gave them +the order to seek for it far and wide in Japan and in China, and he strictly +forbade any of them to return till they had found it. +</p> + +<p> +His numerous retainers and servants started out in different directions, with +no intention, however, of obeying what they considered an impossible order. +They simply took a holiday, went to pleasant country places together, and +grumbled at their master’s unreasonableness. +</p> + +<p> +The Knight meanwhile, thinking that his retainers could not fail to find the +jewel, repaired to his house, and fitted it up beautifully for the reception of +the Princess, he felt so sure of winning her. +</p> + +<p> +One year passed away in weary waiting, and still his men did not return with +the dragon-jewel. The Knight became desperate. He could wait no longer, so +taking with him only two men he hired a ship and commanded the captain to go in +search of the dragon; the captain and the sailors refused to undertake what +they said was an absurd search, but the Knight compelled them at last to put +out to sea. +</p> + +<p> +When they had been but a few days out they encountered a great storm which +lasted so long that, by the time its fury abated, the Knight had determined to +give up the hunt of the dragon. They were at last blown on shore, for +navigation was primitive in those days. Worn out with his travels and anxiety, +the fourth suitor gave himself up to rest. He had caught a very heavy cold, and +had to go to bed with a swollen face. +</p> + +<p> +The governor of the place, hearing of his plight, sent messengers with a letter +inviting him to his house. While he was there thinking over all his troubles, +his love for the Princess turned to anger, and he blamed her for all the +hardships he had undergone. He thought that it was quite probable she had +wished to kill him so that she might be rid of him, and in order to carry out +her wish had sent him upon his impossible quest. +</p> + +<p> +At this point all the servants he had sent out to find the jewel came to see +him, and were surprised to find praise instead of displeasure awaiting them. +Their master told them that he was heartily sick of adventure, and said that he +never intended to go near the Princess’s house again in the future. +</p> + +<p> +Like all the rest, the Fifth Knight failed in his quest—he could not find +the swallow’s shell. +</p> + +<p> +By this time the fame of Princess Moonlight’s beauty had reached the ears +of the Emperor, and he sent one of the Court ladies to see if she were really +as lovely as report said; if so he would summon her to the Palace and make her +one of the ladies-in-waiting. +</p> + +<p> +When the Court lady arrived, in spite of her father’s entreaties, +Princess Moonlight refused to see her. The Imperial messenger insisted, saying +it was the Emperor’s order. Then Princess Moonlight told the old man that +if she was forced to go to the Palace in obedience to the Emperor’s +order, she would vanish from the earth. +</p> + +<p> +When the Emperor was told of her persistence in refusing to obey his summons, +and that if pressed to obey she would disappear altogether from sight, he +determined to go and see her. So he planned to go on a hunting excursion in the +neighborhood of the bamboo-cutter’s house, and see the Princess himself. +He sent word to the old man of his intention, and he received consent to the +scheme. The next day the Emperor set out with his retinue, which he soon +managed to outride. He found the bamboo-cutter’s house and dismounted. He +then entered the house and went straight to where the Princess was sitting with +her attendant maidens. +</p> + +<p> +Never had he seen any one so wonderfully beautiful, and he could not but look +at her, for she was more lovely than any human being as she shone in her own +soft radiance. When Princess Moonlight became aware that a stranger was looking +at her she tried to escape from the room, but the Emperor caught her and begged +her to listen to what he had to say. Her only answer was to hide her face in +her sleeves. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor fell deeply in love with her, and begged her to come to the Court, +where he would give her a position of honor and everything she could wish for. +He was about to send for one of the Imperial palanquins to take her back with +him at once, saying that her grace and beauty should adorn a Court, and not be +hidden in a bamboo-cutter’s cottage. +</p> + +<p> +But the Princess stopped him. She said that if she were forced to go to the +Palace she would turn at once into a shadow, and even as she spoke she began to +lose her form. Her figure faded from his sight while he looked. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor then promised to leave her free if only she would resume her former +shape, which she did. +</p> + +<p> +It was now time for him to return, for his retinue would be wondering what had +happened to their Royal master when they missed him for so long. So he bade her +good-by, and left the house with a sad heart. Princess Moonlight was for him +the most beautiful woman in the world; all others were dark beside her, and he +thought of her night and day. His Majesty now spent much of his time in writing +poems, telling her of his love and devotion, and sent them to her, and though +she refused to see him again she answered with many verses of her own +composing, which told him gently and kindly that she could never marry any one +on this earth. These little songs always gave him pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +At this time her foster-parents noticed that night after night the Princess +would sit on her balcony and gaze for hours at the moon, in a spirit of the +deepest dejection, ending always in a burst of tears. One night the old man +found her thus weeping as if her heart were broken, and he besought her to tell +him the reason of her sorrow. +</p> + +<p> +With many tears she told him that he had guessed rightly when he supposed her +not to belong to this world—that she had in truth come from the moon, and +that her time on earth would soon be over. On the fifteenth day of that very +month of August her friends from the moon would come to fetch her, and she +would have to return. Her parents were both there, but having spent a lifetime +on the earth she had forgotten them, and also the moon-world to which she +belonged. It made her weep, she said, to think of leaving her kind +foster-parents, and the home where she had been happy for so long. +</p> + +<p> +When her attendants heard this they were very sad, and could not eat or drink +for sadness at the thought that the Princess was so soon to leave them. +</p> + +<p> +The Emperor, as soon as the news was carried to him, sent messengers to the +house to find out if the report were true or not. +</p> + +<p> +The old bamboo-cutter went out to meet the Imperial messengers. The last few +days of sorrow had told upon the old man; he had aged greatly, and looked much +more than his seventy years. Weeping bitterly, he told them that the report was +only too true, but he intended, however, to make prisoners of the envoys from +the moon, and to do all he could to prevent the Princess from being carried +back. +</p> + +<p> +The men returned and told His Majesty all that had passed. On the fifteenth day +of that month the Emperor sent a guard of two thousand warriors to watch the +house. One thousand stationed themselves on the roof, another thousand kept +watch round all the entrances of the house. All were well trained archers, with +bows and arrows. The bamboo-cutter and his wife hid Princess Moonlight in an +inner room. +</p> + +<p> +The old man gave orders that no one was to sleep that night, all in the house +were to keep a strict watch, and be ready to protect the Princess. With these +precautions, and the help of the Emperor’s men-at-arms, he hoped to +withstand the moon-messengers, but the Princess told him that all these +measures to keep her would be useless, and that when her people came for her +nothing whatever could prevent them from carrying out their purpose. Even the +Emperors men would be powerless. Then she added with tears that she was very, +very sorry to leave him and his wife, whom she had learned to love as her +parents, that if she could do as she liked she would stay with them in their +old age, and try to make some return for all the love and kindness they had +showered upon her during all her earthly life. +</p> + +<p> +The night wore on! The yellow harvest moon rose high in the heavens, flooding +the world asleep with her golden light. Silence reigned over the pine and the +bamboo forests, and on the roof where the thousand men-at-arms waited. +</p> + +<p> +Then the night grew gray towards the dawn and all hoped that the danger was +over—that Princess Moonlight would not have to leave them after all. Then +suddenly the watchers saw a cloud form round the moon—and while they +looked this cloud began to roll earthwards. Nearer and nearer it came, and +every one saw with dismay that its course lay towards the house. +</p> + +<p> +In a short time the sky was entirely obscured, till at last the cloud lay over +the dwelling only ten feet off the ground. In the midst of the cloud there +stood a flying chariot, and in the chariot a band of luminous beings. One +amongst them who looked like a king and appeared to be the chief stepped out of +the chariot, and, poised in air, called to the old man to come out. +</p> + +<p> +“The time has come,” he said, “for Princess Moonlight to +return to the moon from whence she came. She committed a grave fault, and as a +punishment was sent to live down here for a time. We know what good care you +have taken of the Princess, and we have rewarded you for this and have sent you +wealth and prosperity. We put the gold in the bamboos for you to find.” +</p> + +<p> +“I have brought up this Princess for twenty years and never once has she +done a wrong thing, therefore the lady you are seeking cannot be this +one,” said the old man. “I pray you to look elsewhere.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the messenger called aloud, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Princess Moonlight, come out from this lowly dwelling. Rest not here +another moment.” +</p> + +<p> +At these words the screens of the Princess’s room slid open of their own +accord, revealing the Princess shining in her own radiance, bright and +wonderful and full of beauty. +</p> + +<p> +The messenger led her forth and placed her in the chariot. She looked back, and +saw with pity the deep sorrow of the old man. She spoke to him many comforting +words, and told him that it was not her will to leave him and that he must +always think of her when looking at the moon. +</p> + +<p> +The bamboo-cutter implored to be allowed to accompany her, but this was not +allowed. The Princess took off her embroidered outer garment and gave it to him +as a keepsake. +</p> + +<p> +One of the moon beings in the chariot held a wonderful coat of wings, another +had a phial full of the Elixir of Life which was given the Princess to drink. +She swallowed a little and was about to give the rest to the old man, but she +was prevented from doing so. +</p> + +<p> +The robe of wings was about to be put upon her shoulders, but she said: +</p> + +<p> +“Wait a little. I must not forget my good friend the Emperor. I must +write him once more to say good-by while still in this human form.” +</p> + +<p> +In spite of the impatience of the messengers and charioteers she kept them +waiting while she wrote. She placed the phial of the Elixir of Life with the +letter, and, giving them to the old man, she asked him to deliver them to the +Emperor. +</p> + +<p> +Then the chariot began to roll heavenwards towards the moon, and as they all +gazed with tearful eyes at the receding Princess, the dawn broke, and in the +rosy light of day the moon-chariot and all in it were lost amongst the fleecy +clouds that were now wafted across the sky on the wings of the morning wind. +</p> + +<p> +Princess Moonlight’s letter was carried to the Palace. His Majesty was +afraid to touch the Elixir of Life, so he sent it with the letter to the top of +the most sacred mountain in the land. Mount Fuji, and there the Royal +emissaries burnt it on the summit at sunrise. So to this day people say there +is smoke to be seen rising from the top of Mount Fuji to the clouds. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA<br/> +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN</h2> + +<p> +Long years ago in old Japan there lived in the Province of Echigo, a very +remote part of Japan even in these days, a man and his wife. When this story +begins they had been married for some years and were blessed with one little +daughter. She was the joy and pride of both their lives, and in her they stored +an endless source of happiness for their old age. +</p> + +<p> +What golden letter days in their memory were these that had marked her growing +up from babyhood; the visit to the temple when she was just thirty days old, +her proud mother carrying her, robed in ceremonial kimono, to be put under the +patronage of the family’s household god; then her first dolls festival, +when her parents gave her a set of dolls and their miniature belongings, to be +added to as year succeeded year; and perhaps the most important occasion of +all, on her third birthday, when her first OBI (broad brocade sash) of scarlet +and gold was tied round her small waist, a sign that she had crossed the +threshold of girlhood and left infancy behind. Now that she was seven years of +age, and had learned to talk and to wait upon her parents in those several +little ways so dear to the hearts of fond parents, their cup of happiness +seemed full. There could not be found in the whole of the Island Empire a +happier little family. +</p> + +<p> +One day there was much excitement in the home, for the father had been suddenly +summoned to the capital on business. In these days of railways and jinrickshas +and other rapid modes of traveling, it is difficult to realize what such a +journey as that from Matsuyama to Kyoto meant. The roads were rough and bad, +and ordinary people had to walk every step of the way, whether the distance +were one hundred or several hundred miles. Indeed, in those days it was as +great an undertaking to go up to the capital as it is for a Japanese to make a +voyage to Europe now. +</p> + +<p> +So the wife was very anxious while she helped her husband get ready for the +long journey, knowing what an arduous task lay before him. Vainly she wished +that she could accompany him, but the distance was too great for the mother and +child to go, and besides that, it was the wife’s duty to take care of the +home. +</p> + +<p> +All was ready at last, and the husband stood in the porch with his little +family round him. +</p> + +<p> +“Do not be anxious, I will come back soon,” said the man. +“While I am away take care of everything, and especially of our little +daughter.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, we shall be all right—but you—you must take care of +yourself and delay not a day in coming back to us,” said the wife, while +the tears fell like rain from her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +The little girl was the only one to smile, for she was ignorant of the sorrow +of parting, and did not know that going to the capital was at all different +from walking to the next village, which her father did very often. She ran to +his side, and caught hold of his long sleeve to keep him a moment. +</p> + +<p> +“Father, I will be very good while I am waiting for you to come back, so +please bring me a present.” +</p> + +<p> +As the father turned to take a last look at his weeping wife and smiling, eager +child, he felt as if some one were pulling him back by the hair, so hard was it +for him to leave them behind, for they had never been separated before. But he +knew that he must go, for the call was imperative. With a great effort he +ceased to think, and resolutely turning away he went quickly down the little +garden and out through the gate. His wife, catching up the child in her arms, +ran as far as the gate, and watched him as he went down the road between the +pines till he was lost in the haze of the distance and all she could see was +his quaint peaked hat, and at last that vanished too. +</p> + +<p> +“Now father has gone, you and I must take care of everything till he +comes back,” said the mother, as she made her way back to the house. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I will be very good,” said the child, nodding her head, +“and when father comes home please tell him how good I have been, and +then perhaps he will give me a present.” +</p> + +<p> +“Father is sure to bring you something that you want very much. I know, +for I asked him to bring you a doll. You must think of father every day, and +pray for a safe journey till he comes back.” +</p> + +<p> +“O, yes, when he comes home again how happy I shall be,” said the +child, clapping her hands, and her face growing bright with joy at the glad +thought. It seemed to the mother as she looked at the child’s face that +her love for her grew deeper and deeper. +</p> + +<p> +Then she set to work to make the winter clothes for the three of them. She set +up her simple wooden spinning-wheel and spun the thread before she began to +weave the stuffs. In the intervals of her work she directed the little +girl’s games and taught her to read the old stories of her country. Thus +did the wife find consolation in work during the lonely days of her +husband’s absence. While the time was thus slipping quickly by in the +quiet home, the husband finished his business and returned. +</p> + +<p> +It would have been difficult for any one who did not know the man well to +recognize him. He had traveled day after day, exposed to all weathers, for +about a month altogether, and was sunburnt to bronze, but his fond wife and +child knew him at a glance, and flew to meet him from either side, each +catching hold of one of his sleeves in their eager greeting. Both the man and +his wife rejoiced to find each other well. It seemed a very long time to all +till—the mother and child helping—his straw sandals were untied, +his large umbrella hat taken off, and he was again in their midst in the old +familiar sitting-room that had been so empty while he was away. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they had sat down on the white mats, the father opened a bamboo +basket that he had brought in with him, and took out a beautiful doll and a +lacquer box full of cakes. +</p> + +<p> +“Here,” he said to the little girl, “is a present for you. It +is a prize for taking care of mother and the house so well while I was +away.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you,” said the child, as she bowed her head to the ground, +and then put out her hand just like a little maple leaf with its eager +wide-spread fingers to take the doll and the box, both of which, coming from +the capital, were prettier than anything she had ever seen. No words can tell +how delighted the little girl was—her face seemed as if it would melt +with joy, and she had no eyes and no thought for anything else. +</p> + +<p> +Again the husband dived into the basket, and brought out this time a square +wooden box, carefully tied up with red and white string, and handing it to his +wife, said: +</p> + +<p> +“And this is for you.” +</p> + +<p> +The wife took the box, and opening it carefully took out a metal disk with a +handle attached. One side was bright and shining like a crystal, and the other +was covered with raised figures of pine-trees and storks, which had been carved +out of its smooth surface in lifelike reality. Never had she seen such a thing +in her life, for she had been born and bred in the rural province of Echigo. +She gazed into the shining disk, and looking up with surprise and wonder +pictured on her face, she said: +</p> + +<p> +“I see somebody looking at me in this round thing! What is it that you +have given me?” +</p> + +<p> +The husband laughed and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Why, it is your own face that you see. What I have brought you is called +a mirror, and whoever looks into its clear surface can see their own form +reflected there. Although there are none to be found in this out of the way +place, yet they have been in use in the capital from the most ancient times. +There the mirror is considered a very necessary requisite for a woman to +possess. There is an old proverb that ‘As the sword is the soul of a +samurai, so is the mirror the soul of a woman,’ and according to popular +tradition, a woman’s mirror is an index to her own heart—if she +keeps it bright and clear, so is her heart pure and good. It is also one of the +treasures that form the insignia of the Emperor. So you must lay great store by +your mirror, and use it carefully.” +</p> + +<p> +The wife listened to all her husband told her, and was pleased at learning so +much that was new to her. She was still more pleased at the precious +gift—his token of remembrance while he had been away. +</p> + +<p> +“If the mirror represents my soul, I shall certainly treasure it as a +valuable possession, and never will I use it carelessly.” Saying so, she +lifted it as high as her forehead, in grateful acknowledgment of the gift, and +then shut it up in its box and put it away. +</p> + +<p> +The wife saw that her husband was very tired, and set about serving the evening +meal and making everything as comfortable as she could for him. It seemed to +the little family as if they had not known what true happiness was before, so +glad were they to be together again, and this evening the father had much to +tell of his journey and of all he had seen at the great capital. +</p> + +<p> +Time passed away in the peaceful home, and the parents saw their fondest hopes +realized as their daughter grew from childhood into a beautiful girl of +sixteen. As a gem of priceless value is held in its proud owner’s hand, +so had they reared her with unceasing love and care: and now their pains were +more than doubly rewarded. What a comfort she was to her mother as she went +about the house taking her part in the housekeeping, and how proud her father +was of her, for she daily reminded him of her mother when he had first married +her. +</p> + +<p> +But, alas! in this world nothing lasts forever. Even the moon is not always +perfect in shape, but loses its roundness with time, and flowers bloom and then +fade. So at last the happiness of this family was broken up by a great sorrow. +The good and gentle wife and mother was one day taken ill. +</p> + +<p> +In the first days of her illness the father and daughter thought that it was +only a cold, and were not particularly anxious. But the days went by and still +the mother did not get better; she only grew worse, and the doctor was puzzled, +for in spite of all he did the poor woman grew weaker day by day. The father +and daughter were stricken with grief, and day or night the girl never left her +mother’s side. But in spite of all their efforts the woman’s life +was not to be saved. +</p> + +<p> +One day as the girl sat near her mother’s bed, trying to hide with a +cheery smile the gnawing trouble at her heart, the mother roused herself and +taking her daughter’s hand, gazed earnestly and lovingly into her eyes. +Her breath was labored and she spoke with difficulty: +</p> + +<p> +“My daughter. I am sure that nothing can save me now. When I am dead, +promise me to take care of your dear father and to try to be a good and dutiful +woman.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, mother,” said the girl as the tears rushed to her eyes, +“you must not say such things. All you have to do is to make haste and +get well—that will bring the greatest happiness to father and +myself.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I know, and it is a comfort to me in my last days to know how +greatly you long for me to get better, but it is not to be. Do not look so +sorrowful, for it was so ordained in my previous state of existence that I +should die in this life just at this time; knowing this, I am quite resigned to +my fate. And now I have something to give you whereby to remember me when I am +gone.” +</p> + +<p> +Putting her hand out, she took from the side of the pillow a square wooden box +tied up with a silken cord and tassels. Undoing this very carefully, she took +out of the box the mirror that her husband had given her years ago. +</p> + +<p> +“When you were still a little child your father went up to the capital +and brought me back as a present this treasure; it is called a mirror. This I +give you before I die. If, after I have ceased to be in this life, you are +lonely and long to see me sometimes, then take out this mirror and in the clear +and shining surface you will always see me—so will you be able to meet +with me often and tell me all your heart; and though I shall not be able to +speak, I shall understand and sympathize with you, whatever may happen to you +in the future.” With these words the dying woman handed the mirror to her +daughter. +</p> + +<p> +The mind of the good mother seemed to be now at rest, and sinking back without +another word her spirit passed quietly away that day. +</p> + +<p> +The bereaved father and daughter were wild with grief, and they abandoned +themselves to their bitter sorrow. They felt it to be impossible to take leave +of the loved woman who till now had filled their whole lives and to commit her +body to the earth. But this frantic burst of grief passed, and then they took +possession of their own hearts again, crushed though they were in resignation. +In spite of this the daughter’s life seemed to her desolate. Her love for +her dead mother did not grow less with time, and so keen was her remembrance, +that everything in daily life, even the falling of the rain and the blowing of +the wind, reminded her of her mother’s death and of all that they had +loved and shared together. One day when her father was out, and she was +fulfilling her household duties alone, her loneliness and sorrow seemed more +than she could bear. She threw herself down in her mother’s room and wept +as if her heart would break. Poor child, she longed just for one glimpse of the +loved face, one sound of the voice calling her pet name, or for one +moment’s forgetfulness of the aching void in her heart. Suddenly she sat +up. Her mother’s last words had rung through her memory hitherto dulled +by grief. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! my mother told me when she gave me the mirror as a parting gift, +that whenever I looked into it I should be able to meet her—to see her. I +had nearly forgotten her last words—how stupid I am; I will get the +mirror now and see if it can possibly be true!” +</p> + +<p> +She dried her eyes quickly, and going to the cupboard took out the box that +contained the mirror, her heart beating with expectation as she lifted the +mirror out and gazed into its smooth face. Behold, her mother’s words +were true! In the round mirror before her she saw her mother’s face; but, +oh, the joyful surprise! It was not her mother thin and wasted by illness, but +the young and beautiful woman as she remembered her far back in the days of her +own earliest childhood. It seemed to the girl that the face in the mirror must +soon speak, almost that she heard the voice of her mother telling her again to +grow up a good woman and a dutiful daughter, so earnestly did the eyes in the +mirror look back into her own. +</p> + +<p> +“It is certainly my mother’s soul that I see. She knows how +miserable I am without her and she has come to comfort me. Whenever I long to +see her she will meet me here; how grateful I ought to be!” +</p> + +<p> +And from this time the weight of sorrow was greatly lightened for her young +heart. Every morning, to gather strength for the day’s duties before her, +and every evening, for consolation before she lay down to rest, did the young +girl take out the mirror and gaze at the reflection which in the simplicity of +her innocent heart she believed to be her mother’s soul. Daily she grew +in the likeness of her dead mother’s character, and was gentle and kind +to all, and a dutiful daughter to her father. +</p> + +<p> +A year spent in mourning had thus passed away in the little household, when, by +the advice of his relations, the man married again, and the daughter now found +herself under the authority of a step-mother. It was a trying position; but her +days spent in the recollection of her own beloved mother, and of trying to be +what that mother would wish her to be, had made the young girl docile and +patient, and she now determined to be filial and dutiful to her father’s +wife, in all respects. Everything went on apparently smoothly in the family for +some time under the new regime; there were no winds or waves of discord to +ruffle the surface of every-day life, and the father was content. +</p> + +<p> +But it is a woman’s danger to be petty and mean, and step-mothers are +proverbial all the world over, and this one’s heart was not as her first +smiles were. As the days and weeks grew into months, the step-mother began to +treat the motherless girl unkindly and to try and come between the father and +child. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes she went to her husband and complained of her step-daughter’s +behavior, but the father knowing that this was to be expected, took no notice +of her ill-natured complaints. Instead of lessening his affection for his +daughter, as the woman desired, her grumblings only made him think of her the +more. The woman soon saw that he began to show more concern for his lonely +child than before. This did not please her at all, and she began to turn over +in her mind how she could, by some means or other, drive her step-child out of +the house. So crooked did the woman’s heart become. +</p> + +<p> +She watched the girl carefully, and one day peeping into her room in the early +morning, she thought she discovered a grave enough sin of which to accuse the +child to her father. The woman herself was a little frightened too at what she +had seen. +</p> + +<p> +So she went at once to her husband, and wiping away some false tears she said +in a sad voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Please give me permission to leave you today.” +</p> + +<p> +The man was completely taken by surprise at the suddenness of her request, and +wondered whatever was the matter. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you find it so disagreeable,” he asked, “in my house, +that you can stay no longer?” +</p> + +<p> +“No! no! it has nothing to do with you—even in my dreams I have +never thought that I wished to leave your side; but if I go on living here I am +in danger of losing my life, so I think it best for all concerned that you +should allow me to go home!” +</p> + +<p> +And the woman began to weep afresh. Her husband, distressed to see her so +unhappy, and thinking that he could not have heard aright, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me what you mean! How is your life in danger here?” +</p> + +<p> +“I will tell you since you ask me. Your daughter dislikes me as her +step-mother. For some time past she has shut herself up in her room morning and +evening, and looking in as I pass by, I am convinced that she has made an image +of me and is trying to kill me by magic art, cursing me daily. It is not safe +for me to stay here, such being the case; indeed, indeed, I must go away, we +cannot live under the same roof any more.” +</p> + +<p> +The husband listened to the dreadful tale, but he could not believe his gentle +daughter guilty of such an evil act. He knew that by popular superstition +people believed that one person could cause the gradual death of another by +making an image of the hated one and cursing it daily; but where had his young +daughter learned such knowledge?—the thing was impossible. Yet he +remembered having noticed that his daughter stayed much in her room of late and +kept herself away from every one, even when visitors came to the house. Putting +this fact together with his wife’s alarm, he thought that there might be +something to account for the strange story. +</p> + +<p> +His heart was torn between doubting his wife and trusting his child, and he +knew not what to do. He decided to go at once to his daughter and try to find +out the truth. Comforting his wife and assuring her that her fears were +groundless, he glided quietly to his daughter’s room. +</p> + +<p> +The girl had for a long time past been very unhappy. She had tried by +amiability and obedience to show her goodwill and to mollify the new wife, and +to break down that wall of prejudice and misunderstanding that she knew +generally stood between step-parents and their step-children. But she soon +found that her efforts were in vain. The step-mother never trusted her, and +seemed to misinterpret all her actions, and the poor child knew very well that +she often carried unkind and untrue tales to her father. She could not help +comparing her present unhappy condition with the time when her own mother was +alive only a little more than a year ago—so great a change in this short +time! Morning and evening she wept over the remembrance. Whenever she could she +went to her room, and sliding the screens to, took out the mirror and gazed, as +she thought, at her mother’s face. It was the only comfort that she had +in these wretched days. +</p> + +<p> +Her father found her occupied in this way. Pushing aside the fusama, he saw her +bending over something or other very intently. Looking over her shoulder, to +see who was entering her room, the girl was surprised to see her father, for he +generally sent for her when he wished to speak to her. She was also confused at +being found looking at the mirror, for she had never told any one of her +mother’s last promise, but had kept it as the sacred secret of her heart. +So before turning to her father she slipped the mirror into her long sleeve. +Her father noting her confusion, and her act of hiding something, said in a +severe manner: +</p> + +<p> +“Daughter, what are you doing here? And what is that that you have hidden +in your sleeve?” +</p> + +<p> +The girl was frightened by her father’s severity. Never had he spoken to +her in such a tone. Her confusion changed to apprehension, her color from +scarlet to white. She sat dumb and shamefaced, unable to reply. +</p> + +<p> +Appearances were certainly against her; the young girl looked guilty, and the +father thinking that perhaps after all what his wife had told him was true, +spoke angrily: +</p> + +<p> +“Then, is it really true that you are daily cursing your step-mother and +praying for her death? Have you forgotten what I told you, that although she is +your step-mother you must be obedient and loyal to her? What evil spirit has +taken possession of your heart that you should be so wicked? You have certainly +changed, my daughter! What has made you so disobedient and unfaithful?” +</p> + +<p> +And the father’s eyes filled with sudden tears to think that he should +have to upbraid his daughter in this way. +</p> + +<p> +She on her part did not know what he meant, for she had never heard of the +superstition that by praying over an image it is possible to cause the death of +a hated person. But she saw that she must speak and clear herself somehow. She +loved her father dearly, and could not bear the idea of his anger. She put out +her hand on his knee deprecatingly: +</p> + +<p> +“Father! father! do not say such dreadful things to me. I am still your +obedient child. Indeed, I am. However stupid I may be, I should never be able +to curse any one who belonged to you, much less pray for the death of one you +love. Surely some one has been telling you lies, and you are dazed, and you +know not what you say—or some evil spirit has taken possession of YOUR +heart. As for me I do not know—no, not so much as a dew-drop, of the evil +thing of which you accuse me.” +</p> + +<p> +But the father remembered that she had hidden something away when he first +entered the room, and even this earnest protest did not satisfy him. He wished +to clear up his doubts once for all. +</p> + +<p> +“Then why are you always alone in your room these days? And tell me what +is that that you have hidden in your sleeve—show it to me at once.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the daughter, though shy of confessing how she had cherished her +mother’s memory, saw that she must tell her father all in order to clear +herself. So she slipped the mirror out from her long sleeve and laid it before +him. +</p> + +<p> +“This,” she said, “is what you saw me looking at just +now.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why,” he said in great surprise, “this is the mirror that I +brought as a gift to your mother when I went up to the capital many years ago! +And so you have kept it all this time? Now, why do you spend so much of your +time before this mirror?” +</p> + +<p> +Then she told him of her mother’s last words, and of how she had promised +to meet her child whenever she looked into the glass. But still the father +could not understand the simplicity of his daughter’s character in not +knowing that what she saw reflected in the mirror was in reality her own face, +and not that of her mother. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you mean?” he asked. “I do not understand how you +can meet the soul of your lost mother by looking in this mirror?” +</p> + +<p> +“It is indeed true,” said the girl: “and if you don’t +believe what I say, look for yourself,” and she placed the mirror before +her. There, looking back from the smooth metal disk, was her own sweet face. +She pointed to the reflection seriously: +</p> + +<p> +“Do you doubt me still?” she asked earnestly, looking up into his +face. +</p> + +<p> +With an exclamation of sudden understanding the father smote his two hands +together. +</p> + +<p> +“How stupid I am! At last I understand. Your face is as like your +mother’s as the two sides of a melon—thus you have looked at the +reflection of your face all this time, thinking that you were brought face to +face with your lost mother! You are truly a faithful child. It seems at first a +stupid thing to have done, but it is not really so, It shows how deep has been +your filial piety, and how innocent your heart. Living in constant remembrance +of your lost mother has helped you to grow like her in character. How clever it +was of her to tell you to do this. I admire and respect you, my daughter, and I +am ashamed to think that for one instant I believed your suspicious +step-mother’s story and suspected you of evil, and came with the +intention of scolding you severely, while all this time you have been so true +and good. Before you I have no countenance left, and I beg you to forgive +me.” +</p> + +<p> +And here the father wept. He thought of how lonely the poor girl must have +been, and of all that she must have suffered under her step-mother’s +treatment. His daughter steadfastly keeping her faith and simplicity in the +midst of such adverse circumstances—bearing all her troubles with so much +patience and amiability—made him compare her to the lotus which rears its +blossom of dazzling beauty out of the slime and mud of the moats and ponds, +fitting emblem of a heart which keeps itself unsullied while passing through +the world. +</p> + +<p> +The step-mother, anxious to know what would happen, had all this while been +standing outside the room. She had grown interested, and had gradually pushed +the sliding screen back till she could see all that went on. At this moment she +suddenly entered the room, and dropping to the mats, she bowed her head over +her outspread hands before her step-daughter. +</p> + +<p> +“I am ashamed! I am ashamed!” she exclaimed in broken tones. +“I did not know what a filial child you were. Through no fault of yours, +but with a step-mother’s jealous heart, I have disliked you all the time. +Hating you so much myself, it was but natural that I should think you +reciprocated the feeling, and thus when I saw you retire so often to your room +I followed you, and when I saw you gaze daily into the mirror for long +intervals, I concluded that you had found out how I disliked you, and that you +were out of revenge trying to take my life by magic art. As long as I live I +shall never forget the wrong I have done you in so misjudging you, and in +causing your father to suspect you. From this day I throw away my old and +wicked heart, and in its place I put a new one, clean and full of repentance. I +shall think of you as a child that I have borne myself. I shall love and +cherish you with all my heart, and thus try to make up for all the unhappiness +I have caused you. Therefore, please throw into the water all that has gone +before, and give me, I beg of you, some of the filial love that you have +hitherto given to your own lost mother.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus did the unkind step-mother humble herself and ask forgiveness of the girl +she had so wronged. +</p> + +<p> +Such was the sweetness of the girl’s disposition that she willingly +forgave her step-mother, and never bore a moment’s resentment or malice +towards her afterwards. The father saw by his wife’s face that she was +truly sorry for the past, and was greatly relieved to see the terrible +misunderstanding wiped out of remembrance by both the wrong-doer and the +wronged. +</p> + +<p> +From this time on, the three lived together as happily as fish in water. No +such trouble ever darkened the home again, and the young girl gradually forgot +that year of unhappiness in the tender love and care that her step-mother now +bestowed on her. Her patience and goodness were rewarded at last. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the province of +Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a cannibal goblin who took +the form of an old woman. From time to time many travelers disappeared and were +never heard of more, and the old women round the charcoal braziers in the +evenings, and the girls washing the household rice at the wells in the +mornings, whispered dreadful stories of how the missing folk had been lured to +the goblin’s cottage and devoured, for the goblin lived only on human +flesh. No one dared to venture near the haunted spot after sunset, and all +those who could, avoided it in the daytime, and travelers were warned of the +dreaded place. +</p> + +<p> +One day as the sun was setting, a priest came to the plain. He was a belated +traveler, and his robe showed that he was a Buddhist pilgrim walking from +shrine to shrine to pray for some blessing or to crave for forgiveness of sins. +He had apparently lost his way, and as it was late he met no one who could show +him the road or warn him of the haunted spot. +</p> + +<p> +He had walked the whole day and was now tired and hungry, and the evenings were +chilly, for it was late autumn, and he began to be very anxious to find some +house where he could obtain a night’s lodging. He found himself lost in +the midst of the large plain, and looked about in vain for some sign of human +habitation. +</p> + +<p> +At last, after wandering about for some hours, he saw a clump of trees in the +distance, and through the trees he caught sight of the glimmer of a single ray +of light. He exclaimed with joy: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh. surely that is some cottage where I can get a night’s +lodging!” +</p> + +<p> +Keeping the light before his eyes he dragged his weary, aching feet as quickly +as he could towards the spot, and soon came to a miserable-looking little +cottage. As he drew near he saw that it was in a tumble-down condition, the +bamboo fence was broken and weeds and grass pushed their way through the gaps. +The paper screens which serve as windows and doors in Japan were full of holes, +and the posts of the house were bent with age and seemed scarcely able to +support the old thatched roof. The hut was open, and by the light of an old +lantern an old woman sat industriously spinning. +</p> + +<p> +The pilgrim called to her across the bamboo fence and said: +</p> + +<p> +“O Baa San (old woman), good evening! I am a traveler! Please excuse me, +but I have lost my way and do not know what to do, for I have nowhere to rest +to-night. I beg you to be good enough to let me spend the night under your +roof.” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman as soon as she heard herself spoken to stopped spinning, rose +from her seat and approached the intruder. +</p> + +<p> +“I am very sorry for you. You must indeed be distressed to have lost your +way in such a lonely spot so late at night. Unfortunately I cannot put you up, +for I have no bed to offer you, and no accommodation whatsoever for a guest in +this poor place!” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, that does not matter,” said the priest; “all I want is a +shelter under some roof for the night, and if you will be good enough just to +let me lie on the kitchen floor I shall be grateful. I am too tired to walk +further to-night, so I hope you will not refuse me, otherwise I shall have to +sleep out on the cold plain.” And in this way he pressed the old woman to +let him stay. +</p> + +<p> +She seemed very reluctant, but at last she said: +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, I will let you stay here. I can offer you a very poor welcome +only, but come in now and I will make a fire, for the night is cold.” +</p> + +<p> +The pilgrim was only too glad to do as he was told. He took off his sandals and +entered the hut. The old woman then brought some sticks of wood and lit the +fire, and bade her guest draw near and warm himself. +</p> + +<p> +“You must be hungry after your long tramp,” said the old woman. +“I will go and cook some supper for you.” She then went to the +kitchen to cook some rice. +</p> + +<p> +After the priest had finished his supper the old woman sat down by the +fire-place, and they talked together for a long time. The pilgrim thought to +himself that he had been very lucky to come across such a kind, hospitable old +woman. At last the wood gave out, and as the fire died slowly down he began to +shiver with cold just as he had done when he arrived. +</p> + +<p> +“I see you are cold,” said the old woman; “I will go out and +gather some wood, for we have used it all. You must stay and take care of the +house while I am gone.” +</p> + +<p> +“No, no,” said the pilgrim, “let me go instead, for you are +old, and I cannot think of letting you go out to get wood for me this cold +night!” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman shook her head and said: +</p> + +<p> +“You must stay quietly here, for you are my guest.” Then she left +him and went out. +</p> + +<p> +In a minute she came back and said: +</p> + +<p> +“You must sit where you are and not move, and whatever happens +don’t go near or look into the inner room. Now mind what I tell +you!” +</p> + +<p> +“If you tell me not to go near the back room, of course I +won’t,” said the priest, rather bewildered. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman then went out again, and the priest was left alone. The fire had +died out, and the only light in the hut was that of a dim lantern. For the +first time that night he began to feel that he was in a weird place, and the +old woman’s words, “Whatever you do don’t peep into the back +room,” aroused his curiosity and his fear. +</p> + +<p> +What hidden thing could be in that room that she did not wish him to see? For +some time the remembrance of his promise to the old woman kept him still, but +at last he could no longer resist his curiosity to peep into the forbidden +place. +</p> + +<p> +He got up and began to move slowly towards the back room. Then the thought that +the old woman would be very angry with him if he disobeyed her made him come +back to his place by the fireside. +</p> + +<p> +As the minutes went slowly by and the old woman did not return, he began to +feel more and more frightened, and to wonder what dreadful secret was in the +room behind him. He must find out. +</p> + +<p> +“She will not know that I have looked unless I tell her. I will just have +a peep before she comes back,” said the man to himself. +</p> + +<p> +With these words he got up on his feet (for he had been sitting all this time +in Japanese fashion with his feet under him) and stealthily crept towards the +forbidden spot. With trembling hands he pushed back the sliding door and looked +in. What he saw froze the blood in his veins. The room was full of dead +men’s bones and the walls were splashed and the floor was covered with +human blood. In one corner skull upon skull rose to the ceiling, in another was +a heap of arm bones, in another a heap of leg bones. The sickening smell made +him faint. He fell backwards with horror, and for some time lay in a heap with +fright on the floor, a pitiful sight. He trembled all over and his teeth +chattered, and he could hardly crawl away from the dreadful spot. +</p> + +<p> +“How horrible!” he cried out. “What awful den have I come to +in my travels? May Buddha help me or I am lost. Is it possible that that kind +old woman is really the cannibal goblin? When she comes back she will show +herself in her true character and eat me up at one mouthful!” +</p> + +<p> +With these words his strength came back to him and, snatching up his hat and +staff, he rushed out of the house as fast as his legs could carry him. Out into +the night he ran, his one thought to get as far as he could from the +goblin’s haunt. He had not gone far when he heard steps behind him and a +voice crying: “Stop! stop!” +</p> + +<p> +He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear. As he ran he heard the +steps behind him come nearer and nearer, and at last he recognized the old +woman’s voice which grew louder and louder as she came nearer. +</p> + +<p> +“Stop! stop, you wicked man, why did you look into the forbidden +room?” +</p> + +<p> +The priest quite forgot how tired he was and his feet flew over the ground +faster than ever. Fear gave him strength, for he knew that if the goblin caught +him he would soon be one of her victims. With all his heart he repeated the +prayer to Buddha: +</p> + +<p> +“Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu.” +</p> + +<p> +And after him rushed the dreadful old hag, her hair flying in the wind, and her +face changing with rage into the demon that she was. In her hand she carried a +large blood-stained knife, and she still shrieked after him, “Stop! +stop!” +</p> + +<p> +At last, when the priest felt he could run no more, the dawn broke, and with +the darkness of night the goblin vanished and he was safe. The priest now knew +that he had met the Goblin of Adachigahara, the story of whom he had often +heard but never believed to be true. He felt that he owed his wonderful escape +to the protection of Buddha to whom he had prayed for help, so he took out his +rosary and bowing his head as the sun rose he said his prayers and made his +thanksgiving earnestly. He then set forward for another part of the country, +only too glad to leave the haunted plain behind him. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a traveling +monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey and showing off the +animal’s tricks. +</p> + +<p> +One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to send +for the butcher the next morning. +</p> + +<p> +The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband: +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?” +</p> + +<p> +“It’s no use taking that monkey round any longer, he’s too +old and forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he +won’t dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what +money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done.” +</p> + +<p> +The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for her +husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in vain, the man was +determined to sell him to the butcher. +</p> + +<p> +Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard every word of the +conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said to +himself: +</p> + +<p> +“Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for +years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and in peace, he +is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body is to be roasted +and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah! a bright thought has +struck me! There is, I know, a wild boar living in the forest near by. I have +often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I go to him and tell him the strait +I am in he will give me his counsel. I will go and try.” +</p> + +<p> +There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran as +quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar was at home, and +the monkey began his tale of woe at once. +</p> + +<p> +“Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great +trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of my master, +and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me to the butcher. +What do you advise me to do? I know how clever you are!” +</p> + +<p> +The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the monkey. He +thought for a little while and then said: +</p> + +<p> +“Hasn’t your master a baby?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes,” said the monkey, “he has one infant son.” +</p> + +<p> +“Doesn’t it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress +begins the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my +opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it.” +</p> + +<p> +“What then?” said the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master and +mistress know what to do, you must run after me and rescue the child and take +it home safely to its parents, and you will see that when the butcher comes +they won’t have the heart to sell you.” +</p> + +<p> +The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not sleep +much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the morrow. His life +depended on whether the boar’s plan succeeded or not. He was the first +up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to him a very long time +before his master’s wife began to move about and open the shutters to let +in the light of day. Then all happened as the boar had planned. The mother +placed her child near the porch as usual while she tidied up the house and got +her breakfast ready. +</p> + +<p> +The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the mats at +the play of light and shadow. Suddenly there was a noise in the porch and a +loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the kitchen to the spot, only +just in time to see the boar disappearing through the gate with her child in +its clutch. She flung out her hands with a loud cry of despair and rushed into +the inner room where her husband was still sleeping soundly. +</p> + +<p> +He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his wife was +making all that noise about. By the time that the man was alive to what had +happened, and they both got outside the gate, the boar had got well away, but +they saw the monkey running after the thief as hard as his legs would carry +him. +</p> + +<p> +Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of the +sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the faithful monkey +brought the child safely back to their arms. +</p> + +<p> +“There!” said the wife. “This is the animal you want to +kill—if the monkey hadn’t been here we should have lost our child +forever.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are right, wife, for once,” said the man as he carried the +child into the house. “You may send the butcher back when he comes, and +now give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too.” +</p> + +<p> +When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some boar’s +meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and lived the rest of +his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him again. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago Japan was governed by Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto (or +Augustness) in descent from the illustrious Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. He was +not only as handsome as his ancestress was beautiful, but he was also very +strong and brave, and was famous for being the greatest hunter in the land. +Because of his matchless skill as a hunter, he was called +“Yama-sachi-hiko” or “The Happy Hunter of the +Mountains.” +</p> + +<p> +His elder brother was a very skillful fisher, and as he far surpassed all +rivals in fishing, he was named “Umi-sachi-hiko” or the +“Skillful Fisher of the Sea.” The brothers thus led happy lives, +thoroughly enjoying their respective occupations, and the days passed quickly +and pleasantly while each pursued his own way, the one hunting and the other +fishing. +</p> + +<p> +One day the Happy Hunter came to his brother, the Skillful Fisher, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Well, my brother, I see you go to the sea every day with your fishing +rod in your hand, and when you return you come laden with fish. And as for me, +it is my pleasure to take my bow and arrow and to hunt the wild animals up the +mountains and down in the valleys. For a long time we have each followed our +favorite occupation, so that now we must both be tired, you of your fishing and +I of my hunting. Would it not be wise for us to make a change? Will you try +hunting in the mountains and I will go and fish in the sea?” +</p> + +<p> +The Skillful Fisher listened in silence to his brother, and for a moment was +thoughtful, but at last he answered: +</p> + +<p> +“O yes, why not? Your idea is not a bad one at all. Give me your bow and +arrow and I will set out at once for the mountains and hunt for game.” +</p> + +<p> +So the matter was settled by this talk, and the two brothers each started out +to try the other’s occupation, little dreaming of all that would happen. +It was very unwise of them, for the Happy Hunter knew nothing of fishing, and +the Skillful Fisher, who was bad tempered, knew as much about hunting. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter took his brother’s much-prized fishing hook and rod and +went down to the seashore and sat down on the rocks. He baited his hook and +then threw it into the sea clumsily. He sat and gazed at the little float +bobbing up and down in the water, and longed for a good fish to come and be +caught. Every time the buoy moved a little he pulled up his rod, but there was +never a fish at the end of it, only the hook and the bait. If he had known how +to fish properly, he would have been able to catch plenty of fish, but although +he was the greatest hunter in the land he could not help being the most +bungling fisher. +</p> + +<p> +The whole day passed in this way, while he sat on the rocks holding the fishing +rod and waiting in vain for his luck to turn. At last the day began to darken, +and the evening came; still he had caught not a single fish. Drawing up his +line for the last time before going home, he found that he had lost his hook +without even knowing when he had dropped it. +</p> + +<p> +He now began to feel extremely anxious, for he knew that his brother would be +angry at his having lost his hook, for, it being his only one, he valued it +above all other things. The Happy Hunter now set to work to look among the +rocks and on the sand for the lost hook, and while he was searching to and fro, +his brother, the Skillful Fisher, arrived on the scene. He had failed to find +any game while hunting that day, and was not only in a bad temper, but looked +fearfully cross. When he saw the Happy Hunter searching about on the shore he +knew that something must have gone wrong, so he said at once: +</p> + +<p> +“What are you doing, my brother?” +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter went forward timidly, for he feared his brother’s anger, +and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, my brother, I have indeed done badly.” +</p> + +<p> +“What is the matter?—what have you done?” asked the elder +brother impatiently. +</p> + +<p> +“I have lost your precious fishing hook—” +</p> + +<p> +While he was still speaking his brother stopped him, and cried out fiercely: +</p> + +<p> +“Lost my hook! It is just what I expected. For this reason, when you +first proposed your plan of changing over our occupations I was really against +it, but you seemed to wish it so much that I gave in and allowed you to do as +you wished. The mistake of our trying unfamiliar tasks is soon seen! And you +have done badly. I will not return you your bow and arrow till you have found +my hook. Look to it that you find it and return it to me quickly.” +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter felt that he was to blame for all that had come to pass, and +bore his brother’s scornful scolding with humility and patience. He +hunted everywhere for the hook most diligently, but it was nowhere to be found. +He was at last obliged to give up all hope of finding it. He then went home, +and in desperation broke his beloved sword into pieces and made five hundred +hooks out of it. +</p> + +<p> +He took these to his angry brother and offered them to him, asking his +forgiveness, and begging him to accept them in the place of the one he had lost +for him. It was useless; his brother would not listen to him, much less grant +his request. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter then made another five hundred hooks, and again took them to +his brother, beseeching him to pardon him. +</p> + +<p> +“Though you make a million hooks,” said the Skillful Fisher, +shaking his head, “they are of no use to me. I cannot forgive you unless +you bring me back my own hook.” +</p> + +<p> +Nothing would appease the anger of the Skillful Fisher, for he had a bad +disposition, and had always hated his brother because of his virtues, and now +with the excuse of the lost fishing hook he planned to kill him and to usurp +his place as ruler of Japan. The Happy Hunter knew all this full well, but he +could say nothing, for being the younger he owed his elder brother obedience; +so he returned to the seashore and once more began to look for the missing +hook. He was much cast down, for he had lost all hope of ever finding his +brother’s hook now. While he stood on the beach, lost in perplexity and +wondering what he had best do next, an old man suddenly appeared carrying a +stick in his hand. The Happy Hunter afterwards remembered that he did not see +from whence the old man came, neither did he know how he was there—he +happened to look up and saw the old man coming towards him. +</p> + +<p> +“You are Hohodemi, the Augustness, sometimes called the Happy Hunter, are +you not?” asked the old man. “What are you doing alone in such a +place?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I am he,” answered the unhappy young man. +“Unfortunately, while fishing I lost my brother’s precious fishing +hook. I have hunted this shore all over, but alas! I cannot find it, and I am +very troubled, for my brother won’t forgive me till I restore it to him. +But who are you?” +</p> + +<p> +“My name is Shiwozuchino Okina, and I live near by on this shore. I am +sorry to hear what misfortune has befallen you. You must indeed be anxious. But +if I tell you what I think, the hook is nowhere here—it is either at the +bottom of the sea or in the body of some fish who has swallowed it, and for +this reason, though you spend your whole life in looking for it here, you will +never find it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then what can I do?” asked the distressed man. +</p> + +<p> +“You had better go down to Ryn Gu and tell Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of +the Sea, what your trouble is and ask him to find the hook for you. I think +that would be the best way.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your idea is a splendid one,” said the Happy Hunter, “but I +fear I cannot get to the Sea King’s realm, for I have always heard that +it is situated at the bottom of the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, there will be no difficulty about your getting there,” said +the old man; “I can soon make something for you to ride on through the +sea.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you,” said the Happy Hunter, “I shall be very grateful +to you if you will be so kind.” +</p> + +<p> +The old man at once set to work, and soon made a basket and offered it to the +Happy Hunter. He received it with joy, and taking it to the water, mounted it, +and prepared to start. He bade good by to the kind old man who had helped him +so much, and told him that he would certainly reward him as soon as he found +his hook and could return to Japan without fear of his brother’s anger. +The old man pointed out the direction he must take, and told him how to reach +the realm of Ryn Gu, and watched him ride out to sea on the basket, which +resembled a small boat. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter made all the haste he could, riding on the basket which had +been given him by his friend. His queer boat seemed to go through the water of +its own accord, and the distance was much shorter than he had expected, for in +a few hours he caught sight of the gate and the roof of the Sea King’s +Palace. And what a large place it was, with its numberless sloping roofs and +gables, its huge gateways, and its gray stone walls! He soon landed, and +leaving his basket on the beach, he walked up to the large gateway. The pillars +of the gate were made of beautiful red coral, and the gate itself was adorned +with glittering gems of all kinds. Large katsura trees overshadowed it. Our +hero had often heard of the wonders of the Sea King’s Palace beneath the +sea, but all the stories he had ever heard fell short of the reality which he +now saw for the first time. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter would have liked to enter the gate there and then, but he saw +that it was fast closed, and also that there was no one about whom he could ask +to open it for him, so he stopped to think what he should do. In the shade of +the trees before the gate he noticed a well full of fresh spring water. Surely +some one would come out to draw water from the well some time, he thought. Then +he climbed into the tree overhanging the well, and seated himself to rest on +one of the branches, and waited for what might happen. Ere long he saw the huge +gate swing open, and two beautiful women came out. Now the Mikoto (Augustness) +had always heard that Ryn Gu was the realm of the Dragon King under the Sea, +and had naturally supposed that the place was inhabited by dragons and similar +terrible creatures, so that when he saw these two lovely princesses, whose +beauty would be rare even in the world from which he had just come, he was +exceedingly surprised, and wondered what it could mean. +</p> + +<p> +He said not a word, however, but silently gazed at them through the foliage of +the trees, waiting to see what they would do. He saw that in their hands they +carried golden buckets. Slowly and gracefully in their trailing garments they +approached the well, standing in the shade of the katsura trees, and were about +to draw water, all unknowing of the stranger who was watching them, for the +Happy Hunter was quite hidden among the branches of the tree where he had +posted himself. +</p> + +<p> +As the two ladies leaned over the side of the well to let down their golden +buckets, which they did every day in the year, they saw reflected in the deep +still water the face of a handsome youth gazing at them from amidst the +branches of the tree in whose shade they stood. Never before had they seen the +face of mortal man; they were frightened, and drew back quickly with their +golden buckets in their hands. Their curiosity, however, soon gave them +courage, and they glanced timidly upwards to see the cause of the unusual +reflection, and then they beheld the Happy Hunter sitting in the tree looking +down at them with surprise and admiration. They gazed at him face to face, but +their tongues were still with wonder and could not find a word to say to him. +</p> + +<p> +When the Mikoto saw that he was discovered, he sprang down lightly from the +tree and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am a traveler, and as I was very thirsty I came to the well in the +hopes of quenching my thirst, but I could find no bucket with which to draw the +water. So I climbed into the tree, much vexed, and waited for some one to come. +Just at that moment, while I was thirstily and impatiently waiting, you noble +ladies appeared, as if in answer to my great need. Therefore I pray you of your +mercy give me some water to drink, for I am a thirsty traveler in a strange +land.” +</p> + +<p> +His dignity and graciousness overruled their timidity, and bowing in silence +they both once more approached the well, and letting down their golden buckets +drew up some water and poured it into a jeweled cup and offered it to the +stranger. +</p> + +<p> +He received it from them with both hands, raising it to the height of his +forehead in token of high respect and pleasure, and then drank the water +quickly, for his thirst was great. When he had finished his long draught he set +the cup down on the edge of the well, and drawing his short sword he cut off +one of the strange curved jewels (magatama), a necklace of which hung round his +neck and fell over his breast. He placed the jewel in the cup and returned it +to them, and said, bowing deeply: +</p> + +<p> +“This is a token of my thanks!” +</p> + +<p> +The two ladies took the cup, and looking into it to see what he had put +inside—for they did not yet know what it was—they gave a start of +surprise, for there lay a beautiful gem at the bottom of the cup. +</p> + +<p> +“No ordinary mortal would give away a jewel so freely. Will you not honor +us by telling us who you are?” said the elder damsel. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly,” said the Happy Hunter, “I am Hohodemi, the +fourth Mikoto, also called in Japan, the Happy Hunter.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you indeed Hohodemi, the grandson of Amaterasu, the Sun +Goddess?” asked the damsel who had spoken first. “I am the eldest +daughter of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, and my name is Princess +Tayotama.” +</p> + +<p> +“And,” said the younger maiden, who at last found her tongue, +“I am her sister, the Princess Tamayori.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you indeed the daughters of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea? I cannot +tell you how glad I am to meet you,” said the Happy Hunter. And without +waiting for them to reply he went on: +</p> + +<p> +“The other day I went fishing with my brother’s hook and dropped +it, how, I am sure I can’t tell. As my brother prizes his fishing hook +above all his other possessions, this is the greatest calamity that could have +befallen me. Unless I find it again I can never hope to win my brother’s +forgiveness, for he is very angry at what I have done. I have searched for it +many, many times, but I cannot find it, therefore I am much troubled. While I +was hunting for the hook, in great distress, I met a wise old man, and he told +me that the best thing I could do was to come to Ryn Gu, and to Ryn Jin, the +Dragon King of the Sea, and ask him to help me. This kind old man also showed +me how to come. Now you know how it is I am here and why. I want to ask Ryn +Jin, if he knows where the lost hook is. Will you be so kind as to take me to +your father? And do you think he will see me?” asked the Happy Hunter +anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +Princess Tayotama listened to this long story, and then said: +</p> + +<p> +“Not only is it easy for you to see my father, but he will be much +pleased to meet you. I am sure he will say that good fortune has befallen him, +that so great and noble a man as you, the grandson of Amaterasu, should come +down to the bottom of the sea.” And then turning to her younger sister, +she said: +</p> + +<p> +“Do you not think so, Tamayori?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, indeed,” answered the Princess Tamayori, in her sweet voice. +“As you say, we can know no greater honor than to welcome the Mikoto to +our home.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then I ask you to be so kind as to lead the way,” said the Happy +Hunter. +</p> + +<p> +“Condescend to enter, Mikoto (Augustness),” said both the sisters, +and bowing low, they led him through the gate. +</p> + +<p> +The younger Princess left her sister to take charge of the Happy Hunter, and +going faster than they, she reached the Sea King’s Palace first, and +running quickly to her father’s room, she told him of all that had +happened to them at the gate, and that her sister was even now bringing the +Augustness to him. The Dragon King of the Sea was much surprised at the news, +for it was but seldom, perhaps only once in several hundred years, that the Sea +King’s Palace was visited by mortals. +</p> + +<p> +Ryn Jin at once clapped his hands and summoned all his courtiers and the +servants of the Palace, and the chief fish of the sea together, and solemnly +told them that the grandson of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, was coming to the +Palace, and that they must be very ceremonious and polite in serving the august +visitor. He then ordered them all to the entrance of the Palace to welcome the +Happy Hunter. +</p> + +<p> +Ryn Jin then dressed himself in his robes of ceremony, and went out to welcome +him. In a few moments the Princess Tayotama and the Happy Hunter reached the +entrance, and the Sea King and his wife bowed to the ground and thanked him for +the honor he did them in coming to see them. The Sea King then led the Happy +Hunter to the guest room, and placing him in the uppermost seat, he bowed +respectfully before him, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea, and this is my wife. +Condescend to remember us forever!” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you indeed Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, of whom I have so often +heard?” answered the Happy Hunter, saluting his host most ceremoniously. +“I must apologize for all the trouble I am giving you by my unexpected +visit.” And he bowed again, and thanked the Sea King. +</p> + +<p> +“You need not thank me,” said Ryn Jin. “It is I who must +thank you for coming. Although the Sea Palace is a poor place, as you see, I +shall be highly honored if you will make us a long visit.” +</p> + +<p> +There was much gladness between the Sea King and the Happy Hunter, and they sat +and talked for a long time. At last the Sea King clapped his hands, and then a +huge retinue of fishes appeared, all robed in ceremonial garments, and bearing +in their fins various trays on which all kinds of sea delicacies were served. A +great feast was now spread before the King and his Royal guest. All the +fishes-in-waiting were chosen from amongst the finest fish in the sea, so you +can imagine what a wonderful array of sea creatures it was that waited upon the +Happy Hunter that day. All in the Palace tried to do their best to please him +and to show him that he was a much honored guest. During the long repast, which +lasted for hours, Ryn Jin commanded his daughters to play some music, and the +two Princesses came in and performed on the KOTO (the Japanese harp), and sang +and danced in turns. The time passed so pleasantly that the Happy Hunter seemed +to forget his trouble and why he had come at all to the Sea King’s Realm, +and he gave himself up to the enjoyment of this wonderful place, the land of +fairy fishes! Who has ever heard of such a marvelous place? But the Mikoto soon +remembered what had brought him to Ryn Gu, and said to his host: +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps your daughters have told you, King Ryn Jin, that I have come +here to try and recover my brother’s fishing hook, which I lost while +fishing the other day. May I ask you to be so kind as to inquire of all your +subjects if any of them have seen a fishing hook lost in the sea?” +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly,” said the obliging Sea King, “I will immediately +summon them all here and ask them.” +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he had issued his command, the octopus, the cuttlefish, the bonito, +the oxtail fish, the eel, the jelly fish, the shrimp, and the plaice, and many +other fishes of all kinds came in and sat down before Ryn Jin their King, and +arranged themselves and their fins in order. Then the Sea King said solemnly: +</p> + +<p> +“Our visitor who is sitting before you all is the august grandson of +Amaterasu. His name is Hohodemi, the fourth Augustness, and he is also called +the Happy Hunter of the Mountains. While he was fishing the other day upon the +shore of Japan, some one robbed him of his brother’s fishing hook. He has +come all this way down to the bottom of the sea to our Kingdom because he +thought that one of you fishes may have taken the hook from him in mischievous +play. If any of you have done so you must immediately return it, or if any of +you know who the thief is you must at once tell us his name and where he is +now.” +</p> + +<p> +All the fishes were taken by surprise when they heard these words, and could +say nothing for some time. They sat looking at each other and at the Dragon +King. At last the cuttlefish came forward and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I think the TAI (the red bream) must be the thief who has stolen the +hook!” +</p> + +<p> +“Where is your proof?” asked the King. +</p> + +<p> +“Since yesterday evening the TAI has not been able to eat anything, and +he seems to be suffering from a bad throat! For this reason I think the hook +may be in his throat. You had better send for him at once!” +</p> + +<p> +All the fish agreed to this, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“It is certainly strange that the TAI is the only fish who has not obeyed +your summons. Will you send for him and inquire into the matter. Then our +innocence will be proved.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” said the Sea King, “it is strange that the TAI has not +come, for he ought to be the first to be here. Send for him at once!” +</p> + +<p> +Without waiting for the King’s order the cuttlefish had already started +for the TAI’S dwelling, and he now returned, bringing the TAI with him. +He led him before the King. +</p> + +<p> +The TAI sat there looking frightened and ill. He certainly was in pain, for his +usually red face was pale, and his eyes were nearly closed and looked but half +their usual size. +</p> + +<p> +“Answer, O TAI!” cried the Sea King, “why did you not come in +answer to my summons today?” +</p> + +<p> +“I have been ill since yesterday,” answered the TAI; “that is +why I could not come.” +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t say another word!” cried out Ryn Jin angrily. +“Your illness is the punishment of the gods for stealing the +Mikoto’s hook.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is only too true!” said the TAI; “the hook is still in my +throat, and all my efforts to get it out have been useless. I can’t eat, +and I can scarcely breathe, and each moment I feel that it will choke me, and +sometimes it gives me great pain. I had no intention of stealing the +Mikoto’s hook. I heedlessly snapped at the bait which I saw in the water, +and the hook came off and stuck in my throat. So I hope you will pardon +me.” +</p> + +<p> +The cuttlefish now came forward, and said to the King: +</p> + +<p> +“What I said was right. You see the hook still sticks in the TAI’S +throat. I hope to be able to pull it out in the presence of the Mikoto, and +then we can return it to him safely!” +</p> + +<p> +“O please make haste and pull it out!” cried the TAI, pitifully, +for he felt the pains in his throat coming on again; “I do so want to +return the hook to the Mikoto.” +</p> + +<p> +“All right, TAI SAN,” said his friend the cuttlefish, and then +opening the TAI’S mouth as wide as he could and putting one of his +feelers down the TAI’S throat, he quickly and easily drew the hook out of +the sufferer’s large mouth. He then washed it and brought it to the King. +</p> + +<p> +Ryn Jin took the hook from his subject, and then respectfully returned it to +the Happy Hunter (the Mikoto or Augustness, the fishes called him), who was +overjoyed at getting back his hook. He thanked Ryn Jin many times, his face +beaming with gratitude, and said that he owed the happy ending of his quest to +the Sea King’s wise authority and kindness. +</p> + +<p> +Ryn Jin now desired to punish the TAI, but the Happy Hunter begged him not to +do so; since his lost hook was thus happily recovered he did not wish to make +more trouble for the poor TAI. It was indeed the TAI who had taken the hook, +but he had already suffered enough for his fault, if fault it could be called. +What had been done was done in heedlessness and not by intention. The Happy +Hunter said he blamed himself; if he had understood how to fish properly he +would never have lost his hook, and therefore all this trouble had been caused +in the first place by his trying to do something which he did not know how to +do. So he begged the Sea King to forgive his subject. +</p> + +<p> +Who could resist the pleading of so wise and compassionate a judge? Ryn Jin +forgave his subject at once at the request of his august guest. The TAI was so +glad that he shook his fins for joy, and he and all the other fish went out +from the presence of their King, praising the virtues of the Happy Hunter. +</p> + +<p> +Now that the hook was found the Happy Hunter had nothing to keep him in Ryn Gu, +and he was anxious to get back to his own kingdom and to make peace with his +angry brother, the Skillful Fisher; but the Sea King, who had learnt to love +him and would fain have kept him as a son, begged him not to go so soon, but to +make the Sea Palace his home as long as ever he liked. While the Happy Hunter +was still hesitating, the two lovely Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, came, +and with the sweetest of bows and voices joined with their father in pressing +him to stay, so that without seeming ungracious he could not say them +“Nay,” and was obliged to stay on for some time. +</p> + +<p> +Between the Sea Realm and the Earth there was no difference in the night of +time, and the Happy Hunter found that three years went fleeting quickly by in +this delightful land. The years pass swiftly when any one is truly happy. But +though the wonders of that enchanted land seemed to be new every day, and +though the Sea King’s kindness seemed rather to increase than to grow +less with time, the Happy Hunter grew more and more homesick as the days +passed, and he could not repress a great anxiety to know what had happened to +his home and his country and his brother while he had been away. +</p> + +<p> +So at last he went to the Sea King and said: +</p> + +<p> +“My stay with you here has been most happy and I am very grateful to you +for all your kindness to me, but I govern Japan, and, delightful as this place +is, I cannot absent myself forever from my country. I must also return the +fishing hook to my brother and ask his forgiveness for having deprived him of +it for so long. I am indeed very sorry to part from you, but this time it +cannot be helped. With your gracious permission, I will take my leave to-day. I +hope to make you another visit some day. Please give up the idea of my staying +longer now.” +</p> + +<p> +King Ryn Jin was overcome with sorrow at the thought that he must lose his +friend who had made a great diversion in the Palace of the Sea, and his tears +fell fast as he answered: +</p> + +<p> +“We are indeed very sorry to part with you, Mikoto, for we have enjoyed +your stay with us very much. You have been a noble and honored guest and we +have heartily made you welcome. I quite understand that as you govern Japan you +ought to be there and not here, and that it is vain for us to try and keep you +longer with us, much as we would like to have you stay. I hope you will not +forget us. Strange circumstances have brought us together and I trust the +friendship thus begun between the Land and the Sea will last and grow stronger +than it has ever been before.” +</p> + +<p> +When the Sea King had finished speaking he turned to his two daughters and bade +them bring him the two Tide-Jewels of the Sea. The two Princesses bowed low, +rose and glided out of the hall. In a few minutes they returned, each one +carrying in her hands a flashing gem which filled the room with light. As the +Happy Hunter looked at them he wondered what they could be. The Sea King took +them from his daughters and said to his guest: +</p> + +<p> +“These two valuable talismans we have inherited from our ancestors from +time immemorial. We now give them to you as a parting gift in token of our +great affection for you. These two gems are called the nanjiu and the +kanjiu.” +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter bowed low to the ground and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I can never thank you enough for all your kindness to me. And now will +you add one more favor to the rest and tell me what these jewels are and what I +am to do with them?” +</p> + +<p> +“The nanjiu,” answered the Sea King, “is also called the +Jewel of the Flood Tide, and whoever holds it in his possession can command the +sea to roll in and to flood the land at any time that he wills. The kanjiu is +also called the Jewel of the Ebbing Tide, and this gem controls the sea and the +waves thereof, and will cause even a tidal wave to recede.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Ryn Jin showed his friend how to use the talismans one by one and handed +them to him. The Happy Hunter was very glad to have these two wonderful gems, +the Jewel of the Flood Tide and the Jewel of the Ebbing Tide, to take back with +him, for he felt that they would preserve him in case of danger from enemies at +any time. After thanking his kind host again and again, he prepared to depart. +The Sea King and the two Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, and all the inmates +of the Palace, came out to say “Good-by,” and before the sound of +the last farewell had died away the Happy Hunter passed out from under the +gateway, past the well of happy memory standing in the shade of the great +KATSURA trees on his way to the beach. +</p> + +<p> +Here he found, instead of the queer basket on which he had come to the Realm of +Ryn Gu, a large crocodile waiting for him. Never had he seen such a huge +creature. It measured eight fathoms in length from the tip of its tail to the +end of its long mouth. The Sea King had ordered the monster to carry the Happy +Hunter back to Japan. Like the wonderful basket which Shiwozuchino Okina had +made, it could travel faster than any steamboat, and in this strange way, +riding on the back of a crocodile, the Happy Hunter returned to his own land. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as the crocodile landed him, the Happy Hunter hastened to tell the +Skillful Fisher of his safe return. He then gave him back the fishing hook +which had been found in the mouth of the TAI and which had been the cause of so +much trouble between them. He earnestly begged his brother’s forgiveness, +telling him all that had happened to him in the Sea King’s Palace and +what wonderful adventures had led to the finding of the hook. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Skillful Fisher had used the lost hook as an excuse for driving his +brother out of the country. When his brother had left him that day three years +ago, and had not returned, he had been very glad in his evil heart and had at +once usurped his brother’s place as ruler of the land, and had become +powerful and rich. Now in the midst of enjoying what did not belong to him, and +hoping that his brother might never return to claim his rights, quite +unexpectedly there stood the Happy Hunter before him. +</p> + +<p> +The Skillful Fisher feigned forgiveness, for he could make no more excuses for +sending his brother away again, but in his heart he was very angry and hated +his brother more and more, till at last he could no longer bear the sight of +him day after day, and planned and watched for an opportunity to kill him. +</p> + +<p> +One day when the Happy Hunter was walking in the rice fields his brother +followed him with a dagger. The Happy Hunter knew that his brother was +following him to kill him, and he felt that now, in this hour of great danger, +was the time to use the Jewels of the Flow and Ebb of the Tide and prove +whether what the Sea King had told him was true or not. +</p> + +<p> +So he took out the Jewel of the Flood Tide from the bosom of his dress and +raised it to his forehead. Instantly over the fields and over the farms the sea +came rolling in wave upon wave till it reached the spot where his brother was +standing. The Skillful Fisher stood amazed and terrified to see what was +happening. In another minute he was struggling in the water and calling on his +brother to save him from drowning. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter had a kind heart and could not bear the sight of his +brother’s distress. He at once put back the Jewel of the Flood Tide and +took out the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. No sooner did he hold it up as high as his +forehead than the sea ran back and back, and ere long the tossing rolling +floods had vanished, and the farms and fields and dry land appeared as before. +</p> + +<p> +The Skillful Fisher was very frightened at the peril of death in which he had +stood, and was greatly impressed by the wonderful things he had seen his +brother do. He learned now that he was making a fatal mistake to set himself +against his brother, younger than he thought he was, for he now had become so +powerful that the sea would flow in and the tide ebb at his word of command. So +he humbled himself before the Happy Hunter and asked him to forgive him all the +wrong he had done him. The Skillful Fisher promised to restore his brother to +his rights and also swore that though the Happy Hunter was the younger brother +and owed him allegiance by right of birth, that he, the Skillful Fisher, would +exalt him as his superior and bow before him as Lord of all Japan. +</p> + +<p> +Then the Happy Hunter said that he would forgive his brother if he would throw +into the receding tide all his evil ways. The Skillful Fisher promised and +there was peace between the two brothers. From this time he kept his word and +became a good man and a kind brother. +</p> + +<p> +The Happy Hunter now ruled his Kingdom without being disturbed by family +strife, and there was peace in Japan for a long, long time. Above all the +treasures in his house he prized the wonderful Jewels of the Flow and Ebb of +the Tide which had been given him by Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea. +</p> + +<p> +This is the congratulatory ending of the Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported themselves by +cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been a very happy and peaceful +one save for one great sorrow, and this was they had no child. Their only pet +was a dog named Shiro, and on him they lavished all the affection of their old +age. Indeed, they loved him so much that whenever they had anything nice to eat +they denied themselves to give it to Shiro. Now Shiro means +“white,” and he was so called because of his color. He was a real +Japanese dog, and very like a small wolf in appearance. +</p> + +<p> +The happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was when the man +returned from his work in the field, and having finished his frugal supper of +rice and vegetables, would take what he had saved from the meal out to the +little veranda that ran round the cottage. Sure enough, Shiro was waiting for +his master and the evening tit-bit. Then the old man said “Chin, +chin!” and Shiro sat up and begged, and his master gave him the food. +Next door to this good old couple there lived another old man and his wife who +were both wicked and cruel, and who hated their good neighbors and the dog +Shiro with all their might. Whenever Shiro happened to look into their kitchen +they at once kicked him or threw something at him, sometimes even wounding him. +</p> + +<p> +One day Shiro was heard barking for a long time in the field at the back of his +master’s house. The old man, thinking that perhaps some birds were +attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the matter. As soon as Shiro +saw his master he ran to meet him, wagging his tail, and, seizing the end of +his kimono, dragged him under a large yenoki tree. Here he began to dig very +industriously with his paws, yelping with joy all the time. The old man, unable +to understand what it all meant, stood looking on in bewilderment. But Shiro +went on barking and digging with all his might. +</p> + +<p> +The thought that something might be hidden beneath the tree, and that the dog +had scented it, at last struck the old man. He ran back to the house, fetched +his spade and began to dig the ground at that spot. What was his astonishment +when, after digging for some time, he came upon a heap of old and valuable +coins, and the deeper he dug the more gold coins did he find. So intent was the +old man on his work that he never saw the cross face of his neighbor peering at +him through the bamboo hedge. At last all the gold coins lay shining on the +ground. Shiro sat by erect with pride and looking fondly at his master as if to +say, “You see, though only a dog, I can make some return for all the +kindness you show me.” +</p> + +<p> +The old man ran in to call his wife, and together they carried home the +treasure. Thus in one day the poor old man became rich. His gratitude to the +faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved and petted him more than ever, if +that were possible. +</p> + +<p> +The cross old neighbor, attracted by Shiro’s barking, had been an unseen +and envious witness of the finding of the treasure. He began to think that he, +too, would like to find a fortune. So a few days later he called at the old +man’s house and very ceremoniously asked permission to borrow Shiro for a +short time. +</p> + +<p> +Shiro’s master thought this a strange request, because he knew quite well +that not only did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that he never lost an +opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever the dog crossed his path. +But the good old man was too kind-hearted to refuse his neighbor, so he +consented to lend the dog on condition that he should be taken great care of. +</p> + +<p> +The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on his face, and +told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty intentions. He then took his +spade and hastened to his own field, forcing the unwilling Shiro to follow him. +As soon as he reached a yenoki tree, he said to the dog, threateningly: +</p> + +<p> +“If there were gold coins under your master’s tree, there must also +be gold coins under my tree. You must find them for me! Where are they? Where? +Where?” +</p> + +<p> +And catching hold of Shiro’s neck he held the dog’s head to the +ground, so that Shiro began to scratch and dig in order to free himself from +the horrid old man’s grasp. +</p> + +<p> +The old man was very pleased when he saw the dog begin to scratch and dig, for +he at once supposed that some gold coins lay buried under his tree as well as +under his neighbor’s, and that the dog had scented them as before; so +pushing Shiro away he began to dig himself, but there was nothing to be found. +As he went on digging a foul smell was noticeable, and he at last came upon a +refuse heap. +</p> + +<p> +The old man’s disgust can be imagined. This soon gave way to anger. He +had seen his neighbor’s good fortune, and hoping for the same luck +himself, he had borrowed the dog Shiro; and now, just as he seemed on the point +of finding what he sought, only a horrid smelling refuse heap had rewarded him +for a morning’s digging. Instead of blaming his own greed for his +disappointment, he blamed the poor dog. He seized his spade, and with all his +strength struck Shiro and killed him on the spot. He then threw the dog’s +body into the hole which he had dug in the hope of finding a treasure of gold +coins, and covered it over with the earth. Then he returned to the house, +telling no one, not even his wife, what he had done. +</p> + +<p> +After waiting several days, as the dog Shiro did not return, his master began +to grow anxious. Day after day went by and the good old man waited in vain. +Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give him back his dog. Without +any shame or hesitation, the wicked neighbor answered that he had killed Shiro +because of his bad behavior. At this dreadful news Shiro’s master wept +many sad and bitter tears. Great indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too +good and gentle to reproach his bad neighbor. Learning that Shiro was buried +under the yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to give him the tree, +in remembrance of his poor dog Shiro. +</p> + +<p> +Even the cross old neighbor could not refuse such a simple request, so he +consented to give the old man the tree under which Shiro lay buried. +Shiro’s master then cut the tree down and carried it home. Out of the +trunk he made a mortar. In this his wife put some rice, and he began to pound +it with the intention of making a festival to the memory of his dog Shiro. +</p> + +<p> +A strange thing happened! His wife put the rice into the mortar, and no sooner +had he begun to pound it to make the cakes, than it began to increase in +quantity gradually till it was about five times the original amount, and the +cakes were turned out of the mortar as if an invisible hand were at work. +</p> + +<p> +When the old man and his wife saw this, they understood that it was a reward to +them from Shiro for their faithful love to him. They tasted the cakes and found +them nicer than any other food. So from this time they never troubled about +food, for they lived upon the cakes with which the mortar never ceased to +supply them. +</p> + +<p> +The greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of good luck, was filled with +envy as before, and called on the old man and asked leave to borrow the +wonderful mortar for a short time, pretending that he, too, sorrowed for the +death of Shiro, and wished to make cakes for a festival to the dog’s +memory. +</p> + +<p> +The old man did not in the least wish to lend it to his cruel neighbor, but he +was too kind to refuse. So the envious man carried home the mortar, but he +never brought it back. +</p> + +<p> +Several days passed, and Shiro’s master waited in vain for the mortar, so +he went to call on the borrower, and asked him to be good enough to return the +mortar if he had finished with it. He found him sitting by a big fire made of +pieces of wood. On the ground lay what looked very much like pieces of a broken +mortar. In answer to the old man’s inquiry, the wicked neighbor answered +haughtily: +</p> + +<p> +“Have you come to ask me for your mortar? I broke it to pieces, and now I +am making a fire of the wood, for when I tried to pound cakes in it only some +horrid smelling stuff came out.” +</p> + +<p> +The good old man said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am very sorry for that. It is a great pity you did not ask me for the +cakes if you wanted them. I would have given you as many as ever you wanted. +Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to keep them in +remembrance of my dog.” +</p> + +<p> +The neighbor consented at once, and the old man carried home a basket full of +ashes. +</p> + +<p> +Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of the ashes made +by the burning of the mortar on the trees of his garden. A wonderful thing +happened! +</p> + +<p> +It was late in autumn and all the trees had shed their leaves, but no sooner +did the ashes touch their branches than the cherry trees, the plum trees, and +all other blossoming shrubs burst into bloom, so that the old man’s +garden was suddenly transformed into a beautiful picture of spring. The old +man’s delight knew no bounds, and he carefully preserved the remaining +ashes. +</p> + +<p> +The story of the old man’s garden spread far and wide, and people from +far and near came to see the wonderful sight. +</p> + +<p> +One day, soon after this, the old man heard some one knocking at his door, and +going to the porch to see who it was he was surprised to see a Knight standing +there. This Knight told him that he was a retainer of a great Daimio (Earl); +that one of the favorite cherry trees in this nobleman’s garden had +withered, and that though every one in his service had tried all manner of +means to revive it, none took effect. The Knight was sore perplexed when he saw +what great displeasure the loss of his favorite cherry tree caused the Daimio. +At this point, fortunately, they had heard that there was a wonderful old man +who could make withered trees to blossom, and that his Lord had sent him to ask +the old man to come to him. +</p> + +<p> +“And,” added the Knight, “I shall be very much obliged if you +will come at once.” +</p> + +<p> +The good old man was greatly surprised at what he heard, but respectfully +followed the Knight to the nobleman’s Palace. +</p> + +<p> +The Daimio, who had been impatiently awaiting the old man’s coming, as +soon as he saw him asked him at once: +</p> + +<p> +“Are you the old man who can make withered trees flower even out of +season?” +</p> + +<p> +The old man made an obeisance, and replied: +</p> + +<p> +“I am that old man!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the Daimio said: +</p> + +<p> +“You must make that dead cherry tree in my garden blossom again by means +of your famous ashes. I shall look on.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they all went into the garden—the Daimio and his retainers and the +ladies-in waiting, who carried the Daimio’s sword. +</p> + +<p> +The old man now tucked up his kimono and made ready to climb the tree. Saying +“Excuse me,” he took the pot of ashes which he had brought with +him, and began to climb the tree, every one watching his movements with great +interest. +</p> + +<p> +At last he climbed to the spot where the tree divided into two great branches, +and taking up his position here, the old man sat down and scattered the ashes +right and left all over the branches and twigs. +</p> + +<p> +Wonderful, indeed, was the result! The withered tree at once burst into full +bloom! The Daimio was so transported with joy that he looked as if he would go +mad. He rose to his feet and spread out his fan, calling the old man down from +the tree. He himself gave the old man a wine cup filled with the best SAKE, and +rewarded him with much silver and gold and many other precious things. The +Daimio ordered that henceforth the old man should call himself by the name of +Hana-Saka-Jijii, or “The Old Man who makes the Trees to Blossom,” +and that henceforth all were to recognize him by this name, and he sent him +home with great honor. +</p> + +<p> +The wicked neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man’s fortune, and +of all that had so auspiciously befallen him, and he could not suppress all the +envy and jealousy that filled his heart. He called to mind how he had failed in +his attempt to find the gold coins, and then in making the magic cakes; this +time surely he must succeed if he imitated the old man, who made withered trees +to flower simply by sprinkling ashes on them. This would be the simplest task +of all. +</p> + +<p> +So he set to work and gathered together all the ashes which remained in the +fire-place from the burning of the wonderful mortar. Then he set out in the +hope of finding some great man to employ him, calling out loudly as he went +along: +</p> + +<p> +“Here comes the wonderful man who can make withered trees blossom! Here +comes the old man who can make dead trees blossom!” +</p> + +<p> +The Daimio in his Palace heard this cry, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“That must be the Hana-Saka-Jijii passing. I have nothing to do to-day. +Let him try his art again; it will amuse me to look on.” +</p> + +<p> +So the retainers went out and brought in the impostor before their Lord. The +satisfaction of false old man can now be imagined. +</p> + +<p> +But the Daimio looking at him, thought it strange that he was not at all like +the old man he had seen before, so he asked him: +</p> + +<p> +“Are you the man whom I named Hana-Saka-Jijii?” +</p> + +<p> +And the envious neighbor answered with a lie: +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, my Lord!” +</p> + +<p> +“That is strange!” said the Daimio. “I thought there was only +one Hana-Saka-Jijii in the world! Has he now some disciples?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am the true Hana-Saka-Jijii. The one who came to you before was only +my disciple!” replied the old man again. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you must be more skillful than the other. Try what you can do and +let me see!” +</p> + +<p> +The envious neighbor, with the Daimio and his Court following, then went into +the garden, and approaching a dead tree, took out a handful of the ashes which +he carried with him, and scattered them over the tree. +</p> + +<p> +But not only did the tree not burst into flower, but not even a bud came forth. +Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man took handfuls and again +sprinkled them over the withered tree. But all to no effect. After trying +several times, the ashes were blown into the Daimio’s eyes. This made him +very angry, and he ordered his retainers to arrest the false Hana-Saka-Jijii at +once and put him in prison for an impostor. From this imprisonment the wicked +old man was never freed. Thus did he meet with punishment at last for all his +evil doings. +</p> + +<p> +The good old man, however, with the treasure of gold coins which Shiro had +found for him, and with all the gold and the silver which the Daimio had +showered on him, became a rich and prosperous man in his old age, and lived a +long and happy life, beloved and respected by all. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap15"></a>THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a +wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. His power +was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both great and small, +and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide. The Jewel +of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean caused the sea to recede from the +land, and the Jewel of the Flowing Tide made the waves to rise mountains high +and to flow in upon the shore like a tidal wave. +</p> + +<p> +The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so beautiful that +no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. The walls were of coral, +the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the floors were of the finest +mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, +his beautiful Palace and all its wonders, and his power which none disputed +throughout the whole sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last +he thought that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more +powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers +together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and +seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride. +</p> + +<p> +At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young dragon. +Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer beetles, her eyes +threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in gorgeous robes. All the +jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery adorned them. +</p> + +<p> +The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was celebrated +with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the great whales down +to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their congratulations to the +bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and prosperous life. Never had +there been such an assemblage or such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. +The train of bearers who carried the bride’s possessions to her new home +seemed to reach across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each +fish carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, +gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and +broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the +phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event. +</p> + +<p> +Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They loved +each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight in showing his +bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, and she was never +tired of wandering with him through its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to +them both like a long summer’s day. +</p> + +<p> +Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was +obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he saw his precious +bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to come and give her some +medicine. He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully and to +wait upon her with diligence, but in spite of all the nurses’ assiduous +care and the medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no +signs of recovery, but grew daily worse. +</p> + +<p> +Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not curing the +Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin’s evident displeasure, and +excused his want of skill by saying that although he knew the right kind of +medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible to find it in the sea. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you mean to tell me that you can’t get the medicine +here?” asked the Dragon King. +</p> + +<p> +“It is just as you say!” said the doctor. +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?” demanded Rin Jin. +</p> + +<p> +“I want the liver of a live monkey!” answered the doctor. +</p> + +<p> +“The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to +get,” said the King. +</p> + +<p> +“If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon +recover,” said the doctor. +</p> + +<p> +“Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where +are we most likely to find a monkey?” asked the King. +</p> + +<p> +Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south there was +a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived. +</p> + +<p> +“If only you could capture one of these monkeys?” said the doctor. +</p> + +<p> +“How can any of my people capture a monkey?” said the Dragon King, +greatly puzzled. “The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the +water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don’t see what we +can do!” +</p> + +<p> +“That has been my difficulty too,” said the doctor. “But +amongst your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore +for that express purpose!” +</p> + +<p> +“Something must be done,” said the King, and calling his chief +steward he consulted him on the matter. +</p> + +<p> +The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a sudden +thought, said joyfully: +</p> + +<p> +“I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is +certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on land with +his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island of Monkeys to +catch one.” +</p> + +<p> +The jelly fish was then summoned to the King’s presence, and was told by +His Majesty what was required of him. +</p> + +<p> +The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be +intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been to the +island in question, and as he had never had any experience in catching monkeys +he was afraid that he would not be able to get one. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the chief steward, “if you depend on your +strength or dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a +trick on one!” +</p> + +<p> +“How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don’t know how to do +it,” said the perplexed jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“This is what you must do,” said the wily chief steward. +“When you approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must +try to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the +Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon +King’s Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the grandeur +of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his curiosity and make +him long to see it all!” +</p> + +<p> +“But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don’t +swim?” said the reluctant jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you +can’t do that!” said the chief steward. +</p> + +<p> +“Won’t he be very heavy?” queried kurage again. +</p> + +<p> +“You mustn’t mind that, for you are working for the Dragon +King,” replied the chief steward. +</p> + +<p> +“I will do my best then,” said the jelly fish, and he swam away +from the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly he +reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient wave upon +the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big pine-tree with drooping +branches and on one of those branches was just what he was looking for—a +live monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m in luck!” thought the jelly fish. “Now I must +flatter the creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, +and my part will be done!” +</p> + +<p> +So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient days +the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. When he got to +the pine-tree he raised his voice and said: +</p> + +<p> +“How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn’t it a lovely day?” +</p> + +<p> +“A very fine day,” answered the monkey from the tree. “I have +never seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and +what is your name?” +</p> + +<p> +“My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the Dragon +King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have come on purpose +to see it,” answered the jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“I am very glad to see you,” said the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“By the bye,” said the jelly fish, “have you ever seen the +Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?” +</p> + +<p> +“I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!” answered the +monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go +through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all +description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the +world,” said the jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“Is it so beautiful as all that?” asked the monkey in astonishment. +</p> + +<p> +Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best of his +ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King’s Palace, and the wonders +of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red coral, and the +still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey +grew more and more interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by +step so as not to lose a word of the wonderful story. +</p> + +<p> +“I have got him at last!” thought the jelly fish, but aloud he +said: +</p> + +<p> +“Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of the +Dragon King, won’t you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity by +coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you all the +sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a +land-lubber.” +</p> + +<p> +“I should love to go,” said the monkey, “but how am I to +cross the water! I can’t swim, as you surely know!” +</p> + +<p> +“There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will be troubling you too much,” said the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you +needn’t hesitate,” said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on +his back he stepped into the sea. +</p> + +<p> +“Keep very still, Mr. monkey,” said the jelly fish. “You +mustn’t fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the +King’s Palace.” +</p> + +<p> +“Please don’t go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off,” +said the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with the monkey +sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the jelly fish, who knew +very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or +not! +</p> + +<p> +“Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?” +</p> + +<p> +The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked what the +jelly fish wanted with a liver. +</p> + +<p> +“That is the most important thing of all,” said the stupid jelly +fish, “so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with +you?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why is my liver so important to you?” asked the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! you will learn the reason later,” said the jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the jelly fish +to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by appealing to his +hearer’s feelings by saying that he was very troubled at what he had been +told. +</p> + +<p> +Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him, +and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, and how the +doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would cure her, and how +the Dragon King had sent him to find one. +</p> + +<p> +“Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace +the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!” said the silly +jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry at the +trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in +store for him. +</p> + +<p> +But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan not to +show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself and to think of +some way by which he might escape. +</p> + +<p> +“The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I shall +die!” thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so he said +quite cheerfully to the jelly fish: +</p> + +<p> +“What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this +before we left the island!” +</p> + +<p> +“If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly have +refused to come,” answered the jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“You are quite mistaken,” said the monkey. “Monkeys can very +well spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of +the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have +presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several livers. But +the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I have left all my +livers hanging on the pine-tree.” +</p> + +<p> +“Have you left your liver behind you?” asked the jelly fish. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” said the cunning monkey, “during the daytime I usually +leave my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the +way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your +interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I came off +with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have remembered it, and +should have brought it along with me!” +</p> + +<p> +The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he believed every +word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without a liver. Finally the +jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” said the monkey, “that is soon remedied. I am really +sorry to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the +place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver.” +</p> + +<p> +The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back to the +island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to take +him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it with him the next time. +Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island once +more. +</p> + +<p> +No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey landed, and +getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had first seen him, he cut +several capers amongst the branches with joy at being safe home again, and then +looking down at the jelly fish said: +</p> + +<p> +“So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my +compliments to the Dragon King on your return!” +</p> + +<p> +The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it was +uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn’t his intention to come with +him at once after getting his liver. +</p> + +<p> +The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn’t afford to lose his liver: +it was too precious. +</p> + +<p> +“But remember your promise!” pleaded the jelly fish, now very +discouraged. +</p> + +<p> +“That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!” answered the +monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he had been +deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his life, which he +certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea King’s Palace to the +old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading the jelly fish to return +under false pretenses. +</p> + +<p> +“Of course, I won’t GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you +can!” added the monkey mockingly from the tree. +</p> + +<p> +There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his stupidity, +and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess his failure, so he +started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last thing he heard as he glided +away, leaving the island behind him, was the monkey laughing at him. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants +were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. When they caught +sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him with delight. They began +to thank him profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey +Island, and then they asked him where the monkey was. +</p> + +<p> +Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all over as he +told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over the sea, and then +had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; how the monkey had deceived +him by making him believe that he had left his liver behind him. +</p> + +<p> +The Dragon King’s wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the +jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible one. All +the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he was to be beaten +with sticks. +</p> + +<p> +The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried out for +pardon. But the Dragon King’s order had to be obeyed. The servants of the +Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and surrounded the jelly fish, and +after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp, and then took him out +beyond the Palace gates and threw him into the water. Here he was left to +suffer and repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new +state of bonelessness. +</p> + +<p> +From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once had a +shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the Dragon +King’s sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly fishes, his +descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see them to-day thrown +up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap16"></a>THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a pink-faced +monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the bank of a river. As +they were running about, the crab found a rice-dumpling and the monkey a +persimmon-seed. +</p> + +<p> +The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Look what a nice thing I have found!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I also have found something good! Look!” +</p> + +<p> +Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no use for +the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard and uneatable as a +stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very envious of the +crab’s nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. The crab naturally did +not see why he should give up his prize for a hard stone-like seed, and would +not consent to the monkey’s proposition. +</p> + +<p> +Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling can be +eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if you sow this seed +in the ground it will soon grow and become a great tree in a few years, and +bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons year after year. If only I could show +it to you then with the yellow fruit hanging on its branches! Of course, if you +don’t believe me I shall sow it myself; though I am sure, later on, you +will be very sorry that you did not take my advice.” +</p> + +<p> +The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey’s clever persuasion. +He at last gave in and consented to the monkey’s proposal, and the +exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled up the dumpling, and with +great reluctance gave up the persimmon-seed to the crab. He would have liked to +keep that too, but he was afraid of making the crab angry and of being pinched +by his sharp scissor-like claws. They then separated, the monkey going home to +his forest trees and the crab to his stones along the river-side. As soon as +the crab reached home he put the persimmon-seed in the ground as the monkey had +told him. +</p> + +<p> +In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a young tree +push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew bigger, till at last it +blossomed one spring, and in the following autumn bore some fine large +persimmons. Among the broad smooth green leaves the fruit hung like golden +balls, and as they ripened they mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little +crab’s pleasure to go out day by day and sit in the sun and put out his +long eyes in the same way as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the +persimmons ripening to perfection. +</p> + +<p> +“How delicious they will be to eat!” he said to himself. +</p> + +<p> +At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he wanted very +much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the tree, in the vain hope +of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons hanging above him; but he failed +each time, for a crab’s legs are not made for climbing trees but only for +running along the ground and over stones, both of which he can do most +cleverly. In his dilemma he thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he +knew, could climb trees better than any one else in the world. He determined to +ask the monkey to help him, and set out to find him. +</p> + +<p> +Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into the +shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an afternoon nap in +his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight around a branch to prevent +him from falling off in his dreams. He was soon wide awake, however, when he +heard himself called, and eagerly listening to what the crab told him. When he +heard that the seed which he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had +grown into a tree and was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he at +once devised a cunning plan which would give him all the persimmons for +himself. +</p> + +<p> +He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When they both +reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a fine tree had sprung +from the seed, and with what a number of ripe persimmons the branches were +loaded. +</p> + +<p> +He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as he could, +one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best and ripest he could +find, and went on eating till he could eat no more. Not one would he give to +the poor hungry crab waiting below, and when he had finished there was little +but the hard, unripe fruit left. +</p> + +<p> +You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting patiently, for so +long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the fruit to ripen, when he saw +the monkey devouring all the good persimmons. He was so disappointed that he +ran round and round the tree calling to the monkey to remember his promise. The +monkey at first took no notice of the crab’s complaints, but at last he +picked out the hardest, greenest persimmon he could find and aimed it at the +crab’s head. The persimmon is as hard as stone when it is unripe. The +monkey’s missile struck home and the crab was sorely hurt by the blow. +Again and again, as fast as he could pick them, the monkey pulled off the hard +persimmons and threw them at the defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered +with wounds all over his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the +tree he had himself planted. +</p> + +<p> +When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away from the +spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a coward as he was. +</p> + +<p> +Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far from the spot +where this sad work had taken place. On the way home he came across his father +dead, in a most dreadful condition—his head was smashed and his shell +broken in several places, and around his body lay the unripe persimmons which +had done their deadly work. At this dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down +and wept. +</p> + +<p> +But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying would do no +good; it was his duty to avenge his father’s murder, and this he +determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would lead him to +discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed that the best fruit +had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel and numerous seeds strewn on the +ground as well as the unripe persimmons which had evidently been thrown at his +father. Then he understood that the monkey was the murderer, for he now +remembered that his father had once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and +the persimmon-seed. The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons above all +other fruit, and he felt sure that his greed for the coveted fruit had been the +cause of the old crab’s death. Alas! +</p> + +<p> +He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he burned with +rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was useless, for the monkey +was an old and cunning animal and would be hard to overcome. He must meet +cunning with cunning and ask some of his friends to help him, for he knew it +would be quite out of his power to kill him alone. +</p> + +<p> +The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father’s old +friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the mortar with +tears to help him avenge his father’s death. The mortar was very sorry +when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to help the young crab punish +the monkey to death. He warned him that he must be very careful in what he did, +for the monkey was a strong and cunning enemy. The mortar now sent to fetch the +bee and the chestnut (also the crab’s old friends) to consult them about +the matter. In a short time the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they were +told all the details of the old crab’s death and of the monkey’s +wickedness and greed, they both gladly consented to help the young crab in his +revenge. +</p> + +<p> +After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying out their +plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the young crab to help him +bury his poor father. +</p> + +<p> +While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating himself (as the +wicked often do before their punishment comes upon them) on all he had done so +neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing that he had robbed his friend of all +his ripe persimmons and then that he had killed him. Still, smile as hard as he +might, he could not banish altogether the fear of the consequences should his +evil deeds be discovered. IF he were found out (and he told himself that this +could not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab’s family would be sure +to bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he would not go out, and +kept himself at home for several days. He found this kind of life, however, +extremely dull, accustomed as he was to the free life of the woods, and at last +he said: +</p> + +<p> +“No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the old +thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no mouths! Who is +there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one knows, what is the use of +shutting myself up and brooding over the matter? What is done cannot be +undone!” +</p> + +<p> +With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about as slyly as +possible near the crab’s house and tried to hear the neighbors’ +gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs were saving about +their chief’s death, for the old crab had been the chief of the tribe. +But he heard nothing and said to himself: +</p> + +<p> +“They are all such fools that they don’t know and don’t care +who murdered their chief!” +</p> + +<p> +Little did he know in his so-called “monkey’s wisdom” that +this seeming unconcern was part of the young crab’s plan. He purposely +pretended not to know who killed his father, and also to believe that he had +met his death through his own fault. By this means he could the better keep +secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was meditating. +</p> + +<p> +So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told himself he had +nothing now to fear. +</p> + +<p> +One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by the +appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was wondering what this +might mean, the messenger bowed before him and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the +other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the tree after +fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first anniversary after his death, +and my master has prepared a little festival in his father’s honor, and +bids you come to participate in it as you were one of his best friends. My +master hopes you will honor his house with your kind visit.” +</p> + +<p> +When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, for all his +fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not guess that a plot had +just been set in motion against him. He pretended to be very surprised at the +news of the crab’s death, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief’s death. We were +great friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice-dumpling +for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that seed was in the end +the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many thanks. I shall +be delighted to do honor to my poor old friend!” And he screwed some +false tears from his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, “The wicked monkey is now +dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real ones.” +But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home. +</p> + +<p> +When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought was the +young crab’s innocence, and without the least feeling began to look +forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the dead crab, to which he +had been invited. He changed his dress and set out solemnly to visit the young +crab. +</p> + +<p> +He found all the members of the crab’s family and his relatives waiting +to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting were over they led +him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came to receive him. Expressions of +condolence and thanks were exchanged between them, and then they all sat down +to a luxurious feast and entertained the monkey as the guest of honor. +</p> + +<p> +The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to drink a cup of +tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to the tearoom he left him +and retired. Time passed and still he did not return. At last the monkey became +impatient. He said to himself: +</p> + +<p> +“This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting so +long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at the dinner!” +</p> + +<p> +He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out some hot water +from the kettle boiling there, when something burst out from the ashes with a +great pop and hit the monkey right in the neck. It was the chestnut, one of the +crab’s friends, who had hidden himself in the fireplace. The monkey, +taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then started to run out of the room. +</p> + +<p> +The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung him on the +cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the chestnut and +his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on screaming and chattering with +rage. +</p> + +<p> +Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on the top of +the crab’s gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the mortar and all +fell down on the top of the monkey’s head. Was it possible for the monkey +to bear the weight of the mortar falling on him from the top of the gate? He +lay crushed and in great pain, quite unable to get up. As he lay there helpless +the young crab came up, and, holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, +he said: +</p> + +<p> +“Do you now remember that you murdered my father?” +</p> + +<p> +“Then you—are—my—enemy?” gasped the monkey +brokenly. +</p> + +<p> +“Of course,” said the young crab. +</p> + +<p> +“It—was—your—father’s—fault—not—mine!” +gasped the unrepentant monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!” and +with that he cut off the monkey’s head with his pitcher claws. Thus the +wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab avenged his +father’s death. +</p> + +<p> +This is the end of the story of the monkey, the crab, and the persimmon-seed. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap17"></a>THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago, when all the animals could talk, there lived in the province of +Inaba in Japan, a little white hare. His home was on the island of Oki, and +just across the sea was the mainland of Inaba. +</p> + +<p> +Now the hare wanted very much to cross over to Inaba. Day after day he would go +out and sit on the shore and look longingly over the water in the direction of +Inaba, and day after day he hoped to find some way of getting across. +</p> + +<p> +One day as usual, the hare was standing on the beach, looking towards the +mainland across the water, when he saw a great crocodile swimming near the +island. +</p> + +<p> +“This is very lucky!” thought the hare. “Now I shall be able +to get my wish. I will ask the crocodile to carry me across the sea!” +</p> + +<p> +But he was doubtful whether the crocodile would consent to do what wanted. So +he thought instead of asking a favor he would try to get what he wanted by a +trick. +</p> + +<p> +So with a loud voice he called to the crocodile, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, Mr. Crocodile, isn’t it a lovely day?” +</p> + +<p> +The crocodile, who had come out all by itself that day to enjoy the bright +sunshine, was just beginning to feel a bit lonely when the hare’s +cheerful greeting broke the silence. The crocodile swam nearer the shore, very +pleased to hear some one speak. +</p> + +<p> +“I wonder who it was that spoke to me just now! Was it you, Mr. Hare? You +must be very lonely all by yourself!” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, no, I am not at all lonely,” said the hare, “but as it +was such a fine day I came out here to enjoy myself. Won’t you stop and +play with me a little while?” +</p> + +<p> +The crocodile came out of the sea and sat on the shore, and the two played +together for some time. Then the hare said: +</p> + +<p> +“Mr. Crocodile, you live in the sea and I live on this island, and we do +not often meet, so I know very little about you. Tell me, do you think the +number of your company is greater than mine?” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course, there are more crocodiles than hares,” answered the +crocodile. “Can you not see that for yourself? You live on this small +island, while I live in the sea, which spreads through all parts of the world, +so if I call together all the crocodiles who dwell in the sea you hares will be +as nothing compared to us!” The crocodile was very conceited. +</p> + +<p> +The hare, who meant to play a trick on the crocodile, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Do you think it possible for you to call up enough crocodiles to form a +line from this island across the sea to Inaba?” +</p> + +<p> +The crocodile thought for a moment and then answered: +</p> + +<p> +“Of course, it is possible.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then do try,” said the artful hare, “and I will count the +number from here!” +</p> + +<p> +The crocodile, who was very simple-minded, and who hadn’t the least idea +that the hare intended to play a trick on him, agreed to do what the hare +asked, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Wait a little while I go back into the sea and call my company +together!” +</p> + +<p> +The crocodile plunged into the sea and was gone for some time. The hare, +meanwhile, waited patiently on the shore. At last the crocodile appeared, +bringing with him a large number of other crocodiles. +</p> + +<p> +“Look, Mr. Hare!” said the crocodile, “it is nothing for my +friends to form a line between here and Inaba. There are enough crocodiles to +stretch from here even as far as China or India. Did you ever see so many +crocodiles?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the whole company of crocodiles arranged themselves in the water so as to +form a bridge between the Island of Oki and the mainland of Inaba. When the +hare saw the bridge of crocodiles, he said: +</p> + +<p> +“How splendid! I did not believe this was possible. Now let me count you +all! To do this, however, with your permission, I must walk over on your backs +to the other side, so please be so good as not to move, or else I shall fall +into the sea and be drowned!” +</p> + +<p> +So the hare hopped off the island on to the strange bridge of crocodiles, +counting as he jumped from one crocodile’s back to the other: +</p> + +<p> +“Please keep quite still, or I shall not be able to count. One, two, +three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine—” +</p> + +<p> +Thus the cunning hare walked right across to the mainland of Inaba. Not content +with getting his wish, he began to jeer at the crocodiles instead of thanking +them, and said, as he leapt off the last one’s back: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! you stupid crocodiles, now I have done with you!” +</p> + +<p> +And he was just about to run away as fast as he could. But he did not escape so +easily, for so soon as the crocodiles understood that this was a trick played +upon them by the hare so as to enable him to cross the sea, and that the hare +was now laughing at them for their stupidity, they became furiously angry and +made up their minds to take revenge. So some of them ran after the hare and +caught him. Then they all surrounded the poor little animal and pulled out all +his fur. He cried out loudly and entreated them to spare him, but with each +tuft of fur they pulled out they said: +</p> + +<p> +“Serve you right!” +</p> + +<p> +When the crocodiles had pulled out the last bit of fur, they threw the poor +hare on the beach, and all swam away laughing at what they had done. +</p> + +<p> +The hare was now in a pitiful plight, all his beautiful white fur had been +pulled out, and his bare little body was quivering with pain and bleeding all +over. He could hardly move, and all he could do was to lie on the beach quite +helpless and weep over the misfortune that had befallen him. Notwithstanding +that it was his own fault that had brought all this misery and suffering upon +the white hare of Inaba, any one seeing the poor little creature could not help +feeling sorry for him in his sad condition, for the crocodiles had been very +cruel in their revenge. +</p> + +<p> +Just at this time a number of men, who looked like King’s sons, happened +to pass by, and seeing the hare lying on the beach crying, stopped and asked +what was the matter. +</p> + +<p> +The hare lifted up his head from between his paws, and answered them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“I had a fight with some crocodiles, but I was beaten, and they pulled +out all my fur and left me to suffer here—that is why I am crying.” +</p> + +<p> +Now one of these young men had a bad and spiteful disposition. But he feigned +kindness, and said to the hare: +</p> + +<p> +“I feel very sorry for you. If you will only try it, I know of a remedy +which will cure your sore body. Go and bathe yourself in the sea, and then come +and sit in the wind. This will make your fur grow again, and you will be just +as you were before.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all the young men passed on. The hare was very pleased, thinking that he +had found a cure. He went and bathed in the sea and then came out and sat where +the wind could blow upon him. +</p> + +<p> +But as the wind blew and dried him, his skin became drawn and hardened, and the +salt increased the pain so much that he rolled on the sand in his agony and +cried aloud. +</p> + +<p> +Just then another King’s son passed by, carrying a great bag on his back. +He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so loudly. +</p> + +<p> +But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very like the +man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to cry. +</p> + +<p> +But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very pityingly, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your skin +is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?” +</p> + +<p> +When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the man, and +encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that had befallen him. +The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but told him frankly how he had +played a trick on the crocodiles and how he had come across the bridge they had +made, thinking that he wished to count their number: how he had jeered at them +for their stupidity, and then how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on +him. Then he went on to say how he had been deceived by a party of men who +looked very like his kind friend: and the hare ended his long tale of woe by +begging the man to give him some medicine that would cure him and make his fur +grow again. +</p> + +<p> +When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity towards him, and +said: +</p> + +<p> +“I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was only the +consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know,” answered the sorrowful hare, “but I have repented +and made up my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I +may cure my sore body and make the fur grow again.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then I will tell you of a good remedy,” said the man. “First +go and bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from +your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing near the edge +of the water, spread them on the ground and roll yourself on them. If you do +this the pollen will cause your fur to grow again, and you will be quite well +in a little while.” +</p> + +<p> +The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled to the pond +pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked the kaba flowers growing +near the water, and rolled himself on them. +</p> + +<p> +To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice white fur +growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had done before all his +misfortunes. +</p> + +<p> +The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping joyfully towards +the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling down at his feet, said: +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my +earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who you +are?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am no King’s son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto,” answered the man, “and those beings who +passed here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a beautiful Princess +called Yakami who lives in this province of Inaba, and they are on their way to +find her and to ask her to marry one of them. But on this expedition I am only +an attendant, so I am walking behind them with this great big bag on my +back.” +</p> + +<p> +The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto, whom +many in that part of the land worshiped as a god. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind you +have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind fellow who sent +me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am quite sure that the +Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, will refuse to be the bride of +any of them, and will prefer you for your goodness of heart. I am quite sure +that you will win her heart without intending to do so, and she will ask to be +your bride.” +</p> + +<p> +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but bidding the +little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon overtook his brothers. +He found them just entering the Princess’s gate. +</p> + +<p> +Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to become the +bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the kind brother’s +face she went straight up to him and said: +</p> + +<p> +“To you I give myself,” and so they were married. +</p> + +<p> +This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by the people +in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become famous as “The +White Hare of Inaba.” But what became of the crocodiles nobody knows. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE</h2> + +<p> +The insignia of the great Japanese Empire is composed of three treasures which +have been considered sacred, and guarded with jealous care from time +immemorial. These are the Yatano-no-Kagami or the Mirror of Yata, the +Yasakami-no-Magatama or the Jewel of Yasakami, and the Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or +the Sword of Murakumo. +</p> + +<p> +Of these three treasures of the Empire, the sword of Murakumo, afterwards known +as Kusanagi-no-Tsrugugi, or the grass-cleaving sword, is considered the most +precious and most highly to be honored, for it is the symbol of strength to +this nation of warriors and the talisman of invincibility for the Emperor, +while he holds it sacred in the shrine of his ancestors. +</p> + +<p> +Nearly two thousand years ago this sword was kept at the shrines of Ite, the +temples dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, the great and beautiful Sun +Goddess from whom the Japanese Emperors are said to be descended. +</p> + +<p> +There is a story of knightly adventure and daring which explains why the name +of the sword was changed from that of Murakumo to Kasanagi, which means grass +clearing. +</p> + +<p> +Once, many, many years ago, there was born a son to the Emperor Keiko, the +twelfth in descent from the great Jimmu, the founder of the Japanese dynasty. +This Prince was the second son of the Emperor Keiko, and he was named Yamato. +From his childhood he proved himself to be of remarkable strength, wisdom and +courage, and his father noticed with pride that he gave promise of great +things, and he loved him even more than he did his elder son. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Prince Yamato had grown to manhood (in the olden days of Japanese +history, a boy was considered to have reached man’s estate at the early +age of sixteen) the realm was much troubled by a band of outlaws whose chiefs +were two brothers, Kumaso and Takeru. These rebels seemed to delight in +rebelling against the King, in breaking the laws and defying all authority. +</p> + +<p> +At last King Keiko ordered his younger son Prince Yamato to subdue the brigands +and, if possible, to rid the land of their evil lives. Prince Yamato was only +sixteen years of age, he had but reached his manhood according to the law, yet +though he was such a youth in years he possessed the dauntless spirit of a +warrior of fuller age and knew not what fear was. Even then there was no man +who could rival him for courage and bold deeds, and he received his +father’s command with great joy. +</p> + +<p> +He at once made ready to start, and great was the stir in the precincts of the +Palace as he and his trusty followers gathered together and prepared for the +expedition, and polished up their armor and donned it. Before he left his +father’s Court he went to pray at the shrine of Ise and to take leave of +his aunt the Princess Yamato, for his heart was somewhat heavy at the thought +of the dangers he had to face, and he felt that he needed the protection of his +ancestress, Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. The Princess his aunt came out to give +him glad welcome, and congratulated him on being trusted with so great a +mission by his father the King. She then gave him one of her gorgeous robes as +a keepsake to go with him and to bring him good luck, saying that it would +surely be of service to him on this adventure. She then wished him all success +in his undertaking and bade him good speed. +</p> + +<p> +The young Prince bowed low before his aunt, and received her gracious gift with +much pleasure and many respectful bows. +</p> + +<p> +“I will now set out,” said the Prince, and returning to the Palace +he put himself at the head of his troops. Thus cheered by his aunt’s +blessing, he felt ready for all that might befall, and marching through the +land he went down to the Southern Island of Kiushiu, the home of the brigands. +</p> + +<p> +Before many days had passed he reached the Southern Island, and then slowly but +surely made his way to the head-quarters of the chiefs Kumaso and Takeru. He +now met with great difficulties, for he found the country exceedingly wild and +rough. The mountains were high and steep, the valleys dark and deep, and huge +trees and bowlders of rock blocked up the road and stopped the progress of his +army. It was all but impossible to go on. +</p> + +<p> +Though the Prince was but a youth he had the wisdom of years, and, seeing that +it was vain to try and lead his men further, he said to himself: +</p> + +<p> +“To attempt to fight a battle in this impassable country unknown to my +men only makes my task harder. We cannot clear the roads and fight as well. It +is wiser for me to resort to stratagem and come upon my enemies unawares. In +that way I may be able to kill them without much exertion.” +</p> + +<p> +So he now bade his army halt by the way. His wife, the Princess Ototachibana, +had accompanied him, and he bade her bring him the robe his aunt the priestess +of Ise had given him, and to help him attire himself as a woman. With her help +he put on the robe, and let his hair down till it flowed over his shoulders. +Ototachibana then brought him her comb, which he put in his black tresses, and +then adorned himself with strings of strange jewels just as you see in the +picture. When he had finished his unusual toilet, Ototachibana brought him her +mirror. He smiled as he gazed at himself—the disguise was so perfect. +</p> + +<p> +He hardly knew himself, so changed was he. All traces of the warrior had +disappeared, and in the shining surface only a beautiful lady looked back at +him. +</p> + +<p> +Thus completely disguised, he set out for the enemy’s camp alone. In the +folds of his silk gown, next his strong heart, was hidden a sharp dagger. +</p> + +<p> +The two chiefs Kumaso and Takeru wore sitting in their tent, resting in the +cool of the evening, when the Prince approached. They were talking of the news +which had recently been carried to them, that the King’s son had entered +their country with a large army determined to exterminate their band. They had +both heard of the young warrior’s renown, and for the first time in their +wicked lives they felt afraid. In a pause in their talk they happened to look +up, and saw through the door of the tent a beautiful woman robed in sumptuous +garments coming towards them. Like an apparition of loveliness she appeared in +the soft twilight. Little did they dream that it was their enemy whose coming +they so dreaded who now stood before them in this disguise. +</p> + +<p> +“What a beautiful woman! Where has she come from?” said the +astonished Kumaso, forgetting war and council and everything as he looked at +the gentle intruder. +</p> + +<p> +He beckoned to the disguised Prince and bade him sit down and serve them with +wine. Yamato Take felt his heart swell with a fierce glee for he now knew that +his plan would succeed. However, he dissembled cleverly, and putting on a sweet +air of shyness he approached the rebel chief with slow steps and eyes glancing +like a frightened deer. Charmed to distraction by the girl’s loveliness +Kumaso drank cup after cup of wine for the pleasure of seeing her pour it out +for him, till at last he was quite overcome with the quantity he had drunk. +</p> + +<p> +This was the moment for which the brave Prince had been waiting. Flinging down +the wine jar, he seized the tipsy and astonished Kumaso and quickly stabbed him +to death with the dagger which he had secretly carried hidden in his breast. +</p> + +<p> +Takeru, the brigand’s brother, was terror-struck as soon as he saw what +was happening and tried to escape, but Prince Yamato was too quick for him. Ere +he could reach the tent door the Prince was at his heel, his garments were +clutched by a hand of iron, and a dagger flashed before his eyes and he lay +stabbed to the earth, dying but not yet dead. +</p> + +<p> +“Wait one moment!” gasped the brigand painfully, and he seized the +Prince’s hand. +</p> + +<p> +Yamato relaxed his hold somewhat and said. +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I pause, thou villain?” +</p> + +<p> +The brigand raised himself fearfully and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me from whence you come, and whom I have the honor of addressing? +Hitherto I believed that my dead brother and I were the strongest men in the +land, and that there was no one who could overcome us. Alone you have ventured +into our stronghold, alone you have attacked and killed us! Surely you are more +than mortal?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the young Prince answered with a proud smile:—“I am the son of +the King and my name is Yamato, and I have been sent by my father as the +avenger of evil to bring death to all rebels! No longer shall robbery and +murder hold my people in terror!” and he held the dagger dripping red +above the rebel’s head. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” gasped the dying man with a great effort, “I have often +heard of you. You are indeed a strong man to have so easily overcome us. Allow +me to give you a new name. From henceforth you shall be known as Yamato Take. +Our title I bequeath to you as the bravest man in Yamato.” +</p> + +<p> +And with these noble words, Takeru fell back and died. +</p> + +<p> +The Prince having thus successfully put an end to his father’s enemies in +the world, was prepared to return to the capital. On the way back he passed +through the province of Idum. Here he met with another outlaw named Idzumo +Takeru who he knew had done much harm in the land. He again resorted to +stratagem, and feigned friendship with the rebel under an assumed name. Having +done this he made a sword of wood and jammed it tightly in the shaft of his own +strong sword. This he purposedly buckled to his side and wore on every occasion +when he expected to meet the third robber Takeru. +</p> + +<p> +He now invited Takeru to the bank of the River Hinokawa, and persuaded him to +try a swim with him in the cool refreshing waters of the river. +</p> + +<p> +As it was a hot summer’s day, the rebel was nothing loath to take a +plunge in the river, while his enemy was still swimming down the stream the +Prince turned back and landed with all possible haste. Unperceived, he managed +to change swords, putting his wooden one in place of the keen steel sword of +Takeru. +</p> + +<p> +Knowing nothing of this, the brigand came up to the bank shortly. As soon as he +had landed and donned his clothes, the Prince came forward and asked him to +cross swords with him to prove his skill, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Let us two prove which is the better swordsman of the two!” +</p> + +<p> +The robber agreed with delight, feeling certain of victory, for he was famous +as a fencer in his province and he did not know who his adversary was. He +seized quickly what he thought was his sword and stood on guard to defend +himself. Alas! for the rebel the sword was the wooden one of the young Prince +and in vain Takeru tried to unsheathe it—it was jammed fast, not all his +exerted strength could move it. Even if his efforts had been successful the +sword would have been of no use to him for it was of wood. Yamato Take saw that +his enemy was in his power, and swinging high the sword he had taken from +Takeru he brought it down with great might and dexterity and cut off the +robber’s head. +</p> + +<p> +In this way, sometimes by using his wisdom and sometimes by using his bodily +strength, and at other times by resorting to craftiness, which was as much +esteemed in those days as it is despised in these, he prevailed against all the +King’s foes one by one, and brought peace and rest to the land and the +people. +</p> + +<p> +When he returned to the capital the King praised him for his brave deeds, and +held a feast in the Palace in honor of his safe coming home and presented him +with many rare gifts. From this time forth the King loved him more than ever +and would not let Yamato Take go from his side, for he said that his son was +now as precious to him as one of his arms. +</p> + +<p> +But the Prince was not allowed to live an idle life long. When he was about +thirty years old, news was brought that the Ainu race, the aborigines of the +islands of Japan, who had been conquered and pushed northwards by the Japanese, +had rebelled in the Eastern provinces, and leaving the vicinity which had been +allotted to them were causing great trouble in the land. The King decided that +it was necessary to send an army to do battle with them and bring them to +reason. But who was to lead the men? +</p> + +<p> +Prince Yamato Take at once offered to go and bring the newly arisen rebels into +subjection. Now as the King loved the Prince dearly, and could not bear to have +him go out of his sight even for the length of one day, he was of course very +loath to send him on his dangerous expedition. But in the whole army there was +no warrior so strong or so brave as the Prince his son, so that His Majesty, +unable to do otherwise, reluctantly complied with Yamato’s wish. +</p> + +<p> +When the time came for the Prince to start, the King gave him a spear called +the Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree (the handle was probably made +from the wood of the holly tree), and ordered him to set out to subjugate the +Eastern Barbarians as the Ainu were then called. +</p> + +<p> +The Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree of those old days, was prized by +warriors just as much as the Standard or Banner is valued by a regiment in +these modern days, when given by the King to his soldiers on the occasion of +setting out for war. +</p> + +<p> +The Prince respectfully and with great reverence received the King’s +spear, and leaving the capital, marched with his army to the East. On his way +he visited first of all the temples of Ise for worship, and his aunt the +Princess of Yamato and High Priestess came out to greet him. She it was who had +given him her robe which had proved such a boon to him before in helping him to +overcome and slay the brigands of the West. +</p> + +<p> +He told her all that had happened to him, and of the great part her keepsake +had played in the success of his previous undertaking, and thanked her very +heartily. When she heard that he was starting out once again to do battle with +his father’s enemies, she went into the temple, and reappeared bearing a +sword and a beautiful bag which she had made herself, and which was full of +flints, which in those times people used instead of matches for making fire. +These she presented to him as a parting gift. +</p> + +<p> +The sword was the sword of Murakumo, one of the three sacred treasures which +comprise the insignia of the Imperial House of Japan. No more auspicious +talisman of luck and success could she have given her nephew, and she bade him +use it in the hour of his greatest need. +</p> + +<p> +Yamato Take now bade farewell to his aunt, and once more placing himself at the +head of his men he marched to the farthest East through the province of Owari, +and then he reached the province of Suruga. Here the governor welcomed the +Prince right heartily and entertained him royally with many feasts. When these +were over, the governor told his guest that his country was famous for its fine +deer, and proposed a deer hunt for the Prince’s amusement. The Prince was +utterly deceived by the cordiality of his host, which was all feigned, and +gladly consented to join in the hunt. +</p> + +<p> +The governor then led the Prince to a wild and extensive plain where the grass +grew high and in great abundance. Quite ignorant that the governor had laid a +trap for him with the desire to compass his death, the Prince began to ride +hard and hunt down the deer, when all of a sudden to his amazement he saw +flames and smoke bursting out from the bush in front of him. Realizing his +danger he tried to retreat, but no sooner did he turn his horse in the opposite +direction than he saw that even there the prairie was on fire. At the same time +the grass on his left and right burst into flames, and these began to spread +swiftly towards him on all sides. He looked round for a chance of escape. There +was none. He was surrounded by fire. +</p> + +<p> +“This deer hunt was then only a cunning trick of the enemy!” said +the Prince, looking round on the flames and the smoke that crackled and rolled +in towards him on every side. “What a fool I was to be lured into this +trap like a wild beast!” and he ground his teeth with rage as he thought +of the governor’s smiling treachery. +</p> + +<p> +Dangerous as was his situation now, the Prince was not in the least confounded. +In his dire extremity he remembered the gifts his aunt had given him when they +parted, and it seemed to him as if she must, with prophetic foresight, have +divined this hour of need. He coolly opened the flint-bag that his aunt had +given him and set fire to the grass near him. Then drawing the sword of +Murakumo from its sheath he set to work to cut down the grass on either side of +him with all speed. He determined to die, if that were necessary, fighting for +his life and not standing still waiting for death to come to him. +</p> + +<p> +Strange to say the wind began to change and to blow from the opposite +direction, and the fiercest portion of the burning bush which had hitherto +threatened to come upon him was now blown right away from him, and the Prince, +without even a scratch on his body or a single hair burned, lived to tell the +tale of his wonderful escape, while the wind rising to a gale overtook the +governor, and he was burned to death in the flames he had set alight to kill +Yamato Take. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Prince ascribed his escape entirely to the virtue of the sword of +Murakumo, and to the protection of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess of Ise, who +controls the wind and all the elements and insures the safety of all who pray +to her in the hour of danger. Lifting the precious sword he raised it above his +head many times in token of his great respect, and as he did this he re-named +it Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or the Grass-Cleaving Sword, and the place where he set +fire to the grass round him and escaped from death in the burning prairie, he +called Yaidzu. To this day there is a spot along the great Tokaido railway +named Yaidzu, which is said to be the very place where this thrilling event +took place. +</p> + +<p> +Thus did the brave Prince Yamato Take escape out of the snare laid for him by +his enemy. He was full of resource and courage, and finally outwitted and +subdued all his foes. Leaving Yaidzu he marched eastward, and came to the shore +at Idzu from whence he wished to cross to Kadzusa. +</p> + +<p> +In these dangers and adventures he had been followed by his faithful loving +wife the Princess Ototachibana. For his sake she counted the weariness of the +long journeys and the dangers of war as nothing, and her love for her warrior +husband was so great that she felt well repaid for all her wanderings if she +could but hand him his sword when he sallied forth to battle, or minister to +his wants when he returned weary to the camp. +</p> + +<p> +But the heart of the Prince was full of war and conquest and he cared little +for the faithful Ototachibana. From long exposure in traveling, and from care +and grief at her lord’s coldness to her, her beauty had faded, and her +ivory skin was burnt brown by the sun, and the Prince told her one day that her +place was in the Palace behind the screens at home and not with him upon the +warpath. But in spite of rebuffs and indifference on her husband’s part, +Ototachibana could not find it in her heart to leave him. But perhaps it would +have been better for her if she had done so, for on the way to Idzu, when they +came to Owari, her heart was well-nigh broken. +</p> + +<p> +Here dwelt in a Palace shaded by pine-trees and approached by imposing gates, +the Princess Miyadzu, beautiful as the cherry blossom in the blushing dawn of a +spring morning. Her garments were dainty and bright, and her skin was white as +snow, for she had never known what it was to be weary along the path of duty or +to walk in the heat of a summer’s sun. And the Prince was ashamed of his +sunburnt wife in her travel-stained garments, and bade her remain behind while +he went to visit the Princess Miyadzu. Day after day he spent hours in the +gardens and the Palace of his new friend, thinking only of his pleasure, and +caring little for his poor wife who remained behind to weep in the tent at the +misery which had come into her life. Yet she was so faithful a wife, and her +character so patient, that she never allowed a reproach to escape her lips, or +a frown to mar the sweet sadness of her face, and she was ever ready with a +smile to welcome her husband back or usher him forth wherever he went. +</p> + +<p> +At last the day came when the Prince Yamato Take must depart for Idzu and cross +over the sea to Kadzusa, and he bade his wife follow in his retinue as an +attendant while he went to take a ceremonious farewell of the Princess Miyadzu. +She came out to greet him dressed in gorgeous robes, and she seemed more +beautiful than ever, and when Yamato Take saw her he forgot his wife, his duty, +and everything except the joy of the idle present, and swore that he would +return to Owari and marry her when the war was over. And as he looked up when +he had said these words he met the large almond eyes of Ototachibana fixed full +upon him in unspeakable sadness and wonder, and he knew that he had done wrong, +but he hardened his heart and rode on, caring little for the pain he had caused +her. +</p> + +<p> +When they reached the seashore at Idzu his men sought for boats in which to +cross the straits to Kadzusa, but it was difficult to find boats enough to +allow all the soldiers to embark. Then the Prince stood on the beach, and in +the pride of his strength he scoffed and said: +</p> + +<p> +“This is not the sea! This is only a brook! Why do you men want so many +boats? I could jump this if I would.” +</p> + +<p> +When at last they had all embarked and were fairly on their way across the +straits, the sky suddenly clouded and a great storm arose. The waves rose +mountains high, the wind howled, the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled, +and the boat which held Ototachibana and the Prince and his men was tossed from +crest to crest of the rolling waves, till it seemed that every moment must be +their last and that they must all be swallowed up in the angry sea. For Kin +Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea, had heard Yamato Take jeer, and had raised +this terrible storm in anger, to show the scoffing Prince how awful the sea +could be though it did but look like a brook. +</p> + +<p> +The terrified crew lowered the sails and looked after the rudder, and worked +for their dear lives’ sake, but all in vain—the storm only seemed +to increase in violence, and all gave themselves up for lost. Then the faithful +Ototachibana rose, and forgetting all the grief that her husband had caused +her, forgetting even that he had wearied of her, in the one great desire of her +love to save him, she determined to sacrifice her life to rescue him from death +if it were possible. +</p> + +<p> +While the waves dashed over the ship and the wind whirled round them in fury +she stood up and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely all this has come because the Prince has angered Rin Jin, the God +of the Sea, by his jesting. If so, I, Ototachibana, will appease the wrath of +the Sea God who desires nothing less than my husband’s life!” +</p> + +<p> +Then addressing the sea she said: +</p> + +<p> +“I will take the place of His Augustness, Yamato Take. I will now cast +myself into your outraged depths, giving my life for his. Therefore hear me and +bring him safely to the shore of Kadzusa.” +</p> + +<p> +With these words she leaped quickly into the boisterous sea, and the waves soon +whirled her away and she was lost to sight. Strange to say, the storm ceased at +once, and the sea became as calm and smooth as the matting on which the +astonished onlookers were sitting. The gods of the sea were now appeased, and +the weather cleared and the sun shone as on a summer’s day. +</p> + +<p> +Yamato Take soon reached the opposite shore and landed safely, even as his wife +Ototachibana had prayed. His prowess in war was marvelous, and he succeeded +after some time in conquering the Eastern Barbarians, the Ainu. +</p> + +<p> +He ascribed his safe landing wholly to the faithfulness of his wife, who had so +willingly and lovingly sacrificed herself in the hour of his utmost peril. His +heart was softened at the remembrance of her, and he never allowed her to pass +from his thoughts even for a moment. Too late had he learned to esteem the +goodness of her heart and the greatness of her love for him. +</p> + +<p> +As he was returning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of the Usui +Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect beneath him. The +country, from this great elevation, all lay open to his sight, a vast panorama +of mountain and plain and forest, with rivers winding like silver ribbons +through the land; then far off he saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a +luminous mist in the great distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for +him, and as he turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of her +love which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his heart burst out +into a sorrowful and bitter cry: +</p> + +<p> +“Azuma, Azuma, Ya!” (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there +is a district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of Prince +Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into the sea to save +him is still pointed out. So, though in life the Princess Ototachibana was +unhappy, history keeps her memory green, and the story of her unselfishness and +heroic death will never pass away. +</p> + +<p> +Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father’s orders, he had subdued all +rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to the peace, and his +renown was great, for in the whole land there was no one who could stand up +against him, he was so strong in battle and wise in council. +</p> + +<p> +He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come, when the +thought struck him that he would find it more interesting to take another +route, so he passed through the province of Owari and came to the province of +Omi. +</p> + +<p> +When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great excitement +and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the signs of mourning and +heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the cause of this he was told that a +terrible monster had appeared in the mountains, who daily came down from thence +and made raids on the villages, devouring whoever he could seize. Many homes +had been made desolate and the men were afraid to go out to their daily work in +the fields, or the women to go to the rivers to wash their rice. +</p> + +<p> +When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said fiercely: +</p> + +<p> +“From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I have +subdued all the King’s enemies—there is no one who dares to break +the laws or to rebel against the King. It is indeed a matter for wonder that +here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked monster has dared to take up +his abode and be the terror of the King’s subjects. Not long shall it +find pleasure in devouring innocent folk. I will start out and kill it at +once.” +</p> + +<p> +With these words he set out for the Ibuki Mountain, where the monster was said +to live. He climbed up a good distance, when all of a sudden, at a winding in +the path, a monster serpent appeared before him and stopped the way. +</p> + +<p> +“This must be the monster,” said the Prince; “I do not need +my sword for a serpent. I can kill him with my hands.” +</p> + +<p> +He thereupon sprang upon the serpent and tried to strangle it to death with his +bare arms. It was not long before his prodigious strength gained the mastery +and the serpent lay dead at his feet. Now a sudden darkness came over the +mountain and rain began to fall, so that for the gloom and the rain the Prince +could hardly see which way to take. In a short time, however, while he was +groping his way down the pass, the weather cleared, and our brave hero was able +to make his way quickly down the mountain. +</p> + +<p> +When he got back he began to feel ill and to have burning pains in his feet, so +he knew that the serpent had poisoned him. So great was his suffering that he +could hardly move, much less walk, so he had himself carried to a place in the +mountains famous for its hot mineral springs, which rose bubbling out of the +earth, and almost boiling from the volcanic fires beneath. +</p> + +<p> +Yamato Take bathed daily in these waters, and gradually he felt his strength +come again, and the pains left him, till at last one day he found with great +joy that he was quite recovered. He now hastened to the temples of Ise, where +you will remember that he prayed before undertaking this long expedition. His +aunt, priestess of the shrine, who had blessed him on his setting out, now came +to welcome him back. He told her of the many dangers he had encountered and of +how marvelously his life had been preserved through all—and she praised +his courage and his warrior’s prowess, and then putting on her most +magnificent robes she returned thanks to their ancestress the Sun Goddess +Amaterasu, to whose protection they both ascribed the Prince’s wonderful +preservation. +</p> + +<p> +Here ends the story of Prince Yamato Take of Japan. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived, an old man and an old woman; they were peasants, +and had to work hard to earn their daily rice. The old man used to go and cut +grass for the farmers around, and while he was gone the old woman, his wife, +did the work of the house and worked in their own little rice field. +</p> + +<p> +One day the old man went to the hills as usual to cut grass and the old woman +took some clothes to the river to wash. +</p> + +<p> +It was nearly summer, and the country was very beautiful to see in its fresh +greenness as the two old people went on their way to work. The grass on the +banks of the river looked like emerald velvet, and the pussy willows along the +edge of the water were shaking out their soft tassels. +</p> + +<p> +The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water into wavelets, and +passing on touched the cheeks of the old couple who, for some reason they could +not explain, felt very happy that morning. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman at last found a nice spot by the river bank and put her basket +down. Then she set to work to wash the clothes; she took them one by one out of +the basket and washed them in the river and rubbed them on the stones. The +water was as clear as crystal, and she could see the tiny fish swimming to and +fro, and the pebbles at the bottom. +</p> + +<p> +As she was busy washing her clothes a great peach came bumping down the stream. +The old woman looked up from her work and saw this large peach. She was sixty +years of age, yet in all her life she had never seen such a big peach as this. +</p> + +<p> +“How delicious that peach must be!” she said to herself. “I +must certainly get it and take it home to my old man.” +</p> + +<p> +She stretched out her arm to try and get it, but it was quite out of her reach. +She looked about for a stick, but there was not one to be seen, and if she went +to look for one she would lose the peach. +</p> + +<p> +Stopping a moment to think what she would do, she remembered an old +charm-verse. Now she began to clap her hands to keep time to the rolling of the +peach down stream, and while she clapped she sang this song: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“Distant water is bitter,<br/> +The near water is sweet;<br/> +Pass by the distant water<br/> +And come into the sweet.” +</p> + +<p> +Strange to say, as soon as she began to repeat this little song the peach began +to come nearer and nearer the bank where the old woman was standing, till at +last it stopped just in front of her so that she was able to take it up in her +hands. The old woman was delighted. She could not go on with her work, so happy +and excited was she, so she put all the clothes back in her bamboo basket, and +with the basket on her back and the peach in her hand she hurried homewards. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed a very long time to her to wait till her husband returned. The old +man at last came back as the sun was setting, with a big bundle of grass on his +back—so big that he was almost hidden and she could hardly see him. He +seemed very tired and used the scythe for a walking stick, leaning on it as he +walked along. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as the old woman saw him she called out: +</p> + +<p> +“O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come home for such a +long time to-day!” +</p> + +<p> +“What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?” asked the old man, +wondering at her unusual eagerness. “Has anything happened while I have +been away?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, no!” answered the old woman, “nothing has happened, only +I have found a nice present for you!” +</p> + +<p> +“That is good,” said the old man. He then washed his feet in a +basin of water and stepped up to the veranda. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the cupboard +the big peach. It felt even heavier than before. She held it up to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Just look at this! Did you ever see such a large peach in all your +life?” +</p> + +<p> +When the old man looked at the peach he was greatly astonished and said: +</p> + +<p> +“This is indeed the largest peach I have ever seen! Wherever did you buy +it?” +</p> + +<p> +“I did not buy it,” answered the old woman. “I found it in +the river where I was washing.” And she told him the whole story. +</p> + +<p> +“I am very glad that you have found it. Let us eat it now, for I am +hungry,” said the O Fii San. +</p> + +<p> +He brought out the kitchen knife, and, placing the peach on a board, was about +to cut it when, wonderful to tell, the peach split in two of itself and a clear +voice said: +</p> + +<p> +“Wait a bit, old man!” and out stepped a beautiful little child. +</p> + +<p> +The old man and his wife were both so astonished at what they saw that they +fell to the ground. The child spoke again: +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t be afraid. I am no demon or fairy. I will tell you the +truth. Heaven has had compassion on you. Every day and every night you have +lamented that you had no child. Your cry has been heard and I am sent to be the +son of your old age!” +</p> + +<p> +On hearing this the old man and his wife were very happy. They had cried night +and day for sorrow at having no child to help them in their lonely old age, and +now that their prayer was answered they were so lost with joy that they did not +know where to put their hands or their feet. First the old man took the child +up in his arms, and then the old woman did the same; and they named him +MOMOTARO, OR SON OF A PEACH, because he had come out of a peach. +</p> + +<p> +The years passed quickly by and the child grew to be fifteen years of age. He +was taller and far stronger than any other boys of his own age, he had a +handsome face and a heart full of courage, and he was very wise for his years. +The old couple’s pleasure was very great when they looked at him, for he +was just what they thought a hero ought to be like. +</p> + +<p> +One day Momotaro came to his foster-father and said solemnly: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, by a strange chance we have become father and son. Your goodness +to me has been higher than the mountain grasses which it was your daily work to +cut, and deeper than the river where my mother washes the clothes. I do not +know how to thank you enough.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why,” answered the old man, “it is a matter of course that a +father should bring up his son. When you are older it will be your turn to take +care of us, so after all there will be no profit or loss between us—all +will be equal. Indeed, I am rather surprised that you should thank me in this +way!” and the old man looked bothered. +</p> + +<p> +“I hope you will be patient with me,” said Momotaro; “but +before I begin to pay back your goodness to me I have a request to make which I +hope you will grant me above everything else.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will let you do whatever you wish, for you are quite different to all +other boys!” +</p> + +<p> +“Then let me go away at once!” +</p> + +<p> +“What do you say? Do you wish to leave your old father and mother and go +away from your old home?” +</p> + +<p> +“I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!” +</p> + +<p> +“Where are you going?” +</p> + +<p> +“You must think it strange that I want to go away,” said Momotaro, +“because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to the +northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is the stronghold +of a band of devils. I have often heard how they invade this land, kill and rob +the people, and carry off all they can find. They are not only very wicked but +they are disloyal to our Emperor and disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, +for they kill and eat some of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall +into their hands. These devils are very hateful beings. I must go and conquer +them and bring back all the plunder of which they have robbed this land. It is +for this reason that I want to go away for a short time!” +</p> + +<p> +The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy of fifteen. +He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and fearless, and besides +all this, the old man knew he was no common child, for he had been sent to them +as a gift from Heaven, and he felt quite sure that the devils would be +powerless to harm him. +</p> + +<p> +“All you say is very interesting, Momotaro,” said the old man. +“I will not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish. Go +to the island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and bring peace +to the land.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you, for all your kindness,” said Momotaro, who began to get +ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know what fear +was. +</p> + +<p> +The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the kitchen mortar +to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his journey. +</p> + +<p> +At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his long +journey. +</p> + +<p> +Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people were +filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said: +</p> + +<p> +“Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!” +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he was coming +back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely they would be while he +was away. But he said “Good-by!” quite bravely. +</p> + +<p> +“I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away. +Good-by!” And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes of +Momotaro and his parents met in farewell. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel hungry, so +he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and sat down under a tree +by the side of the road to eat it. While he was thus having his lunch a dog +almost as large as a colt came running out from the high grass. He made +straight for Momotaro, and showing his teeth, said in a fierce way: +</p> + +<p> +“You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission first. If +you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may go; otherwise I will +bite you till I kill you!” +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro only laughed scornfully: +</p> + +<p> +“What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro, and I +am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold in the northeast +of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I will cut you in two from the +head downwards!” +</p> + +<p> +The dog’s manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs, and +coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground. +</p> + +<p> +“What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I have +often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I have behaved in +a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my rudeness? Are you indeed on your +way to invade the Island of Devils? If you will take such a rude fellow with +you as one of your followers, I shall be very grateful to you.” +</p> + +<p> +“I think I can take you with me if you wish to go,” said Momotaro. +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you!” said the dog. “By the way, I am very very +hungry. Will you give me one of the cakes you are carrying?” +</p> + +<p> +“This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan,” said Momotaro. +“I cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you very much,” said the dog, taking the piece thrown to +him. +</p> + +<p> +Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they walked over the +hills and through the valleys. As they were going along an animal came down +from a tree a little ahead of them. The creature soon came up to Momotaro and +said: +</p> + +<p> +“Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the country. +Will you allow me to go with you?” +</p> + +<p> +The dog answered jealously: +</p> + +<p> +“Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a monkey +like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils! Get away!” +</p> + +<p> +The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two animals always +hate each other. +</p> + +<p> +“Now, don’t quarrel!” said Momotaro, putting himself between +them. “Wait a moment, dog!” +</p> + +<p> +“It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that +following you!” said the dog. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you know about it?” asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the +dog, he spoke to the monkey: +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am a monkey living in these hills,” replied the monkey. “I +heard of your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go with +you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!” +</p> + +<p> +“Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with +me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir,” replied the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“I admire your courage,” said Momotaro. “Here is a piece of +one of my fine rice-cakes. Come along!” +</p> + +<p> +So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on well +together. They were always snapping at each other as they went along, and +always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very cross, and at last he +sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the monkey behind with a sword, and +he placed himself between them with a war-fan, which is made of iron. +</p> + +<p> +By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and alighted on the +ground just in front of the little party. It was the most beautiful bird +Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five different robes of feathers and +its head was covered with a scarlet cap. +</p> + +<p> +The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But the bird +struck out its spurs and flew at the dog’s tail, and the fight went hard +with both. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it showed so much +spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good fighter. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back, said to the +bird: +</p> + +<p> +“You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I will +take you with me. If you don’t I will set this dog to bite your head +off!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into Momotaro’s +company. +</p> + +<p> +“I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog, your +servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a pheasant. It is +very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to take me with you. Please +allow me to follow you behind the dog and the monkey!” +</p> + +<p> +“I congratulate you on surrendering so soon,” said Momotaro, +smiling. “Come and join us in our raid on the devils.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you going to take this bird with you also?” asked the dog, +interrupting. +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn’t you hear what +I said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!” +</p> + +<p> +“Humph!” said the dog. +</p> + +<p> +Then Momotaro stood and gave this order: +</p> + +<p> +“Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an army +is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that ‘Advantage on earth is +better than advantage in Heaven!’ Union amongst ourselves is better than +any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst ourselves it is no easy +thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you three, the dog, the monkey and the +pheasant, must be friends with one mind. The one who first begins a quarrel +will be discharged on the spot!” +</p> + +<p> +All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a member of +Momotaro’s suite, and received half a cake. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro’s influence was so great that the three became good friends, and +hurried onwards with him as their leader. +</p> + +<p> +Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of the +North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the horizon—not +a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was the rolling of the waves +upon the shore. +</p> + +<p> +Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely all the way +through the long valleys and over the hills, but they had never seen the sea +before, and for the first time since they set out they were bewildered and +gazed at each other in silence. How were they to cross the water and get to the +Island of Devils? +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea, and to try +them he spoke loudly and roughly: +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards you +are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me to fight the +demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I discharge you all at +once!” +</p> + +<p> +The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung to +Momotaro’s sleeve, begging him not to send them away. +</p> + +<p> +“Please, Momotaro!” said the dog. +</p> + +<p> +“We have come thus far!” said the monkey. +</p> + +<p> +“It is inhuman to leave us here!” said the pheasant. +</p> + +<p> +“We are not at all afraid of the sea,” said the monkey again. +</p> + +<p> +“Please do take us with you,” said the pheasant. +</p> + +<p> +“Do please,” said the dog. +</p> + +<p> +They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said: +</p> + +<p> +“Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!” +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind and weather +were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. It was the first time +they had ever been on the water, and so at first the dog, the monkey and the +pheasant were frightened at the waves and the rolling of the vessel, but by +degrees they grew accustomed to the water and were quite happy again. Every day +they paced the deck of their little ship, eagerly looking out for the +demons’ island. +</p> + +<p> +When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all their +exploits of which they were proud, and then played games together; and Momotaro +found much to amuse him in listening to the three animals and watching their +antics, and in this way he forgot that the way was long and that he was tired +of the voyage and of doing nothing. He longed to be at work killing the +monsters who had done so much harm in his country. +</p> + +<p> +As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made a quick +voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a sight of land rewarded +the four watchers at the bow. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils’ stronghold. On +the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large castle. Now +that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in thought with his head +leaning on his hands, wondering how he should begin the attack. His three +followers watched him, waiting for orders. At last he called to the pheasant: +</p> + +<p> +“It is a great advantage for us to have you with us.” said Momotaro +to the bird, “for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and +engage the demons to fight. We will follow you.” +</p> + +<p> +The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the air gladly +with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took up his position on +the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out loudly: +</p> + +<p> +“All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro has +come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you wish to save +your lives surrender at once, and in token of your submission you must break +off the horns that grow on your forehead. If you do not surrender at once, but +make up your mind to fight, we, the pheasant, the dog and the monkey, will kill +you all by biting and tearing you to death!” +</p> + +<p> +The horned demons looking up and only seeing a pheasant, laughed and said: +</p> + +<p> +“A wild pheasant, indeed! It is ridiculous to hear such words from a mean +thing like you. Wait till you get a blow from one of our iron bars!” +</p> + +<p> +Very angry, indeed, were the devils. They shook their horns and their shocks of +red hair fiercely, and rushed to put on tiger skin trousers to make themselves +look more terrible. They then brought out great iron bars and ran to where the +pheasant perched over their heads, and tried to knock him down. The pheasant +flew to one side to escape the blow, and then attacked the head of first one +and then another demon. He flew round and round them, beating the air with his +wings so fiercely and ceaselessly, that the devils began to wonder whether they +had to fight one or many more birds. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime, Momotaro had brought his ship to land. As they had approached, +he saw that the shore was like a precipice, and that the large castle was +surrounded by high walls and large iron gates and was strongly fortified. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro landed, and with the hope of finding some way of entrance, walked up +the path towards the top, followed by the monkey and the dog. They soon came +upon two beautiful damsels washing clothes in a stream. Momotaro saw that the +clothes were blood-stained, and that as the two maidens washed, the tears were +falling fast down their cheeks. He stopped and spoke to them: +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you, and why do you weep?” +</p> + +<p> +“We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our homes +to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios (Lords), we are +obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill us”—and the +maidens held up the blood-stained clothes—“and eat us, and there is +no one to help us!” +</p> + +<p> +And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought. +</p> + +<p> +“I will rescue you,” said Momotaro. “Do not weep any more, +only show me how I may get into the castle.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back door in the +lowest part of the castle wall—so small that Momotaro could hardly crawl +in. +</p> + +<p> +The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and his little +band rush in at the back. +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro’s onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand +against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the pheasant, but now +that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had arrived they were bewildered, for +the four enemies fought like a hundred, so strong were they. Some of the devils +fell off the parapet of the castle and were dashed to pieces on the rocks +beneath; others fell into the sea and were drowned; many were beaten to death +by the three animals. +</p> + +<p> +The chief of the devils at last was the only one left. He made up his mind to +surrender, for he knew that his enemy was stronger than mortal man. +</p> + +<p> +He came up humbly to Momotaro and threw down his iron bar, and kneeling down at +the victor’s feet he broke off the horns on his head in token of +submission, for they were the sign of his strength and power. +</p> + +<p> +“I am afraid of you,” he said meekly. “I cannot stand against +you. I will give you all the treasure hidden in this castle if you will spare +my life!” +</p> + +<p> +Momotaro laughed. +</p> + +<p> +“It is not like you, big devil, to beg for mercy, is it? I cannot spare +your wicked life, however much you beg, for you have killed and tortured many +people and robbed our country for many years.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Momotaro tied the devil chief up and gave him into the monkey’s +charge. Having done this, he went into all the rooms of the castle and set the +prisoners free and gathered together all the treasure he found. +</p> + +<p> +The dog and the pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro returned +triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief as a captive. +</p> + +<p> +The two poor damsels, daughters of Daimios, and others whom the wicked demon +had carried off to be his slaves, were taken safely to their own homes and +delivered to their parents. +</p> + +<p> +The whole country made a hero of Momotaro on his triumphant return, and +rejoiced that the country was now freed from the robber devils who had been a +terror of the land for a long time. +</p> + +<p> +The old couple’s joy was greater than ever, and the treasure Momotaro had +brought home with him enabled them to live in peace and plenty to the end of +their days. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap20"></a>THE OGRE OF RASHOMON</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago in Kyoto, the people of the city were terrified by accounts of a +dreadful ogre, who, it was said, haunted the Gate of Rashomon at twilight and +seized whoever passed by. The missing victims were never seen again, so it was +whispered that the ogre was a horrible cannibal, who not only killed the +unhappy victims but ate them also. Now everybody in the town and neighborhood +was in great fear, and no one durst venture out after sunset near the Gate of +Rashomon. +</p> + +<p> +Now at this time there lived in Kyoto a general named Raiko, who had made +himself famous for his brave deeds. Some time before this he made the country +ring with his name, for he had attacked Oeyama, where a band of ogres lived +with their chief, who instead of wine drank the blood of human beings. He had +routed them all and cut off the head of the chief monster. +</p> + +<p> +This brave warrior was always followed by a band of faithful knights. In this +band there were five knights of great valor. One evening as the five knights +sat at a feast quaffing SAKE in their rice bowls and eating all kinds of fish, +raw, and stewed, and broiled, and toasting each other’s healths and +exploits, the first knight, Hojo, said to the others: +</p> + +<p> +“Have you all heard the rumor that every evening after sunset there comes +an ogre to the Gate of Rashomon, and that he seizes all who pass by?” +</p> + +<p> +The second knight, Watanabe, answered him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Do not talk such nonsense! All the ogres were killed by our chief Raiko +at Oeyama! It cannot be true, because even if any ogres did escape from that +great killing they would not dare to show themselves in this city, for they +know that our brave master would at once attack them if he knew that any of +them were still alive!” +</p> + +<p> +“Then do you disbelieve what I say, and think that I am telling you a +falsehood?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, I do not think that you are telling a lie,” said Watanabe; +“but you have heard some old woman’s story which is not worth +believing.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then the best plan is to prove what I say, by going there yourself and +finding out yourself whether it is true or not,” said Hojo. +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe, the second knight, could not bear the thought that his companion +should believe he was afraid, so he answered quickly: +</p> + +<p> +“Of course, I will go at once and find out for myself!” +</p> + +<p> +So Watanabe at once got ready to go—he buckled on his long sword and put +on a coat of armor, and tied on his large helmet. When he was ready to start he +said to the others: +</p> + +<p> +“Give me something so that I can prove I have been there!” +</p> + +<p> +Then one of the men got a roll of writing paper and his box of Indian ink and +brushes, and the four comrades wrote their names on a piece of paper. +</p> + +<p> +“I will take this,” said Watanabe, “and put it on the Gate of +Rashomon, so to-morrow morning will you all go and look at it? I may be able to +catch an ogre or two by then!” and he mounted his horse and rode off +gallantly. +</p> + +<p> +It was a very dark night, and there was neither moon nor star to light Watanabe +on his way. To make the darkness worse a storm came on, the rain fell heavily +and the wind howled like wolves in the mountains. Any ordinary man would have +trembled at the thought of going out of doors, but Watanabe was a brave warrior +and dauntless, and his honor and word were at stake, so he sped on into the +night, while his companions listened to the sound of his horse’s hoofs +dying away in the distance, then shut the sliding shutters close and gathered +round the charcoal fire and wondered what would happen—and whether their +comrade would encounter one of those horrible Oni. +</p> + +<p> +At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might through the +darkness he could see no sign of an ogre. +</p> + +<p> +“It is just as I thought,” said Watanabe to himself; “there +are certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman’s story. I will +stick this paper on the gate so that the others can see I have been here when +they come to-morrow, and then I will take my way home and laugh at them +all.” +</p> + +<p> +He fastened the piece of paper, signed by all his four companions, on the gate, +and then turned his horse’s head towards home. +</p> + +<p> +As he did so he became aware that some one was behind him, and at the same time +a voice called out to him to wait. Then his helmet was seized from the back. +“Who are you?” said Watanabe fearlessly. He then put out his hand +and groped around to find out who or what it was that held him by the helmet. +As he did so he touched something that felt like an arm—it was covered +with hair and as big round as the trunk of a tree! +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe knew at once that this was the arm of an ogre, so he drew his sword +and cut at it fiercely. +</p> + +<p> +There was a loud yell of pain, and then the ogre dashed in front of the +warrior. +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe’s eyes grew large with wonder, for he saw that the ogre was +taller than the great gate, his eyes were flashing like mirrors in the +sunlight, and his huge mouth was wide open, and as the monster breathed, flames +of fire shot out of his mouth. +</p> + +<p> +The ogre thought to terrify his foe, but Watanabe never flinched. He attacked +the ogre with all his strength, and thus they fought face to face for a long +time. At last the ogre, finding that he could neither frighten nor beat +Watanabe and that he might himself be beaten, took to flight. But Watanabe, +determined not to let the monster escape, put spurs to his horse and gave +chase. +</p> + +<p> +But though the knight rode very fast the ogre ran faster, and to his +disappointment he found himself unable to overtake the monster, who was +gradually lost to sight. +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe returned to the gate where the fierce fight had taken place, and got +down from his horse. As he did so he stumbled upon something lying on the +ground. +</p> + +<p> +Stooping to pick it up he found that it was one of the ogre’s huge arms +which he must have slashed off in the fight. His joy was great at having +secured such a prize, for this was the best of all proofs of his adventure with +the ogre. So he took it up carefully and carried it home as a trophy of his +victory. +</p> + +<p> +When he got back, he showed the arm to his comrades, who one and all called him +the hero of their band and gave him a great feast. His wonderful deed was soon +noised abroad in Kyoto, and people from far and near came to see the +ogre’s arm. +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe now began to grow uneasy as to how he should keep the arm in safety, +for he knew that the ogre to whom it belonged was still alive. He felt sure +that one day or other, as soon as the ogre got over his scare, he would come to +try to get his arm back again. Watanabe therefore had a box made of the +strongest wood and banded with iron. In this he placed the arm, and then he +sealed down the heavy lid, refusing to open it for anyone. He kept the box in +his own room and took charge of it himself, never allowing it out of his sight. +</p> + +<p> +Now one night he heard some one knocking at the porch, asking for admittance. +</p> + +<p> +When the servant went to the door to see who it was, there was only an old +woman, very respectable in appearance. On being asked who she was and what was +her business, the old woman replied with a smile that she had been nurse to the +master of the house when he was a little baby. If the lord of the house were at +home she begged to be allowed to see him. +</p> + +<p> +The servant left the old woman at the door and went to tell his master that his +old nurse had come to see him. Watanabe thought it strange that she should come +at that time of night, but at the thought of his old nurse, who had been like a +foster-mother to him and whom he had not seen for a long time, a very tender +feeling sprang up for her in his heart. He ordered the servant to show her in. +</p> + +<p> +The old woman was ushered into the room, and after the customary bows and +greetings were over, she said: +</p> + +<p> +“Master, the report of your brave fight with the ogre at the Gate of +Rashomon is so widely known that even your poor old nurse has heard of it. Is +it really true, what every one says, that you cut off one of the ogre’s +arms? If you did, your deed is highly to be praised!” +</p> + +<p> +“I was very disappointed,” said Watanabe, “that I was not +able take the monster captive, which was what I wished to do, instead of only +cutting off an arm!” +</p> + +<p> +“I am very proud to think,” answered the old woman, “that my +master was so brave as to dare to cut off an ogre’s arm. There is nothing +that can be compared to your courage. Before I die it is the great wish of my +life to see this arm,” she added pleadingly. +</p> + +<p> +“No,” said Watanabe, “I am sorry, but I cannot grant your +request.” +</p> + +<p> +“But why?” asked the old woman. +</p> + +<p> +“Because,” replied Watanabe, “ogres are very revengeful +creatures, and if I open the box there is no telling but that the ogre may +suddenly appear and carry off his arm. I have had a box made on purpose with a +very strong lid, and in this box I keep the ogre’s arm secure; and I +never show it to any one, whatever happens.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your precaution is very reasonable,” said the old woman. +“But I am your old nurse, so surely you will not refuse to show ME the +arm. I have only just heard of your brave act, and not being able to wait till +the morning I came at once to ask you to show it to me.” +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe was very troubled at the old woman’s pleading, but he still +persisted in refusing. Then the old woman said: +</p> + +<p> +“Do you suspect me of being a spy sent by the ogre?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, of course I do not suspect you of being the ogre’s spy, for +you are my old nurse,” answered Watanabe. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you cannot surely refuse to show me the arm any longer.” +entreated the old woman; “for it is the great wish of my heart to see for +once in my life the arm of an ogre!” +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe could not hold out in his refusal any longer, so he gave in at last, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Then I will show you the ogre’s arm, since you so earnestly wish +to see it. Come, follow me!” and he led the way to his own room, the old +woman following. +</p> + +<p> +When they were both in the room Watanabe shut the door carefully, and then +going towards a big box which stood in a corner of the room, he took off the +heavy lid. He then called to the old woman to come near and look in, for he +never took the arm out of the box. +</p> + +<p> +“What is it like? Let me have a good look at it,” said the old +nurse, with a joyful face. +</p> + +<p> +She came nearer and nearer, as if she were afraid, till she stood right against +the box. Suddenly she plunged her hand into the box and seized the arm, crying +with a fearful voice which made the room shake: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, joy! I have got my arm back again!” +</p> + +<p> +And from an old woman she was suddenly transformed into the towering figure of +the frightful ogre! +</p> + +<p> +Watanabe sprang back and was unable to move for a moment, so great was his +astonishment; but recognizing the ogre who had attacked him at the Gate of +Rashomon, he determined with his usual courage to put an end to him this time. +He seized his sword, drew it out of its sheath in a flash, and tried to cut the +ogre down. +</p> + +<p> +So quick was Watanabe that the creature had a narrow escape. But the ogre +sprang up to the ceiling, and bursting through the roof, disappeared in the +mist and clouds. +</p> + +<p> +In this way the ogre escaped with his arm. The knight gnashed his teeth with +disappointment, but that was all he could do. He waited in patience for another +opportunity to dispatch the ogre. But the latter was afraid of Watanabe’s +great strength and daring, and never troubled Kyoto again. So once more the +people of the city were able to go out without fear even at night time, and the +brave deeds of Watanabe have never been forgotten! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap21"></a>HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN</h2> + +<p> +Many, many years ago there lived a good old man who had a wen like a +tennis-ball growing out of his right cheek. This lump was a great disfigurement +to the old man, and so annoyed him that for many years he spent all his time +and money in trying to get rid of it. He tried everything he could think of. He +consulted many doctors far and near, and took all kinds of medicines both +internally and externally. But it was all of no use. The lump only grew bigger +and bigger till it was nearly as big as his face, and in despair he gave up all +hopes of ever losing it, and resigned himself to the thought of having to carry +the lump on his face all his life. +</p> + +<p> +One day the firewood gave out in his kitchen, so, as his wife wanted some at +once, the old man took his ax and set out for the woods up among the hills not +very far from his home. It was a fine day in the early autumn, and the old man +enjoyed the fresh air and was in no hurry to get home. So the whole afternoon +passed quickly while he was chopping wood, and he had collected a goodly pile +to take back to his wife. When the day began to draw to a close, he turned his +face homewards. +</p> + +<p> +The old man had not gone far on his way down the mountain pass when the sky +clouded and rain began to fall heavily. He looked about for some shelter, but +there was not even a charcoal-burner’s hut near. At last he espied a +large hole in the hollow trunk of a tree. The hole was near the ground, so he +crept in easily, and sat down in hopes that he had only been overtaken by a +mountain shower, and that the weather would soon clear. +</p> + +<p> +But much to the old man’s disappointment, instead of clearing the rain +fell more and more heavily, and finally a heavy thunderstorm broke over the +mountain. The thunder roared so terrifically, and the heavens seemed to be so +ablaze with lightning, that the old man could hardly believe himself to be +alive. He thought that he must die of fright. At last, however, the sky +cleared, and the whole country was aglow in the rays of the setting sun. The +old man’s spirits revived when he looked out at the beautiful twilight, +and he was about to step out from his strange hiding-place in the hollow tree +when the sound of what seemed like the approaching steps of several people +caught his ear. He at once thought that his friends had come to look for him, +and he was delighted at the idea of having some jolly companions with whom to +walk home. But on looking out from the tree, what was his amazement to see, not +his friends, but hundreds of demons coming towards the spot. The more he +looked, the greater was his astonishment. Some of these demons were as large as +giants, others had great big eyes out of all proportion to the rest of their +bodies, others again had absurdly long noses, and some had such big mouths that +they seemed to open from ear to ear. All had horns growing on their foreheads. +The old man was so surprised at what he saw that he lost his balance and fell +out of the hollow tree. Fortunately for him the demons did not see him, as the +tree was in the background. So he picked himself up and crept back into the +tree. +</p> + +<p> +While he was sitting there and wondering impatiently when he would be able to +get home, he heard the sounds of gay music, and then some of the demons began +to sing. +</p> + +<p> +“What are these creatures doing?” said the old man to himself. +“I will look out, it sounds very amusing.” +</p> + +<p> +On peeping out, the old man saw that the demon chief himself was actually +sitting with his back against the tree in which he had taken refuge, and all +the other demons were sitting round, some drinking and some dancing. Food and +wine was spread before them on the ground, and the demons were evidently having +a great entertainment and enjoying themselves immensely. +</p> + +<p> +It made the old man laugh to see their strange antics. +</p> + +<p> +“How amusing this is!” laughed the old man to himself “I am +now quite old, but I have never seen anything so strange in all my life.” +</p> + +<p> +He was so interested and excited in watching all that the demons were doing, +that he forgot himself and stepped out of the tree and stood looking on. +</p> + +<p> +The demon chief was just taking a big cup of SAKE and watching one of the +demons dancing. In a little while he said with a bored air: +</p> + +<p> +“Your dance is rather monotonous. I am tired of watching it. Isn’t +there any one amongst you all who can dance better than this fellow?” +</p> + +<p> +Now the old man had been fond of dancing all his life, and was quite an expert +in the art, and he knew that he could do much better than the demon. +</p> + +<p> +“Shall I go and dance before these demons and let them see what a human +being can do? It may be dangerous, for if I don’t please them they may +kill me!” said the old fellow to himself. +</p> + +<p> +His fears, however, were soon overcome by his love of dancing. In a few minutes +he could restrain himself no longer, and came out before the whole party of +demons and began to dance at once. The old man, realizing that his life +probably depended on whether he pleased these strange creatures or not, exerted +his skill and wit to the utmost. +</p> + +<p> +The demons were at first very surprised to see a man so fearlessly taking part +in their entertainment, and then their surprise soon gave place to admiration. +</p> + +<p> +“How strange!” exclaimed the horned chief. “I never saw such +a skillful dancer before! He dances admirably!” +</p> + +<p> +When the old man had finished his dance, the big demon said: +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you very much for your amusing dance. Now give us the pleasure of +drinking a cup of wine with us,” and with these words he handed him his +largest wine-cup. +</p> + +<p> +The old man thanked him very humbly: +</p> + +<p> +“I did not expect such kindness from your lordship. I fear I have only +disturbed your pleasant party by my unskillful dancing.” +</p> + +<p> +“No, no,” answered the big demon. “You must come often and +dance for us. Your skill has given us much pleasure.” +</p> + +<p> +The old man thanked him again and promised to do so. +</p> + +<p> +“Then will you come again to-morrow, old man?” asked the demon. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly, I will,” answered the old man. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you must leave some pledge of your word with us,” said the +demon. +</p> + +<p> +“Whatever you like,” said the old man. +</p> + +<p> +“Now what is the best thing he can leave with us as a pledge?” +asked the demon, looking round. +</p> + +<p> +Then said one of the demon’s attendants kneeling behind the chief: +</p> + +<p> +“The token he leaves with us must be the most important thing to him in +his possession. I see the old man has a wen on his right cheek. Now mortal men +consider such a wen very fortunate. Let my lord take the lump from the old +man’s right cheek, and he will surely come to-morrow, if only to get that +back.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are very clever,” said the demon chief, giving his horns an +approving nod. Then he stretched out a hairy arm and claw-like hand, and took +the great lump from the old man’s right cheek. Strange to say, it came +off as easily as a ripe plum from the tree at the demon’s touch, and then +the merry troop of demons suddenly vanished. +</p> + +<p> +The old man was lost in bewilderment by all that had happened. He hardly knew +for some time where he was. When he came to understand what had happened to +him, he was delighted to find that the lump on his face, which had for so many +years disfigured him, had really been taken away without any pain to himself. +He put up his hand to feel if any scar remained, but found that his right cheek +was as smooth as his left. +</p> + +<p> +The sun had long set, and the young moon had risen like a silver crescent in +the sky. The old man suddenly realized how late it was and began to hurry home. +He patted his right cheek all the time, as if to make sure of his good fortune +in having lost the wen. He was so happy that he found it impossible to walk +quietly—he ran and danced the whole way home. +</p> + +<p> +He found his wife very anxious, wondering what had happened to make him so +late. He soon told her all that had passed since he left home that afternoon. +She was quite as happy as her husband when he showed her that the ugly lump had +disappeared from his face, for in her youth she had prided herself on his good +looks, and it had been a daily grief to her to see the horrid growth. +</p> + +<p> +Now next door to this good old couple there lived a wicked and disagreeable old +man. He, too, had for many years been troubled with the growth of a wen on his +left cheek, and he, too, had tried all manner of things to get rid of it, but +in vain. +</p> + +<p> +He heard at once, through the servant, of his neighbor’s good luck in +losing the lump on his face, so he called that very evening and asked his +friend to tell him everything that concerned the loss of it. The good old man +told his disagreeable neighbor all that had happened to him. He described the +place where he would find the hollow tree in which to hide, and advised him to +be on the spot in the late afternoon towards the time of sunset. +</p> + +<p> +The old neighbor started out the very next afternoon, and after hunting about +for some time, came to the hollow tree just as his friend had described. Here +he hid himself and waited for the twilight. +</p> + +<p> +Just as he had been told, the band of demons came at that hour and held a feast +with dance and song. When this had gone on for some time the chief of the +demons looked around and said: +</p> + +<p> +“It is now time for the old man to come as he promised us. Why +doesn’t he come?” +</p> + +<p> +When the second old man heard these words he ran out of his hiding-place in the +tree and, kneeling down before the Oni, said: +</p> + +<p> +“I have been waiting for a long time for you to speak!” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, you are the old man of yesterday,” said the demon chief. +“Thank you for coming, you must dance for us soon.” +</p> + +<p> +The old man now stood up and opened his fan and began to dance. But he had +never learned to dance, and knew nothing about the necessary gestures and +different positions. He thought that anything would please the demons, so he +just hopped about, waving his arms and stamping his feet, imitating as well as +he could any dancing he had ever seen. +</p> + +<p> +The Oni were very dissatisfied at this exhibition, and said amongst themselves: +</p> + +<p> +“How badly he dances to-day!” +</p> + +<p> +Then to the old man the demon chief said: +</p> + +<p> +“Your performance to-day is quite different from the dance of yesterday. +We don’t wish to see any more of such dancing. We will give you back the +pledge you left with us. You must go away at once.” +</p> + +<p> +With these words he took out from a fold of his dress the lump which he had +taken from the face of the old man who had danced so well the day before, and +threw it at the right cheek of the old man who stood before him. The lump +immediately attached itself to his cheek as firmly as if it had grown there +always, and all attempts to pull it off were useless. The wicked old man, +instead of losing the lump on his left cheek as he had hoped, found to his +dismay that he had but added another to his right cheek in his attempt to get +rid of the first. +</p> + +<p> +He put up first one hand and then the other to each side of his face to make +sure if he were not dreaming a horrible nightmare. No, sure enough there was +now a great wen on the right side of his face as on the left. The demons had +all disappeared, and there was nothing for him to do but to return home. He was +a pitiful sight, for his face, with the two large lumps, one on each side, +looked just like a Japanese gourd. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap22"></a>THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA.<br/> +AN OLD CHINESE STORY</h2> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her brother +the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress Jokwa, for that was +her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as tall as her brother. She was a +wonderful woman, and an able ruler. There is an interesting story of how she +mended a part of the broken heavens and one of the terrestrial pillars which +upheld the sky, both of which were damaged during a rebellion raised by one of +King Fuki’s subjects. +</p> + +<p> +The rebel’s name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body was +entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. He was a wizard +and a very terrible character indeed. When the Emperor Fuki died, Kokai was +bitten with the ambition to be Emperor of China, but his plan failed, and +Jokwa, the dead Emperor’s sister, mounted the throne. Kokai was so angry +at being thwarted in his desire that he raised a revolt. His first act was to +employ the Water Devil, who caused a great flood to rush over the country. This +swamped the poor people out of their homes, and when the Empress Jokwa saw the +plight of her subjects, and knew it was Kokai’s fault, she declared war +against him. +</p> + +<p> +Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, and the +former she made General of the front forces. Hako was delighted that the +Empress’s choice should fall on him, and he prepared himself for battle. +He took up the longest lance he could find and mounted a red horse, and was +just about to set out when he heard some one galloping hard behind him and +shouting: +</p> + +<p> +“Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!” +</p> + +<p> +He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in the act of +unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako’s anger was kindled, and +as he turned to face his rival he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the front +forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” answered Eiko. “I ought to lead the army. It is you +who should follow me.” +</p> + +<p> +At this bold reply Hako’s anger burst from a spark into a flame. +</p> + +<p> +“Dare you answer me thus? Take that,” and he lunged at him with his +lance. +</p> + +<p> +But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his sword, he +wounded the head of the General’s horse. Obliged to dismount, Hako was +about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as quick as lightning, tore from +his breast the badge of commandership and galloped away. The action was so +quick that Hako stood dazed, not knowing what to do. +</p> + +<p> +The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but admire the +quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify the rivals she +determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of the front army. +</p> + +<p> +So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and Eiko of the +right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and marched to put down the +rebel Kokai. +</p> + +<p> +Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai had +fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard said: +</p> + +<p> +“I will blow these two poor children away with one breath.” (He +little thought how hard he would find the fight.) +</p> + +<p> +With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, and rushed +forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes. +</p> + +<p> +As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said to each +other: “We must not let him escape alive,” and they attacked him +from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But the +all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten—he whirled his iron rod +round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they fought thus, neither +side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the wizard’s iron rod, Hako +turned his horse too quickly; the animal’s hoofs struck against a large +stone, and in a fright the horse reared as straight on end as a screen, +throwing his master to the ground. +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the prostrate +Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the brave Eiko had +wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to try his strength with him, +and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai was tired, and he did not feel inclined +to face this fresh and dauntless young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse +round, he fled from the fray. +</p> + +<p> +Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon his feet, +and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, the one on foot and +the other on horseback. +</p> + +<p> +Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest assailant, who was, +of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth an arrow from the quiver at his +back, fitted it to his bow and drew upon Eiko. +</p> + +<p> +As quick as lightning the wary Eiko avoided the shaft, which only touched his +helmet strings, and glancing off, fell harmless against Hako’s coat of +armor. +</p> + +<p> +The wizard saw that both his enemies remained unscathed. He also knew that +there was no time to pull a second arrow before they would be upon him, so to +save himself he resorted to magic. He stretched forth his wand, and immediately +a great flood arose, and Jokwa’s army and her brave young Generals were +swept away like a falling of autumn leaves on a stream. +</p> + +<p> +Hako and Eiko found themselves struggling neck deep in water, and looking round +they saw the ferocious Kokai making towards them through the water with his +iron rod on high. They thought every moment that they would be cut down, but +they bravely struck out to swim as far as they could from Kokai’s reach. +All of a sudden they found themselves in front of what seemed to be an island +rising straight out of the water. They looked up, and there stood an old man +with hair as white as snow, smiling at them. They cried to him to help them. +The old man nodded his head and came down to the edge of the water. As soon as +his feet touched the flood it divided, and a good road appeared, to the +amazement of the drowning men, who now found themselves safe. +</p> + +<p> +Kokai had by this time reached the island which had risen as if by a miracle +out of the water, and seeing his enemies thus saved he was furious. He rushed +through the water upon the old man, and it seemed as if he would surely be +killed. But the old man appeared not in the least dismayed, and calmly awaited +the wizard’s onslaught. +</p> + +<p> +As Kokai drew near, the old man laughed aloud merrily, and turning into a large +and beautiful white crane, flapped his wings and flew upwards into the heavens. +</p> + +<p> +When Hako and Eiko saw this, they knew that their deliverer was no mere human +being—was perhaps a god in disguise—and they hoped later on to find +out who the venerable old man was. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime they had retreated, and it being now the close of day, for the +sun was setting, both Kokai and the young warriors gave up the idea of fighting +more that day. +</p> + +<p> +That night Hako and Eiko decided that it was useless to fight against the +wizard Kokai, for he had supernatural powers, while they were only human. So +they presented themselves before the Empress Jokwa. After a long consultation, +the Empress decided to ask the Fire King, Shikuyu, to help her against the +rebel wizard and to lead her army against him. +</p> + +<p> +Now Shikuyu, the Fire King, lived at the South Pole. It was the only safe place +for him to be in, for he burnt up everything around him anywhere else, but it +was impossible to burn up ice and snow. To look at he was a giant, and stood +thirty feet high. His face was just like marble, and his hair and beard long +and as white as snow. His strength was stupendous, and he was master of all +fire just as Kokai was of water. +</p> + +<p> +“Surely,” thought the Empress, “Shikuyu can conquer +Kokai.” So she sent Eiko to the South Pole to beg Shikuyu to take the war +against Kokai into his own hands and conquer him once for all. +</p> + +<p> +The Fire King, on hearing the Empress’s request, smiled and said: +</p> + +<p> +“That is an easy matter, to be sure! It was none other than I who came to +your rescue when you and your companion were drowning in the flood raised by +Kokai!” +</p> + +<p> +Eiko was surprised at learning this. He thanked the Fire King for coming to the +rescue in their dire need, and then besought him to return with him and lead +the war and defeat the wicked Kokai. +</p> + +<p> +Shikuyu did as he was asked, and returned with Eiko to the Empress. She +welcomed the Fire King cordially, and at once told him why she had sent for +him—to ask him to be the Generalissimo of her army. His reply was very +reassuring: +</p> + +<p> +“Do not have any anxiety. I will certainly kill Kokai.” +</p> + +<p> +Shikuyu then placed himself at the head of thirty thousand soldiers, and with +Hako and Eiko showing him the way, marched to the enemy’s castle. The +Fire King knew the secret of Kokai’s power, and he now told all the +soldiers to gather a certain kind of shrub. This they burned in large +quantities, and each soldier was then ordered to fill a bag full of the ashes +thus obtained. +</p> + +<p> +Kokai, on the other hand, in his own conceit, thought that Shikuyu was of +inferior power to himself, and he murmured angrily: +</p> + +<p> +“Even though you are the Fire King, I can soon extinguish you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he repeated an incantation, and the water-floods rose and welled as high +as mountains. Shikuyu, not in the least frightened, ordered his soldiers to +scatter the ashes which he had caused them to make. Every man did as he was +bid, and such was the power of the plant that they had burned, that as soon as +the ashes mingled with the water a stiff mud was formed, and they were all safe +from drowning. +</p> + +<p> +Now Kokai the wizard was dismayed when he saw that the Fire King was superior +in wisdom to himself, and his anger was so great that he rushed headlong +towards the enemy. +</p> + +<p> +Eiko rode to meet him, and the two fought together for some time. They were +well matched in a hand-to-hand combat. Hako, who was carefully watching the +fray, saw that Eiko began to tire, and fearing that his companion would be +killed, he took his place. +</p> + +<p> +But Kokai had tired as well, and feeling him self unable to hold out against +Hako, he said artfully: +</p> + +<p> +“You are too magnanimous, thus to fight for your friend and run the risk +of being killed. I will not hurt such a good man.” +</p> + +<p> +And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. His intention +was to throw Hako off his guard and then to wheel round and take him by +surprise. +</p> + +<p> +But Shikuyu understood the wily wizard, and he spoke at once: +</p> + +<p> +“You are a coward! You cannot deceive me!” +</p> + +<p> +Saying this, the Fire King made a sign to the unwary Hako to attack him. Kokai +now turned upon Shikuyu furiously, but he was tired and unable to fight well, +and he soon received a wound in his shoulder. He now broke from the fray and +tried to escape in earnest. +</p> + +<p> +While the fight between their leaders had been going on the two armies had +stood waiting for the issue. Shikuyu now turned and bade Jokwa’s soldiers +charge the enemy’s forces. This they did, and routed them with great +slaughter, and the wizard barely escaped with his life. +</p> + +<p> +It was in vain that Kokai called upon the Water Devil to help him, for Shikuyu +knew the counter-charm. The wizard found that the battle was against him. Mad +with pain, for his wound began to trouble him, and frenzied with disappointment +and fear, he dashed his head against the rocks of Mount Shu and died on the +spot. +</p> + +<p> +There was an end of the wicked Kokai, but not of trouble in the Empress +Jokwa’s Kingdom, as you shall see. The force with which the wizard fell +against the rocks was so great that the mountain burst, and fire rushed out +from the earth, and one of the pillars upholding the Heavens was broken so that +one corner of the sky dropped till it touched the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Shikuyu, the Fire King, took up the body of the wizard and carried it to the +Empress Jokwa, who rejoiced greatly that her enemy was vanquished, and her +generals victorious. She showered all manner of gifts and honors upon Shikuyu. +</p> + +<p> +But all this time fire was bursting from the mountain broken by the fall of +Kokai. Whole villages were destroyed, rice-fields burnt up, river beds filled +with the burning lava, and the homeless people were in great distress. So the +Empress left the capital as soon as she had rewarded the victor Shikuyu, and +journeyed with all speed to the scene of disaster. She found that both Heaven +and earth had sustained damage, and the place was so dark that she had to light +her lamp to find out the extent of the havoc that had been wrought. +</p> + +<p> +Having ascertained this, she set to work at repairs. To this end she ordered +her subjects to collect stones of five colors—blue, yellow, red, white +and black. When she had obtained these, she boiled them with a kind of +porcelain in a large caldron, and the mixture became a beautiful paste, and +with this she knew that she could mend the sky. Now all was ready. +</p> + +<p> +Summoning the clouds that were sailing ever so high above her head, she mounted +them, and rode heavenwards, carrying in her hands the vase containing the paste +made from the stones of five colors. She soon reached the corner of the sky +that was broken, and applied the paste and mended it. Having done this, she +turned her attention to the broken pillar, and with the legs of a very large +tortoise she mended it. When this was finished she mounted the clouds and +descended to the earth, hoping to find that all was now right, but to her +dismay she found that it was still quite dark. Neither the sun shone by day nor +the moon by night. +</p> + +<p> +Greatly perplexed, she at last called a meeting of all the wise men of the +Kingdom, and asked their advice as to what she should do in this dilemma. +</p> + +<p> +Two of the wisest said: +</p> + +<p> +“The roads of Heaven have been damaged by the late accident, and the Sun +and Moon have been obliged to stay at home. Neither the Sun could make his +daily journey nor the Moon her nightly one because of the bad roads. The Sun +and Moon do not yet know that your Majesty has mended all that was damaged, so +we will go and inform them that since you have repaired them the roads are +safe.” +</p> + +<p> +The Empress approved of what the wise men suggested, and ordered them to set +out on their mission. But this was not easy, for the Palace of the Sun and Moon +was many, many hundreds of thousands of miles distant into the East. If they +traveled on foot they might never reach the place, they would die of old age on +the road. But Jokwa had recourse to magic. She gave her two ambassadors +wonderful chariots which could whirl through the air by magic power a thousand +miles per minute. They set out in good spirits, riding above the clouds, and +after many days they reached the country where the Sun and the Moon were living +happily together. +</p> + +<p> +The two ambassadors were granted an interview with their Majesties of Light and +asked them why they had for so many days secluded themselves from the Universe? +Did they not know that by doing so they plunged the world and all its people +into uttermost darkness both day and night? +</p> + +<p> +Replied the Sun and the Moon: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely you know that Mount Shu has suddenly burst forth with fire, and +the roads of Heaven have been greatly damaged! I, the Sun, found it impossible +to make my daily journey along such rough roads—and certainly the Moon +could not issue forth at night! so we both retired into private life for a +time.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the two wise men bowed themselves to the ground and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Our Empress Jokwa has already repaired the roads with the wonderful +stones of five colors, so we beg to assure your Majesties that the roads are +just as they were before the eruption took place.” +</p> + +<p> +But the Sun and the Moon still hesitated, saying that they had heard that one +of the pillars of Heaven had been broken as well, and they feared that, even if +the roads had been remade, it would still be dangerous for them to sally forth +on their usual journeys. +</p> + +<p> +“You need have no anxiety about the broken pillar,” said the two +ambassadors. “Our Empress restored it with the legs of a great tortoise, +and it is as firm as ever it was.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the Sun and Moon appeared satisfied, and they both set out to try the +roads. They found that what the Empress’s deputies had told them was +correct. +</p> + +<p> +After the examination of the heavenly roads, the Sun and Moon again gave light +to the earth. All the people rejoiced greatly, and peace and prosperity were +secured in China for a long time under the reign of the wise Empress Jokwa. +</p> + +<p class="center"> +THE END. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ef9779 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #4018 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4018) diff --git a/old/4018.txt b/old/4018.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c96e8b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/4018.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7972 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Japanese Fairy Tales + +Author: Yei Theodora Ozaki + +Posting Date: June 4, 2009 [EBook #4018] +Release Date: May, 2003 +First Posted: October 11, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks, Greg Weeks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + + +JAPANESE FAIRY TALES + +COMPILED BY + +YEI THEODORA OZAKI + + + + +Profusely Illustrated by Japanese Artists + + + + +TO + +ELEANOR MARION-CRAWFORD. + +I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO YOU AND TO THE SWEET CHILD-FRIENDSHIP THAT YOU +GAVE ME IN THE DAYS SPENT WITH YOU BY THE SOUTHERN SEA, WHEN YOU USED +TO LISTEN WITH UNFEIGNED PLEASURE TO THESE FAIRY STORIES FROM FAR +JAPAN. MAY THEY NOW REMIND YOU OF MY CHANGELESS LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE. + +Y. T. O. + +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +PREFACE. + +This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a suggestion +made to me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew Lang. They have +been translated from the modern version written by Sadanami Sanjin. +These stories are not literal translations, and though the Japanese +story and all quaint Japanese expressions have been faithfully +preserved, they have been told more with the view to interest young +readers of the West than the technical student of folk-lore. + +Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, my +brother Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko Yamao, +who have helped me with translations. + +The story which I have named "The Story of the Man who did not Wish to +Die" is taken from a little book written a hundred years ago by one +Shinsui Tamenaga. It is named Chosei Furo, or "Longevity." "The +Bamboo-cutter and the Moon-child" is taken from the classic "Taketari +Monogatari," and is NOT classed by the Japanese among their fairy +tales, though it really belongs to this class of literature. + +The pictures were drawn by Mr. Kakuzo Fujiyama, a Tokio artist. + +In telling these stories in English I have followed my fancy in adding +such touches of local color or description as they seemed to need or as +pleased me, and in one or two instances I have gathered in an incident +from another version. At all times, among my friends, both young and +old, English or American, I have always found eager listeners to the +beautiful legends and fairy tales of Japan, and in telling them I have +also found that they were still unknown to the vast majority, and this +has encouraged me to write them for the children of the West. + +Y. T. O. + +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +MY LORD BAG OF RICE + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW + +THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD + +THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + +THE "shinansha," OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE + +THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY + +THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE + +THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE + +THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD + +THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA + +THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA + +THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR + +THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER + +THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER + +THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY + +THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB + +THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + +THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE + +MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH + +THE OGRE OF RASHOMON + +HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN + +THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA + + + + + + +JAPANESE FAIRY TALES. + + + + +MY LORD BAG OF RICE. + + +Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as +Tawara Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice." His true name was Fujiwara +Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to +change his name. + +One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature +of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two +swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and +slinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not gone far when +he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the +beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he +saw lying right across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so +big that it looked like the trunk of a large pine tree and it took up +the whole width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested on the +parapet of one side of the bridge, while its tail lay right against the +other. The monster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and +smoke came out of its nostrils. + +At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this +horrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or +walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting +aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he stepped now +on the dragon's body, now between its coils, and without even one +glance backward he went on his way. + +He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him from +behind. On turning back he was much surprised to see that the monster +dragon had entirely disappeared and in its place was a strange-looking +man, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the ground. His red hair +streamed over his shoulders and was surmounted by a crown in the shape +of a dragon's head, and his sea-green dress was patterned with shells. +Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal and he wondered +much at the strange occurrence. Where had the dragon gone in such a +short space of time? Or had it transformed itself into this man, and +what did the whole thing mean? While these thoughts passed through his +mind he had come up to the man on the bridge and now addressed him: + +"Was it you that called me just now?" + +"Yes, it was I," answered the man: "I have an earnest request to make +to you. Do you think you can grant it to me?" + +"If it is in my power to do so I will," answered Hidesato, "but first +tell me who you are?" + +"I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters just +under this bridge." + +"And what is it you have to ask of me?" said Hidesato. + +"I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the +mountain beyond," and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on the +opposite shore of the lake. + +"I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large family +of children and grand-children. For some time past we have lived in +terror, for a monster centipede has discovered our home, and night +after night it comes and carries off one of my family. I am powerless +to save them. If it goes on much longer like this, not only shall I +lose all my children, but I myself must fall a victim to the monster. I +am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I determined to ask +the help of a human being. For many days with this intention I have +waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that +you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man would come along. But +all who came this way, as soon as they saw me were terrified and ran +away as fast as they could. You are the first man I have found able to +look at me without fear, so I knew at once that you were a man of great +courage. I beg you to have pity upon me. Will you not help me and kill +my enemy the centipede?" + +Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, and +readily promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior asked +where the centipede lived, so that he might attack the creature at +once. The Dragon King replied that its home was on the mountain Mikami, +but that as it came every night at a certain hour to the palace of the +lake, it would be better to wait till then. So Hidesato was conducted +to the palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strange to say, as +he followed his host downwards the waters parted to let them pass, and +his clothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. +Never had Hidesato seen anything so beautiful as this palace built of +white marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of the Sea King's +palace at the bottom of the sea, where all the servants and retainers +were salt-water fishes, but here was a magnificent building in the +heart of Lake Biwa. The dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout, +waited upon the Dragon King and his guest. + +Hidesato was astonished at the feast that was spread for him. The +dishes were crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the chopsticks +were of the rarest ebony. As soon as they sat down, the sliding doors +opened and ten lovely goldfish dancers came out, and behind them +followed ten red-carp musicians with the koto and the samisen. Thus the +hours flew by till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing had +banished all thoughts of the centipede. The Dragon King was about to +pledge the warrior in a fresh cup of wine when the palace was suddenly +shaken by a tramp, tramp! as if a mighty army had begun to march not +far away. + +Hidesato and his host both rose to their feet and rushed to the +balcony, and the warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls +of glowing fire coming nearer and nearer. The Dragon King stood by the +warrior's side trembling with fear. + +"The centipede! The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its eyes. It +is coming for its prey! Now is the time to kill it." + +Hidesato looked where his host pointed, and, in the dim light of the +starlit evening, behind the two balls of fire he saw the long body of +an enormous centipede winding round the mountains, and the light in its +hundred feet glowed like so many distant lanterns moving slowly towards +the shore. + +Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried to calm the Dragon +King. + +"Don't be afraid. I shall surely kill the centipede. Just bring me my +bow and arrows." + +The Dragon King did as he was bid, and the warrior noticed that he had +only three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow, and fitting an +arrow to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. + +The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, but +instead of penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell to the ground. + +Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted it to the notch of +the bow and let fly. Again the arrow hit the mark, it struck the +centipede right in the middle of its head, only to glance off and fall +to the ground. The centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When the +Dragon King saw that even this brave warrior's arrows were powerless to +kill the centipede, he lost heart and began to tremble with fear. + +The warrior saw that he had now only one arrow left in his quiver, and +if this one failed he could not kill the centipede. He looked across +the waters. The huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times +round the mountain and would soon come down to the lake. Nearer and +nearer gleamed fireballs of eyes, and the light of its hundred feet +began to throw reflections in the still waters of the lake. + +Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that human +saliva was deadly to centipedes. But this was no ordinary centipede. +This was so monstrous that even to think of such a creature made one +creep with horror. Hidesato determined to try his last chance. So +taking his last arrow and first putting the end of it in his mouth, he +fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim once more and let fly. + +This time the arrow again hit the centipede right in the middle of its +head, but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it struck home +to the creature's brain. Then with a convulsive shudder the serpentine +body stopped moving, and the fiery light of its great eyes and hundred +feet darkened to a dull glare like the sunset of a stormy day, and then +went out in blackness. A great darkness now overspread the heavens, the +thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, and the wind roared in fury, +and it seemed as if the world were coming to an end. The Dragon King +and his children and retainers all crouched in different parts of the +palace, frightened to death, for the building was shaken to its +foundation. At last the dreadful night was over. Day dawned beautiful +and clear. The centipede was gone from the mountain. + +Then Hidesato called to the Dragon King to come out with him on the +balcony, for the centipede was dead and he had nothing more to fear. + +Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy, and Hidesato +pointed to the lake. There lay the body of the dead centipede floating +on the water, which was dyed red with its blood. + +The gratitude of the Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family came +and bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and the +bravest warrior in all Japan. + +Another feast was prepared, more sumptuous than the first. All kinds of +fish, prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed, boiled and +roasted, served on coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before him, +and the wine was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in his life. To +add to the beauty of everything the sun shone brightly, the lake +glittered like a liquid diamond, and the palace was a thousand times +more beautiful by day than by night. + +His host tried to persuade the warrior to stay a few days, but Hidesato +insisted on going home, saying that he had now finished what he had +come to do, and must return. The Dragon King and his family were all +very sorry to have him leave so soon, but since he would go they begged +him to accept a few small presents (so they said) in token of their +gratitude to him for delivering them forever from their horrible enemy +the centipede. + +As the warrior stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish was +suddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial +robes and dragon's crowns on their heads to show that they were +servants of the great Dragon King. The presents that they carried were +as follows: + + First, a large bronze bell. + Second, a bag of rice. + Third, a roll of silk. + Fourth, a cooking pot. + Fifth, a bell. + +Hidesato did not want to accept all these presents, but as the Dragon +King insisted, he could not well refuse. + +The Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge, +and then took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, leaving the +procession of servants to accompany Hidesato to his house with the +presents. + +The warrior's household and servants had been very much concerned when +they found that he did not return the night before, but they finally +concluded that he had been kept by the violent storm and had taken +shelter somewhere. When the servants on the watch for his return caught +sight of him they called to every one that he was approaching, and the +whole household turned out to meet him, wondering much what the retinue +of men, bearing presents and banners, that followed him, could mean. + +As soon as the Dragon King's retainers had put down the presents they +vanished, and Hidesato told all that had happened to him. + +The presents which he had received from the grateful Dragon King were +found to be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and as Hidesato +had no use for it he presented it to the temple near by, where it was +hung up, to boom out the hour of day over the surrounding neighborhood. + +The single bag of rice, however much was taken from it day after day +for the meals of the knight and his whole family, never grew less--the +supply in the bag was inexhaustible. + +The roll of silk, too, never grew shorter, though time after time long +pieces were cut off to make the warrior a new suit of clothes to go to +Court in at the New Year. + +The cooking pot was wonderful, too. No matter what was put into it, it +cooked deliciously whatever was wanted without any firing--truly a very +economical saucepan. + +The fame of Hidesato's fortune spread far and wide, and as there was no +need for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became very +rich and prosperous, and was henceforth known as My Lord Bag of Rice. + + + + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW. + + +Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old +man was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his wife was +a regular cross-patch, who spoiled the happiness of her home by her +scolding tongue. She was always grumbling about something from morning +to night. The old man had for a long time ceased to take any notice of +her crossness. He was out most of the day at work in the fields, and as +he had no child, for his amusement when he came home, he kept a tame +sparrow. He loved the little bird just as much as if she had been his +child. + +When he came back at night after his hard day's work in the open air it +was his only pleasure to pet the sparrow, to talk to her and to teach +her little tricks, which she learned very quickly. The old man would +open her cage and let her fly about the room, and they would play +together. Then when supper-time came, he always saved some tit-bits +from his meal with which to feed his little bird. + +Now one day the old man went out to chop wood in the forest, and the +old woman stopped at home to wash clothes. The day before, she had made +some starch, and now when she came to look for it, it was all gone; the +bowl which she had filled full yesterday was quite empty. + +While she was wondering who could have used or stolen the starch, down +flew the pet sparrow, and bowing her little feathered head--a trick +which she had been taught by her master--the pretty bird chirped and +said: + +"It is I who have taken the starch. I thought it was some food put out +for me in that basin, and I ate it all. If I have made a mistake I beg +you to forgive me! tweet, tweet, tweet!" + +You see from this that the sparrow was a truthful bird, and the old +woman ought to have been willing to forgive her at once when she asked +her pardon so nicely. But not so. + +The old woman had never loved the sparrow, and had often quarreled with +her husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the house, +saying that it only made extra work for her. Now she was only too +delighted to have some cause of complaint against the pet. She scolded +and even cursed the poor little bird for her bad behavior, and not +content with using these harsh, unfeeling words, in a fit of rage she +seized the sparrow--who all this time had spread out her wings and +bowed her head before the old woman, to show how sorry she was--and +fetched the scissors and cut off the poor little bird's tongue. + +"I suppose you took my starch with that tongue! Now you may see what it +is like to go without it!" And with these dreadful words she drove the +bird away, not caring in the least what might happen to it and without +the smallest pity for its suffering, so unkind was she! + +The old woman, after she had driven the sparrow away, made some more +rice-paste, grumbling all the time at the trouble, and after starching +all her clothes, spread the things on boards to dry in the sun, instead +of ironing them as they do in England. + +In the evening the old man came home. As usual, on the way back he +looked forward to the time when he should reach his gate and see his +pet come flying and chirping to meet him, ruffling out her feathers to +show her joy, and at last coming to rest on his shoulder. But to-night +the old man was very disappointed, for not even the shadow of his dear +sparrow was to be seen. + +He quickened his steps, hastily drew off his straw sandals, and stepped +on to the veranda. Still no sparrow was to be seen. He now felt sure +that his wife, in one of her cross tempers, had shut the sparrow up in +its cage. So he called her and said anxiously: + +"Where is Suzume San (Miss Sparrow) today?" + +The old woman pretended not to know at first, and answered: + +"Your sparrow? I am sure I don't know. Now I come to think of it, I +haven't seen her all the afternoon. I shouldn't wonder if the +ungrateful bird had flown away and left you after all your petting!" + +But at last, when the old man gave her no peace, but asked her again +and again, insisting that she must know what had happened to his pet, +she confessed all. She told him crossly how the sparrow had eaten the +rice-paste she had specially made for starching her clothes, and how +when the sparrow had confessed to what she had done, in great anger she +had taken her scissors and cut out her tongue, and how finally she had +driven the bird away and forbidden her to return to the house again. + +Then the old woman showed her husband the sparrow's tongue, saying: + +"Here is the tongue I cut off! Horrid little bird, why did it eat all +my starch?" + +"How could you be so cruel? Oh! how could you so cruel?" was all that +the old man could answer. He was too kind-hearted to punish his be +shrew of a wife, but he was terribly distressed at what had happened to +his poor little sparrow. + +"What a dreadful misfortune for my poor Suzume San to lose her tongue!" +he said to himself. "She won't be able to chirp any more, and surely +the pain of the cutting of it out in that rough way must have made her +ill! Is there nothing to be done?" + +The old man shed many tears after his cross wife had gone to sleep. +While he wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his cotton robe, a +bright thought comforted him: he would go and look for the sparrow on +the morrow. Having decided this he was able to go to sleep at last. + +The next morning he rose early, as soon as ever the day broke, and +snatching a hasty breakfast, started out over the hills and through the +woods, stopping at every clump of bamboos to cry: + +"Where, oh where does my tongue-cut sparrow stay? Where, oh where, does +my tongue-cut sparrow stay!" + +He never stopped to rest for his noonday meal, and it was far on in the +afternoon when he found himself near a large bamboo wood. Bamboo groves +are the favorite haunts of sparrows, and there sure enough at the edge +of the wood he saw his own dear sparrow waiting to welcome him. He +could hardly believe his eyes for joy, and ran forward quickly to greet +her. She bowed her little head and went through a number of the tricks +her master had taught her, to show her pleasure at seeing her old +friend again, and, wonderful to relate, she could talk as of old. The +old man told her how sorry he was for all that had happened, and +inquired after her tongue, wondering how she could speak so well +without it. Then the sparrow opened her beak and showed him that a new +tongue had grown in place of the old one, and begged him not to think +any more about the past, for she was quite well now. Then the old man +knew that his sparrow was a fairy, and no common bird. It would be +difficult to exaggerate the old man's rejoicing now. He forgot all his +troubles, he forgot even how tired he was, for he had found his lost +sparrow, and instead of being ill and without a tongue as he had feared +and expected to find her, she was well and happy and with a new tongue, +and without a sign of the ill-treatment she had received from his wife. +And above all she was a fairy. + +The sparrow asked him to follow her, and flying before him she led him +to a beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove. The old man was +utterly astonished when he entered the house to find what a beautiful +place it was. It was built of the whitest wood, the soft cream-colored +mats which took the place of carpets were the finest he had ever seen, +and the cushions that the sparrow brought out for him to sit on were +made of the finest silk and crape. Beautiful vases and lacquer boxes +adorned the tokonoma[1] of every room. + + +[1] An alcove where precious objects are displayed. + + +The sparrow led the old man to the place of honor, and then, taking her +place at a humble distance, she thanked him with many polite bows for +all the kindness he had shown her for many long years. + +Then the Lady Sparrow, as we will now call her, introduced all her +family to the old man. This done, her daughters, robed in dainty crape +gowns, brought in on beautiful old-fashioned trays a feast of all kinds +of delicious foods, till the old man began to think he must be +dreaming. In the middle of the dinner some of the sparrow's daughters +performed a wonderful dance, called the "suzume-odori" or the +"Sparrow's dance," to amuse the guest. + +Never had the old man enjoyed himself so much. The hours flew by too +quickly in this lovely spot, with all these fairy sparrows to wait upon +him and to feast him and to dance before him. + +But the night came on and the darkness reminded him that he had a long +way to go and must think about taking his leave and return home. He +thanked his kind hostess for her splendid entertainment, and begged her +for his sake to forget all she had suffered at the hands of his cross +old wife. He told the Lady Sparrow that it was a great comfort and +happiness to him to find her in such a beautiful home and to know that +she wanted for nothing. It was his anxiety to know how she fared and +what had really happened to her that had led him to seek her. Now he +knew that all was well he could return home with a light heart. If ever +she wanted him for anything she had only to send for him and he would +come at once. + +The Lady Sparrow begged him to stay and rest several days and enjoy the +change, but the old man said he must return to his old wife--who would +probably be cross at his not coming home at the usual time--and to his +work, and there-fore, much as he wished to do so, he could not accept +her kind invitation. But now that he knew where the Lady Sparrow lived +he would come to see her whenever he had the time. + +When the Lady Sparrow saw that she could not persuade the old man to +stay longer, she gave an order to some of her servants, and they at +once brought in two boxes, one large and the other small. These were +placed before the old man, and the Lady Sparrow asked him to choose +whichever he liked for a present, which she wished to give him. + +The old man could not refuse this kind proposal, and he chose the +smaller box, saying: + +"I am now too old and feeble to carry the big and heavy box. As you are +so kind as to say that I may take whichever I like, I will choose the +small one, which will be easier for me to carry." + +Then the sparrows all helped him put it on his back and went to the +gate to see him off, bidding him good-by with many bows and entreating +him to come again whenever he had the time. Thus the old man and his +pet sparrow separated quite happily, the sparrow showing not the least +ill-will for all the unkindness she had suffered at the hands of the +old wife. Indeed, she only felt sorrow for the old man who had to put +up with it all his life. + +When the old man reached home he found his wife even crosser than +usual, for it was late on in the night and she had been waiting up for +him for a long time. + +"Where have you been all this time?" she asked in a big voice. "Why do +you come back so late?" + +The old man tried to pacify her by showing her the box of presents he +had brought back with him, and then he told her of all that had +happened to him, and how wonderfully he had been entertained at the +sparrow's house. + +"Now let us see what is in the box," said the old man, not giving her +time to grumble again. "You must help me open it." And they both sat +down before the box and opened it. + +To their utter astonishment they found the box filled to the brim with +gold and silver coins and many other precious things. The mats of their +little cottage fairly glittered as they took out the things one by one +and put them down and handled them over and over again. The old man was +overjoyed at the sight of the riches that were now his. Beyond his +brightest expectations was the sparrow's gift, which would enable him +to give up work and live in ease and comfort the rest of his days. + +He said: "Thanks to my good little sparrow! Thanks to my good little +sparrow!" many times. + +But the old woman, after the first moments of surprise and satisfaction +at the sight of the gold and silver were over, could not suppress the +greed of her wicked nature. She now began to reproach the old man for +not having brought home the big box of presents, for in the innocence +of his heart he had told her how he had refused the large box of +presents which the sparrows had offered him, preferring the smaller one +because it was light and easy to carry home. + +"You silly old man," said she, "Why did you not bring the large box? +Just think what we have lost. We might have had twice as much silver +and gold as this. You are certainly an old fool!" she screamed, and +then went to bed as angry as she could be. + +The old man now wished that he had said nothing about the big box, but +it was too late; the greedy old woman, not contented with the good luck +which had so unexpectedly befallen them and which she so little +deserved, made up her mind, if possible, to get more. + +Early the next morning she got up and made the old man describe the way +to the sparrow's house. When he saw what was in her mind he tried to +keep her from going, but it was useless. She would not listen to one +word he said. It is strange that the old woman did not feel ashamed of +going to see the sparrow after the cruel way she had treated her in +cutting off her tongue in a fit of rage. But her greed to get the big +box made her forget everything else. It did not even enter her thoughts +that the sparrows might be angry with her--as, indeed, they were--and +might punish her for what she had done. + +Ever since the Lady Sparrow had returned home in the sad plight in +which they had first found her, weeping and bleeding from the mouth, +her whole family and relations had done little else but speak of the +cruelty of the old woman. "How could she," they asked each other, +"inflict such a heavy punishment for such a trifling offense as that of +eating some rice-paste by mistake?" They all loved the old man who was +so kind and good and patient under all his troubles, but the old woman +they hated, and they determined, if ever they had the chance, to punish +her as she deserved. They had not long to wait. + +After walking for some hours the old woman had at last found the bamboo +grove which she had made her husband carefully describe, and now she +stood before it crying out: + +"Where is the tongue-cut sparrow's house? Where is the tongue-cut +sparrow's house?" + +At last she saw the eaves of the house peeping out from amongst the +bamboo foliage. She hastened to the door and knocked loudly. + +When the servants told the Lady Sparrow that her old mistress was at +the door asking to see her, she was somewhat surprised at the +unexpected visit, after all that had taken place, and she wondered not +a little at the boldness of the old woman in venturing to come to the +house. The Lady Sparrow, however, was a polite bird, and so she went +out to greet the old woman, remembering that she had once been her +mistress. + +The old woman intended, however, to waste no time in words, she went +right to the point, without the least shame, and said: + +"You need not trouble to entertain me as you did my old man. I have +come myself to get the box which he so stupidly left behind. I shall +soon take my leave if you will give me the big box--that is all I want!" + +The Lady Sparrow at once consented, and told her servants to bring out +the big box. The old woman eagerly seized it and hoisted it on her +back, and without even stopping to thank the Lady Sparrow began to +hurry homewards. + +The box was so heavy that she could not walk fast, much less run, as +she would have liked to do, so anxious was she to get home and see what +was inside the box, but she had often to sit down and rest herself by +the way. + +While she was staggering along under the heavy load, her desire to open +the box became too great to be resisted. She could wait no longer, for +she supposed this big box to be full of gold and silver and precious +jewels like the small one her husband had received. + +At last this greedy and selfish old woman put down the box by the +wayside and opened it carefully, expecting to gloat her eyes on a mine +of wealth. What she saw, however, so terrified her that she nearly lost +her senses. As soon as she lifted the lid, a number of horrible and +frightful looking demons bounced out of the box and surrounded her as +if they intended to kill her. Not even in nightmares had she ever seen +such horrible creatures as her much-coveted box contained. A demon with +one huge eye right in the middle of its forehead came and glared at +her, monsters with gaping mouths looked as if they would devour her, a +huge snake coiled and hissed about her, and a big frog hopped and +croaked towards her. + +The old woman had never been so frightened in her life, and ran from +the spot as fast as her quaking legs would carry her, glad to escape +alive. When she reached home she fell to the floor and told her husband +with tears all that had happened to her, and how she had been nearly +killed by the demons in the box. + +Then she began to blame the sparrow, but the old man stopped her at +once, saying: + +"Don't blame the sparrow, it is your wickedness which has at last met +with its reward. I only hope this may be a lesson to you in the future!" + +The old woman said nothing more, and from that day she repented of her +cross, unkind ways, and by degrees became a good old woman, so that her +husband hardly knew her to be the same person, and they spent their +last days together happily, free from want or care, spending carefully +the treasure the old man had received from his pet, the tongue-cut +sparrow. + + + + +THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD. + + +Long, long ago in the province of Tango there lived on the shore of +Japan in the little fishing village of Mizu-no-ye a young fisherman +named Urashima Taro. His father had been a fisherman before him, and +his skill had more than doubly descended to his son, for Urashima was +the most skillful fisher in all that country side, and could catch more +Bonito and Tai in a day than his comrades could in a week. + +But in the little fishing village, more than for being a clever fisher +of the sea was he known for his kind heart. In his whole life he had +never hurt anything, either great or small, and when a boy, his +companions had always laughed at him, for he would never join with them +in teasing animals, but always tried to keep them from this cruel sport. + +One soft summer twilight he was going home at the end of a day's +fishing when he came upon a group of children. They were all screaming +and talking at the tops of their voices, and seemed to be in a state of +great excitement about something, and on his going up to them to see +what was the matter he saw that they were tormenting a tortoise. First +one boy pulled it this way, then another boy pulled it that way, while +a third child beat it with a stick, and the fourth hammered its shell +with a stone. + +Now Urashima felt very sorry for the poor tortoise and made up his mind +to rescue it. He spoke to the boys: + +"Look here, boys, you are treating that poor tortoise so badly that it +will soon die!" + +The boys, who were all of an age when children seem to delight in being +cruel to animals, took no notice of Urashima's gentle reproof, but went +on teasing it as before. One of the older boys answered: + +"Who cares whether it lives or dies? We do not. Here, boys, go on, go +on!" + +And they began to treat the poor tortoise more cruelly than ever. +Urashima waited a moment, turning over in his mind what would be the +best way to deal with the boys. He would try to persuade them to give +the tortoise up to him, so he smiled at them and said: + +"I am sure you are all good, kind boys! Now won't you give me the +tortoise? I should like to have it so much!" + +"No, we won't give you the tortoise," said one of the boys. "Why should +we? We caught it ourselves." + +"What you say is true," said Urashima, "but I do not ask you to give it +to me for nothing. I will give you some money for it--in other words, +the Ojisan (Uncle) will buy it of you. Won't that do for you, my boys?" +He held up the money to them, strung on a piece of string through a +hole in the center of each coin. "Look, boys, you can buy anything you +like with this money. You can do much more with this money than you can +with that poor tortoise. See what good boys you are to listen to me." + +The boys were not bad boys at all, they were only mischievous, and as +Urashima spoke they were won by his kind smile and gentle words and +began "to be of his spirit," as they say in Japan. Gradually they all +came up to him, the ringleader of the little band holding out the +tortoise to him. + +"Very well, Ojisan, we will give you the tortoise if you will give us +the money!" And Urashima took the tortoise and gave the money to the +boys, who, calling to each other, scampered away and were soon out of +sight. + +Then Urashima stroked the tortoise's back, saying as he did so: + +"Oh, you poor thing! Poor thing!--there, there! you are safe now! They +say that a stork lives for a thousand years, but the tortoise for ten +thousand years. You have the longest life of any creature in this +world, and you were in great danger of having that precious life cut +short by those cruel boys. Luckily I was passing by and saved you, and +so life is still yours. Now I am going to take you back to your home, +the sea, at once. Do not let yourself be caught again, for there might +be no one to save you next time!" + +All the time that the kind fisherman was speaking he was walking +quickly to the shore and out upon the rocks; then putting the tortoise +into the water he watched the animal disappear, and turned homewards +himself, for he was tired and the sun had set. + +The next morning Urashima went out as usual in his boat. The weather +was fine and the sea and sky were both blue and soft in the tender haze +of the summer morning. Urashima got into his boat and dreamily pushed +out to sea, throwing his line as he did so. He soon passed the other +fishing boats and left them behind him till they were lost to sight in +the distance, and his boat drifted further and further out upon the +blue waters. Somehow, he knew not why, he felt unusually happy that +morning; and he could not help wishing that, like the tortoise he set +free the day before, he had thousands of years to live instead of his +own short span of human life. + +He was suddenly startled from his reverie by hearing his own name +called: + +"Urashima, Urashima!" + +Clear as a bell and soft as the summer wind the name floated over the +sea. + +He stood up and looked in every direction, thinking that one of the +other boats had overtaken him, but gaze as he might over the wide +expanse of water, near or far there was no sign of a boat, so the voice +could not have come from any human being. + +Startled, and wondering who or what it was that had called him so +clearly, he looked in all directions round about him and saw that +without his knowing it a tortoise had come to the side of the boat. +Urashima saw with surprise that it was the very tortoise he had rescued +the day before. + +"Well, Mr. Tortoise," said Urashima, "was it you who called my name +just now?" + +The tortoise nodded its head several times and said: + +"Yes, it was I. Yesterday in your honorable shadow (o kage sama de) my +life was saved, and I have come to offer you my thanks and to tell you +how grateful I am for your kindness to me." + +"Indeed," said Urashima, "that is very polite of you. Come up into the +boat. I would offer you a smoke, but as you are a tortoise doubtless +you do not smoke," and the fisherman laughed at the joke. + +"He-he-he-he!" laughed the tortoise; "sake (rice wine) is my favorite +refreshment, but I do not care for tobacco." + +"Indeed," said Urashima, "I regret very much that I have no "sake" in +my boat to offer you, but come up and dry your back in the +sun--tortoises always love to do that." + +So the tortoise climbed into the boat, the fisherman helping him, and +after an exchange of complimentary speeches the tortoise said: + +"Have you ever seen Rin Gin, the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, +Urashima?" + +The fisherman shook his head and replied; "No; year after year the sea +has been my home, but though I have often heard of the Dragon King's +realm under the sea I have never yet set eyes on that wonderful place. +It must be very far away, if it exists at all!" + +"Is that really so? You have never seen the Sea King's Palace? Then you +have missed seeing one of the most wonderful sights in the whole +universe. It is far away at the bottom of the sea, but if I take you +there we shall soon reach the place. If you would like to see the Sea +King's land I will be your guide." + +"I should like to go there, certainly, and you are very kind to think +of taking me, but you must remember that I am only a poor mortal and +have not the power of swimming like a sea creature such as you are--" + +Before the fisherman could say more the tortoise stopped him, saying: + +"What? You need not swim yourself. If you will ride on my back I will +take you without any trouble on your part." + +"But," said Urashima, "how is it possible for me to ride on your small +back?" + +"It may seem absurd to you, but I assure you that you can do so. Try at +once! Just come and get on my back, and see if it is as impossible as +you think!" + +As the tortoise finished speaking, Urashima looked at its shell, and +strange to say he saw that the creature had suddenly grown so big that +a man could easily sit on its back. + +"This is strange indeed!" said Urashima; "then. Mr. Tortoise, with your +kind permission I will get on your back. Dokoisho!"[2] he exclaimed as +he jumped on. + + +[2] "All right" (only used by lower classes). + + +The tortoise, with an unmoved face, as if this strange proceeding were +quite an ordinary event, said: + +"Now we will set out at our leisure," and with these words he leapt +into the sea with Urashima on his back. Down through the water the +tortoise dived. For a long time these two strange companions rode +through the sea. Urashima never grew tired, nor his clothes moist with +the water. At last, far away in the distance a magnificent gate +appeared, and behind the gate, the long, sloping roofs of a palace on +the horizon. + +"Ya," exclaimed Urashima. "That looks like the gate of some large +palace just appearing! Mr. Tortoise, can you tell what that place is we +can now see?" + +"That is the great gate of the Rin Gin Palace, the large roof that you +see behind the gate is the Sea King's Palace itself." + +"Then we have at last come to the realm of the Sea King and to his +Palace," said Urashima. + +"Yes, indeed," answered the tortoise, "and don't you think we have come +very quickly?" And while he was speaking the tortoise reached the side +of the gate. "And here we are, and you must please walk from here." + +The tortoise now went in front, and speaking to the gatekeeper, said: + +"This is Urashima Taro, from the country of Japan. I have had the honor +of bringing him as a visitor to this kingdom. Please show him the way." + +Then the gatekeeper, who was a fish, at once led the way through the +gate before them. + +The red bream, the flounder, the sole, the cuttlefish, and all the +chief vassals of the Dragon King of the Sea now came out with courtly +bows to welcome the stranger. + +"Urashima Sama, Urashima Sama! welcome to the Sea Palace, the home of +the Dragon King of the Sea. Thrice welcome are you, having come from +such a distant country. And you, Mr. Tortoise, we are greatly indebted +to you for all your trouble in bringing Urashima here." Then, turning +again to Urashima, they said, "Please follow us this way," and from +here the whole band of fishes became his guides. + +Urashima, being only a poor fisher lad, did not know how to behave in a +palace; but, strange though it was all to him, he did not feel ashamed +or embarrassed, but followed his kind guides quite calmly where they +led to the inner palace. When he reached the portals a beautiful +Princess with her attendant maidens came out to welcome him. She was +more beautiful than any human being, and was robed in flowing garments +of red and soft green like the under side of a wave, and golden threads +glimmered through the folds of her gown. Her lovely black hair streamed +over her shoulders in the fashion of a king's daughter many hundreds of +years ago, and when she spoke her voice sounded like music over the +water. Urashima was lost in wonder while he looked upon her, and he +could not speak. Then he remembered that he ought to bow, but before he +could make a low obeisance the Princess took him by the hand and led +him to a beautiful hall, and to the seat of honor at the upper end, and +bade him be seated. + +"Urashima Taro, it gives me the highest pleasure to welcome you to my +father's kingdom," said the Princess. "Yesterday you set free a +tortoise, and I have sent for you to thank you for saving my life, for +I was that tortoise. Now if you like you shall live here forever in the +land of eternal youth, where summer never dies and where sorrow never +comes, and I will be your bride if you will, and we will live together +happily forever afterwards!" + +And as Urashima listened to her sweet words and gazed upon her lovely +face his heart was filled with a great wonder and joy, and he answered +her, wondering if it was not all a dream: + +"Thank you a thousand times for your kind speech. There is nothing I +could wish for more than to be permitted to stay here with you in this +beautiful land, of which I have often heard, but have never seen to +this day. Beyond all words, this is the most wonderful place I have +ever seen." + +While he was speaking a train of fishes appeared, all dressed in +ceremonial, trailing garments. One by one, silently and with stately +steps, they entered the hall, bearing on coral trays delicacies of fish +and seaweed, such as no one can dream of, and this wondrous feast was +set before the bride and bridegroom. The bridal was celebrated with +dazzling splendor, and in the Sea King's realm there was great +rejoicing. As soon as the young pair had pledged themselves in the +wedding cup of wine, three times three, music was played, and songs +were sung, and fishes with silver scales and golden tails stepped in +from the waves and danced. Urashima enjoyed himself with all his heart. +Never in his whole life had he sat down to such a marvelous feast. + +When the feast was over the Princes asked the bridegroom if he would +like to walk through the palace and see all there was to be seen. Then +the happy fisherman, following his bride, the Sea King's daughter, was +shown all the wonders of that enchanted land where youth and joy go +hand in hand and neither time nor age can touch them. The palace was +built of coral and adorned with pearls, and the beauties and wonders of +the place were so great that the tongue fails to describe them. + +But, to Urashima, more wonderful than the palace was the garden that +surrounded it. Here was to be seen at one time the scenery of the four +different seasons; the beauties of summer and winter, spring and +autumn, were displayed to the wondering visitor at once. + +First, when he looked to the east, the plum and cherry trees were seen +in full bloom, the nightingales sang in the pink avenues, and +butterflies flitted from flower to flower. + +Looking to the south all the trees were green in the fullness of +summer, and the day cicala and the night cricket chirruped loudly. + +Looking to the west the autumn maples were ablaze like a sunset sky, +and the chrysanthemums were in perfection. + +Looking to the north the change made Urashima start, for the ground was +silver white with snow, and trees and bamboos were also covered with +snow and the pond was thick with ice. + +And each day there were new joys and new wonders for Urashima, and so +great was his happiness that he forgot everything, even the home he had +left behind and his parents and his own country, and three days passed +without his even thinking of all he had left behind. Then his mind came +back to him and he remembered who he was, and that he did not belong to +this wonderful land or the Sea King's palace, and he said to himself: + +"O dear! I must not stay on here, for I have an old father and mother +at home. What can have happened to them all this time? How anxious they +must have been these days when I did not return as usual. I must go +back at once without letting one more day pass." And he began to +prepare for the journey in great haste. + +Then he went to his beautiful wife, the Princess, and bowing low before +her he said: + +"Indeed, I have been very happy with you for a long time, Otohime Sama" +(for that was her name), "and you have been kinder to me than any words +can tell. But now I must say good-by. I must go back to my old parents." + +Then Otohime Sama began to weep, and said softly and sadly: + +"Is it not well with you here, Urashima, that you wish to leave me so +soon? Where is the haste? Stay with me yet another day only!" + +But Urashima had remembered his old parents, and in Japan the duty to +parents is stronger than everything else, stronger even than pleasure +or love, and he would not be persuaded, but answered: + +"Indeed, I must go. Do not think that I wish to leave you. It is not +that. I must go and see my old parents. Let me go for one day and I +will come back to you." + +"Then," said the Princess sorrowfully, "there is nothing to be done. I +will send you back to-day to your father and mother, and instead of +trying to keep you with me one more day, I shall give you this as a +token of our love--please take it back with you;" and she brought him a +beautiful lacquer box tied about with a silken cord and tassels of red +silk. + +Urashima had received so much from the Princess already that he felt +some compunction in taking the gift, and said: + +"It does not seem right for me to take yet another gift from you after +all the many favors I have received at your hands, but because it is +your wish I will do so," and then he added: + +"Tell me what is this box?" + +"That," answered the Princess "is the tamate-bako (Box of the Jewel +Hand), and it contains something very precious. You must not open this +box, whatever happens! If you open it something dreadful will happen to +you! Now promise me that you will never open this box!" + +And Urashima promised that he would never, never open the box whatever +happened. + +Then bidding good-by to Otohime Sama he went down to the seashore, the +Princess and her attendants following him, and there he found a large +tortoise waiting for him. + +He quickly mounted the creature's back and was carried away over the +shining sea into the East. He looked back to wave his hand to Otohime +Sama till at last he could see her no more, and the land of the Sea +King and the roofs of the wonderful palace were lost in the far, far +distance. Then, with his face turned eagerly towards his own land, he +looked for the rising of the blue hills on the horizon before him. + +At last the tortoise carried him into the bay he knew so well, and to +the shore from whence he had set out. He stepped on to the shore and +looked about him while the tortoise rode away back to the Sea King's +realm. + +But what is the strange fear that seizes Urashima as he stands and +looks about him? Why does he gaze so fixedly at the people that pass +him by, and why do they in turn stand and look at him? The shore is the +same and the hills are the same, but the people that he sees walking +past him have very different faces to those he had known so well before. + +Wondering what it can mean he walks quickly towards his old home. Even +that looks different, but a house stands on the spot, and he calls out: + +"Father, I have just returned!" and he was about to enter, when he saw +a strange man coming out. + +"Perhaps my parents have moved while I have been away, and have gone +somewhere else," was the fisherman's thought. Somehow he began to feel +strangely anxious, he could not tell why. + +"Excuse me," said he to the man who was staring at him, "but till +within the last few days I have lived in this house. My name is +Urashima Taro. Where have my parents gone whom I left here?" + +A very bewildered expression came over the face of the man, and, still +gazing intently on Urashima's face, he said: + +"What? Are you Urashima Taro?" + +"Yes," said the fisherman, "I am Urashima Taro!" + +"Ha, ha!" laughed the man, "you must not make such jokes. It is true +that once upon a time a man called Urashima Taro did live in this +village, but that is a story three hundred years old. He could not +possibly be alive now!" + +When Urashima heard these strange words he was frightened, and said: + +"Please, please, you must not joke with me, I am greatly perplexed. I +am really Urashima Taro, and I certainly have not lived three hundred +years. Till four or five days ago I lived on this spot. Tell me what I +want to know without more joking, please." + +But the man's face grew more and more grave, and he answered: + +"You may or may not be Urashima Taro, I don't know. But the Urashima +Taro of whom I have heard is a man who lived three hundred years ago. +Perhaps you are his spirit come to revisit your old home?" + +"Why do you mock me?" said Urashima. "I am no spirit! I am a living +man--do you not see my feet;" and "don-don," he stamped on the ground, +first with one foot and then with the other to show the man. (Japanese +ghosts have no feet.) + +"But Urashima Taro lived three hundred years ago, that is all I know; +it is written in the village chronicles," persisted the man, who could +not believe what the fisherman said. + +Urashima was lost in bewilderment and trouble. He stood looking all +around him, terribly puzzled, and, indeed, something in the appearance +of everything was different to what he remembered before he went away, +and the awful feeling came over him that what the man said was perhaps +true. He seemed to be in a strange dream. The few days he had spent in +the Sea King's palace beyond the sea had not been days at all: they had +been hundreds of years, and in that time his parents had died and all +the people he had ever known, and the village had written down his +story. There was no use in staying here any longer. He must get back to +his beautiful wife beyond the sea. + +He made his way back to the beach, carrying in his hand the box which +the Princess had given him. But which was the way? He could not find it +alone! Suddenly he remembered the box, the tamate-bako. + +"The Princess told me when she gave me the box never to open it--that +it contained a very precious thing. But now that I have no home, now +that I have lost everything that was dear to me here, and my heart +grows thin with sadness, at such a time, if I open the box, surely I +shall find something that will help me, something that will show me the +way back to my beautiful Princess over the sea. There is nothing else +for me to do now. Yes, yes, I will open the box and look in!" + +And so his heart consented to this act of disobedience, and he tried to +persuade himself that he was doing the right thing in breaking his +promise. + +Slowly, very slowly, he untied the red silk cord, slowly and +wonderingly he lifted the lid of the precious box. And what did he +find? Strange to say only a beautiful little purple cloud rose out of +the box in three soft wisps. For an instant it covered his face and +wavered over him as if loath to go, and then it floated away like vapor +over the sea. + +Urashima, who had been till that moment like a strong and handsome +youth of twenty-four, suddenly became very, very old. His back doubled +up with age, his hair turned snowy white, his face wrinkled and he fell +down dead on the beach. + +Poor Urashima! because of his disobedience he could never return to the +Sea King's realm or the lovely Princess beyond the sea. + +Little children, never be disobedient to those who are wiser than you +for disobedience was the beginning of all the miseries and sorrows of +life. + + + + +THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made +their home in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was +a bad and malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night +and run across to the farmer's field and spoil the vegetables and the +rice which the farmer spent his time in carefully cultivating. The +badger at last grew so ruthless in his mischievous work, and did so +much harm everywhere on the farm, that the good-natured farmer could +not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop to it. So he lay +in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club, hoping to +catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked +animal. + +The farmer's trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on +going his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for +that purpose. The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and +carried him home securely bound with rope. When he reached the house +the farmer said to his wife: + +"I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him +while I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make +him into soup to-night." + +Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and +went out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, +for he did not at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, +and he thought and thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some +plan by which he might escape. It was hard to think clearly in his +uncomfortable position, for he had been hung upside down. Very near +him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out towards the green +fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the farmer's old +wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was seamed +with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then +she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face. + +"Dear lady," said the wily badger, "you must be very weary doing such +heavy work in your old age. Won't you let me do that for you? My arms +are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!" + +"Thank you for your kindness," said the old woman, "but I cannot let +you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might +escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and +found you gone." + +Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said +again in a very sad, gentle, voice: + +"You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to +escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again +before his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so +tired and sore tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a +few minutes I would indeed be thankful!" + +The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly +of any one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving +her in order to get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she +turned to look at him. He looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards +from the ceiling by his legs, which were all tied together so tightly +that the rope and the knots were cutting into the skin. So in the +kindness of her heart, and believing the creature's promise that he +would not run away, she untied the cord and let him down. + +The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the +work for a short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead +of doing the work as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the +old woman and knocked her down with the heavy piece of wood. He then +killed her and cut her up and made soup of her, and waited for the +return of the old farmer. The old man worked hard in his fields all +day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no more now would +his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger. + +Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very +tired, but the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting +his return cheered him. The thought that the badger might get free and +take revenge on the poor old woman never once came into his mind. + +The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman's form, and as soon as he +saw the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of +the little house, saying: + +"So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have +been waiting for you for a long time." + +The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before +his tiny dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was +not his wife but the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once +for the soup. Then the badger suddenly transformed himself back to his +natural form and cried out: + +"You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!" + +Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away +to his den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could +hardly believe what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the +whole truth he was so scared and horrified that he fainted right away. +After a while he came round and burst into tears. He cried loudly and +bitterly. He rocked himself to and fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed +too terrible to be real that his faithful old wife had been killed and +cooked by the badger while he was working quietly in the fields, +knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating +himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so +often spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very +nearly drunk the soup which the creature had made of his poor old +woman. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" he wailed aloud. Now, not far away +there lived in the same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He +heard the old man crying and sobbing and at once set out to see what +was the matter, and if there was anything he could do to help his +neighbor. The old man told him all that had happened. When the rabbit +heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and deceitful badger, +and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would avenge his +wife's death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping away his +tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his +distress. + +The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his +home to lay his plans for the punishment of the badger. + +The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the +badger. He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the +fields anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger +hiding there, for the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since +he had escaped from the farmer's house, for fear of the old man's wrath. + +The rabbit called out: + +"Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and we +will go and cut grass on the hills together." + +The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, +willingly consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away from +the neighborhood of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The rabbit +led the way miles away from their homes, out on the hills where the +grass grew tall and thick and sweet. They both set to work to cut down +as much as they could carry home, to store it up for their winter's +food. When they had each cut down all they wanted they tied it in +bundles and then started homewards, each carrying his bundle of grass +on his back. This time the rabbit made the badger go first. + +When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and steel, +and, striking it over the badger's back as he stepped along in front, +set his bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the flint striking, +and asked: + +"What is that noise. 'Crack, crack'?" + +"Oh, that is nothing." replied the rabbit; "I only said 'Crack, crack' +because this mountain is called Crackling Mountain." + +The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger's back. +The badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, "What is +that?" + +"Now we have come to the 'Burning Mountain,'" answered the rabbit. + +By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had been +burned off the badger's back. He now knew what had happened by the +smell of the smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the badger +ran as fast as he could to his hole. The rabbit followed and found him +lying on his bed groaning with pain. + +"What an unlucky fellow you are!" said the rabbit. "I can't imagine how +this happened! I will bring you some medicine which will heal your back +quickly!" + +The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment upon +the badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would die of his +burns, for he felt that nothing could be too bad for the animal, who +was guilty of murdering a poor helpless old woman who had trusted him. +He went home and made an ointment by mixing some sauce and red pepper +together. + +He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him +that it would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it patiently, +because it was a very wonderful medicine for burns and scalds and such +wounds. The badger thanked him and begged him to apply it at once. But +no language can describe the agony of the badger as soon as the red +pepper had been pasted all over his sore back. He rolled over and over +and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking on, felt that the farmer's wife +was beginning to be avenged. + +The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of the +red pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When the +rabbit saw that the badger was getting well, he thought of another plan +by which he could compass the creature's death. So he went one day to +pay the badger a visit and to congratulate him on his recovery. + +During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going fishing, +and described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was fine and +the sea smooth. + +The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit's account of the way he +passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month's illness, +and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing too; so he +asked the rabbit if he would take him the next time he went out to +fish. This was just what the rabbit wanted, so he agreed. + +Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of +clay. At last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and +looked at his work he felt that all his trouble would be well rewarded +if his plan succeeded, and he could manage to kill the wicked badger +now. + +The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger fishing. +He kept the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the clay boat. The +badger, who knew nothing about boats, was delighted with his new boat +and thought how kind it was of the rabbit to give it to him. They both +got into their boats and set out. After going some distance from the +shore the rabbit proposed that they should try their boats and see +which one could go the quickest. The badger fell in with the proposal, +and they both set to work to row as fast as they could for some time. +In the middle of the race the badger found his boat going to pieces, +for the water now began to soften the clay. He cried out in great fear +to the rabbit to help him. But the rabbit answered that he was avenging +the old woman's murder, and that this had been his intention all along, +and that he was happy to think that the badger had at last met his +deserts for all his evil crimes, and was to drown with no one to help +him. Then he raised his oar and struck at the badger with all his +strength till he fell with the sinking clay boat and was seen no more. + +Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now +turned and rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat upon +the beach, hurried back to tell the old farmer everything, and how the +badger, his enemy, had been killed. + +The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till +now he could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, +thinking of how his wife's death was unavenged, but from this time he +would be able to sleep and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to stay +with him and share his home, so from this day the rabbit went to stay +with the old farmer and they both lived together as good friends to the +end of their days. + + + + +THE shinansha, OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE. + + +The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite a +common thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though when +it was first invented it must have been a wonder. + +Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention +called the shinansha. This was a kind of chariot with the figure of a +man on it always pointing to the South. No matter how the chariot was +placed the figure always wheeled about and pointed to the South. + +This curious instrument was invented by Kotei, one of the three Chinese +Emperors of the Mythological age. Kotei was the son of the Emperor +Yuhi. Before he was born his mother had a vision which foretold that +her son would be a great man. + +One summer evening she went out to walk in the meadows to seek the cool +breezes which blow at the end of the day and to gaze with pleasure at +the star-lit heavens above her. As she looked at the North Star, +strange to relate, it shot forth vivid flashes of lightning in every +direction. Soon after this her son Kotei came into the world. + +Kotei in time grew to manhood and succeeded his father the Emperor +Yuhi. His early reign was greatly troubled by the rebel Shiyu. This +rebel wanted to make himself King, and many were the battles which he +fought to this end. Shiyu was a wicked magician, his head was made of +iron, and there was no man that could conquer him. + +At last Kotei declared war against the rebel and led his army to +battle, and the two armies met on a plain called Takuroku. The Emperor +boldly attacked the enemy, but the magician brought down a dense fog +upon the battlefield, and while the royal army were wandering about in +confusion, trying to find their way, Shiyu retreated with his troops, +laughing at having fooled the royal army. + +No matter however strong and brave the Emperor's soldiers were, the +rebel with his magic could always escape in the end. + +Kotei returned to his Palace, and thought and pondered deeply as to how +he should conquer the magician, for he was determined not to give up +yet. After a long time he invented the shinansha with the figure of a +man always pointing South, for there were no compasses in those days. +With this instrument to show him the way he need not fear the dense +fogs raised up by the magician to confound his men. + +Kotei again declared war against Shiyu. He placed the shinansha in +front of his army and led the way to the battlefield. + +The battle began in earnest. The rebel was being driven backward by the +royal troops when he again resorted to magic, and upon his saying some +strange words in a loud voice, immediately a dense fog came down upon +the battlefield. + +But this time no soldier minded the fog, not one was confused. Kotei by +pointing to the shinansha could find his way and directed the army +without a single mistake. He closely pursued the rebel army and drove +them backward till they came to a big river. This river Kotei and his +men found was swollen by the floods and impossible to cross. + +Shiyu by using his magic art quickly passed over with his army and shut +himself up in a fortress on the opposite bank. + +When Kotei found his march checked he was wild with disappointment, for +he had very nearly overtaken the rebel when the river stopped him. + +He could do nothing, for there were no boats in those days, so the +Emperor ordered his tent to be pitched in the pleasantest spot that the +place afforded. + +One day he stepped forth from his tent and after walking about for a +short time he came to a pond. Here he sat down on the bank and was lost +in thought. + +It was autumn. The trees growing along the edge of the water were +shedding their leaves, which floated hither and thither on the surface +of the pond. By and by, Kotei's attention was attracted to a spider on +the brink of the water. The little insect was trying to get on to one +of the floating leaves near by. It did so at last, and was soon +floating over the water to the other side of the pond. + +This little incident made the clever Emperor think that he might try to +make something that could carry himself and his men over the river in +the same way that the leaf had carried over the spider. He set to work +and persevered till he invented the first boat. When he found that it +was a success he set all his men to make more, and in time there were +enough boats for the whole army. + +Kotei now took his army across the river, and attacked Shiyu's +headquarters. He gained a complete victory, and so put an end to the +war which had troubled his country for so long. + +This wise and good Emperor did not rest till he had secured peace and +prosperity throughout his whole land. He was beloved by his subjects, +who now enjoyed their happiness of peace for many long years under him. +He spent a great deal of time in making inventions which would benefit +his people, and he succeeded in many besides the boat and the South +Pointing shinansha. + +He had reigned about a hundred years when one day, as Kotei was looking +upwards, the sky became suddenly red, and something came glittering +like gold towards the earth. As it came nearer Kotei saw that it was a +great Dragon. The Dragon approached and bowed down its head before the +Emperor. The Empress and the courtiers were so frightened that they ran +away screaming. + +But the Emperor only smiled and called to them to stop, and said: + +"Do not be afraid. This is a messenger from Heaven. My time here is +finished!" He then mounted the Dragon, which began to ascend towards +the sky. + +When the Empress and the courtiers saw this they all cried out together: + +"Wait a moment! We wish to come too." And they all ran and caught hold +of the Dragon's beard and tried to mount him. + +But it was impossible for so many people to ride on the Dragon. Several +of them hung on to the creature's beard so that when it tried to mount +the hair was pulled out and they fell to the ground. + +Meanwhile the Empress and a few of the courtiers were safely seated on +the Dragon's back. The Dragon flew up so high in the heavens that in a +short time the inmates of the Palace, who had been left behind +disappointed, could see them no more. + +After some time a bow and an arrow dropped to the earth in the +courtyard of the Palace. They were recognized as having belonged to the +Emperor Kotei. The courtiers took them up carefully and preserved them +as sacred relics in the Palace. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY. + + +Long, long ago there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. Now +he fell in love with a beautiful lady and married her. Not long after +this, through the malice of some of his friends, he fell into disgrace +at Court and was dismissed. This misfortune so preyed upon his mind +that he did not long survive his dismissal--he died, leaving behind him +his beautiful young wife to face the world alone. Fearing her husband's +enemies, she fled to the Ashigara Mountains as soon as her husband was +dead, and there in the lonely forests where no one ever came except +woodcutters, a little boy was born to her. She called him Kintaro or +the Golden Boy. Now the remarkable thing about this child was his great +strength, and as he grew older he grew stronger and stronger, so that +by the time he was eight years of age he was able to cut down trees as +quickly as the woodcutters. Then his mother gave him a large ax, and he +used to go out in the forest and help the woodcutters, who called him +"Wonder-child," and his mother the "Old Nurse of the Mountains," for +they did not know her high rank. Another favorite pastime of Kintaro's +was to smash up rocks and stones. You can imagine how strong he was! + +Quite unlike other boys, Kintaro, grew up all alone in the mountain +wilds, and as he had no companions he made friends with all the animals +and learned to understand them and to speak their strange talk. By +degrees they all grew quite tame and looked upon Kintaro as their +master, and he used them as his servants and messengers. But his +special retainers were the bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare. + +The bear often brought her cubs for Kintaro to romp with, and when she +came to take them home Kintaro would get on her back and have a ride to +her cave. He was very fond of the deer too, and would often put his +arms round the creature's neck to show that its long horns did not +frighten him. Great was the fun they all had together. + +One day, as usual, Kintaro went up into the mountains, followed by the +bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare. After walking for some time +up hill and down dale and over rough roads, they suddenly came out upon +a wide and grassy plain covered with pretty wild flowers. + +Here, indeed, was a nice place where they could all have a good romp +together. The deer rubbed his horns against a tree for pleasure, the +monkey scratched his back, the hare smoothed his long ears, and the +bear gave a grunt of satisfaction. + +Kintaro said, "Here is a place for a good game. What do you all say to +a wrestling match?" + +The bear being the biggest and the oldest, answered for the others: + +"That will be great fun," said she. "I am the strongest animal, so I +will make the platform for the wrestlers;" and she set to work with a +will to dig up the earth and to pat it into shape. + +"All right," said Kintaro, "I will look on while you all wrestle with +each other. I shall give a prize to the one who wins in each round." + +"What fun! we shall all try to get the prize," said the bear. + +The deer, the monkey and the hare set to work to help the bear raise +the platform on which they were all to wrestle. When this was finished, +Kintaro cried out: + +"Now begin! the monkey and the hare shall open the sports and the deer +shall be umpire. Now, Mr. Deer, you are to be umpire!" + +"He, he!" answered the deer. "I will be umpire. Now, Mr. Monkey and Mr. +Hare, if you are both ready, please walk out and take your places on +the platform." + +Then the monkey and the hare both hopped out, quickly and nimbly, to +the wrestling platform. The deer, as umpire, stood between the two and +called out: + +"Red-back! Red-back!" (this to the monkey, who has a red back in +Japan). "Are you ready?" + +Then he turned to the hare: + +"Long-ears! Long-ears! are you ready?" + +Both the little wrestlers faced each other while the deer raised a leaf +on high as signal. When he dropped the leaf the monkey and the hare +rushed upon each other, crying "Yoisho, yoisho!" + +While the monkey and the hare wrestled, the deer called out +encouragingly or shouted warnings to each of them as the hare or the +monkey pushed each other near the edge of the platform and were in +danger of falling over. + +"Red-back! Red-back! stand your ground!" called out the deer. + +"Long-ears! Long-ears! be strong, be strong--don't let the monkey beat +you!" grunted the bear. + +So the monkey and the hare, encouraged by their friends, tried their +very hardest to beat each other. The hare at last gained on the monkey. +The monkey seemed to trip up, and the hare giving him a good push sent +him flying off the platform with a bound. + +The poor monkey sat up rubbing his back, and his face was very long as +he screamed angrily. "Oh, oh! how my back hurts--my back hurts me!" + +Seeing the monkey in this plight on the ground, the deer holding his +leaf on high said: + +"This round is finished--the hare has won." + +Kintaro then opened his luncheon box and taking out a rice-dumpling, +gave it to the hare saying: + +"Here is your prize, and you have earned, it well!" + +Now the monkey got up looking very cross, and as they say in Japan "his +stomach stood up," for he felt that he had not been fairly beaten. So +he said to Kintaro and the others who were standing by: + +"I have not been fairly beaten. My foot slipped and I tumbled. Please +give me another chance and let the hare wrestle with me for another +round." + +Then Kintaro consenting, the hare and the monkey began to wrestle +again. Now, as every one knows, the monkey is a cunning animal by +nature, and he made up his mind to get the best of the hare this time +if it were possible. To do this, he thought that the best and surest +way would be to get hold of the hare's long ear. This he soon managed +to do. The hare was quite thrown off his guard by the pain of having +his long ear pulled so hard, and the monkey seizing his opportunity at +last, caught hold of one of the hare's legs and sent him sprawling in +the middle of the dais. The monkey was now the victor and received, a +rice-dumpling from Kintaro, which pleased him so much that he quite +forgot his sore back. + +The deer now came up and asked the hare if he felt ready for another +round, and if so whether he would try a round with him, and the hare +consenting, they both stood up to wrestle. The bear came forward as +umpire. + +The deer with long horns and the hare with long ears, it must have been +an amusing sight to those who watched this queer match. Suddenly the +deer went down on one of his knees, and the bear with the leaf on high +declared him beaten. In this way, sometimes the one, sometimes the +other, conquering, the little party amused themselves till they were +tired. + +At last Kintaro got up and said: + +"This is enough for to-day. What a nice place we have found for +wrestling; let us come again to-morrow. Now, we will all go home. Come +along!" So saying, Kintaro led the way while the animals followed. + +After walking some little distance they came out on the banks of a +river flowing through a valley. Kintaro and his four furry friends +stood and looked about for some means of crossing. Bridge there was +none. The river rushed "don, don" on its way. All the animals looked +serious, wondering how they could cross the stream and get home that +evening. + +Kintaro, however, said: + +"Wait a moment. I will make a good bridge for you all in a few minutes." + +The bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare looked at him to see what +he would do now. + +Kintaro went from one tree to another that grew along the river bank. +At last he stopped in front of a very large tree that was growing at +the water's edge. He took hold of the trunk and pulled it with all his +might, once, twice, thrice! At the third pull, so great was Kintaro's +strength that the roots gave way, and "meri, meri" (crash, crash), over +fell the tree, forming an excellent bridge across the stream. + +"There," said Kintaro, "what do you think of my bridge? It is quite +safe, so follow me," and he stepped across first. The four animals +followed. Never had they seen any one so strong before, and they all +exclaimed: + +"How strong he is! how strong he is!" + +While all this was going on by the river a woodcutter, who happened to +be standing on a rock overlooking the stream, had seen all that passed +beneath him. He watched with great surprise Kintaro and his animal +companions. He rubbed his eyes to be sure that he was not dreaming when +he saw this boy pull over a tree by the roots and throw it across the +stream to form a bridge. + +The woodcutter, for such he seemed to be by his dress, marveled at all +he saw, and said to himself: + +"This is no ordinary child. Whose son can he be? I will find out before +this day is done." + +He hastened after the strange party and crossed the bridge behind them. +Kintaro knew nothing of all this, and little guessed that he was being +followed. On reaching the other side of the river he and the animals +separated, they to their lairs in the woods and he to his mother, who +was waiting for him. + +As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the +heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying: + +"Okkasan (mother), here I am!" + +"O, Kimbo!" said his mother with a bright smile, glad to see her boy +home safe after the long day. "How late you are to-day. I feared that +something had happened to you. Where have you been all the time?" + +"I took my four friends, the bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare, +up into the hills, and there I made them try a wrestling match, to see +which was the strongest. We all enjoyed the sport, and are going to the +same place to-morrow to have another match." + +"Now tell me who is the strongest of all?" asked his mother, pretending +not to know. + +"Oh, mother," said Kintaro, "don't you know that I am the strongest? +There was no need for me to wrestle with any of them." + +"But next to you then, who is the strongest?" + +"The bear comes next to me in strength," answered Kintaro. + +"And after the bear?" asked his mother again. + +"Next to the bear it is not easy to say which is the strongest, for the +deer, the monkey, and the hare all seem to be as strong as each other," +said Kintaro. + +Suddenly Kintaro and his mother were startled by a voice from outside. + +"Listen to me, little boy! Next time you go, take this old man with you +to the wrestling match. He would like to join the sport too!" + +It was the old woodcutter who had followed Kintaro from the river. He +slipped off his clogs and entered the cottage. Yama-uba and her son +were both taken by surprise. They looked at the intruder wonderingly +and saw that he was some one they had never seen before. + +"Who are you?" they both exclaimed. + +Then the woodcutter laughed and said: + +"It does not matter who I am yet, but let us see who has the strongest +arm--this boy or myself?" + +Then Kintaro, who had lived all his life in the forest, answered the +old man without any ceremony, saying: + +"We will have a try if you wish it, but you must not be angry whoever +is beaten." + +Then Kintaro and the woodcutter both put out their right arms and +grasped each other's hands. For a long time Kintaro and the old man +wrestled together in this way, each trying to bend the other's arm, but +the old man was very strong, and the strange pair were evenly matched. +At last the old man desisted, declaring it a drawn game. + +"You are, indeed, a very strong child. There are few men who can boast +of the strength of my right arm!" said the woodcutter. "I saw you first +on the banks of the river a few hours ago, when you pulled up that +large tree to make a bridge across the torrent. Hardly able to believe +what I saw I followed you home. Your strength of arm, which I have just +tried, proves what I saw this afternoon. When you are full-grown you +will surely be the strongest man in all Japan. It is a pity that you +are hidden away in these wild mountains." + +Then he turned to Kintaro's mother: + +"And you, mother, have you no thought of taking your child to the +Capital, and of teaching him to carry a sword as befits a samurai (a +Japanese knight)?" + +"You are very kind to take so much interest in my son." replied the +mother; "but he is as you see, wild and uneducated, and I fear it would +be very difficult to do as you say. Because of his great strength as an +infant I hid him away in this unknown part of the country, for he hurt +every one that came near him. I have often wished that I could, one +day, see my boy a knight wearing two swords, but as we have no +influential friend to introduce us at the Capital, I fear my hope will +never come true." + +"You need not trouble yourself about that. To tell you the truth I am +no woodcutter! I am one of the great generals of Japan. My name is +Sadamitsu, and I am a vassal of the powerful Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko. He +ordered me to go round the country and look for boys who give promise +of remarkable strength, so that they may be trained as soldiers for his +army. I thought that I could best do this by assuming the disguise of a +woodcutter. By good fortune, I have thus unexpectedly come across your +son. Now if you really wish him to be a SAMURAI (a knight), I will take +him and present him to the Lord Raiko as a candidate for his service. +What do you say to this?" + +As the kind general gradually unfolded his plan the mother's heart was +filled with a great joy. She saw that here was a wonderful chance of +the one wish of her life being fulfilled--that of seeing Kintaro a +SAMURAI before she died. + +Bowing her head to the ground, she replied: + +"I will then intrust my son to you if you really mean what you say." + +Kintaro had all this time been sitting by his mother's side listening +to what they said. When his mother finished speaking, he exclaimed: + +"Oh, joy! joy! I am to go with the general and one day I shall be a +SAMURAI!" + +Thus Kintaro's fate was settled, and the general decided to start for +the Capital at once, taking Kintaro with him. It need hardly be said +that Yama-uba was sad at parting with her boy, for he was all that was +left to her. But she hid her grief with a strong face, as they say in +Japan. She knew that it was for her boy's good that he should leave her +now, and she must not discourage him just as he was setting out. +Kintaro promised never to forget her, and said that as soon as he was a +knight wearing two swords he would build her a home and take care of +her in her old age. + +All the animals, those he had tamed to serve him, the bear, the deer, +the monkey, and the hare, as soon as they found out that he was going +away, came to ask if they might attend him as usual. When they learned +that he was going away for good they followed him to the foot of the +mountain to see him off. + +"Kimbo," said his mother, "mind and be a good boy." + +"Mr. Kintaro," said the faithful animals, "we wish you good health on +your travels." + +Then they all climbed a tree to see the last of him, and from that +height they watched him and his shadow gradually grow smaller and +smaller, till he was lost to sight. + +The general Sadamitsu went on his way rejoicing at having so +unexpectedly found such a prodigy as Kintaro. + +Having arrived at their destination the general took Kintaro at once to +his Lord, Minamoto-no-Raiko, and told him all about Kintaro and how he +had found the child. Lord Raiko was delighted with the story, and +having commanded Kintaro to be brought to him, made him one of his +vassals at once. + +Lord Raiko's army was famous for its band called "The Four Braves." +These warriors were chosen by himself from amongst the bravest and +strongest of his soldiers, and the small and well-picked band was +distinguished throughout the whole of Japan for the dauntless courage +of its men. + +When Kintaro grew up to be a man his master made him the Chief of the +Four Braves. He was by far the strongest of them all. Soon after this +event, news was brought to the city that a cannibal monster had taken +up his abode not far away and that people were stricken with fear. Lord +Raiko ordered Kintaro to the rescue. He immediately started off, +delighted at the prospect of trying his sword. + +Surprising the monster in its den, he made short work of cutting off +its great head, which he carried back in triumph to his master. + +Kintaro now rose to be the greatest hero of his country, and great was +the power and honor and wealth that came to him. He now kept his +promise and built a comfortable home for his old mother, who lived +happily with him in the Capital to the end of her days. + +Is not this the story of a great hero? + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE. + +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN. + + +Many, many years ago there lived in Nara, the ancient Capital of Japan, +a wise State minister, by name Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His wife was a +noble, good, and beautiful woman called Princess Murasaki (Violet). +They had been married by their respective families according to +Japanese custom when very young, and had lived together happily ever +since. They had, however, one cause for great sorrow, for as the years +went by no child was born to them. This made them very unhappy, for +they both longed to see a child of their own who would grow up to +gladden their old age, carry on the family name, and keep up the +ancestral rites when they were dead. The Prince and his lovely wife, +after long consultation and much thought, determined to make a +pilgrimage to the temple of Hase-no-Kwannon (Goddess of Mercy at Hase), +for they believed, according to the beautiful tradition of their +religion, that the Mother of Mercy, Kwannon, comes to answer the +prayers of mortals in the form that they need the most. Surely after +all these years of prayer she would come to them in the form of a +beloved child in answer to their special pilgrimage, for that was the +greatest need of their two lives. Everything else they had that this +life could give them, but it was all as nothing because the cry of +their hearts was unsatisfied. + +So the Prince Toyonari and his wife went to the temple of Kwannon at +Hase and stayed there for a long time, both daily offering incense and +praying to Kwannon, the Heavenly Mother, to grant them the desire of +their whole lives. And their prayer was answered. + +A daughter was born at last to the Princess Murasaki, and great was the +joy of her heart. On presenting the child to her husband, they both +decided to call her Hase-Hime, or the Princess of Hase, because she was +the gift of the Kwannon at that place. They both reared her with great +care and tenderness, and the child grew in strength and beauty. + +When the little girl was five years old her mother fell dangerously ill +and all the doctors and their medicines could not save her. A little +before she breathed her last she called her daughter to her, and gently +stroking her head, said: + +"Hase-Hime, do you know that your mother cannot live any longer? Though +I die, you must grow up a good girl. Do your best not to give trouble +to your nurse or any other of your family. Perhaps your father will +marry again and some one will fill my place as your mother. If so do +not grieve for me, but look upon your father's second wife as your true +mother, and be obedient and filial to both her and your father. +Remember when you are grown up to be submissive to those who are your +superiors, and to be kind to all those who are under you. Don't forget +this. I die with the hope that you will grow up a model woman." + +Hase-Hime listened in an attitude of respect while her mother spoke, +and promised to do all that she was told. There is a proverb which says +"As the soul is at three so it is at one hundred," and so Hase-Hime +grew up as her mother had wished, a good and obedient little Princess, +though she was now too young to understand how great was the loss of +her mother. + +Not long after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari married +again, a lady of noble birth named Princess Terute. Very different in +character, alas! to the good and wise Princess Murasaki, this woman had +a cruel, bad heart. She did not love her step-daughter at all, and was +often very unkind to the little motherless girl, saving to herself: + +"This is not my child! this is not my child!" + +But Hase-Hime bore every unkindness with patience, and even waited upon +her step-mother kindly and obeyed her in every way and never gave any +trouble, just as she had been trained by her own good mother, so that +the Lady Terute had no cause for complaint against her. + +The little Princess was very diligent, and her favorite studies were +music and poetry. She would spend several hours practicing every day, +and her father had the most proficient of masters he could find to +teach her the koto (Japanese harp), the art of writing letters and +verse. When she was twelve years of age she could play so beautifully +that she and her step-mother were summoned to the Palace to perform +before the Emperor. + +It was the Festival of the Cherry Flowers, and there were great +festivities at the Court. The Emperor threw himself into the enjoyment +of the season, and commanded that Princess Hase should perform before +him on the koto, and that her mother Princess Terute should accompany +her on the flute. + +The Emperor sat on a raised dais, before which was hung a curtain of +finely-sliced bamboo and purple tassels, so that His Majesty might see +all and not be seen, for no ordinary subject was allowed to look upon +his sacred face. + +Hase-Hime was a skilled musician though so young, and often astonished +her masters by her wonderful memory and talent. On this momentous +occasion she played well. But Princess Terute, her step-mother, who was +a lazy woman and never took the trouble to practice daily, broke down +in her accompaniment and had to request one of the Court ladies to take +her place. This was a great disgrace, and she was furiously jealous to +think that she had failed where her step-daughter succeeded; and to +make matters worse the Emperor sent many beautiful gifts to the little +Princess to reward her for playing so well at the Palace. + +There was also now another reason why Princess Terute hated her +step-daughter, for she had had the good fortune to have a son born to +her, and in her inmost heart she kept saying: + +"If only Hase-Hime were not here, my son would have all the love of his +father." + +And never having learned to control herself, she allowed this wicked +thought to grow into the awful desire of taking her step-daughter's +life. + +So one day she secretly ordered some poison and poisoned some sweet +wine. This poisoned wine she put into a bottle. Into another similar +bottle she poured some good wine. It was the occasion of the Boys' +Festival on the fifth of May, and Hase-Hime was playing with her little +brother. All his toys of warriors and heroes were spread out and she +was telling him wonderful stories about each of them. They were both +enjoying themselves and laughing merrily with their attendants when his +mother entered with the two bottles of wine and some delicious cakes. + +"You are both so good and happy." said the wicked Princess Terute with +a smile, "that I have brought you some sweet wine as a reward--and here +are some nice cakes for my good children." + +And she filled two cups from the different bottles. + +Hase-Hime, never dreaming of the dreadful part her step-mother was +acting, took one of the cups of wine and gave to her little step +brother the other that had been poured out for him. + +The wicked woman had carefully marked the poisoned bottle, but on +coming into the room she had grown nervous, and pouring out the wine +hurriedly had unconsciously given the poisoned cup to her own child. +All this time she was anxiously watching the little Princess, but to +her amazement no change whatever took place in the young girl's face. +Suddenly the little boy screamed and threw himself on the floor, +doubled up with pain. His mother flew to him, taking the precaution to +upset the two tiny jars of wine which she had brought into the room, +and lifted him up. The attendants rushed for the doctor, but nothing +could save the child--he died within the hour in his mother's arms. +Doctors did not know much in those ancient times, and it was thought +that the wine had disagreed with the boy, causing convulsions of which +he died. + +Thus was the wicked woman punished in losing her own child when she had +tried to do away with her step-daughter; but instead of blaming herself +she began to hate Hase-Hime more than ever in the bitterness and +wretchedness of her own heart, and she eagerly watched for an +opportunity to do her harm, which was, however, long in coming. + +When Hase-Hime was thirteen years of age, she had already become +mentioned as a poetess of some merit. This was an accomplishment very +much cultivated by the women of old Japan and one held in high esteem. + +It was the rainy season at Nara, and floods were reported every day as +doing damage in the neighborhood. The river Tatsuta, which flowed +through the Imperial Palace grounds, was swollen to the top of its +banks, and the roaring of the torrents of water rushing along a narrow +bed so disturbed the Emperor's rest day and night, that a serious +nervous disorder was the result. An Imperial Edict was sent forth to +all the Buddhist temples commanding the priests to offer up continuous +prayers to Heaven to stop the noise of the flood. But this was of no +avail. + +Then it was whispered in Court circles that the Princess Hase, the +daughter of Prince Toyonari Fujiwara, second minister at Court, was the +most gifted poetess of the day, though still so young, and her masters +confirmed the report. Long ago, a beautiful and gifted maiden-poetess +had moved Heaven by praying in verse, had brought down rain upon a land +famished with drought--so said the ancient biographers of the poetess +Ono-no-Komachi. If the Princess Hase were to write a poem and offer it +in prayer, might it not stop the noise of the rushing river and remove +the cause of the Imperial illness? What the Court said at last reached +the ears of the Emperor himself, and he sent an order to the minister +Prince Toyonari to this effect. + +Great indeed was Hase-Hime's fear and astonishment when her father sent +for her and told her what was required of her. Heavy, indeed, was the +duty that was laid on her young shoulders--that of saving the Emperor's +life by the merit of her verse. + +At last the day came and her poem was finished. It was written on a +leaflet of paper heavily flecked with gold-dust. With her father and +attendants and some of the Court officials, she proceeded to the bank +of the roaring torrent and raising up her heart to Heaven, she read the +poem she had composed, aloud, lifting it heavenwards in her two hands. + +Strange indeed it seemed to all those standing round. The waters ceased +their roaring, and the river was quiet in direct answer to her prayer. +After this the Emperor soon recovered his health. + +His Majesty was highly pleased, and sent for her to the Palace and +rewarded her with the rank of Chinjo--that of Lieutenant-General--to +distinguish her. From that time she was called Chinjo-hime, or the +Lieutenant-General Princess, and respected and loved by all. + +There was only one person who was not pleased at Hase-Hime's success. +That one was her stepmother. Forever brooding over the death of her own +child whom she had killed when trying to poison her step-daughter, she +had the mortification of seeing her rise to power and honor, marked by +Imperial favor and the admiration of the whole Court. Her envy and +jealousy burned in her heart like fire. Many were the lies she carried +to her husband about Hase-Hime, but all to no purpose. He would listen +to none of her tales, telling her sharply that she was quite mistaken. + +At last the step-mother, seizing the opportunity of her husband's +absence, ordered one of her old servants to take the innocent girl to +the Hibari Mountains, the wildest part of the country, and to kill her +there. She invented a dreadful story about the little Princess, saying +that this was the only way to prevent disgrace falling upon the +family--by killing her. + +Katoda, her vassal, was bound to obey his mistress. Anyhow, he saw that +it would be the wisest plan to pretend obedience in the absence of the +girl's father, so he placed Hase-Hime in a palanquin and accompanied +her to the most solitary place he could find in the wild district. The +poor child knew there was no good in protesting to her unkind +step-mother at being sent away in this strange manner, so she went as +she was told. + +But the old servant knew that the young Princess was quite innocent of +all the things her step-mother had invented to him as reasons for her +outrageous orders, and he determined to save her life. Unless he killed +her, however, he could not return to his cruel task-mistress, so he +decided to stay out in the wilderness. With the help of some peasants +he soon built a little cottage, and having sent secretly for his wife +to come, these two good old people did all in their power to take care +of the now unfortunate Princess. She all the time trusted in her +father, knowing that as soon as he returned home and found her absent, +he would search for her. + +Prince Toyonari, after some weeks, came home, and was told by his wife +that his daughter Hime had done something wrong and had run away for +fear of being punished. He was nearly ill with anxiety. Every one in +the house told the same story--that Hase-Hime had suddenly disappeared, +none of them knew why or whither. For fear of scandal he kept the +matter quiet and searched everywhere he could think of, but all to no +purpose. + +One day, trying to forget his terrible worry, he called all his men +together and told them to make ready for a several days' hunt in the +mountains. They were soon ready and mounted, waiting at the gate for +their lord. He rode hard and fast to the district of the Hibari +Mountains, a great company following him. He was soon far ahead of +every one, and at last found himself in a narrow picturesque valley. + +Looking round and admiring the scenery, he noticed a tiny house on one +of the hills quite near, and then he distinctly heard a beautiful clear +voice reading aloud. Seized with curiosity as to who could be studying +so diligently in such a lonely spot, he dismounted, and leaving his +horse to his groom, he walked up the hillside and approached the +cottage. As he drew nearer his surprise increased, for he could see +that the reader was a beautiful girl. The cottage was wide open and she +was sitting facing the view. Listening attentively, he heard her +reading the Buddhist scriptures with great devotion. More and more +curious, he hurried on to the tiny gate and entered the little garden, +and looking up beheld his lost daughter Hase-Hime. She was so intent on +what she was saying that she neither heard nor saw her father till he +spoke. + +"Hase-Hime!" he cried, "it is you, my Hase-Hime!" + +Taken by surprise, she could hardly realize that it was her own dear +father who was calling her, and for a moment she was utterly bereft of +the power to speak or move. + +"My father, my father! It is indeed you--oh, my father!" was all she +could say, and running to him she caught hold of his thick sleeve, and +burying her face burst into a passion of tears. + +Her father stroked her dark hair, asking her gently to tell him all +that had happened, but she only wept on, and he wondered if he were not +really dreaming. + +Then the faithful old servant Katoda came out, and bowing himself to +the ground before his master, poured out the long tale of wrong, +telling him all that had happened, and how it was that he found his +daughter in such a wild and desolate spot with only two old servants to +take care of her. + +The Prince's astonishment and indignation knew no bounds. He gave up +the hunt at once and hurried home with his daughter. One of the company +galloped ahead to inform the household of the glad news, and the +step-mother hearing what had happened, and fearful of meeting her +husband now that her wickedness was discovered, fled from the house and +returned in disgrace to her father's roof, and nothing more was heard +of her. + +The old servant Katoda was rewarded with the highest promotion in his +master's service, and lived happily to the end of his days, devoted to +the little Princess, who never forgot that she owed her life to this +faithful retainer. She was no longer troubled by an unkind step-mother, +and her days passed happily and quietly with her father. + +As Prince Toyonari had no son, he adopted a younger son of one of the +Court nobles to be his heir, and to marry his daughter Hase-Hime, and +in a few years the marriage took place. Hase-Hime lived to a good old +age, and all said that she was the wisest, most devout, and most +beautiful mistress that had ever reigned in Prince Toyonari's ancient +house. She had the joy of presenting her son, the future lord of the +family, to her father just before he retired from active life. + +To this day there is preserved a piece of needle-work in one of the +Buddhist temples of Kioto. It is a beautiful piece of tapestry, with +the figure of Buddha embroidered in the silky threads drawn from the +stem of the lotus. This is said to have been the work of the hands of +the good Princess Hase. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE. + + +Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant +"Millionaire," but although he was not so rich as all that, he was +still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small +fortune from his father and lived on this, spending his time +carelessly, without any serious thoughts of work, till he was about +thirty-two years of age. + +One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and +sickness came to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very +wretched. + +"I should like to live," he said to himself, "till I am five or six +hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary span +of a man's life is very short." + +He wondered whether it were possible, by living simply and frugally +henceforth, to prolong his life as long as he wished. + +He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who had +lived a thousand years, and there was a Princess of Yamato, who, it was +said, lived to the age of five hundred. This was the latest story of a +very long life record. + +Sentaro had often heard the tale of the Chinese King named +Shin-no-Shiko. He was one of the most able and powerful rulers in +Chinese history. He built all the large palaces, and also the famous +great wall of China. He had everything in the world he could wish for, +but in spite of all his happiness and the luxury and the splendor of +his Court, the wisdom of his councilors and the glory of his reign, he +was miserable because he knew that one day he must die and leave it all. + +When Shin-no-Shiko went to bed at night, when he rose in the morning, +as he went through his day, the thought of death was always with him. +He could not get away from it. Ah--if only he could find the "Elixir of +Life," he would be happy. + +The Emperor at last called a meeting of his courtiers and asked them +all if they could not find for him the "Elixir of Life" of which he had +so often read and heard. + +One old courtier, Jofuku by name, said that far away across the seas +there was a country called Horaizan, and that certain hermits lived +there who possessed the secret of the "Elixir of Life." Whoever drank +of this wonderful draught lived forever. + +The Emperor ordered Jofuku to set out for the land of Horaizan, to find +the hermits, and to bring him back a phial of the magic elixir. He gave +Jofuku one of his best junks, fitted it out for him, and loaded it with +great quantities of treasures and precious stones for Jofuku to take as +presents to the hermits. + +Jofuku sailed for the land of Horaizan, but he never returned to the +waiting Emperor; but ever since that time Mount Fuji has been said to +be the fabled Horaizan and the home of hermits who had the secret of +the elixir, and Jofuku has been worshiped as their patron god. + +Now Sentaro determined to set out to find the hermits, and if he could, +to become one, so that he might obtain the water of perpetual life. He +remembered that as a child he had been told that not only did these +hermits live on Mount Fuji, but that they were said to inhabit all the +very high peaks. + +So he left his old home to the care of his relatives, and started out +on his quest. He traveled through all the mountainous regions of the +land, climbing to the tops of the highest peaks, but never a hermit did +he find. + +At last, after wandering in an unknown region for many days, he met a +hunter. + +"Can you tell me," asked Sentaro, "where the hermits live who have the +Elixir of Life?" + +"No." said the hunter; "I can't tell you where such hermits live, but +there is a notorious robber living in these parts. It is said that he +is chief of a band of two hundred followers." + +This odd answer irritated Sentaro very much, and he thought how foolish +it was to waste more time in looking for the hermits in this way, so he +decided to go at once to the shrine of Jofuku, who is worshiped as the +patron god of the hermits in the south of Japan. + +Sentaro reached the shrine and prayed for seven days, entreating Jofuku +to show him the way to a hermit who could give him what he wanted so +much to find. + +At midnight of the seventh day, as Sentaro knelt in the temple, the +door of the innermost shrine flew open, and Jofuku appeared in a +luminous cloud, and calling to Sentaro to come nearer, spoke thus: + +"Your desire is a very selfish one and cannot be easily granted. You +think that you would like to become a hermit so as to find the Elixir +of Life. Do you know how hard a hermit's life is? A hermit is only +allowed to eat fruit and berries and the bark of pine trees; a hermit +must cut himself off from the world so that his heart may become as +pure as gold and free from every earthly desire. Gradually after +following these strict rules, the hermit ceases to feel hunger or cold +or heat, and his body becomes so light that he can ride on a crane or a +carp, and can walk on water without getting his feet wet." + +"You, Sentaro, are fond of good living and of every comfort. You are +not even like an ordinary man, for you are exceptionally idle, and more +sensitive to heat and cold than most people. You would never be able to +go barefoot or to wear only one thin dress in the winter time! Do you +think that you would ever have the patience or the endurance to live a +hermit's life?" + +"In answer to your prayer, however, I will help you in another way. I +will send you to the country of Perpetual Life, where death never +comes--where the people live forever!" + +Saying this, Jofuku put into Sentaro's hand a little crane made of +paper, telling him to sit on its back and it would carry him there. + +Sentaro obeyed wonderingly. The crane grew large enough for him to ride +on it with comfort. It then spread its wings, rose high in the air, and +flew away over the mountains right out to sea. + +Sentaro was at first quite frightened; but by degrees he grew +accustomed to the swift flight through the air. On and on they went for +thousands of miles. The bird never stopped for rest or food, but as it +was a paper bird it doubtless did not require any nourishment, and +strange to say, neither did Sentaro. + +After several days they reached an island. The crane flew some distance +inland and then alighted. + +As soon as Sentaro got down from the bird's back, the crane folded up +of its own accord and flew into his pocket. + +Now Sentaro began to look about him wonderingly, curious to see what +the country of Perpetual Life was like. He walked first round about the +country and then through the town. Everything was, of course, quite +strange, and different from his own land. But both the land and the +people seemed prosperous, so he decided that it would be good for him +to stay there and took up lodgings at one of the hotels. + +The proprietor was a kind man, and when Sentaro told him that he was a +stranger and had come to live there, he promised to arrange everything +that was necessary with the governor of the city concerning Sentaro's +sojourn there. He even found a house for his guest, and in this way +Sentaro obtained his great wish and became a resident in the country of +Perpetual Life. + +Within the memory of all the islanders no man had ever died there, and +sickness was a thing unknown. Priests had come over from India and +China and told them of a beautiful country called Paradise, where +happiness and bliss and contentment fill all men's hearts, but its +gates could only be reached by dying. This tradition was handed down +for ages from generation to generation--but none knew exactly what +death was except that it led to Paradise. + +Quite unlike Sentaro and other ordinary people, instead of having a +great dread of death, they all, both rich and poor, longed for it as +something good and desirable. They were all tired of their long, long +lives, and longed to go to the happy land of contentment called +Paradise of which the priests had told them centuries ago. + +All this Sentaro soon found out by talking to the islanders. He found +himself, according to his ideas, in the land of Topsyturvydom. +Everything was upside down. He had wished to escape from dying. He had +come to the land of Perpetual Life with great relief and joy, only to +find that the inhabitants themselves, doomed never to die, would +consider it bliss to find death. + +What he had hitherto considered poison these people ate as good food, +and all the things to which he had been accustomed as food they +rejected. Whenever any merchants from other countries arrived, the rich +people rushed to them eager to buy poisons. These they swallowed +eagerly, hoping for death to come so that they might go to Paradise. + +But what were deadly poisons in other lands were without effect in this +strange place, and people who swallowed them with the hope of dying, +only found that in a short time they felt better in health instead of +worse. + +Vainly they tried to imagine what death could be like. The wealthy +would have given all their money and all their goods if they could but +shorten their lives to two or three hundred years even. Without any +change to live on forever seemed to this people wearisome and sad. + +In the chemist shops there was a drug which was in constant demand, +because after using it for a hundred years, it was supposed to turn the +hair slightly gray and to bring about disorders of the stomach. + +Sentaro was astonished to find that the poisonous globe-fish was served +up in restaurants as a delectable dish, and hawkers in the streets went +about selling sauces made of Spanish flies. He never saw any one ill +after eating these horrible things, nor did he ever see any one with as +much as a cold. + +Sentaro was delighted. He said to himself that he would never grow +tired of living, and that he considered it profane to wish for death. +He was the only happy man on the island. For his part he wished to live +thousands of years and to enjoy life. He set himself up in business, +and for the present never even dreamed of going back to his native land. + +As years went by, however, things did not go as smoothly as at first. +He had heavy losses in business, and several times some affairs went +wrong with his neighbors. This caused him great annoyance. + +Time passed like the flight of an arrow for him, for he was busy from +morning till night. Three hundred years went by in this monotonous way, +and then at last he began to grow tired of life in this country, and he +longed to see his own land and his old home. However long he lived +here, life would always be the same, so was it not foolish and +wearisome to stay on here forever? + +Sentaro, in his wish to escape from the country of Perpetual Life, +recollected Jofuku, who had helped him before when he was wishing to +escape from death--and he prayed to the saint to bring him back to his +own land again. + +No sooner did he pray than the paper crane popped out of his pocket. +Sentaro was amazed to see that it had remained undamaged after all +these years. Once more the bird grew and grew till it was large enough +for him to mount it. As he did so, the bird spread its wings and flew, +swiftly out across the sea in the direction of Japan. + +Such was the willfulness of the man's nature that he looked back and +regretted all he had left behind. He tried to stop the bird in vain. +The crane held on its way for thousands of miles across the ocean. + +Then a storm came on, and the wonderful paper crane got damp, crumpled +up, and fell into the sea. Sentaro fell with it. Very much frightened +at the thought of being drowned, he cried out loudly to Jofuku to save +him. He looked round, but there was no ship in sight. He swallowed a +quantity of sea-water, which only increased his miserable plight. While +he was thus struggling to keep himself afloat, he saw a monstrous shark +swimming towards him. As it came nearer it opened its huge mouth ready +to devour him. Sentaro was all but paralyzed with fear now that he felt +his end so near, and screamed out as loudly as ever he could to Jofuku +to come and rescue him. + +Lo, and behold, Sentaro was awakened by his own screams, to find that +during his long prayer he had fallen asleep before the shrine, and that +all his extraordinary and frightful adventures had been only a wild +dream. He was in a cold perspiration with fright, and utterly +bewildered. + +Suddenly a bright light came towards him, and in the light stood a +messenger. The messenger held a book in his hand, and spoke to Sentaro: + +"I am sent to you by Jofuku, who in answer to your prayer, has +permitted you in a dream to see the land of Perpetual Life. But you +grew weary of living there, and begged to be allowed to return to your +native land so that you might die. Jofuku, so that he might try you, +allowed you to drop into the sea, and then sent a shark to swallow you +up. Your desire for death was not real, for even at that moment you +cried out loudly and shouted for help." + +"It is also vain for you to wish to become a hermit, or to find the +Elixir of Life. These things are not for such as you--your life is not +austere enough. It is best for you to go back to your paternal home, +and to live a good and industrious life. Never neglect to keep the +anniversaries of your ancestors, and make it your duty to provide for +your children's future. Thus will you live to a good old age and be +happy, but give up the vain desire to escape death, for no man can do +that, and by this time you have surely found out that even when selfish +desires are granted they do not bring happiness." + +"In this book I give you there are many precepts good for you to +know--if you study them, you will be guided in the way I have pointed +out to you." + +The angel disappeared as soon as he had finished speaking, and Sentaro +took the lesson to heart. With the book in his hand he returned to his +old home, and giving up all his old vain wishes, tried to live a good +and useful life and to observe the lessons taught him in the book, and +he and his house prospered henceforth. + + + + +THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD. + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very poor +and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old age, and in +his heart there was no hope of rest from work till he died and was laid +in the quiet grave. Every morning he went forth into the woods and +hills wherever the bamboo reared its lithe green plumes against the +sky. When he had made his choice, he would cut down these feathers of +the forest, and splitting them lengthwise, or cutting them into joints, +would carry the bamboo wood home and make it into various articles for +the household, and he and his old wife gained a small livelihood by +selling them. + +One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having found a +nice clump of bamboos, had set to work to cut some of them down. +Suddenly the green grove of bamboos was flooded with a bright soft +light, as if the full moon had risen over the spot. Looking round in +astonishment, he saw that the brilliance was streaming from one bamboo. +The old man, full of wonder, dropped his ax and went towards the light. +On nearer approach he saw that this soft splendor came from a hollow in +the green bamboo stem, and still more wonderful to behold, in the midst +of the brilliance stood a tiny human being, only three inches in +height, and exquisitely beautiful in appearance. + +"You must be sent to be my child, for I find you here among the bamboos +where lies my daily work," said the old man, and taking the little +creature in his hand he took it home to his wife to bring up. The tiny +girl was so exceedingly beautiful and so small, that the old woman put +her into a basket to safeguard her from the least possibility of being +hurt in any way. + +The old couple were now very happy, for it had been a lifelong regret +that they had no children of their own, and with joy they now expended +all the love of their old age on the little child who had come to them +in so marvelous a manner. + +From this time on, the old man often found gold in the notches of the +bamboos when he hewed them down and cut them up; not only gold, but +precious stones also, so that by degrees he became rich. He built +himself a fine house, and was no longer known as the poor bamboo +woodcutter, but as a wealthy man. + +Three months passed quickly away, and in that time the bamboo child +had, wonderful to say, become a full-grown girl, so her foster-parents +did up her hair and dressed her in beautiful kimonos. She was of such +wondrous beauty that they placed her behind the screens like a +princess, and allowed no one to see her, waiting upon her themselves. +It seemed as if she were made of light, for the house was filled with a +soft shining, so that even in the dark of night it was like daytime. +Her presence seemed to have a benign influence on those there. Whenever +the old man felt sad, he had only to look upon his foster-daughter and +his sorrow vanished, and he became as happy as when he was a youth. + +At last the day came for the naming of their new-found child, so the +old couple called in a celebrated name-giver, and he gave her the name +of Princess Moonlight, because her body gave forth so much soft bright +light that she might have been a daughter of the Moon God. + +For three days the festival was kept up with song and dance and music. +All the friends and relations of the old couple were present, and great +was their enjoyment of the festivities held to celebrate the naming of +Princess Moonlight. Everyone who saw her declared that there never had +been seen any one so lovely; all the beauties throughout the length and +breadth of the land would grow pale beside her, so they said. The fame +of the Princess's loveliness spread far and wide, and many were the +suitors who desired to win her hand, or even so much as to see her. + +Suitors from far and near posted themselves outside the house, and made +little holes in the fence, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the +Princess as she went from one room to the other along the veranda. They +stayed there day and night, sacrificing even their sleep for a chance +of seeing her, but all in vain. Then they approached the house, and +tried to speak to the old man and his wife or some of the servants, but +not even this was granted them. + +Still, in spite of all this disappointment they stayed on day after +day, and night after night, and counted it as nothing, so great was +their desire to see the Princess. + +At last, however, most of the men, seeing how hopeless their quest was, +lost heart and hope both, and returned to their homes. All except five +Knights, whose ardor and determination, instead of waning, seemed to +wax greater with obstacles. These five men even went without their +meals, and took snatches of whatever they could get brought to them, so +that they might always stand outside the dwelling. They stood there in +all weathers, in sunshine and in rain. + +Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was +vouchsafed to them. Then when letters failed to draw any reply, they +wrote poems to her telling her of the hopeless love which kept them +from sleep, from food, from rest, and even from their homes. Still +Princes Moonlight gave no sign of having received their verses. + +In this hopeless state the winter passed. The snow and frost and the +cold winds gradually gave place to the gentle warmth of spring. Then +the summer came, and the sun burned white and scorching in the heavens +above and on the earth beneath, and still these faithful Knights kept +watch and waited. At the end of these long months they called out to +the old bamboo-cutter and entreated him to have some mercy upon them +and to show them the Princess, but he answered only that as he was not +her real father he could not insist on her obeying him against her +wishes. + +The five Knights on receiving this stern answer returned to their +several homes, and pondered over the best means of touching the proud +Princess's heart, even so much as to grant them a hearing. They took +their rosaries in hand and knelt before their household shrines, and +burned precious incense, praying to Buddha to give them their heart's +desire. Thus several days passed, but even so they could not rest in +their homes. + +So again they set out for the bamboo-cutter's house. This time the old +man came out to see them, and they asked him to let them know if it was +the Princess's resolution never to see any man whatsoever, and they +implored him to speak for them and to tell her the greatness of their +love, and how long they had waited through the cold of winter and the +heat of summer, sleepless and roofless through all weathers, without +food and without rest, in the ardent hope of winning her, and they were +willing to consider this long vigil as pleasure if she would but give +them one chance of pleading their cause with her. + +The old man lent a willing ear to their tale of love, for in his inmost +heart he felt sorry for these faithful suitors and would have liked to +see his lovely foster-daughter married to one of them. So he went in to +Princess Moonlight and said reverently: + +"Although you have always seemed to me to be a heavenly being, yet I +have had the trouble of bringing you up as my own child and you have +been glad of the protection of my roof. Will you refuse to do as I +wish?" + +Then Princess Moonlight replied that there was nothing she would not do +for him, that she honored and loved him as her own father, and that as +for herself she could not remember the time before she came to earth. + +The old man listened with great joy as she spoke these dutiful words. +Then he told her how anxious he was to see her safely and happily +married before he died. + +"I am an old man, over seventy years of age, and my end may come any +time now. It is necessary and right that you should see these five +suitors and choose one of them." + +"Oh, why," said the Princess in distress, "must I do this? I have no +wish to marry now." + +"I found you," answered the old man, "many years ago, when you were a +little creature three inches high, in the midst of a great white light. +The light streamed from the bamboo in which you were hid and led me to +you. So I have always thought that you were more than mortal woman. +While I am alive it is right for you to remain as you are if you wish +to do so, but some day I shall cease to be and who will take care of +you then? Therefore I pray you to meet these five brave men one at a +time and make up your mind to marry one of them!" + +Then the Princess answered that she felt sure that she was not as +beautiful as perhaps report made her out to be, and that even if she +consented to marry any one of them, not really knowing her before, his +heart might change afterwards. So as she did not feel sure of them, +even though her father told her they were worthy Knights, she did not +feel it wise to see them. + +"All you say is very reasonable," said the old man, "but what kind of +men will you consent to see? I do not call these five men who have +waited on you for months, light-hearted. They have stood outside this +house through the winter and the summer, often denying themselves food +and sleep so that they may win you. What more can you demand?" + +Then Princess Moonlight said she must make further trial of their love +before she would grant their request to interview her. The five +warriors were to prove their love by each bringing her from distant +countries something that she desired to possess. + +That same evening the suitors arrived and began to play their flutes in +turn, and to sing their self-composed songs telling of their great and +tireless love. The bamboo-cutter went out to them and offered them his +sympathy for all they had endured and all the patience they had shown +in their desire to win his foster-daughter. Then he gave them her +message, that she would consent to marry whosoever was successful in +bringing her what she wanted. This was to test them. + +The five all accepted the trial, and thought it an excellent plan, for +it would prevent jealousy between them. + +Princess Moonlight then sent word to the First Knight that she +requested him to bring her the stone bowl which had belonged to Buddha +in India. + +The Second Knight was asked to go to the Mountain of Horai, said to be +situated in the Eastern Sea, and to bring her a branch of the wonderful +tree that grew on its summit. The roots of this tree were of silver, +the trunk of gold, and the branches bore as fruit white jewels. + +The Third Knight was told to go to China and search for the fire-rat +and to bring her its skin. + +The Fourth Knight was told to search for the dragon that carried on its +head the stone radiating five colors and to bring the stone to her. + +The Fifth Knight was to find the swallow which carried a shell in its +stomach and to bring the shell to her. + +The old man thought these very hard tasks and hesitated to carry the +messages, but the Princess would make no other conditions. So her +commands were issued word for word to the five men who, when they heard +what was required of them, were all disheartened and disgusted at what +seemed to them the impossibility of the tasks given them and returned +to their own homes in despair. + +But after a time, when they thought of the Princess, the love in their +hearts revived for her, and they resolved to make an attempt to get +what she desired of them. + +The First Knight sent word to the Princess that he was starting out +that day on the quest of Buddha's bowl, and he hoped soon to bring it +to her. But he had not the courage to go all the way to India, for in +those days traveling was very difficult and full of danger, so he went +to one of the temples in Kyoto and took a stone bowl from the altar +there, paying the priest a large sum of money for it. He then wrapped +it in a cloth of gold and, waiting quietly for three years, returned +and carried it to the old man. + +Princess Moonlight wondered that the Knight should have returned so +soon. She took the bowl from its gold wrapping, expecting it to make +the room full of light, but it did not shine at all, so she knew that +it was a sham thing and not the true bowl of Buddha. She returned it at +once and refused to see him. The Knight threw the bowl away and +returned to his home in despair. He gave up now all hopes of ever +winning the Princess. + +The Second Knight told his parents that he needed change of air for his +health, for he was ashamed to tell them that love for the Princess +Moonlight was the real cause of his leaving them. He then left his +home, at the same time sending word to the Princess that he was setting +out for Mount Horai in the hope of getting her a branch of the gold and +silver tree which she so much wished to have. He only allowed his +servants to accompany him half-way, and then sent them back. He reached +the seashore and embarked on a small ship, and after sailing away for +three days he landed and employed several carpenters to build him a +house contrived in such a way that no one could get access to it. He +then shut himself up with six skilled jewelers, and endeavored to make +such a gold and silver branch as he thought would satisfy the Princess +as having come from the wonderful tree growing on Mount Horai. Every +one whom he had asked declared that Mount Horai belonged to the land of +fable and not to fact. + +When the branch was finished, he took his journey home and tried to +make himself look as if he were wearied and worn out with travel. He +put the jeweled branch into a lacquer box and carried it to the +bamboo-cutter, begging him to present it to the Princess. + +The old man was quite deceived by the travel-stained appearance of the +Knight, and thought that he had only just returned from his long +journey with the branch. So he tried to persuade the Princess to +consent to see the man. But she remained silent and looked very sad. +The old man began to take out the branch and praised it as a wonderful +treasure to be found nowhere in the whole land. Then he spoke of the +Knight, how handsome and how brave he was to have undertaken a journey +to so remote a place as the Mount of Horai. + +Princess Moonlight took the branch in her hand and looked at it +carefully. She then told her foster-parent that she knew it was +impossible for the man to have obtained a branch from the gold and +silver tree growing on Mount Horai so quickly or so easily, and she was +sorry to say she believed it artificial. + +The old man then went out to the expectant Knight, who had now +approached the house, and asked where he had found the branch. Then the +man did not scruple to make up a long story. + +"Two years ago I took a ship and started in search of Mount Horai. +After going before the wind for some time I reached the far Eastern +Sea. Then a great storm arose and I was tossed about for many days, +losing all count of the points of the compass, and finally we were +blown ashore on an unknown island. Here I found the place inhabited by +demons who at one time threatened to kill and eat me. However, I +managed to make friends with these horrible creatures, and they helped +me and my sailors to repair the boat, and I set sail again. Our food +gave out, and we suffered much from sickness on board. At last, on the +five-hundredth day from the day of starting, I saw far off on the +horizon what looked like the peak of a mountain. On nearer approach, +this proved to be an island, in the center of which rose a high +mountain. I landed, and after wandering about for two or three days, I +saw a shining being coming towards me on the beach, holding in his +hands a golden bowl. I went up to him and asked him if I had, by good +chance, found the island of Mount Horai, and he answered:" + +"'Yes, this is Mount Horai!'" + +"With much difficulty I climbed to the summit, here stood the golden +tree growing with silver roots in the ground. The wonders of that +strange land are many, and if I began to tell you about them I could +never stop. In spite of my wish to stay there long, on breaking off the +branch I hurried back. With utmost speed it has taken me four hundred +days to get back, and, as you see, my clothes are still damp from +exposure on the long sea voyage. I have not even waited to change my +raiment, so anxious was I to bring the branch to the Princess quickly." + +Just at this moment the six jewelers, who had been employed on the +making of the branch, but not yet paid by the Knight, arrived at the +house and sent in a petition to the Princess to be paid for their +labor. They said that they had worked for over a thousand days making +the branch of gold, with its silver twigs and its jeweled fruit, that +was now presented to her by the Knight, but as yet they had received +nothing in payment. So this Knight's deception was thus found out, and +the Princess, glad of an escape from one more importunate suitor, was +only too pleased to send back the branch. She called in the workmen and +had them paid liberally, and they went away happy. But on the way home +they were overtaken by the disappointed man, who beat them till they +were nearly dead, for letting out the secret, and they barely escaped +with their lives. The Knight then returned home, raging in his heart; +and in despair of ever winning the Princess gave up society and retired +to a solitary life among the mountains. + +Now the Third Knight had a friend in China, so he wrote to him to get +the skin of the fire-rat. The virtue of any part of this animal was +that no fire could harm it. He promised his friend any amount of money +he liked to ask if only he could get him the desired article. As soon +as the news came that the ship on which his friend had sailed home had +come into port, he rode seven days on horseback to meet him. He handed +his friend a large sum of money, and received the fire-rat's skin. When +he reached home he put it carefully in a box and sent it in to the +Princess while he waited outside for her answer. + +The bamboo-cutter took the box from the Knight and, as usual, carried +it in to her and tried to coax her to see the Knight at once, but +Princess Moonlight refused, saying that she must first put the skin to +test by putting it into the fire. If it were the real thing it would +not burn. So she took off the crape wrapper and opened the box, and +then threw the skin into the fire. The skin crackled and burnt up at +once, and the Princess knew that this man also had not fulfilled his +word. So the Third Knight failed also. + +Now the Fourth Knight was no more enterprising than the rest. Instead +of starting out on the quest of the dragon bearing on its head the +five-color-radiating jewel, he called all his servants together and +gave them the order to seek for it far and wide in Japan and in China, +and he strictly forbade any of them to return till they had found it. + +His numerous retainers and servants started out in different +directions, with no intention, however, of obeying what they considered +an impossible order. They simply took a holiday, went to pleasant +country places together, and grumbled at their master's +unreasonableness. + +The Knight meanwhile, thinking that his retainers could not fail to +find the jewel, repaired to his house, and fitted it up beautifully for +the reception of the Princess, he felt so sure of winning her. + +One year passed away in weary waiting, and still his men did not return +with the dragon-jewel. The Knight became desperate. He could wait no +longer, so taking with him only two men he hired a ship and commanded +the captain to go in search of the dragon; the captain and the sailors +refused to undertake what they said was an absurd search, but the +Knight compelled them at last to put out to sea. + +When they had been but a few days out they encountered a great storm +which lasted so long that, by the time its fury abated, the Knight had +determined to give up the hunt of the dragon. They were at last blown +on shore, for navigation was primitive in those days. Worn out with his +travels and anxiety, the fourth suitor gave himself up to rest. He had +caught a very heavy cold, and had to go to bed with a swollen face. + +The governor of the place, hearing of his plight, sent messengers with +a letter inviting him to his house. While he was there thinking over +all his troubles, his love for the Princess turned to anger, and he +blamed her for all the hardships he had undergone. He thought that it +was quite probable she had wished to kill him so that she might be rid +of him, and in order to carry out her wish had sent him upon his +impossible quest. + +At this point all the servants he had sent out to find the jewel came +to see him, and were surprised to find praise instead of displeasure +awaiting them. Their master told them that he was heartily sick of +adventure, and said that he never intended to go near the Princess's +house again in the future. + +Like all the rest, the Fifth Knight failed in his quest--he could not +find the swallow's shell. + +By this time the fame of Princess Moonlight's beauty had reached the +ears of the Emperor, and he sent one of the Court ladies to see if she +were really as lovely as report said; if so he would summon her to the +Palace and make her one of the ladies-in-waiting. + +When the Court lady arrived, in spite of her father's entreaties, +Princess Moonlight refused to see her. The Imperial messenger insisted, +saying it was the Emperor's order. Then Princess Moonlight told the old +man that if she was forced to go to the Palace in obedience to the +Emperor's order, she would vanish from the earth. + +When the Emperor was told of her persistence in refusing to obey his +summons, and that if pressed to obey she would disappear altogether +from sight, he determined to go and see her. So he planned to go on a +hunting excursion in the neighborhood of the bamboo-cutter's house, and +see the Princess himself. He sent word to the old man of his intention, +and he received consent to the scheme. The next day the Emperor set out +with his retinue, which he soon managed to outride. He found the +bamboo-cutter's house and dismounted. He then entered the house and +went straight to where the Princess was sitting with her attendant +maidens. + +Never had he seen any one so wonderfully beautiful, and he could not +but look at her, for she was more lovely than any human being as she +shone in her own soft radiance. When Princess Moonlight became aware +that a stranger was looking at her she tried to escape from the room, +but the Emperor caught her and begged her to listen to what he had to +say. Her only answer was to hide her face in her sleeves. + +The Emperor fell deeply in love with her, and begged her to come to the +Court, where he would give her a position of honor and everything she +could wish for. He was about to send for one of the Imperial palanquins +to take her back with him at once, saying that her grace and beauty +should adorn a Court, and not be hidden in a bamboo-cutter's cottage. + +But the Princess stopped him. She said that if she were forced to go to +the Palace she would turn at once into a shadow, and even as she spoke +she began to lose her form. Her figure faded from his sight while he +looked. + +The Emperor then promised to leave her free if only she would resume +her former shape, which she did. + +It was now time for him to return, for his retinue would be wondering +what had happened to their Royal master when they missed him for so +long. So he bade her good-by, and left the house with a sad heart. +Princess Moonlight was for him the most beautiful woman in the world; +all others were dark beside her, and he thought of her night and day. +His Majesty now spent much of his time in writing poems, telling her of +his love and devotion, and sent them to her, and though she refused to +see him again she answered with many verses of her own composing, which +told him gently and kindly that she could never marry any one on this +earth. These little songs always gave him pleasure. + +At this time her foster-parents noticed that night after night the +Princess would sit on her balcony and gaze for hours at the moon, in a +spirit of the deepest dejection, ending always in a burst of tears. One +night the old man found her thus weeping as if her heart were broken, +and he besought her to tell him the reason of her sorrow. + +With many tears she told him that he had guessed rightly when he +supposed her not to belong to this world--that she had in truth come +from the moon, and that her time on earth would soon be over. On the +fifteenth day of that very month of August her friends from the moon +would come to fetch her, and she would have to return. Her parents were +both there, but having spent a lifetime on the earth she had forgotten +them, and also the moon-world to which she belonged. It made her weep, +she said, to think of leaving her kind foster-parents, and the home +where she had been happy for so long. + +When her attendants heard this they were very sad, and could not eat or +drink for sadness at the thought that the Princess was so soon to leave +them. + +The Emperor, as soon as the news was carried to him, sent messengers to +the house to find out if the report were true or not. + +The old bamboo-cutter went out to meet the Imperial messengers. The +last few days of sorrow had told upon the old man; he had aged greatly, +and looked much more than his seventy years. Weeping bitterly, he told +them that the report was only too true, but he intended, however, to +make prisoners of the envoys from the moon, and to do all he could to +prevent the Princess from being carried back. + +The men returned and told His Majesty all that had passed. On the +fifteenth day of that month the Emperor sent a guard of two thousand +warriors to watch the house. One thousand stationed themselves on the +roof, another thousand kept watch round all the entrances of the house. +All were well trained archers, with bows and arrows. The bamboo-cutter +and his wife hid Princess Moonlight in an inner room. + +The old man gave orders that no one was to sleep that night, all in the +house were to keep a strict watch, and be ready to protect the +Princess. With these precautions, and the help of the Emperor's +men-at-arms, he hoped to withstand the moon-messengers, but the +Princess told him that all these measures to keep her would be useless, +and that when her people came for her nothing whatever could prevent +them from carrying out their purpose. Even the Emperors men would be +powerless. Then she added with tears that she was very, very sorry to +leave him and his wife, whom she had learned to love as her parents, +that if she could do as she liked she would stay with them in their old +age, and try to make some return for all the love and kindness they had +showered upon her during all her earthly life. + +The night wore on! The yellow harvest moon rose high in the heavens, +flooding the world asleep with her golden light. Silence reigned over +the pine and the bamboo forests, and on the roof where the thousand +men-at-arms waited. + +Then the night grew gray towards the dawn and all hoped that the danger +was over--that Princess Moonlight would not have to leave them after +all. Then suddenly the watchers saw a cloud form round the moon--and +while they looked this cloud began to roll earthwards. Nearer and +nearer it came, and every one saw with dismay that its course lay +towards the house. + +In a short time the sky was entirely obscured, till at last the cloud +lay over the dwelling only ten feet off the ground. In the midst of the +cloud there stood a flying chariot, and in the chariot a band of +luminous beings. One amongst them who looked like a king and appeared +to be the chief stepped out of the chariot, and, poised in air, called +to the old man to come out. + +"The time has come," he said, "for Princess Moonlight to return to the +moon from whence she came. She committed a grave fault, and as a +punishment was sent to live down here for a time. We know what good +care you have taken of the Princess, and we have rewarded you for this +and have sent you wealth and prosperity. We put the gold in the bamboos +for you to find." + +"I have brought up this Princess for twenty years and never once has +she done a wrong thing, therefore the lady you are seeking cannot be +this one," said the old man. "I pray you to look elsewhere." + +Then the messenger called aloud, saying: + +"Princess Moonlight, come out from this lowly dwelling. Rest not here +another moment." + +At these words the screens of the Princess's room slid open of their +own accord, revealing the Princess shining in her own radiance, bright +and wonderful and full of beauty. + +The messenger led her forth and placed her in the chariot. She looked +back, and saw with pity the deep sorrow of the old man. She spoke to +him many comforting words, and told him that it was not her will to +leave him and that he must always think of her when looking at the moon. + +The bamboo-cutter implored to be allowed to accompany her, but this was +not allowed. The Princess took off her embroidered outer garment and +gave it to him as a keepsake. + +One of the moon beings in the chariot held a wonderful coat of wings, +another had a phial full of the Elixir of Life which was given the +Princess to drink. She swallowed a little and was about to give the +rest to the old man, but she was prevented from doing so. + +The robe of wings was about to be put upon her shoulders, but she said: + +"Wait a little. I must not forget my good friend the Emperor. I must +write him once more to say good-by while still in this human form." + +In spite of the impatience of the messengers and charioteers she kept +them waiting while she wrote. She placed the phial of the Elixir of +Life with the letter, and, giving them to the old man, she asked him to +deliver them to the Emperor. + +Then the chariot began to roll heavenwards towards the moon, and as +they all gazed with tearful eyes at the receding Princess, the dawn +broke, and in the rosy light of day the moon-chariot and all in it were +lost amongst the fleecy clouds that were now wafted across the sky on +the wings of the morning wind. + +Princess Moonlight's letter was carried to the Palace. His Majesty was +afraid to touch the Elixir of Life, so he sent it with the letter to +the top of the most sacred mountain in the land. Mount Fuji, and there +the Royal emissaries burnt it on the summit at sunrise. So to this day +people say there is smoke to be seen rising from the top of Mount Fuji +to the clouds. + + + + +THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA + +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN. + + +Long years ago in old Japan there lived in the Province of Echigo, a +very remote part of Japan even in these days, a man and his wife. When +this story begins they had been married for some years and were blessed +with one little daughter. She was the joy and pride of both their +lives, and in her they stored an endless source of happiness for their +old age. + +What golden letter days in their memory were these that had marked her +growing up from babyhood; the visit to the temple when she was just +thirty days old, her proud mother carrying her, robed in ceremonial +kimono, to be put under the patronage of the family's household god; +then her first dolls festival, when her parents gave her a set of +dolls and their miniature belongings, to be added to as year succeeded +year; and perhaps the most important occasion of all, on her third +birthday, when her first OBI (broad brocade sash) of scarlet and gold +was tied round her small waist, a sign that she had crossed the +threshold of girlhood and left infancy behind. Now that she was seven +years of age, and had learned to talk and to wait upon her parents in +those several little ways so dear to the hearts of fond parents, their +cup of happiness seemed full. There could not be found in the whole of +the Island Empire a happier little family. + +One day there was much excitement in the home, for the father had been +suddenly summoned to the capital on business. In these days of railways +and jinrickshas and other rapid modes of traveling, it is difficult to +realize what such a journey as that from Matsuyama to Kyoto meant. The +roads were rough and bad, and ordinary people had to walk every step of +the way, whether the distance were one hundred or several hundred +miles. Indeed, in those days it was as great an undertaking to go up to +the capital as it is for a Japanese to make a voyage to Europe now. + +So the wife was very anxious while she helped her husband get ready for +the long journey, knowing what an arduous task lay before him. Vainly +she wished that she could accompany him, but the distance was too great +for the mother and child to go, and besides that, it was the wife's +duty to take care of the home. + +All was ready at last, and the husband stood in the porch with his +little family round him. + +"Do not be anxious, I will come back soon," said the man. "While I am +away take care of everything, and especially of our little daughter." + +"Yes, we shall be all right--but you--you must take care of yourself +and delay not a day in coming back to us," said the wife, while the +tears fell like rain from her eyes. + +The little girl was the only one to smile, for she was ignorant of the +sorrow of parting, and did not know that going to the capital was at +all different from walking to the next village, which her father did +very often. She ran to his side, and caught hold of his long sleeve to +keep him a moment. + +"Father, I will be very good while I am waiting for you to come back, +so please bring me a present." + +As the father turned to take a last look at his weeping wife and +smiling, eager child, he felt as if some one were pulling him back by +the hair, so hard was it for him to leave them behind, for they had +never been separated before. But he knew that he must go, for the call +was imperative. With a great effort he ceased to think, and resolutely +turning away he went quickly down the little garden and out through the +gate. His wife, catching up the child in her arms, ran as far as the +gate, and watched him as he went down the road between the pines till +he was lost in the haze of the distance and all she could see was his +quaint peaked hat, and at last that vanished too. + +"Now father has gone, you and I must take care of everything till he +comes back," said the mother, as she made her way back to the house. + +"Yes, I will be very good," said the child, nodding her head, "and when +father comes home please tell him how good I have been, and then +perhaps he will give me a present." + +"Father is sure to bring you something that you want very much. I know, +for I asked him to bring you a doll. You must think of father every +day, and pray for a safe journey till he comes back." + +"O, yes, when he comes home again how happy I shall be," said the +child, clapping her hands, and her face growing bright with joy at the +glad thought. It seemed to the mother as she looked at the child's face +that her love for her grew deeper and deeper. + +Then she set to work to make the winter clothes for the three of them. +She set up her simple wooden spinning-wheel and spun the thread before +she began to weave the stuffs. In the intervals of her work she +directed the little girl's games and taught her to read the old stories +of her country. Thus did the wife find consolation in work during the +lonely days of her husband's absence. While the time was thus slipping +quickly by in the quiet home, the husband finished his business and +returned. + +It would have been difficult for any one who did not know the man well +to recognize him. He had traveled day after day, exposed to all +weathers, for about a month altogether, and was sunburnt to bronze, but +his fond wife and child knew him at a glance, and flew to meet him from +either side, each catching hold of one of his sleeves in their eager +greeting. Both the man and his wife rejoiced to find each other well. +It seemed a very long time to all till--the mother and child +helping--his straw sandals were untied, his large umbrella hat taken +off, and he was again in their midst in the old familiar sitting-room +that had been so empty while he was away. + +As soon as they had sat down on the white mats, the father opened a +bamboo basket that he had brought in with him, and took out a beautiful +doll and a lacquer box full of cakes. + +"Here," he said to the little girl, "is a present for you. It is a +prize for taking care of mother and the house so well while I was away." + +"Thank you," said the child, as she bowed her head to the ground, and +then put out her hand just like a little maple leaf with its eager +wide-spread fingers to take the doll and the box, both of which, coming +from the capital, were prettier than anything she had ever seen. No +words can tell how delighted the little girl was--her face seemed as if +it would melt with joy, and she had no eyes and no thought for anything +else. + +Again the husband dived into the basket, and brought out this time a +square wooden box, carefully tied up with red and white string, and +handing it to his wife, said: + +"And this is for you." + +The wife took the box, and opening it carefully took out a metal disk +with a handle attached. One side was bright and shining like a crystal, +and the other was covered with raised figures of pine-trees and storks, +which had been carved out of its smooth surface in lifelike reality. +Never had she seen such a thing in her life, for she had been born and +bred in the rural province of Echigo. She gazed into the shining disk, +and looking up with surprise and wonder pictured on her face, she said: + +"I see somebody looking at me in this round thing! What is it that you +have given me?" + +The husband laughed and said: + +"Why, it is your own face that you see. What I have brought you is +called a mirror, and whoever looks into its clear surface can see their +own form reflected there. Although there are none to be found in this +out of the way place, yet they have been in use in the capital from the +most ancient times. There the mirror is considered a very necessary +requisite for a woman to possess. There is an old proverb that 'As the +sword is the soul of a samurai, so is the mirror the soul of a woman,' +and according to popular tradition, a woman's mirror is an index to her +own heart--if she keeps it bright and clear, so is her heart pure and +good. It is also one of the treasures that form the insignia of the +Emperor. So you must lay great store by your mirror, and use it +carefully." + +The wife listened to all her husband told her, and was pleased at +learning so much that was new to her. She was still more pleased at the +precious gift--his token of remembrance while he had been away. + +"If the mirror represents my soul, I shall certainly treasure it as a +valuable possession, and never will I use it carelessly." Saying so, +she lifted it as high as her forehead, in grateful acknowledgment of +the gift, and then shut it up in its box and put it away. + +The wife saw that her husband was very tired, and set about serving the +evening meal and making everything as comfortable as she could for him. +It seemed to the little family as if they had not known what true +happiness was before, so glad were they to be together again, and this +evening the father had much to tell of his journey and of all he had +seen at the great capital. + +Time passed away in the peaceful home, and the parents saw their +fondest hopes realized as their daughter grew from childhood into a +beautiful girl of sixteen. As a gem of priceless value is held in its +proud owner's hand, so had they reared her with unceasing love and +care: and now their pains were more than doubly rewarded. What a +comfort she was to her mother as she went about the house taking her +part in the housekeeping, and how proud her father was of her, for she +daily reminded him of her mother when he had first married her. + +But, alas! in this world nothing lasts forever. Even the moon is not +always perfect in shape, but loses its roundness with time, and flowers +bloom and then fade. So at last the happiness of this family was broken +up by a great sorrow. The good and gentle wife and mother was one day +taken ill. + +In the first days of her illness the father and daughter thought that +it was only a cold, and were not particularly anxious. But the days +went by and still the mother did not get better; she only grew worse, +and the doctor was puzzled, for in spite of all he did the poor woman +grew weaker day by day. The father and daughter were stricken with +grief, and day or night the girl never left her mother's side. But in +spite of all their efforts the woman's life was not to be saved. + +One day as the girl sat near her mother's bed, trying to hide with a +cheery smile the gnawing trouble at her heart, the mother roused +herself and taking her daughter's hand, gazed earnestly and lovingly +into her eyes. Her breath was labored and she spoke with difficulty: + +"My daughter. I am sure that nothing can save me now. When I am dead, +promise me to take care of your dear father and to try to be a good and +dutiful woman." + +"Oh, mother," said the girl as the tears rushed to her eyes, "you must +not say such things. All you have to do is to make haste and get +well--that will bring the greatest happiness to father and myself." + +"Yes, I know, and it is a comfort to me in my last days to know how +greatly you long for me to get better, but it is not to be. Do not look +so sorrowful, for it was so ordained in my previous state of existence +that I should die in this life just at this time; knowing this, I am +quite resigned to my fate. And now I have something to give you whereby +to remember me when I am gone." + +Putting her hand out, she took from the side of the pillow a square +wooden box tied up with a silken cord and tassels. Undoing this very +carefully, she took out of the box the mirror that her husband had +given her years ago. + +"When you were still a little child your father went up to the capital +and brought me back as a present this treasure; it is called a mirror. +This I give you before I die. If, after I have ceased to be in this +life, you are lonely and long to see me sometimes, then take out this +mirror and in the clear and shining surface you will always see me--so +will you be able to meet with me often and tell me all your heart; and +though I shall not be able to speak, I shall understand and sympathize +with you, whatever may happen to you in the future." With these words +the dying woman handed the mirror to her daughter. + +The mind of the good mother seemed to be now at rest, and sinking back +without another word her spirit passed quietly away that day. + +The bereaved father and daughter were wild with grief, and they +abandoned themselves to their bitter sorrow. They felt it to be +impossible to take leave of the loved woman who till now had filled +their whole lives and to commit her body to the earth. But this frantic +burst of grief passed, and then they took possession of their own +hearts again, crushed though they were in resignation. In spite of this +the daughter's life seemed to her desolate. Her love for her dead +mother did not grow less with time, and so keen was her remembrance, +that everything in daily life, even the falling of the rain and the +blowing of the wind, reminded her of her mother's death and of all that +they had loved and shared together. One day when her father was out, +and she was fulfilling her household duties alone, her loneliness and +sorrow seemed more than she could bear. She threw herself down in her +mother's room and wept as if her heart would break. Poor child, she +longed just for one glimpse of the loved face, one sound of the voice +calling her pet name, or for one moment's forgetfulness of the aching +void in her heart. Suddenly she sat up. Her mother's last words had +rung through her memory hitherto dulled by grief. + +"Oh! my mother told me when she gave me the mirror as a parting gift, +that whenever I looked into it I should be able to meet her--to see +her. I had nearly forgotten her last words--how stupid I am; I will get +the mirror now and see if it can possibly be true!" + +She dried her eyes quickly, and going to the cupboard took out the box +that contained the mirror, her heart beating with expectation as she +lifted the mirror out and gazed into its smooth face. Behold, her +mother's words were true! In the round mirror before her she saw her +mother's face; but, oh, the joyful surprise! It was not her mother thin +and wasted by illness, but the young and beautiful woman as she +remembered her far back in the days of her own earliest childhood. It +seemed to the girl that the face in the mirror must soon speak, almost +that she heard the voice of her mother telling her again to grow up a +good woman and a dutiful daughter, so earnestly did the eyes in the +mirror look back into her own. + +"It is certainly my mother's soul that I see. She knows how miserable I +am without her and she has come to comfort me. Whenever I long to see +her she will meet me here; how grateful I ought to be!" + +And from this time the weight of sorrow was greatly lightened for her +young heart. Every morning, to gather strength for the day's duties +before her, and every evening, for consolation before she lay down to +rest, did the young girl take out the mirror and gaze at the reflection +which in the simplicity of her innocent heart she believed to be her +mother's soul. Daily she grew in the likeness of her dead mother's +character, and was gentle and kind to all, and a dutiful daughter to +her father. + +A year spent in mourning had thus passed away in the little household, +when, by the advice of his relations, the man married again, and the +daughter now found herself under the authority of a step-mother. It was +a trying position; but her days spent in the recollection of her own +beloved mother, and of trying to be what that mother would wish her to +be, had made the young girl docile and patient, and she now determined +to be filial and dutiful to her father's wife, in all respects. +Everything went on apparently smoothly in the family for some time +under the new regime; there were no winds or waves of discord to ruffle +the surface of every-day life, and the father was content. + +But it is a woman's danger to be petty and mean, and step-mothers are +proverbial all the world over, and this one's heart was not as her +first smiles were. As the days and weeks grew into months, the +step-mother began to treat the motherless girl unkindly and to try and +come between the father and child. + +Sometimes she went to her husband and complained of her step-daughter's +behavior, but the father knowing that this was to be expected, took no +notice of her ill-natured complaints. Instead of lessening his +affection for his daughter, as the woman desired, her grumblings only +made him think of her the more. The woman soon saw that he began to +show more concern for his lonely child than before. This did not please +her at all, and she began to turn over in her mind how she could, by +some means or other, drive her step-child out of the house. So crooked +did the woman's heart become. + +She watched the girl carefully, and one day peeping into her room in +the early morning, she thought she discovered a grave enough sin of +which to accuse the child to her father. The woman herself was a little +frightened too at what she had seen. + +So she went at once to her husband, and wiping away some false tears +she said in a sad voice: + +"Please give me permission to leave you today." + +The man was completely taken by surprise at the suddenness of her +request, and wondered whatever was the matter. + +"Do you find it so disagreeable," he asked, "in my house, that you can +stay no longer?" + +"No! no! it has nothing to do with you--even in my dreams I have never +thought that I wished to leave your side; but if I go on living here I +am in danger of losing my life, so I think it best for all concerned +that you should allow me to go home!" + +And the woman began to weep afresh. Her husband, distressed to see her +so unhappy, and thinking that he could not have heard aright, said: + +"Tell me what you mean! How is your life in danger here?" + +"I will tell you since you ask me. Your daughter dislikes me as her +step-mother. For some time past she has shut herself up in her room +morning and evening, and looking in as I pass by, I am convinced that +she has made an image of me and is trying to kill me by magic art, +cursing me daily. It is not safe for me to stay here, such being the +case; indeed, indeed, I must go away, we cannot live under the same +roof any more." + +The husband listened to the dreadful tale, but he could not believe his +gentle daughter guilty of such an evil act. He knew that by popular +superstition people believed that one person could cause the gradual +death of another by making an image of the hated one and cursing it +daily; but where had his young daughter learned such knowledge?--the +thing was impossible. Yet he remembered having noticed that his +daughter stayed much in her room of late and kept herself away from +every one, even when visitors came to the house. Putting this fact +together with his wife's alarm, he thought that there might be +something to account for the strange story. + +His heart was torn between doubting his wife and trusting his child, +and he knew not what to do. He decided to go at once to his daughter +and try to find out the truth. Comforting his wife and assuring her +that her fears were groundless, he glided quietly to his daughter's +room. + +The girl had for a long time past been very unhappy. She had tried by +amiability and obedience to show her goodwill and to mollify the new +wife, and to break down that wall of prejudice and misunderstanding +that she knew generally stood between step-parents and their +step-children. But she soon found that her efforts were in vain. The +step-mother never trusted her, and seemed to misinterpret all her +actions, and the poor child knew very well that she often carried +unkind and untrue tales to her father. She could not help comparing her +present unhappy condition with the time when her own mother was alive +only a little more than a year ago--so great a change in this short +time! Morning and evening she wept over the remembrance. Whenever she +could she went to her room, and sliding the screens to, took out the +mirror and gazed, as she thought, at her mother's face. It was the only +comfort that she had in these wretched days. + +Her father found her occupied in this way. Pushing aside the fusama, he +saw her bending over something or other very intently. Looking over her +shoulder, to see who was entering her room, the girl was surprised to +see her father, for he generally sent for her when he wished to speak +to her. She was also confused at being found looking at the mirror, for +she had never told any one of her mother's last promise, but had kept +it as the sacred secret of her heart. So before turning to her father +she slipped the mirror into her long sleeve. Her father noting her +confusion, and her act of hiding something, said in a severe manner: + +"Daughter, what are you doing here? And what is that that you have +hidden in your sleeve?" + +The girl was frightened by her father's severity. Never had he spoken +to her in such a tone. Her confusion changed to apprehension, her color +from scarlet to white. She sat dumb and shamefaced, unable to reply. + +Appearances were certainly against her; the young girl looked guilty, +and the father thinking that perhaps after all what his wife had told +him was true, spoke angrily: + +"Then, is it really true that you are daily cursing your step-mother +and praying for her death? Have you forgotten what I told you, that +although she is your step-mother you must be obedient and loyal to her? +What evil spirit has taken possession of your heart that you should be +so wicked? You have certainly changed, my daughter! What has made you +so disobedient and unfaithful?" + +And the father's eyes filled with sudden tears to think that he should +have to upbraid his daughter in this way. + +She on her part did not know what he meant, for she had never heard of +the superstition that by praying over an image it is possible to cause +the death of a hated person. But she saw that she must speak and clear +herself somehow. She loved her father dearly, and could not bear the +idea of his anger. She put out her hand on his knee deprecatingly: + +"Father! father! do not say such dreadful things to me. I am still your +obedient child. Indeed, I am. However stupid I may be, I should never +be able to curse any one who belonged to you, much less pray for the +death of one you love. Surely some one has been telling you lies, and +you are dazed, and you know not what you say--or some evil spirit has +taken possession of YOUR heart. As for me I do not know--no, not so +much as a dew-drop, of the evil thing of which you accuse me." + +But the father remembered that she had hidden something away when he +first entered the room, and even this earnest protest did not satisfy +him. He wished to clear up his doubts once for all. + +"Then why are you always alone in your room these days? And tell me +what is that that you have hidden in your sleeve--show it to me at +once." + +Then the daughter, though shy of confessing how she had cherished her +mother's memory, saw that she must tell her father all in order to +clear herself. So she slipped the mirror out from her long sleeve and +laid it before him. + +"This," she said, "is what you saw me looking at just now." + +"Why," he said in great surprise, "this is the mirror that I brought as +a gift to your mother when I went up to the capital many years ago! And +so you have kept it all this time? Now, why do you spend so much of +your time before this mirror?" + +Then she told him of her mother's last words, and of how she had +promised to meet her child whenever she looked into the glass. But +still the father could not understand the simplicity of his daughter's +character in not knowing that what she saw reflected in the mirror was +in reality her own face, and not that of her mother. + +"What do you mean?" he asked. "I do not understand how you can meet the +soul of your lost mother by looking in this mirror?" + +"It is indeed true," said the girl: "and if you don't believe what I +say, look for yourself," and she placed the mirror before her. There, +looking back from the smooth metal disk, was her own sweet face. She +pointed to the reflection seriously: + +"Do you doubt me still?" she asked earnestly, looking up into his face. + +With an exclamation of sudden understanding the father smote his two +hands together. + +"How stupid I am! At last I understand. Your face is as like your +mother's as the two sides of a melon--thus you have looked at the +reflection of your face all this time, thinking that you were brought +face to face with your lost mother! You are truly a faithful child. It +seems at first a stupid thing to have done, but it is not really so, It +shows how deep has been your filial piety, and how innocent your heart. +Living in constant remembrance of your lost mother has helped you to +grow like her in character. How clever it was of her to tell you to do +this. I admire and respect you, my daughter, and I am ashamed to think +that for one instant I believed your suspicious step-mother's story and +suspected you of evil, and came with the intention of scolding you +severely, while all this time you have been so true and good. Before +you I have no countenance left, and I beg you to forgive me." + +And here the father wept. He thought of how lonely the poor girl must +have been, and of all that she must have suffered under her +step-mother's treatment. His daughter steadfastly keeping her faith and +simplicity in the midst of such adverse circumstances--bearing all her +troubles with so much patience and amiability--made him compare her to +the lotus which rears its blossom of dazzling beauty out of the slime +and mud of the moats and ponds, fitting emblem of a heart which keeps +itself unsullied while passing through the world. + +The step-mother, anxious to know what would happen, had all this while +been standing outside the room. She had grown interested, and had +gradually pushed the sliding screen back till she could see all that +went on. At this moment she suddenly entered the room, and dropping to +the mats, she bowed her head over her outspread hands before her +step-daughter. + +"I am ashamed! I am ashamed!" she exclaimed in broken tones. "I did not +know what a filial child you were. Through no fault of yours, but with +a step-mother's jealous heart, I have disliked you all the time. Hating +you so much myself, it was but natural that I should think you +reciprocated the feeling, and thus when I saw you retire so often to +your room I followed you, and when I saw you gaze daily into the mirror +for long intervals, I concluded that you had found out how I disliked +you, and that you were out of revenge trying to take my life by magic +art. As long as I live I shall never forget the wrong I have done you +in so misjudging you, and in causing your father to suspect you. From +this day I throw away my old and wicked heart, and in its place I put a +new one, clean and full of repentance. I shall think of you as a child +that I have borne myself. I shall love and cherish you with all my +heart, and thus try to make up for all the unhappiness I have caused +you. Therefore, please throw into the water all that has gone before, +and give me, I beg of you, some of the filial love that you have +hitherto given to your own lost mother." + +Thus did the unkind step-mother humble herself and ask forgiveness of +the girl she had so wronged. + +Such was the sweetness of the girl's disposition that she willingly +forgave her step-mother, and never bore a moment's resentment or malice +towards her afterwards. The father saw by his wife's face that she was +truly sorry for the past, and was greatly relieved to see the terrible +misunderstanding wiped out of remembrance by both the wrong-doer and +the wronged. + +From this time on, the three lived together as happily as fish in +water. No such trouble ever darkened the home again, and the young girl +gradually forgot that year of unhappiness in the tender love and care +that her step-mother now bestowed on her. Her patience and goodness +were rewarded at last. + + + + +THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA. + + +Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the +province of Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a +cannibal goblin who took the form of an old woman. From time to time +many travelers disappeared and were never heard of more, and the old +women round the charcoal braziers in the evenings, and the girls +washing the household rice at the wells in the mornings, whispered +dreadful stories of how the missing folk had been lured to the goblin's +cottage and devoured, for the goblin lived only on human flesh. No one +dared to venture near the haunted spot after sunset, and all those who +could, avoided it in the daytime, and travelers were warned of the +dreaded place. + +One day as the sun was setting, a priest came to the plain. He was a +belated traveler, and his robe showed that he was a Buddhist pilgrim +walking from shrine to shrine to pray for some blessing or to crave for +forgiveness of sins. He had apparently lost his way, and as it was late +he met no one who could show him the road or warn him of the haunted +spot. + +He had walked the whole day and was now tired and hungry, and the +evenings were chilly, for it was late autumn, and he began to be very +anxious to find some house where he could obtain a night's lodging. He +found himself lost in the midst of the large plain, and looked about in +vain for some sign of human habitation. + +At last, after wandering about for some hours, he saw a clump of trees +in the distance, and through the trees he caught sight of the glimmer +of a single ray of light. He exclaimed with joy: + +"Oh. surely that is some cottage where I can get a night's lodging!" + +Keeping the light before his eyes he dragged his weary, aching feet as +quickly as he could towards the spot, and soon came to a +miserable-looking little cottage. As he drew near he saw that it was in +a tumble-down condition, the bamboo fence was broken and weeds and +grass pushed their way through the gaps. The paper screens which serve +as windows and doors in Japan were full of holes, and the posts of the +house were bent with age and seemed scarcely able to support the old +thatched roof. The hut was open, and by the light of an old lantern an +old woman sat industriously spinning. + +The pilgrim called to her across the bamboo fence and said: + +"O Baa San (old woman), good evening! I am a traveler! Please excuse +me, but I have lost my way and do not know what to do, for I have +nowhere to rest to-night. I beg you to be good enough to let me spend +the night under your roof." + +The old woman as soon as she heard herself spoken to stopped spinning, +rose from her seat and approached the intruder. + +"I am very sorry for you. You must indeed be distressed to have lost +your way in such a lonely spot so late at night. Unfortunately I cannot +put you up, for I have no bed to offer you, and no accommodation +whatsoever for a guest in this poor place!" + +"Oh, that does not matter," said the priest; "all I want is a shelter +under some roof for the night, and if you will be good enough just to +let me lie on the kitchen floor I shall be grateful. I am too tired to +walk further to-night, so I hope you will not refuse me, otherwise I +shall have to sleep out on the cold plain." And in this way he pressed +the old woman to let him stay. + +She seemed very reluctant, but at last she said: + +"Very well, I will let you stay here. I can offer you a very poor +welcome only, but come in now and I will make a fire, for the night is +cold." + +The pilgrim was only too glad to do as he was told. He took off his +sandals and entered the hut. The old woman then brought some sticks of +wood and lit the fire, and bade her guest draw near and warm himself. + +"You must be hungry after your long tramp," said the old woman. "I will +go and cook some supper for you." She then went to the kitchen to cook +some rice. + +After the priest had finished his supper the old woman sat down by the +fire-place, and they talked together for a long time. The pilgrim +thought to himself that he had been very lucky to come across such a +kind, hospitable old woman. At last the wood gave out, and as the fire +died slowly down he began to shiver with cold just as he had done when +he arrived. + +"I see you are cold," said the old woman; "I will go out and gather +some wood, for we have used it all. You must stay and take care of the +house while I am gone." + +"No, no," said the pilgrim, "let me go instead, for you are old, and I +cannot think of letting you go out to get wood for me this cold night!" + +The old woman shook her head and said: + +"You must stay quietly here, for you are my guest." Then she left him +and went out. + +In a minute she came back and said: + +"You must sit where you are and not move, and whatever happens don't go +near or look into the inner room. Now mind what I tell you!" + +"If you tell me not to go near the back room, of course I won't," said +the priest, rather bewildered. + +The old woman then went out again, and the priest was left alone. The +fire had died out, and the only light in the hut was that of a dim +lantern. For the first time that night he began to feel that he was in +a weird place, and the old woman's words, "Whatever you do don't peep +into the back room," aroused his curiosity and his fear. + +What hidden thing could be in that room that she did not wish him to +see? For some time the remembrance of his promise to the old woman kept +him still, but at last he could no longer resist his curiosity to peep +into the forbidden place. + +He got up and began to move slowly towards the back room. Then the +thought that the old woman would be very angry with him if he disobeyed +her made him come back to his place by the fireside. + +As the minutes went slowly by and the old woman did not return, he +began to feel more and more frightened, and to wonder what dreadful +secret was in the room behind him. He must find out. + +"She will not know that I have looked unless I tell her. I will just +have a peep before she comes back," said the man to himself. + +With these words he got up on his feet (for he had been sitting all +this time in Japanese fashion with his feet under him) and stealthily +crept towards the forbidden spot. With trembling hands he pushed back +the sliding door and looked in. What he saw froze the blood in his +veins. The room was full of dead men's bones and the walls were +splashed and the floor was covered with human blood. In one corner +skull upon skull rose to the ceiling, in another was a heap of arm +bones, in another a heap of leg bones. The sickening smell made him +faint. He fell backwards with horror, and for some time lay in a heap +with fright on the floor, a pitiful sight. He trembled all over and his +teeth chattered, and he could hardly crawl away from the dreadful spot. + +"How horrible!" he cried out. "What awful den have I come to in my +travels? May Buddha help me or I am lost. Is it possible that that kind +old woman is really the cannibal goblin? When she comes back she will +show herself in her true character and eat me up at one mouthful!" + +With these words his strength came back to him and, snatching up his +hat and staff, he rushed out of the house as fast as his legs could +carry him. Out into the night he ran, his one thought to get as far as +he could from the goblin's haunt. He had not gone far when he heard +steps behind him and a voice crying: "Stop! stop!" + +He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear. As he ran he +heard the steps behind him come nearer and nearer, and at last he +recognized the old woman's voice which grew louder and louder as she +came nearer. + +"Stop! stop, you wicked man, why did you look into the forbidden room?" + +The priest quite forgot how tired he was and his feet flew over the +ground faster than ever. Fear gave him strength, for he knew that if +the goblin caught him he would soon be one of her victims. With all his +heart he repeated the prayer to Buddha: + +"Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu." + +And after him rushed the dreadful old hag, her hair flying in the wind, +and her face changing with rage into the demon that she was. In her +hand she carried a large blood-stained knife, and she still shrieked +after him, "Stop! stop!" + +At last, when the priest felt he could run no more, the dawn broke, and +with the darkness of night the goblin vanished and he was safe. The +priest now knew that he had met the Goblin of Adachigahara, the story +of whom he had often heard but never believed to be true. He felt that +he owed his wonderful escape to the protection of Buddha to whom he had +prayed for help, so he took out his rosary and bowing his head as the +sun rose he said his prayers and made his thanksgiving earnestly. He +then set forward for another part of the country, only too glad to +leave the haunted plain behind him. + + + + +THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR. + + +Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a +traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey +and showing off the animal's tricks. + +One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to +send for the butcher the next morning. + +The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband: + +"Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?" + +"It's no use taking that monkey round any longer, he's too old and +forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he +won't dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what +money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done." + +The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for +her husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in vain, the +man was determined to sell him to the butcher. + +Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard every word of the +conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said +to himself: + +"Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for +years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and in +peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body +is to be roasted and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah! +a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a wild bear living in +the forest near by. I have often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I +go to him and tell him the strait I am in he will give me his counsel. +I will go and try." + +There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran +as quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar was at +home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once. + +"Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great +trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of my +master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me +to the butcher. What do you advise me to do? I know how clever you are!" + +The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the monkey. +He thought for a little while and then said: + +"Hasn't your master a baby?" + +"Oh, yes," said the monkey, "he has one infant son." + +"Doesn't it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins +the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my +opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it." + +"What then?" said the monkey. + +"Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master +and mistress know what to do, you must run after me and rescue the +child and take it home safely to its parents, and you will see that +when the butcher comes they won't have the heart to sell you." + +The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not +sleep much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the morrow. +His life depended on whether the boar's plan succeeded or not. He was +the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to +him a very long time before his master's wife began to move about and +open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then all happened as the +boar had planned. The mother placed her child near the porch as usual +while she tidied up the house and got her breakfast ready. + +The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the +mats at the play of light and shadow. Suddenly there was a noise in the +porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the +kitchen to the spot, only just in time to see the boar disappearing +through the gate with her child in its clutch. She flung out her hands +with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the inner room where her +husband was still sleeping soundly. + +He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his +wife was making all that noise about. By the time that the man was +alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the +boar had got well away, but they saw the monkey running after the thief +as hard as his legs would carry him. + +Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of +the sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the +faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms. + +"There!" said the wife. "This is the animal you want to kill--if the +monkey hadn't been here we should have lost our child forever." + +"You are right, wife, for once," said the man as he carried the child +into the house. "You may send the butcher back when he comes, and now +give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too." + +When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some boar's +meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and lived the +rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him again. + + + + +THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER. + + +Long, long ago Japan was governed by Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto (or +Augustness) in descent from the illustrious Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. +He was not only as handsome as his ancestress was beautiful, but he was +also very strong and brave, and was famous for being the greatest +hunter in the land. Because of his matchless skill as a hunter, he was +called "Yama-sachi-hiko" or "The Happy Hunter of the Mountains." + +His elder brother was a very skillful fisher, and as he far surpassed +all rivals in fishing, he was named "Umi-sachi-hiko" or the "Skillful +Fisher of the Sea." The brothers thus led happy lives, thoroughly +enjoying their respective occupations, and the days passed quickly and +pleasantly while each pursued his own way, the one hunting and the +other fishing. + +One day the Happy Hunter came to his brother, the Skillful Fisher, and +said: + +"Well, my brother, I see you go to the sea every day with your fishing +rod in your hand, and when you return you come laden with fish. And as +for me, it is my pleasure to take my bow and arrow and to hunt the wild +animals up the mountains and down in the valleys. For a long time we +have each followed our favorite occupation, so that now we must both be +tired, you of your fishing and I of my hunting. Would it not be wise +for us to make a change? Will you try hunting in the mountains and I +will go and fish in the sea?" + +The Skillful Fisher listened in silence to his brother, and for a +moment was thoughtful, but at last he answered: + +"O yes, why not? Your idea is not a bad one at all. Give me your bow +and arrow and I will set out at once for the mountains and hunt for +game." + +So the matter was settled by this talk, and the two brothers each +started out to try the other's occupation, little dreaming of all that +would happen. It was very unwise of them, for the Happy Hunter knew +nothing of fishing, and the Skillful Fisher, who was bad tempered, knew +as much about hunting. + +The Happy Hunter took his brother's much-prized fishing hook and rod +and went down to the seashore and sat down on the rocks. He baited his +hook and then threw it into the sea clumsily. He sat and gazed at the +little float bobbing up and down in the water, and longed for a good +fish to come and be caught. Every time the buoy moved a little he +pulled up his rod, but there was never a fish at the end of it, only +the hook and the bait. If he had known how to fish properly, he would +have been able to catch plenty of fish, but although he was the +greatest hunter in the land he could not help being the most bungling +fisher. + +The whole day passed in this way, while he sat on the rocks holding the +fishing rod and waiting in vain for his luck to turn. At last the day +began to darken, and the evening came; still he had caught not a single +fish. Drawing up his line for the last time before going home, he found +that he had lost his hook without even knowing when he had dropped it. + +He now began to feel extremely anxious, for he knew that his brother +would be angry at his having lost his hook, for, it being his only one, +he valued it above all other things. The Happy Hunter now set to work +to look among the rocks and on the sand for the lost hook, and while he +was searching to and fro, his brother, the Skillful Fisher, arrived on +the scene. He had failed to find any game while hunting that day, and +was not only in a bad temper, but looked fearfully cross. When he saw +the Happy Hunter searching about on the shore he knew that something +must have gone wrong, so he said at once: + +"What are you doing, my brother?" + +The Happy Hunter went forward timidly, for he feared his brother's +anger, and said: + +"Oh, my brother, I have indeed done badly." + +"What is the matter?--what have you done?" asked the elder brother +impatiently. + +"I have lost your precious fishing hook--" + +While he was still speaking his brother stopped him, and cried out +fiercely: + +"Lost my hook! It is just what I expected. For this reason, when you +first proposed your plan of changing over our occupations I was really +against it, but you seemed to wish it so much that I gave in and +allowed you to do as you wished. The mistake of our trying unfamiliar +tasks is soon seen! And you have done badly. I will not return you your +bow and arrow till you have found my hook. Look to it that you find it +and return it to me quickly." + +The Happy Hunter felt that he was to blame for all that had come to +pass, and bore his brother's scornful scolding with humility and +patience. He hunted everywhere for the hook most diligently, but it was +nowhere to be found. He was at last obliged to give up all hope of +finding it. He then went home, and in desperation broke his beloved +sword into pieces and made five hundred hooks out of it. + +He took these to his angry brother and offered them to him, asking his +forgiveness, and begging him to accept them in the place of the one he +had lost for him. It was useless; his brother would not listen to him, +much less grant his request. + +The Happy Hunter then made another five hundred hooks, and again took +them to his brother, beseeching him to pardon him. + +"Though you make a million hooks," said the Skillful Fisher, shaking +his head, "they are of no use to me. I cannot forgive you unless you +bring me back my own hook." + +Nothing would appease the anger of the Skillful Fisher, for he had a +bad disposition, and had always hated his brother because of his +virtues, and now with the excuse of the lost fishing hook he planned to +kill him and to usurp his place as ruler of Japan. The Happy Hunter +knew all this full well, but he could say nothing, for being the +younger he owed his elder brother obedience; so he returned to the +seashore and once more began to look for the missing hook. He was much +cast down, for he had lost all hope of ever finding his brother's hook +now. While he stood on the beach, lost in perplexity and wondering what +he had best do next, an old man suddenly appeared carrying a stick in +his hand. The Happy Hunter afterwards remembered that he did not see +from whence the old man came, neither did he know how he was there--he +happened to look up and saw the old man coming towards him. + +"You are Hohodemi, the Augustness, sometimes called the Happy Hunter, +are you not?" asked the old man. "What are you doing alone in such a +place?" + +"Yes, I am he," answered the unhappy young man. "Unfortunately, while +fishing I lost my brother's precious fishing hook. I have hunted this +shore all over, but alas! I cannot find it, and I am very troubled, for +my brother won't forgive me till I restore it to him. But who are you?" + +"My name is Shiwozuchino Okina, and I live near by on this shore. I am +sorry to hear what misfortune has befallen you. You must indeed be +anxious. But if I tell you what I think, the hook is nowhere here--it +is either at the bottom of the sea or in the body of some fish who has +swallowed it, and for this reason, though you spend your whole life in +looking for it here, you will never find it." + +"Then what can I do?" asked the distressed man. + +"You had better go down to Ryn Gu and tell Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of +the Sea, what your trouble is and ask him to find the hook for you. I +think that would be the best way." + +"Your idea is a splendid one," said the Happy Hunter, "but I fear I +cannot get to the Sea King's realm, for I have always heard that it is +situated at the bottom of the sea." + +"Oh, there will be no difficulty about your getting there," said the +old man; "I can soon make something for you to ride on through the sea." + +"Thank you," said the Happy Hunter, "I shall be very grateful to you if +you will be so kind." + +The old man at once set to work, and soon made a basket and offered it +to the Happy Hunter. He received it with joy, and taking it to the +water, mounted it, and prepared to start. He bade good by to the kind +old man who had helped him so much, and told him that he would +certainly reward him as soon as he found his hook and could return to +Japan without fear of his brother's anger. The old man pointed out the +direction he must take, and told him how to reach the realm of Ryn Gu, +and watched him ride out to sea on the basket, which resembled a small +boat. + +The Happy Hunter made all the haste he could, riding on the basket +which had been given him by his friend. His queer boat seemed to go +through the water of its own accord, and the distance was much shorter +than he had expected, for in a few hours he caught sight of the gate +and the roof of the Sea King's Palace. And what a large place it was, +with its numberless sloping roofs and gables, its huge gateways, and +its gray stone walls! He soon landed, and leaving his basket on the +beach, he walked up to the large gateway. The pillars of the gate were +made of beautiful red coral, and the gate itself was adorned with +glittering gems of all kinds. Large katsura trees overshadowed it. Our +hero had often heard of the wonders of the Sea King's Palace beneath +the sea, but all the stories he had ever heard fell short of the +reality which he now saw for the first time. + +The Happy Hunter would have liked to enter the gate there and then, but +he saw that it was fast closed, and also that there was no one about +whom he could ask to open it for him, so he stopped to think what he +should do. In the shade of the trees before the gate he noticed a well +full of fresh spring water. Surely some one would come out to draw +water from the well some time, he thought. Then he climbed into the +tree overhanging the well, and seated himself to rest on one of the +branches, and waited for what might happen. Ere long he saw the huge +gate swing open, and two beautiful women came out. Now the Mikoto +(Augustness) had always heard that Ryn Gu was the realm of the Dragon +King under the Sea, and had naturally supposed that the place was +inhabited by dragons and similar terrible creatures, so that when he +saw these two lovely princesses, whose beauty would be rare even in the +world from which he had just come, he was exceedingly surprised, and +wondered what it could mean. + +He said not a word, however, but silently gazed at them through the +foliage of the trees, waiting to see what they would do. He saw that in +their hands they carried golden buckets. Slowly and gracefully in their +trailing garments they approached the well, standing in the shade of +the katsura trees, and were about to draw water, all unknowing of the +stranger who was watching them, for the Happy Hunter was quite hidden +among the branches of the tree where he had posted himself. + +As the two ladies leaned over the side of the well to let down their +golden buckets, which they did every day in the year, they saw +reflected in the deep still water the face of a handsome youth gazing +at them from amidst the branches of the tree in whose shade they stood. +Never before had they seen the face of mortal man; they were +frightened, and drew back quickly with their golden buckets in their +hands. Their curiosity, however, soon gave them courage, and they +glanced timidly upwards to see the cause of the unusual reflection, and +then they beheld the Happy Hunter sitting in the tree looking down at +them with surprise and admiration. They gazed at him face to face, but +their tongues were still with wonder and could not find a word to say +to him. + +When the Mikoto saw that he was discovered, he sprang down lightly from +the tree and said: + +"I am a traveler, and as I was very thirsty I came to the well in the +hopes of quenching my thirst, but I could find no bucket with which to +draw the water. So I climbed into the tree, much vexed, and waited for +some one to come. Just at that moment, while I was thirstily and +impatiently waiting, you noble ladies appeared, as if in answer to my +great need. Therefore I pray you of your mercy give me some water to +drink, for I am a thirsty traveler in a strange land." + +His dignity and graciousness overruled their timidity, and bowing in +silence they both once more approached the well, and letting down their +golden buckets drew up some water and poured it into a jeweled cup and +offered it to the stranger. + +He received it from them with both hands, raising it to the height of +his forehead in token of high respect and pleasure, and then drank the +water quickly, for his thirst was great. When he had finished his long +draught he set the cup down on the edge of the well, and drawing his +short sword he cut off one of the strange curved jewels (magatama), a +necklace of which hung round his neck and fell over his breast. He +placed the jewel in the cup and returned it to them, and said, bowing +deeply: + +"This is a token of my thanks!" + +The two ladies took the cup, and looking into it to see what he had put +inside--for they did not yet know what it was--they gave a start of +surprise, for there lay a beautiful gem at the bottom of the cup. + +"No ordinary mortal would give away a jewel so freely. Will you not +honor us by telling us who you are?" said the elder damsel. + +"Certainly," said the Happy Hunter, "I am Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto, +also called in Japan, the Happy Hunter." + +"Are you indeed Hohodemi, the grandson of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess?" +asked the damsel who had spoken first. "I am the eldest daughter of Ryn +Jin, the King of the Sea, and my name is Princess Tayotama." + +"And," said the younger maiden, who at last found her tongue, "I am her +sister, the Princess Tamayori." + +"Are you indeed the daughters of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea? I cannot +tell you how glad I am to meet you," said the Happy Hunter. And without +waiting for them to reply he went on: + +"The other day I went fishing with my brother's hook and dropped it, +how, I am sure I can't tell. As my brother prizes his fishing hook +above all his other possessions, this is the greatest calamity that +could have befallen me. Unless I find it again I can never hope to win +my brother's forgiveness, for he is very angry at what I have done. I +have searched for it many, many times, but I cannot find it, therefore +I am much troubled. While I was hunting for the hook, in great +distress, I met a wise old man, and he told me that the best thing I +could do was to come to Ryn Gu, and to Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the +Sea, and ask him to help me. This kind old man also showed me how to +come. Now you know how it is I am here and why. I want to ask Ryn Jin, +if he knows where the lost hook is. Will you be so kind as to take me +to your father? And do you think he will see me?" asked the Happy +Hunter anxiously. + +Princess Tayotama listened to this long story, and then said: + +"Not only is it easy for you to see my father, but he will be much +pleased to meet you. I am sure he will say that good fortune has +befallen him, that so great and noble a man as you, the grandson of +Amaterasu, should come down to the bottom of the sea." And then turning +to her younger sister, she said: + +"Do you not think so, Tamayori?" + +"Yes, indeed," answered the Princess Tamayori, in her sweet voice. "As +you say, we can know no greater honor than to welcome the Mikoto to our +home." + +"Then I ask you to be so kind as to lead the way," said the Happy +Hunter. + +"Condescend to enter, Mikoto (Augustness)," said both the sisters, and +bowing low, they led him through the gate. + +The younger Princess left her sister to take charge of the Happy +Hunter, and going faster than they, she reached the Sea King's Palace +first, and running quickly to her father's room, she told him of all +that had happened to them at the gate, and that her sister was even now +bringing the Augustness to him. The Dragon King of the Sea was much +surprised at the news, for it was but seldom, perhaps only once in +several hundred years, that the Sea King's Palace was visited by +mortals. + +Ryn Jin at once clapped his hands and summoned all his courtiers and +the servants of the Palace, and the chief fish of the sea together, and +solemnly told them that the grandson of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, was +coming to the Palace, and that they must be very ceremonious and polite +in serving the august visitor. He then ordered them all to the entrance +of the Palace to welcome the Happy Hunter. + +Ryn Jin then dressed himself in his robes of ceremony, and went out to +welcome him. In a few moments the Princess Tayotama and the Happy +Hunter reached the entrance, and the Sea King and his wife bowed to the +ground and thanked him for the honor he did them in coming to see them. +The Sea King then led the Happy Hunter to the guest room, and placing +him in the uppermost seat, he bowed respectfully before him, and said: + +"I am Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea, and this is my wife. +Condescend to remember us forever!" + +"Are you indeed Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, of whom I have so often +heard?" answered the Happy Hunter, saluting his host most +ceremoniously. "I must apologize for all the trouble I am giving you by +my unexpected visit." And he bowed again, and thanked the Sea King. + +"You need not thank me," said Ryn Jin. "It is I who must thank you for +coming. Although the Sea Palace is a poor place, as you see, I shall be +highly honored if you will make us a long visit." + +There was much gladness between the Sea King and the Happy Hunter, and +they sat and talked for a long time. At last the Sea King clapped his +hands, and then a huge retinue of fishes appeared, all robed in +ceremonial garments, and bearing in their fins various trays on which +all kinds of sea delicacies were served. A great feast was now spread +before the King and his Royal guest. All the fishes-in-waiting were +chosen from amongst the finest fish in the sea, so you can imagine what +a wonderful array of sea creatures it was that waited upon the Happy +Hunter that day. All in the Palace tried to do their best to please him +and to show him that he was a much honored guest. During the long +repast, which lasted for hours, Ryn Jin commanded his daughters to play +some music, and the two Princesses came in and performed on the KOTO +(the Japanese harp), and sang and danced in turns. The time passed so +pleasantly that the Happy Hunter seemed to forget his trouble and why +he had come at all to the Sea King's Realm, and he gave himself up to +the enjoyment of this wonderful place, the land of fairy fishes! Who +has ever heard of such a marvelous place? But the Mikoto soon +remembered what had brought him to Ryn Gu, and said to his host: + +"Perhaps your daughters have told you, King Ryn Jin, that I have come +here to try and recover my brother's fishing hook, which I lost while +fishing the other day. May I ask you to be so kind as to inquire of all +your subjects if any of them have seen a fishing hook lost in the sea?" + +"Certainly," said the obliging Sea King, "I will immediately summon +them all here and ask them." + +As soon as he had issued his command, the octopus, the cuttlefish, the +bonito, the oxtail fish, the eel, the jelly fish, the shrimp, and the +plaice, and many other fishes of all kinds came in and sat down before +Ryn Jin their King, and arranged themselves and their fins in order. +Then the Sea King said solemnly: + +"Our visitor who is sitting before you all is the august grandson of +Amaterasu. His name is Hohodemi, the fourth Augustness, and he is also +called the Happy Hunter of the Mountains. While he was fishing the +other day upon the shore of Japan, some one robbed him of his brother's +fishing hook. He has come all this way down to the bottom of the sea to +our Kingdom because he thought that one of you fishes may have taken +the hook from him in mischievous play. If any of you have done so you +must immediately return it, or if any of you know who the thief is you +must at once tell us his name and where he is now." + +All the fishes were taken by surprise when they heard these words, and +could say nothing for some time. They sat looking at each other and at +the Dragon King. At last the cuttlefish came forward and said: + +"I think the TAI (the red bream) must be the thief who has stolen the +hook!" + +"Where is your proof?" asked the King. + +"Since yesterday evening the TAI has not been able to eat anything, and +he seems to be suffering from a bad throat! For this reason I think the +hook may be in his throat. You had better send for him at once!" + +All the fish agreed to this, and said: + +"It is certainly strange that the TAI is the only fish who has not +obeyed your summons. Will you send for him and inquire into the matter. +Then our innocence will be proved." + +"Yes," said the Sea King, "it is strange that the TAI has not come, for +he ought to be the first to be here. Send for him at once!" + +Without waiting for the King's order the cuttlefish had already started +for the TAI'S dwelling, and he now returned, bringing the TAI with him. +He led him before the King. + +The TAI sat there looking frightened and ill. He certainly was in pain, +for his usually red face was pale, and his eyes were nearly closed and +looked but half their usual size. + +"Answer, O TAI!" cried the Sea King, "why did you not come in answer to +my summons today?" + +"I have been ill since yesterday," answered the TAI; "that is why I +could not come." + +"Don't say another word!" cried out Ryn Jin angrily. "Your illness is +the punishment of the gods for stealing the Mikoto's hook." + +"It is only too true!" said the TAI; "the hook is still in my throat, +and all my efforts to get it out have been useless. I can't eat, and I +can scarcely breathe, and each moment I feel that it will choke me, and +sometimes it gives me great pain. I had no intention of stealing the +Mikoto's hook. I heedlessly snapped at the bait which I saw in the +water, and the hook came off and stuck in my throat. So I hope you will +pardon me." + +The cuttlefish now came forward, and said to the King: + +"What I said was right. You see the hook still sticks in the TAI'S +throat. I hope to be able to pull it out in the presence of the Mikoto, +and then we can return it to him safely!" + +"O please make haste and pull it out!" cried the TAI, pitifully, for he +felt the pains in his throat coming on again; "I do so want to return +the hook to the Mikoto." + +"All right, TAI SAN," said his friend the cuttlefish, and then opening +the TAI'S mouth as wide as he could and putting one of his feelers down +the TAI'S throat, he quickly and easily drew the hook out of the +sufferer's large mouth. He then washed it and brought it to the King. + +Ryn Jin took the hook from his subject, and then respectfully returned +it to the Happy Hunter (the Mikoto or Augustness, the fishes called +him), who was overjoyed at getting back his hook. He thanked Ryn Jin +many times, his face beaming with gratitude, and said that he owed the +happy ending of his quest to the Sea King's wise authority and kindness. + +Ryn Jin now desired to punish the TAI, but the Happy Hunter begged him +not to do so; since his lost hook was thus happily recovered he did not +wish to make more trouble for the poor TAI. It was indeed the TAI who +had taken the hook, but he had already suffered enough for his fault, +if fault it could be called. What had been done was done in +heedlessness and not by intention. The Happy Hunter said he blamed +himself; if he had understood how to fish properly he would never have +lost his hook, and therefore all this trouble had been caused in the +first place by his trying to do something which he did not know how to +do. So he begged the Sea King to forgive his subject. + +Who could resist the pleading of so wise and compassionate a judge? Ryn +Jin forgave his subject at once at the request of his august guest. The +TAI was so glad that he shook his fins for joy, and he and all the +other fish went out from the presence of their King, praising the +virtues of the Happy Hunter. + +Now that the hook was found the Happy Hunter had nothing to keep him in +Ryn Gu, and he was anxious to get back to his own kingdom and to make +peace with his angry brother, the Skillful Fisher; but the Sea King, +who had learnt to love him and would fain have kept him as a son, +begged him not to go so soon, but to make the Sea Palace his home as +long as ever he liked. While the Happy Hunter was still hesitating, the +two lovely Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, came, and with the +sweetest of bows and voices joined with their father in pressing him to +stay, so that without seeming ungracious he could not say them "Nay," +and was obliged to stay on for some time. + +Between the Sea Realm and the Earth there was no difference in the +night of time, and the Happy Hunter found that three years went +fleeting quickly by in this delightful land. The years pass swiftly +when any one is truly happy. But though the wonders of that enchanted +land seemed to be new every day, and though the Sea King's kindness +seemed rather to increase than to grow less with time, the Happy Hunter +grew more and more homesick as the days passed, and he could not +repress a great anxiety to know what had happened to his home and his +country and his brother while he had been away. + +So at last he went to the Sea King and said: + +"My stay with you here has been most happy and I am very grateful to +you for all your kindness to me, but I govern Japan, and, delightful as +this place is, I cannot absent myself forever from my country. I must +also return the fishing hook to my brother and ask his forgiveness for +having deprived him of it for so long. I am indeed very sorry to part +from you, but this time it cannot be helped. With your gracious +permission, I will take my leave to-day. I hope to make you another +visit some day. Please give up the idea of my staying longer now." + +King Ryn Jin was overcome with sorrow at the thought that he must lose +his friend who had made a great diversion in the Palace of the Sea, and +his tears fell fast as he answered: + +"We are indeed very sorry to part with you, Mikoto, for we have enjoyed +your stay with us very much. You have been a noble and honored guest +and we have heartily made you welcome. I quite understand that as you +govern Japan you ought to be there and not here, and that it is vain +for us to try and keep you longer with us, much as we would like to +have you stay. I hope you will not forget us. Strange circumstances +have brought us together and I trust the friendship thus begun between +the Land and the Sea will last and grow stronger than it has ever been +before." + +When the Sea King had finished speaking he turned to his two daughters +and bade them bring him the two Tide-Jewels of the Sea. The two +Princesses bowed low, rose and glided out of the hall. In a few minutes +they returned, each one carrying in her hands a flashing gem which +filled the room with light. As the Happy Hunter looked at them he +wondered what they could be. The Sea King took them from his daughters +and said to his guest: + +"These two valuable talismans we have inherited from our ancestors from +time immemorial. We now give them to you as a parting gift in token of +our great affection for you. These two gems are called the nanjiu and +the kanjiu." + +The Happy Hunter bowed low to the ground and said: + +"I can never thank you enough for all your kindness to me. And now will +you add one more favor to the rest and tell me what these jewels are +and what I am to do with them?" + +"The nanjiu," answered the Sea King, "is also called the Jewel of the +Flood Tide, and whoever holds it in his possession can command the sea +to roll in and to flood the land at any time that he wills. The kanjiu +is also called the Jewel of the Ebbing Tide, and this gem controls the +sea and the waves thereof, and will cause even a tidal wave to recede." + +Then Ryn Jin showed his friend how to use the talismans one by one and +handed them to him. The Happy Hunter was very glad to have these two +wonderful gems, the Jewel of the Flood Tide and the Jewel of the Ebbing +Tide, to take back with him, for he felt that they would preserve him +in case of danger from enemies at any time. After thanking his kind +host again and again, he prepared to depart. The Sea King and the two +Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, and all the inmates of the Palace, +came out to say "Good-by," and before the sound of the last farewell +had died away the Happy Hunter passed out from under the gateway, past +the well of happy memory standing in the shade of the great KATSURA +trees on his way to the beach. + +Here he found, instead of the queer basket on which he had come to the +Realm of Ryn Gu, a large crocodile waiting for him. Never had he seen +such a huge creature. It measured eight fathoms in length from the tip +of its tail to the end of its long mouth. The Sea King had ordered the +monster to carry the Happy Hunter back to Japan. Like the wonderful +basket which Shiwozuchino Okina had made, it could travel faster than +any steamboat, and in this strange way, riding on the back of a +crocodile, the Happy Hunter returned to his own land. + +As soon as the crocodile landed him, the Happy Hunter hastened to tell +the Skillful Fisher of his safe return. He then gave him back the +fishing hook which had been found in the mouth of the TAI and which had +been the cause of so much trouble between them. He earnestly begged his +brother's forgiveness, telling him all that had happened to him in the +Sea King's Palace and what wonderful adventures had led to the finding +of the hook. + +Now the Skillful Fisher had used the lost hook as an excuse for driving +his brother out of the country. When his brother had left him that day +three years ago, and had not returned, he had been very glad in his +evil heart and had at once usurped his brother's place as ruler of the +land, and had become powerful and rich. Now in the midst of enjoying +what did not belong to him, and hoping that his brother might never +return to claim his rights, quite unexpectedly there stood the Happy +Hunter before him. + +The Skillful Fisher feigned forgiveness, for he could make no more +excuses for sending his brother away again, but in his heart he was +very angry and hated his brother more and more, till at last he could +no longer bear the sight of him day after day, and planned and watched +for an opportunity to kill him. + +One day when the Happy Hunter was walking in the rice fields his +brother followed him with a dagger. The Happy Hunter knew that his +brother was following him to kill him, and he felt that now, in this +hour of great danger, was the time to use the Jewels of the Flow and +Ebb of the Tide and prove whether what the Sea King had told him was +true or not. + +So he took out the Jewel of the Flood Tide from the bosom of his dress +and raised it to his forehead. Instantly over the fields and over the +farms the sea came rolling in wave upon wave till it reached the spot +where his brother was standing. The Skillful Fisher stood amazed and +terrified to see what was happening. In another minute he was +struggling in the water and calling on his brother to save him from +drowning. + +The Happy Hunter had a kind heart and could not bear the sight of his +brother's distress. He at once put back the Jewel of the Flood Tide and +took out the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. No sooner did he hold it up as high +as his forehead than the sea ran back and back, and ere long the +tossing rolling floods had vanished, and the farms and fields and dry +land appeared as before. + +The Skillful Fisher was very frightened at the peril of death in which +he had stood, and was greatly impressed by the wonderful things he had +seen his brother do. He learned now that he was making a fatal mistake +to set himself against his brother, younger than he thought he was, for +he now had become so powerful that the sea would flow in and the tide +ebb at his word of command. So he humbled himself before the Happy +Hunter and asked him to forgive him all the wrong he had done him. The +Skillful Fisher promised to restore his brother to his rights and also +swore that though the Happy Hunter was the younger brother and owed him +allegiance by right of birth, that he, the Skillful Fisher, would exalt +him as his superior and bow before him as Lord of all Japan. + +Then the Happy Hunter said that he would forgive his brother if he +would throw into the receding tide all his evil ways. The Skillful +Fisher promised and there was peace between the two brothers. From this +time he kept his word and became a good man and a kind brother. + +The Happy Hunter now ruled his Kingdom without being disturbed by +family strife, and there was peace in Japan for a long, long time. +Above all the treasures in his house he prized the wonderful Jewels of +the Flow and Ebb of the Tide which had been given him by Ryn Jin, the +Dragon King of the Sea. + +This is the congratulatory ending of the Happy Hunter and the Skillful +Fisher. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER. + + +Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported +themselves by cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been a +very happy and peaceful one save for one great sorrow, and this was +they had no child. Their only pet was a dog named Shiro, and on him +they lavished all the affection of their old age. Indeed, they loved +him so much that whenever they had anything nice to eat they denied +themselves to give it to Shiro. Now Shiro means "white," and he was so +called because of his color. He was a real Japanese dog, and very like +a small wolf in appearance. + +The happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was when +the man returned from his work in the field, and having finished his +frugal supper of rice and vegetables, would take what he had saved from +the meal out to the little veranda that ran round the cottage. Sure +enough, Shiro was waiting for his master and the evening tit-bit. Then +the old man said "Chin, chin!" and Shiro sat up and begged, and his +master gave him the food. Next door to this good old couple there lived +another old man and his wife who were both wicked and cruel, and who +hated their good neighbors and the dog Shiro with all their might. +Whenever Shiro happened to look into their kitchen they at once kicked +him or threw something at him, sometimes even wounding him. + +One day Shiro was heard barking for a long time in the field at the +back of his master's house. The old man, thinking that perhaps some +birds were attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the matter. +As soon as Shiro saw his master he ran to meet him, wagging his tail, +and, seizing the end of his kimono, dragged him under a large yenoki +tree. Here he began to dig very industriously with his paws, yelping +with joy all the time. The old man, unable to understand what it all +meant, stood looking on in bewilderment. But Shiro went on barking and +digging with all his might. + +The thought that something might be hidden beneath the tree, and that +the dog had scented it, at last struck the old man. He ran back to the +house, fetched his spade and began to dig the ground at that spot. What +was his astonishment when, after digging for some time, he came upon a +heap of old and valuable coins, and the deeper he dug the more gold +coins did he find. So intent was the old man on his work that he never +saw the cross face of his neighbor peering at him through the bamboo +hedge. At last all the gold coins lay shining on the ground. Shiro sat +by erect with pride and looking fondly at his master as if to say, "You +see, though only a dog, I can make some return for all the kindness you +show me." + +The old man ran in to call his wife, and together they carried home the +treasure. Thus in one day the poor old man became rich. His gratitude +to the faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved and petted him more +than ever, if that were possible. + +The cross old neighbor, attracted by Shiro's barking, had been an +unseen and envious witness of the finding of the treasure. He began to +think that he, too, would like to find a fortune. So a few days later +he called at the old man's house and very ceremoniously asked +permission to borrow Shiro for a short time. + +Shiro's master thought this a strange request, because he knew quite +well that not only did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that he +never lost an opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever the +dog crossed his path. But the good old man was too kind-hearted to +refuse his neighbor, so he consented to lend the dog on condition that +he should be taken great care of. + +The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on his face, +and told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty intentions. He +then took his spade and hastened to his own field, forcing the +unwilling Shiro to follow him. As soon as he reached a yenoki tree, he +said to the dog, threateningly: + +"If there were gold coins under your master's tree, there must also be +gold coins under my tree. You must find them for me! Where are they? +Where? Where?" + +And catching hold of Shiro's neck he held the dog's head to the ground, +so that Shiro began to scratch and dig in order to free himself from +the horrid old man's grasp. + +The old man was very pleased when he saw the dog begin to scratch and +dig, for he at once supposed that some gold coins lay buried under his +tree as well as under his neighbor's, and that the dog had scented them +as before; so pushing Shiro away he began to dig himself, but there was +nothing to be found. As he went on digging a foul smell was noticeable, +and he at last came upon a refuse heap. + +The old man's disgust can be imagined. This soon gave way to anger. He +had seen his neighbor's good fortune, and hoping for the same luck +himself, he had borrowed the dog Shiro; and now, just as he seemed on +the point of finding what he sought, only a horrid smelling refuse heap +had rewarded him for a morning's digging. Instead of blaming his own +greed for his disappointment, he blamed the poor dog. He seized his +spade, and with all his strength struck Shiro and killed him on the +spot. He then threw the dog's body into the hole which he had dug in +the hope of finding a treasure of gold coins, and covered it over with +the earth. Then he returned to the house, telling no one, not even his +wife, what he had done. + +After waiting several days, as the dog Shiro did not return, his master +began to grow anxious. Day after day went by and the good old man +waited in vain. Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give him +back his dog. Without any shame or hesitation, the wicked neighbor +answered that he had killed Shiro because of his bad behavior. At this +dreadful news Shiro's master wept many sad and bitter tears. Great +indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too good and gentle to +reproach his bad neighbor. Learning that Shiro was buried under the +yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to give him the tree, in +remembrance of his poor dog Shiro. + +Even the cross old neighbor could not refuse such a simple request, so +he consented to give the old man the tree under which Shiro lay buried. +Shiro's master then cut the tree down and carried it home. Out of the +trunk he made a mortar. In this his wife put some rice, and he began to +pound it with the intention of making a festival to the memory of his +dog Shiro. + +A strange thing happened! His wife put the rice into the mortar, and no +sooner had he begun to pound it to make the cakes, than it began to +increase in quantity gradually till it was about five times the +original amount, and the cakes were turned out of the mortar as if an +invisible hand were at work. + +When the old man and his wife saw this, they understood that it was a +reward to them from Shiro for their faithful love to him. They tasted +the cakes and found them nicer than any other food. So from this time +they never troubled about food, for they lived upon the cakes with +which the mortar never ceased to supply them. + +The greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of good luck, was filled +with envy as before, and called on the old man and asked leave to +borrow the wonderful mortar for a short time, pretending that he, too, +sorrowed for the death of Shiro, and wished to make cakes for a +festival to the dog's memory. + +The old man did not in the least wish to lend it to his cruel neighbor, +but he was too kind to refuse. So the envious man carried home the +mortar, but he never brought it back. + +Several days passed, and Shiro's master waited in vain for the mortar, +so he went to call on the borrower, and asked him to be good enough to +return the mortar if he had finished with it. He found him sitting by a +big fire made of pieces of wood. On the ground lay what looked very +much like pieces of a broken mortar. In answer to the old man's +inquiry, the wicked neighbor answered haughtily: + +"Have you come to ask me for your mortar? I broke it to pieces, and now +I am making a fire of the wood, for when I tried to pound cakes in it +only some horrid smelling stuff came out." + +The good old man said: + +"I am very sorry for that. It is a great pity you did not ask me for +the cakes if you wanted them. I would have given you as many as ever +you wanted. Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to +keep them in remembrance of my dog." + +The neighbor consented at once, and the old man carried home a basket +full of ashes. + +Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of the +ashes made by the burning of the mortar on the trees of his garden. A +wonderful thing happened! + +It was late in autumn and all the trees had shed their leaves, but no +sooner did the ashes touch their branches than the cherry trees, the +plum trees, and all other blossoming shrubs burst into bloom, so that +the old man's garden was suddenly transformed into a beautiful picture +of spring. The old man's delight knew no bounds, and he carefully +preserved the remaining ashes. + +The story of the old man's garden spread far and wide, and people from +far and near came to see the wonderful sight. + +One day, soon after this, the old man heard some one knocking at his +door, and going to the porch to see who it was he was surprised to see +a Knight standing there. This Knight told him that he was a retainer of +a great Daimio (Earl); that one of the favorite cherry trees in this +nobleman's garden had withered, and that though every one in his +service had tried all manner of means to revive it, none took effect. +The Knight was sore perplexed when he saw what great displeasure the +loss of his favorite cherry tree caused the Daimio. At this point, +fortunately, they had heard that there was a wonderful old man who +could make withered trees to blossom, and that his Lord had sent him to +ask the old man to come to him. + +"And," added the Knight, "I shall be very much obliged if you will come +at once." + +The good old man was greatly surprised at what he heard, but +respectfully followed the Knight to the nobleman's Palace. + +The Daimio, who had been impatiently awaiting the old man's coming, as +soon as he saw him asked him at once: + +"Are you the old man who can make withered trees flower even out of +season?" + +The old man made an obeisance, and replied: + +"I am that old man!" + +Then the Daimio said: + +"You must make that dead cherry tree in my garden blossom again by +means of your famous ashes. I shall look on." + +Then they all went into the garden--the Daimio and his retainers and +the ladies-in waiting, who carried the Daimio's sword. + +The old man now tucked up his kimono and made ready to climb the tree. +Saying "Excuse me," he took the pot of ashes which he had brought with +him, and began to climb the tree, every one watching his movements with +great interest. + +At last he climbed to the spot where the tree divided into two great +branches, and taking up his position here, the old man sat down and +scattered the ashes right and left all over the branches and twigs. + +Wonderful, indeed, was the result! The withered tree at once burst into +full bloom! The Daimio was so transported with joy that he looked as if +he would go mad. He rose to his feet and spread out his fan, calling +the old man down from the tree. He himself gave the old man a wine cup +filled with the best SAKE, and rewarded him with much silver and gold +and many other precious things. The Daimio ordered that henceforth the +old man should call himself by the name of Hana-Saka-Jijii, or "The Old +Man who makes the Trees to Blossom," and that henceforth all were to +recognize him by this name, and he sent him home with great honor. + +The wicked neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man's fortune, +and of all that had so auspiciously befallen him, and he could not +suppress all the envy and jealousy that filled his heart. He called to +mind how he had failed in his attempt to find the gold coins, and then +in making the magic cakes; this time surely he must succeed if he +imitated the old man, who made withered trees to flower simply by +sprinkling ashes on them. This would be the simplest task of all. + +So he set to work and gathered together all the ashes which remained in +the fire-place from the burning of the wonderful mortar. Then he set +out in the hope of finding some great man to employ him, calling out +loudly as he went along: + +"Here comes the wonderful man who can make withered trees blossom! Here +comes the old man who can make dead trees blossom!" + +The Daimio in his Palace heard this cry, and said: + +"That must be the Hana-Saka-Jijii passing. I have nothing to do to-day. +Let him try his art again; it will amuse me to look on." + +So the retainers went out and brought in the impostor before their +Lord. The satisfaction of false old man can now be imagined. + +But the Daimio looking at him, thought it strange that he was not at +all like the old man he had seen before, so he asked him: + +"Are you the man whom I named Hana-Saka-Jijii?" + +And the envious neighbor answered with a lie: + +"Yes, my Lord!" + +"That is strange!" said the Daimio. "I thought there was only one +Hana-Saka-Jijii in the world! Has he now some disciples?" + +"I am the true Hana-Saka-Jijii. The one who came to you before was only +my disciple!" replied the old man again. + +"Then you must be more skillful than the other. Try what you can do and +let me see!" + +The envious neighbor, with the Daimio and his Court following, then +went into the garden, and approaching a dead tree, took out a handful +of the ashes which he carried with him, and scattered them over the +tree. + +But not only did the tree not burst into flower, but not even a bud +came forth. Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man +took handfuls and again sprinkled them over the withered tree. But all +to no effect. After trying several times, the ashes were blown into the +Daimio's eyes. This made him very angry, and he ordered his retainers +to arrest the false Hana-Saka-Jijii at once and put him in prison for +an impostor. From this imprisonment the wicked old man was never freed. +Thus did he meet with punishment at last for all his evil doings. + +The good old man, however, with the treasure of gold coins which Shiro +had found for him, and with all the gold and the silver which the +Daimio had showered on him, became a rich and prosperous man in his old +age, and lived a long and happy life, beloved and respected by all. + + + + +THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY. + + +Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a +wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. +His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both +great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow +of the Tide. The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean +caused the sea to recede from the land, and the Jewel of the Flowing +Tide made the waves to rise mountains high and to flow in upon the +shore like a tidal wave. + +The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so +beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. +The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the +floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in +spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its +wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, +was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought that if +he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he +decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he +chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for +a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride. + +At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young +dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer +beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in +gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery +adorned them. + +The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was +celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the +great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their +congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and +prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay +festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried +the bride's possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the +waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a +phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming +blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke +that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the +phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event. + +Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They +loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight +in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, +and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls +and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer's day. + +Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill +and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he +saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to +come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants +to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in +spite of all the nurses' assiduous care and the medicine that the +doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but +grew daily worse. + +Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not +curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin's evident +displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he +knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible +to find it in the sea. + +"Do you mean to tell me that you can't get the medicine here?" asked +the Dragon King. + +"It is just as you say!" said the doctor. + +"Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?" demanded Rin Jin. + +"I want the liver of a live monkey!" answered the doctor. + +"The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to +get," said the King. + +"If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon +recover," said the doctor. + +"Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where +are we most likely to find a monkey?" asked the King. + +Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south +there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived. + +"If only you could capture one of these monkeys?" said the doctor. + +"How can any of my people capture a monkey?" said the Dragon King, +greatly puzzled. "The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the +water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don't see what +we can do!" + +"That has been my difficulty too," said the doctor. "But amongst your +innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for +that express purpose!" + +"Something must be done," said the King, and calling his chief steward +he consulted him on the matter. + +The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a +sudden thought, said joyfully: + +"I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is +certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on +land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island +of Monkeys to catch one." + +The jelly fish was then summoned to the King's presence, and was told +by His Majesty what was required of him. + +The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be +intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been +to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in +catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one. + +"Well," said the chief steward, "if you depend on your strength or +dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a +trick on one!" + +"How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don't know how to do it," said +the perplexed jelly fish. + +"This is what you must do," said the wily chief steward. "When you +approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to +get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the +Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon +King's Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the +grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his +curiosity and make him long to see it all!" + +"But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don't swim?" +said the reluctant jelly fish. + +"You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you +can't do that!" said the chief steward. + +"Won't he be very heavy?" queried kurage again. + +"You mustn't mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King," +replied the chief steward. + +"I will do my best then," said the jelly fish, and he swam away from +the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming swiftly +he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient +wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big +pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just +what he was looking for--a live monkey. + +"I'm in luck!" thought the jelly fish. "Now I must flatter the creature +and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part +will be done!" + +So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient +days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. +When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said: + +"How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn't it a lovely day?" + +"A very fine day," answered the monkey from the tree. "I have never +seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and +what is your name?" + +"My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the +Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have +come on purpose to see it," answered the jelly fish. + +"I am very glad to see you," said the monkey. + +"By the bye," said the jelly fish, "have you ever seen the Palace of +the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?" + +"I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!" answered the +monkey. + +"Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go +through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all +description--it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the +world," said the jelly fish. + +"Is it so beautiful as all that?" asked the monkey in astonishment. + +Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best +of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King's Palace, and +the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red +coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on +the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he +listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of +the wonderful story. + +"I have got him at last!" thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said: + +"Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of +the Dragon King, won't you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity +by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you +all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you--a +land-lubber." + +"I should love to go," said the monkey, "but how am I to cross the +water! I can't swim, as you surely know!" + +"There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back." + +"That will be troubling you too much," said the monkey. + +"I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn't +hesitate," said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he +stepped into the sea. + +"Keep very still, Mr. monkey," said the jelly fish. "You mustn't fall +into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King's +Palace." + +"Please don't go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off," said the +monkey. + +Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with +the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the +jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the +monkey had his liver with him or not! + +"Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?" + +The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked +what the jelly fish wanted with a liver. + +"That is the most important thing of all," said the stupid jelly fish, +"so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with you?" + +"Why is my liver so important to you?" asked the monkey. + +"Oh! you will learn the reason later," said the jelly fish. + +The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the +jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by +appealing to his hearer's feelings by saying that he was very troubled +at what he had been told. + +Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry +for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, +and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would +cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one. + +"Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace +the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!" said the +silly jelly fish. + +The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry +at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of +what was in store for him. + +But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan +not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself +and to think of some way by which he might escape. + +"The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I +shall die!" thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so +he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish: + +"What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this +before we left the island!" + +"If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly +have refused to come," answered the jelly fish. + +"You are quite mistaken," said the monkey. "Monkeys can very well spare +a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of +the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have +presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several +livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I +have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree." + +"Have you left your liver behind you?" asked the jelly fish. + +"Yes," said the cunning monkey, "during the daytime I usually leave my +liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way +when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your +interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I +came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have +remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!" + +The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he +believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without +a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so. + +"Well," said the monkey, "that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to +think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the +place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver." + +The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back +to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so +kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it +with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his +course towards the Monkey Island once more. + +No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey +landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had +first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at +being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said: + +"So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my +compliments to the Dragon King on your return!" + +The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it +was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn't his intention to +come with him at once after getting his liver. + +The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn't afford to lose his +liver: it was too precious. + +"But remember your promise!" pleaded the jelly fish, now very +discouraged. + +"That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!" answered the +monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he +had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his +life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea +King's Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading +the jelly fish to return under false pretenses. + +"Of course, I won't GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you can!" +added the monkey mockingly from the tree. + +There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his +stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess +his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last +thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was +the monkey laughing at him. + +Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the +servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. +When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him +with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he +had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they asked him where the +monkey was. + +Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all +over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over +the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; +how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left +his liver behind him. + +The Dragon King's wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the +jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible +one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he +was to be beaten with sticks. + +The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried +out for pardon. But the Dragon King's order had to be obeyed. The +servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and +surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat +him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and +threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his +foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of +bonelessness. + +From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish once +had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever since the +Dragon King's sentence was carried out on the ancestor of the jelly +fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless just as you see +them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the shores of Japan. + + + + +THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB. + + +Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a +pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the +bank of a river. As they were running about, the crab found a +rice-dumpling and the monkey a persimmon-seed. + +The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, +saying: + +"Look what a nice thing I have found!" + +Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said: + +"I also have found something good! Look!" + +Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no +use for the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard and +uneatable as a stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very +envious of the crab's nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. The +crab naturally did not see why he should give up his prize for a hard +stone-like seed, and would not consent to the monkey's proposition. + +Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying: + +"How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling can +be eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if you sow +this seed in the ground it will soon grow and become a great tree in a +few years, and bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons year after +year. If only I could show it to you then with the yellow fruit hanging +on its branches! Of course, if you don't believe me I shall sow it +myself; though I am sure, later on, you will be very sorry that you did +not take my advice." + +The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey's clever persuasion. +He at last gave in and consented to the monkey's proposal, and the +exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled up the dumpling, and +with great reluctance gave up the persimmon-seed to the crab. He would +have liked to keep that too, but he was afraid of making the crab angry +and of being pinched by his sharp scissor-like claws. They then +separated, the monkey going home to his forest trees and the crab to +his stones along the river-side. As soon as the crab reached home he +put the persimmon-seed in the ground as the monkey had told him. + +In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a +young tree push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew +bigger, till at last it blossomed one spring, and in the following +autumn bore some fine large persimmons. Among the broad smooth green +leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they +mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little crab's pleasure to go out +day by day and sit in the sun and put out his long eyes in the same way +as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the persimmons ripening to +perfection. + +"How delicious they will be to eat!" he said to himself. + +At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he +wanted very much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the +tree, in the vain hope of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons +hanging above him; but he failed each time, for a crab's legs are not +made for climbing trees but only for running along the ground and over +stones, both of which he can do most cleverly. In his dilemma he +thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he knew, could climb trees +better than any one else in the world. He determined to ask the monkey +to help him, and set out to find him. + +Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into +the shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an +afternoon nap in his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight +around a branch to prevent him from falling off in his dreams. He was +soon wide awake, however, when he heard himself called, and eagerly +listening to what the crab told him. When he heard that the seed which +he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had grown into a tree and +was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he at once devised a +cunning plan which would give him all the persimmons for himself. + +He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When they +both reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a fine +tree had sprung from the seed, and with what a number of ripe +persimmons the branches were loaded. + +He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as he +could, one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best and +ripest he could find, and went on eating till he could eat no more. Not +one would he give to the poor hungry crab waiting below, and when he +had finished there was little but the hard, unripe fruit left. + +You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting patiently, +for so long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the fruit to +ripen, when he saw the monkey devouring all the good persimmons. He was +so disappointed that he ran round and round the tree calling to the +monkey to remember his promise. The monkey at first took no notice of +the crab's complaints, but at last he picked out the hardest, greenest +persimmon he could find and aimed it at the crab's head. The persimmon +is as hard as stone when it is unripe. The monkey's missile struck home +and the crab was sorely hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as +he could pick them, the monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw +them at the defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered with wounds +all over his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the tree +he had himself planted. + +When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away from +the spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a coward as +he was. + +Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far from +the spot where this sad work had taken place. On the way home he came +across his father dead, in a most dreadful condition--his head was +smashed and his shell broken in several places, and around his body lay +the unripe persimmons which had done their deadly work. At this +dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down and wept. + +But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying +would do no good; it was his duty to avenge his father's murder, and +this he determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would +lead him to discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed +that the best fruit had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel and +numerous seeds strewn on the ground as well as the unripe persimmons +which had evidently been thrown at his father. Then he understood that +the monkey was the murderer, for he now remembered that his father had +once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and the persimmon-seed. +The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons above all other +fruit, and he felt sure that his greed for the coveted fruit had been +the cause of the old crab's death. Alas! + +He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he +burned with rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was +useless, for the monkey was an old and cunning animal and would be hard +to overcome. He must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of his +friends to help him, for he knew it would be quite out of his power to +kill him alone. + +The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father's old +friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the mortar +with tears to help him avenge his father's death. The mortar was very +sorry when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to help the +young crab punish the monkey to death. He warned him that he must be +very careful in what he did, for the monkey was a strong and cunning +enemy. The mortar now sent to fetch the bee and the chestnut (also the +crab's old friends) to consult them about the matter. In a short time +the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they were told all the details +of the old crab's death and of the monkey's wickedness and greed, they +both gladly consented to help the young crab in his revenge. + +After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying out +their plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the young +crab to help him bury his poor father. + +While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating himself +(as the wicked often do before their punishment comes upon them) on all +he had done so neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing that he had +robbed his friend of all his ripe persimmons and then that he had +killed him. Still, smile as hard as he might, he could not banish +altogether the fear of the consequences should his evil deeds be +discovered. IF he were found out (and he told himself that this could +not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab's family would be sure to +bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he would not go +out, and kept himself at home for several days. He found this kind of +life, however, extremely dull, accustomed as he was to the free life of +the woods, and at last he said: + +"No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the old +thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no mouths! +Who is there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one knows, what +is the use of shutting myself up and brooding over the matter? What is +done cannot be undone!" + +With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about as +slyly as possible near the crab's house and tried to hear the +neighbors' gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs +were saving about their chief's death, for the old crab had been the +chief of the tribe. But he heard nothing and said to himself: + +"They are all such fools that they don't know and don't care who +murdered their chief!" + +Little did he know in his so-called "monkey's wisdom" that this seeming +unconcern was part of the young crab's plan. He purposely pretended not +to know who killed his father, and also to believe that he had met his +death through his own fault. By this means he could the better keep +secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was meditating. + +So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told +himself he had nothing now to fear. + +One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by +the appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was +wondering what this might mean, the messenger bowed before him and said: + +"I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the +other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the +tree after fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first anniversary +after his death, and my master has prepared a little festival in his +father's honor, and bids you come to participate in it as you were one +of his best friends. My master hopes you will honor his house with your +kind visit." + +When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, for +all his fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not guess +that a plot had just been set in motion against him. He pretended to be +very surprised at the news of the crab's death, and said: + +"I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief's death. We were great +friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice-dumpling +for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that seed was in +the end the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many +thanks. I shall be delighted to do honor to my poor old friend!" And he +screwed some false tears from his eyes. + +The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, "The wicked monkey is now +dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real ones." +But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home. + +When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought +was the young crab's innocence, and without the least feeling began to +look forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the dead +crab, to which he had been invited. He changed his dress and set out +solemnly to visit the young crab. + +He found all the members of the crab's family and his relatives waiting +to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting were over +they led him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came to receive +him. Expressions of condolence and thanks were exchanged between them, +and then they all sat down to a luxurious feast and entertained the +monkey as the guest of honor. + +The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to drink a +cup of tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to the tearoom +he left him and retired. Time passed and still he did not return. At +last the monkey became impatient. He said to himself: + +"This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting +so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at the dinner!" + +He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out some +hot water from the kettle boiling there, when something burst out from +the ashes with a great pop and hit the monkey right in the neck. It was +the chestnut, one of the crab's friends, who had hidden himself in the +fireplace. The monkey, taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then +started to run out of the room. + +The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung him +on the cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the +chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on screaming +and chattering with rage. + +Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on +the top of the crab's gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the +mortar and all fell down on the top of the monkey's head. Was it +possible for the monkey to bear the weight of the mortar falling on him +from the top of the gate? He lay crushed and in great pain, quite +unable to get up. As he lay there helpless the young crab came up, and, +holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, he said: + +"Do you now remember that you murdered my father?" + +"Then you--are--my--enemy?" gasped the monkey brokenly. + +"Of course," said the young crab. + +"It--was--your--father's--fault--not--mine!" gasped the unrepentant +monkey. + +"Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!" and with +that he cut off the monkey's head with his pitcher claws. Thus the +wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab +avenged his father's death. + +This is the end of the story of the monkey, the crab, and the +persimmon-seed. + + + + +THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + + +Long, long ago, when all the animals could talk, there lived in the +province of Inaba in Japan, a little white hare. His home was on the +island of Oki, and just across the sea was the mainland of Inaba. + +Now the hare wanted very much to cross over to Inaba. Day after day he +would go out and sit on the shore and look longingly over the water in +the direction of Inaba, and day after day he hoped to find some way of +getting across. + +One day as usual, the hare was standing on the beach, looking towards +the mainland across the water, when he saw a great crocodile swimming +near the island. + +"This is very lucky!" thought the hare. "Now I shall be able to get my +wish. I will ask the crocodile to carry me across the sea!" + +But he was doubtful whether the crocodile would consent to do what +wanted. So he thought instead of asking a favor he would try to get +what he wanted by a trick. + +So with a loud voice he called to the crocodile, and said: + +"Oh, Mr. Crocodile, isn't it a lovely day?" + +The crocodile, who had come out all by itself that day to enjoy the +bright sunshine, was just beginning to feel a bit lonely when the +hare's cheerful greeting broke the silence. The crocodile swam nearer +the shore, very pleased to hear some one speak. + +"I wonder who it was that spoke to me just now! Was it you, Mr. Hare? +You must be very lonely all by yourself!" + +"Oh, no, I am not at all lonely," said the hare, "but as it was such a +fine day I came out here to enjoy myself. Won't you stop and play with +me a little while?" + +The crocodile came out of the sea and sat on the shore, and the two +played together for some time. Then the hare said: + +"Mr. Crocodile, you live in the sea and I live on this island, and we +do not often meet, so I know very little about you. Tell me, do you +think the number of your company is greater than mine?" + +"Of course, there are more crocodiles than hares," answered the +crocodile. "Can you not see that for yourself? You live on this small +island, while I live in the sea, which spreads through all parts of the +world, so if I call together all the crocodiles who dwell in the sea +you hares will be as nothing compared to us!" The crocodile was very +conceited. + +The hare, who meant to play a trick on the crocodile, said: + +"Do you think it possible for you to call up enough crocodiles to form +a line from this island across the sea to Inaba?" + +The crocodile thought for a moment and then answered: + +"Of course, it is possible." + +"Then do try," said the artful hare, "and I will count the number from +here!" + +The crocodile, who was very simple-minded, and who hadn't the least +idea that the hare intended to play a trick on him, agreed to do what +the hare asked, and said: + +"Wait a little while I go back into the sea and call my company +together!" + +The crocodile plunged into the sea and was gone for some time. The +hare, meanwhile, waited patiently on the shore. At last the crocodile +appeared, bringing with him a large number of other crocodiles. + +"Look, Mr. Hare!" said the crocodile, "it is nothing for my friends to +form a line between here and Inaba. There are enough crocodiles to +stretch from here even as far as China or India. Did you ever see so +many crocodiles?" + +Then the whole company of crocodiles arranged themselves in the water +so as to form a bridge between the Island of Oki and the mainland of +Inaba. When the hare saw the bridge of crocodiles, he said: + +"How splendid! I did not believe this was possible. Now let me count +you all! To do this, however, with your permission, I must walk over on +your backs to the other side, so please be so good as not to move, or +else I shall fall into the sea and be drowned!" + +So the hare hopped off the island on to the strange bridge of +crocodiles, counting as he jumped from one crocodile's back to the +other: + +"Please keep quite still, or I shall not be able to count. One, two, +three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine--" + +Thus the cunning hare walked right across to the mainland of Inaba. Not +content with getting his wish, he began to jeer at the crocodiles +instead of thanking them, and said, as he leapt off the last one's back: + +"Oh! you stupid crocodiles, now I have done with you!" + +And he was just about to run away as fast as he could. But he did not +escape so easily, for so soon as the crocodiles understood that this +was a trick played upon them by the hare so as to enable him to cross +the sea, and that the hare was now laughing at them for their +stupidity, they became furiously angry and made up their minds to take +revenge. So some of them ran after the hare and caught him. Then they +all surrounded the poor little animal and pulled out all his fur. He +cried out loudly and entreated them to spare him, but with each tuft of +fur they pulled out they said: + +"Serve you right!" + +When the crocodiles had pulled out the last bit of fur, they threw the +poor hare on the beach, and all swam away laughing at what they had +done. + +The hare was now in a pitiful plight, all his beautiful white fur had +been pulled out, and his bare little body was quivering with pain and +bleeding all over. He could hardly move, and all he could do was to lie +on the beach quite helpless and weep over the misfortune that had +befallen him. Notwithstanding that it was his own fault that had +brought all this misery and suffering upon the white hare of Inaba, any +one seeing the poor little creature could not help feeling sorry for +him in his sad condition, for the crocodiles had been very cruel in +their revenge. + +Just at this time a number of men, who looked like King's sons, +happened to pass by, and seeing the hare lying on the beach crying, +stopped and asked what was the matter. + +The hare lifted up his head from between his paws, and answered them, +saying: + +"I had a fight with some crocodiles, but I was beaten, and they pulled +out all my fur and left me to suffer here--that is why I am crying." + +Now one of these young men had a bad and spiteful disposition. But he +feigned kindness, and said to the hare: + +"I feel very sorry for you. If you will only try it, I know of a remedy +which will cure your sore body. Go and bathe yourself in the sea, and +then come and sit in the wind. This will make your fur grow again, and +you will be just as you were before." + +Then all the young men passed on. The hare was very pleased, thinking +that he had found a cure. He went and bathed in the sea and then came +out and sat where the wind could blow upon him. + +But as the wind blew and dried him, his skin became drawn and hardened, +and the salt increased the pain so much that he rolled on the sand in +his agony and cried aloud. + +Just then another King's son passed by, carrying a great bag on his +back. He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so +loudly. + +But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very +like the man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to cry. + +But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very pityingly, +and said: + +"You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your +skin is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?" + +When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the man, +and encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that had +befallen him. The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but told +him frankly how he had played a trick on the crocodiles and how he had +come across the bridge they had made, thinking that he wished to count +their number: how he had jeered at them for their stupidity, and then +how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on him. Then he went on to +say how he had been deceived by a party of men who looked very like his +kind friend: and the hare ended his long tale of woe by begging the man +to give him some medicine that would cure him and make his fur grow +again. + +When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity towards +him, and said: + +"I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was only +the consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles." + +"I know," answered the sorrowful hare, "but I have repented and made up +my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I may +cure my sore body and make the fur grow again." + +"Then I will tell you of a good remedy," said the man. "First go and +bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from +your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing near +the edge of the water, spread them on the ground and roll yourself on +them. If you do this the pollen will cause your fur to grow again, and +you will be quite well in a little while." + +The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled to +the pond pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked the +kaba flowers growing near the water, and rolled himself on them. + +To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice white +fur growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had done +before all his misfortunes. + +The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping joyfully +towards the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling down at his +feet, said: + +"I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my +earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who you +are?" + +"I am no King's son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto," answered the man, "and those beings who passed +here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a beautiful Princess +called Yakami who lives in this province of Inaba, and they are on +their way to find her and to ask her to marry one of them. But on this +expedition I am only an attendant, so I am walking behind them with +this great big bag on my back." + +The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto, +whom many in that part of the land worshiped as a god. + +"Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind you +have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind fellow +who sent me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am quite +sure that the Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, will +refuse to be the bride of any of them, and will prefer you for your +goodness of heart. I am quite sure that you will win her heart without +intending to do so, and she will ask to be your bride." + +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but bidding +the little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon overtook his +brothers. He found them just entering the Princess's gate. + +Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to +become the bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the +kind brother's face she went straight up to him and said: + +"To you I give myself," and so they were married. + +This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by the +people in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become famous +as "The White Hare of Inaba." But what became of the crocodiles nobody +knows. + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE. + + +The insignia of the great Japanese Empire is composed of three +treasures which have been considered sacred, and guarded with jealous +care from time immemorial. These are the Yatano-no-Kagami or the Mirror +of Yata, the Yasakami-no-Magatama or the Jewel of Yasakami, and the +Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or the Sword of Murakumo. + +Of these three treasures of the Empire, the sword of Murakumo, +afterwards known as Kusanagi-no-Tsrugugi, or the grass-cleaving sword, +is considered the most precious and most highly to be honored, for it +is the symbol of strength to this nation of warriors and the talisman +of invincibility for the Emperor, while he holds it sacred in the +shrine of his ancestors. + +Nearly two thousand years ago this sword was kept at the shrines of +Ite, the temples dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, the great and +beautiful Sun Goddess from whom the Japanese Emperors are said to be +descended. + +There is a story of knightly adventure and daring which explains why +the name of the sword was changed from that of Murakumo to Kasanagi, +which means grass clearing. + +Once, many, many years ago, there was born a son to the Emperor Keiko, +the twelfth in descent from the great Jimmu, the founder of the +Japanese dynasty. This Prince was the second son of the Emperor Keiko, +and he was named Yamato. From his childhood he proved himself to be of +remarkable strength, wisdom and courage, and his father noticed with +pride that he gave promise of great things, and he loved him even more +than he did his elder son. + +Now when Prince Yamato had grown to manhood (in the olden days of +Japanese history, a boy was considered to have reached man's estate at +the early age of sixteen) the realm was much troubled by a band of +outlaws whose chiefs were two brothers, Kumaso and Takeru. These rebels +seemed to delight in rebelling against the King, in breaking the laws +and defying all authority. + +At last King Keiko ordered his younger son Prince Yamato to subdue the +brigands and, if possible, to rid the land of their evil lives. Prince +Yamato was only sixteen years of age, he had but reached his manhood +according to the law, yet though he was such a youth in years he +possessed the dauntless spirit of a warrior of fuller age and knew not +what fear was. Even then there was no man who could rival him for +courage and bold deeds, and he received his father's command with great +joy. + +He at once made ready to start, and great was the stir in the precincts +of the Palace as he and his trusty followers gathered together and +prepared for the expedition, and polished up their armor and donned it. +Before he left his father's Court he went to pray at the shrine of Ise +and to take leave of his aunt the Princess Yamato, for his heart was +somewhat heavy at the thought of the dangers he had to face, and he +felt that he needed the protection of his ancestress, Amaterasu, the +Sun Goddess. The Princess his aunt came out to give him glad welcome, +and congratulated him on being trusted with so great a mission by his +father the King. She then gave him one of her gorgeous robes as a +keepsake to go with him and to bring him good luck, saying that it +would surely be of service to him on this adventure. She then wished +him all success in his undertaking and bade him good speed. + +The young Prince bowed low before his aunt, and received her gracious +gift with much pleasure and many respectful bows. + +"I will now set out," said the Prince, and returning to the Palace he +put himself at the head of his troops. Thus cheered by his aunt's +blessing, he felt ready for all that might befall, and marching through +the land he went down to the Southern Island of Kiushiu, the home of +the brigands. + +Before many days had passed he reached the Southern Island, and then +slowly but surely made his way to the head-quarters of the chiefs +Kumaso and Takeru. He now met with great difficulties, for he found the +country exceedingly wild and rough. The mountains were high and steep, +the valleys dark and deep, and huge trees and bowlders of rock blocked +up the road and stopped the progress of his army. It was all but +impossible to go on. + +Though the Prince was but a youth he had the wisdom of years, and, +seeing that it was vain to try and lead his men further, he said to +himself: + +"To attempt to fight a battle in this impassable country unknown to my +men only makes my task harder. We cannot clear the roads and fight as +well. It is wiser for me to resort to stratagem and come upon my +enemies unawares. In that way I may be able to kill them without much +exertion." + +So he now bade his army halt by the way. His wife, the Princess +Ototachibana, had accompanied him, and he bade her bring him the robe +his aunt the priestess of Ise had given him, and to help him attire +himself as a woman. With her help he put on the robe, and let his hair +down till it flowed over his shoulders. Ototachibana then brought him +her comb, which he put in his black tresses, and then adorned himself +with strings of strange jewels just as you see in the picture. When he +had finished his unusual toilet, Ototachibana brought him her mirror. +He smiled as he gazed at himself--the disguise was so perfect. + +He hardly knew himself, so changed was he. All traces of the warrior +had disappeared, and in the shining surface only a beautiful lady +looked back at him. + +Thus completely disguised, he set out for the enemy's camp alone. In +the folds of his silk gown, next his strong heart, was hidden a sharp +dagger. + +The two chiefs Kumaso and Takeru wore sitting in their tent, resting in +the cool of the evening, when the Prince approached. They were talking +of the news which had recently been carried to them, that the King's +son had entered their country with a large army determined to +exterminate their band. They had both heard of the young warrior's +renown, and for the first time in their wicked lives they felt afraid. +In a pause in their talk they happened to look up, and saw through the +door of the tent a beautiful woman robed in sumptuous garments coming +towards them. Like an apparition of loveliness she appeared in the soft +twilight. Little did they dream that it was their enemy whose coming +they so dreaded who now stood before them in this disguise. + +"What a beautiful woman! Where has she come from?" said the astonished +Kumaso, forgetting war and council and everything as he looked at the +gentle intruder. + +He beckoned to the disguised Prince and bade him sit down and serve +them with wine. Yamato Take felt his heart swell with a fierce glee for +he now knew that his plan would succeed. However, he dissembled +cleverly, and putting on a sweet air of shyness he approached the rebel +chief with slow steps and eyes glancing like a frightened deer. Charmed +to distraction by the girl's loveliness Kumaso drank cup after cup of +wine for the pleasure of seeing her pour it out for him, till at last +he was quite overcome with the quantity he had drunk. + +This was the moment for which the brave Prince had been waiting. +Flinging down the wine jar, he seized the tipsy and astonished Kumaso +and quickly stabbed him to death with the dagger which he had secretly +carried hidden in his breast. + +Takeru, the brigand's brother, was terror-struck as soon as he saw what +was happening and tried to escape, but Prince Yamato was too quick for +him. Ere he could reach the tent door the Prince was at his heel, his +garments were clutched by a hand of iron, and a dagger flashed before +his eyes and he lay stabbed to the earth, dying but not yet dead. + +"Wait one moment!" gasped the brigand painfully, and he seized the +Prince's hand. + +Yamato relaxed his hold somewhat and said. + +"Why should I pause, thou villain?" + +The brigand raised himself fearfully and said: + +"Tell me from whence you come, and whom I have the honor of addressing? +Hitherto I believed that my dead brother and I were the strongest men +in the land, and that there was no one who could overcome us. Alone you +have ventured into our stronghold, alone you have attacked and killed +us! Surely you are more than mortal?" + +Then the young Prince answered with a proud smile:--"I am the son of +the King and my name is Yamato, and I have been sent by my father as +the avenger of evil to bring death to all rebels! No longer shall +robbery and murder hold my people in terror!" and he held the dagger +dripping red above the rebel's head. + +"Ah," gasped the dying man with a great effort, "I have often heard of +you. You are indeed a strong man to have so easily overcome us. Allow +me to give you a new name. From henceforth you shall be known as Yamato +Take. Our title I bequeath to you as the bravest man in Yamato." + +And with these noble words, Takeru fell back and died. + +The Prince having thus successfully put an end to his father's enemies +in the world, was prepared to return to the capital. On the way back he +passed through the province of Idum. Here he met with another outlaw +named Idzumo Takeru who he knew had done much harm in the land. He +again resorted to stratagem, and feigned friendship with the rebel +under an assumed name. Having done this he made a sword of wood and +jammed it tightly in the shaft of his own strong sword. This he +purposedly buckled to his side and wore on every occasion when he +expected to meet the third robber Takeru. + +He now invited Takeru to the bank of the River Hinokawa, and persuaded +him to try a swim with him in the cool refreshing waters of the river. + +As it was a hot summer's day, the rebel was nothing loath to take a +plunge in the river, while his enemy was still swimming down the stream +the Prince turned back and landed with all possible haste. Unperceived, +he managed to change swords, putting his wooden one in place of the +keen steel sword of Takeru. + +Knowing nothing of this, the brigand came up to the bank shortly. As +soon as he had landed and donned his clothes, the Prince came forward +and asked him to cross swords with him to prove his skill, saying: + +"Let us two prove which is the better swordsman of the two!" + +The robber agreed with delight, feeling certain of victory, for he was +famous as a fencer in his province and he did not know who his +adversary was. He seized quickly what he thought was his sword and +stood on guard to defend himself. Alas! for the rebel the sword was the +wooden one of the young Prince and in vain Takeru tried to unsheathe +it--it was jammed fast, not all his exerted strength could move it. +Even if his efforts had been successful the sword would have been of no +use to him for it was of wood. Yamato Take saw that his enemy was in +his power, and swinging high the sword he had taken from Takeru he +brought it down with great might and dexterity and cut off the robber's +head. + +In this way, sometimes by using his wisdom and sometimes by using his +bodily strength, and at other times by resorting to craftiness, which +was as much esteemed in those days as it is despised in these, he +prevailed against all the King's foes one by one, and brought peace and +rest to the land and the people. + +When he returned to the capital the King praised him for his brave +deeds, and held a feast in the Palace in honor of his safe coming home +and presented him with many rare gifts. From this time forth the King +loved him more than ever and would not let Yamato Take go from his +side, for he said that his son was now as precious to him as one of his +arms. + +But the Prince was not allowed to live an idle life long. When he was +about thirty years old, news was brought that the Ainu race, the +aborigines of the islands of Japan, who had been conquered and pushed +northwards by the Japanese, had rebelled in the Eastern provinces, and +leaving the vicinity which had been allotted to them were causing great +trouble in the land. The King decided that it was necessary to send an +army to do battle with them and bring them to reason. But who was to +lead the men? + +Prince Yamato Take at once offered to go and bring the newly arisen +rebels into subjection. Now as the King loved the Prince dearly, and +could not bear to have him go out of his sight even for the length of +one day, he was of course very loath to send him on his dangerous +expedition. But in the whole army there was no warrior so strong or so +brave as the Prince his son, so that His Majesty, unable to do +otherwise, reluctantly complied with Yamato's wish. + +When the time came for the Prince to start, the King gave him a spear +called the Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree (the handle was +probably made from the wood of the holly tree), and ordered him to set +out to subjugate the Eastern Barbarians as the Ainu were then called. + +The Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree of those old days, was +prized by warriors just as much as the Standard or Banner is valued by +a regiment in these modern days, when given by the King to his soldiers +on the occasion of setting out for war. + +The Prince respectfully and with great reverence received the King's +spear, and leaving the capital, marched with his army to the East. On +his way he visited first of all the temples of Ise for worship, and his +aunt the Princess of Yamato and High Priestess came out to greet him. +She it was who had given him her robe which had proved such a boon to +him before in helping him to overcome and slay the brigands of the West. + +He told her all that had happened to him, and of the great part her +keepsake had played in the success of his previous undertaking, and +thanked her very heartily. When she heard that he was starting out once +again to do battle with his father's enemies, she went into the temple, +and reappeared bearing a sword and a beautiful bag which she had made +herself, and which was full of flints, which in those times people used +instead of matches for making fire. These she presented to him as a +parting gift. + +The sword was the sword of Murakumo, one of the three sacred treasures +which comprise the insignia of the Imperial House of Japan. No more +auspicious talisman of luck and success could she have given her +nephew, and she bade him use it in the hour of his greatest need. + +Yamato Take now bade farewell to his aunt, and once more placing +himself at the head of his men he marched to the farthest East through +the province of Owari, and then he reached the province of Suruga. Here +the governor welcomed the Prince right heartily and entertained him +royally with many feasts. When these were over, the governor told his +guest that his country was famous for its fine deer, and proposed a +deer hunt for the Prince's amusement. The Prince was utterly deceived +by the cordiality of his host, which was all feigned, and gladly +consented to join in the hunt. + +The governor then led the Prince to a wild and extensive plain where +the grass grew high and in great abundance. Quite ignorant that the +governor had laid a trap for him with the desire to compass his death, +the Prince began to ride hard and hunt down the deer, when all of a +sudden to his amazement he saw flames and smoke bursting out from the +bush in front of him. Realizing his danger he tried to retreat, but no +sooner did he turn his horse in the opposite direction than he saw that +even there the prairie was on fire. At the same time the grass on his +left and right burst into flames, and these began to spread swiftly +towards him on all sides. He looked round for a chance of escape. There +was none. He was surrounded by fire. + +"This deer hunt was then only a cunning trick of the enemy!" said the +Prince, looking round on the flames and the smoke that crackled and +rolled in towards him on every side. "What a fool I was to be lured +into this trap like a wild beast!" and he ground his teeth with rage as +he thought of the governor's smiling treachery. + +Dangerous as was his situation now, the Prince was not in the least +confounded. In his dire extremity he remembered the gifts his aunt had +given him when they parted, and it seemed to him as if she must, with +prophetic foresight, have divined this hour of need. He coolly opened +the flint-bag that his aunt had given him and set fire to the grass +near him. Then drawing the sword of Murakumo from its sheath he set to +work to cut down the grass on either side of him with all speed. He +determined to die, if that were necessary, fighting for his life and +not standing still waiting for death to come to him. + +Strange to say the wind began to change and to blow from the opposite +direction, and the fiercest portion of the burning bush which had +hitherto threatened to come upon him was now blown right away from him, +and the Prince, without even a scratch on his body or a single hair +burned, lived to tell the tale of his wonderful escape, while the wind +rising to a gale overtook the governor, and he was burned to death in +the flames he had set alight to kill Yamato Take. + +Now the Prince ascribed his escape entirely to the virtue of the sword +of Murakumo, and to the protection of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess of +Ise, who controls the wind and all the elements and insures the safety +of all who pray to her in the hour of danger. Lifting the precious +sword he raised it above his head many times in token of his great +respect, and as he did this he re-named it Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or the +Grass-Cleaving Sword, and the place where he set fire to the grass +round him and escaped from death in the burning prairie, he called +Yaidzu. To this day there is a spot along the great Tokaido railway +named Yaidzu, which is said to be the very place where this thrilling +event took place. + +Thus did the brave Prince Yamato Take escape out of the snare laid for +him by his enemy. He was full of resource and courage, and finally +outwitted and subdued all his foes. Leaving Yaidzu he marched eastward, +and came to the shore at Idzu from whence he wished to cross to Kadzusa. + +In these dangers and adventures he had been followed by his faithful +loving wife the Princess Ototachibana. For his sake she counted the +weariness of the long journeys and the dangers of war as nothing, and +her love for her warrior husband was so great that she felt well repaid +for all her wanderings if she could but hand him his sword when he +sallied forth to battle, or minister to his wants when he returned +weary to the camp. + +But the heart of the Prince was full of war and conquest and he cared +little for the faithful Ototachibana. From long exposure in traveling, +and from care and grief at her lord's coldness to her, her beauty had +faded, and her ivory skin was burnt brown by the sun, and the Prince +told her one day that her place was in the Palace behind the screens at +home and not with him upon the warpath. But in spite of rebuffs and +indifference on her husband's part, Ototachibana could not find it in +her heart to leave him. But perhaps it would have been better for her +if she had done so, for on the way to Idzu, when they came to Owari, +her heart was well-nigh broken. + +Here dwelt in a Palace shaded by pine-trees and approached by imposing +gates, the Princess Miyadzu, beautiful as the cherry blossom in the +blushing dawn of a spring morning. Her garments were dainty and bright, +and her skin was white as snow, for she had never known what it was to +be weary along the path of duty or to walk in the heat of a summer's +sun. And the Prince was ashamed of his sunburnt wife in her +travel-stained garments, and bade her remain behind while he went to +visit the Princess Miyadzu. Day after day he spent hours in the gardens +and the Palace of his new friend, thinking only of his pleasure, and +caring little for his poor wife who remained behind to weep in the tent +at the misery which had come into her life. Yet she was so faithful a +wife, and her character so patient, that she never allowed a reproach +to escape her lips, or a frown to mar the sweet sadness of her face, +and she was ever ready with a smile to welcome her husband back or +usher him forth wherever he went. + +At last the day came when the Prince Yamato Take must depart for Idzu +and cross over the sea to Kadzusa, and he bade his wife follow in his +retinue as an attendant while he went to take a ceremonious farewell of +the Princess Miyadzu. She came out to greet him dressed in gorgeous +robes, and she seemed more beautiful than ever, and when Yamato Take +saw her he forgot his wife, his duty, and everything except the joy of +the idle present, and swore that he would return to Owari and marry her +when the war was over. And as he looked up when he had said these words +he met the large almond eyes of Ototachibana fixed full upon him in +unspeakable sadness and wonder, and he knew that he had done wrong, but +he hardened his heart and rode on, caring little for the pain he had +caused her. + +When they reached the seashore at Idzu his men sought for boats in +which to cross the straits to Kadzusa, but it was difficult to find +boats enough to allow all the soldiers to embark. Then the Prince stood +on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and said: + +"This is not the sea! This is only a brook! Why do you men want so many +boats? I could jump this if I would." + +When at last they had all embarked and were fairly on their way across +the straits, the sky suddenly clouded and a great storm arose. The +waves rose mountains high, the wind howled, the lightning flashed and +the thunder rolled, and the boat which held Ototachibana and the Prince +and his men was tossed from crest to crest of the rolling waves, till +it seemed that every moment must be their last and that they must all +be swallowed up in the angry sea. For Kin Jin, the Dragon King of the +Sea, had heard Yamato Take jeer, and had raised this terrible storm in +anger, to show the scoffing Prince how awful the sea could be though it +did but look like a brook. + +The terrified crew lowered the sails and looked after the rudder, and +worked for their dear lives' sake, but all in vain--the storm only +seemed to increase in violence, and all gave themselves up for lost. +Then the faithful Ototachibana rose, and forgetting all the grief that +her husband had caused her, forgetting even that he had wearied of her, +in the one great desire of her love to save him, she determined to +sacrifice her life to rescue him from death if it were possible. + +While the waves dashed over the ship and the wind whirled round them in +fury she stood up and said: + +"Surely all this has come because the Prince has angered Rin Jin, the +God of the Sea, by his jesting. If so, I, Ototachibana, will appease +the wrath of the Sea God who desires nothing less than my husband's +life!" + +Then addressing the sea she said: + +"I will take the place of His Augustness, Yamato Take. I will now cast +myself into your outraged depths, giving my life for his. Therefore +hear me and bring him safely to the shore of Kadzusa." + +With these words she leaped quickly into the boisterous sea, and the +waves soon whirled her away and she was lost to sight. Strange to say, +the storm ceased at once, and the sea became as calm and smooth as the +matting on which the astonished onlookers were sitting. The gods of the +sea were now appeased, and the weather cleared and the sun shone as on +a summer's day. + +Yamato Take soon reached the opposite shore and landed safely, even as +his wife Ototachibana had prayed. His prowess in war was marvelous, and +he succeeded after some time in conquering the Eastern Barbarians, the +Ainu. + +He ascribed his safe landing wholly to the faithfulness of his wife, +who had so willingly and lovingly sacrificed herself in the hour of his +utmost peril. His heart was softened at the remembrance of her, and he +never allowed her to pass from his thoughts even for a moment. Too late +had he learned to esteem the goodness of her heart and the greatness of +her love for him. + +As he was returning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of the +Usui Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect +beneath him. The country, from this great elevation, all lay open to +his sight, a vast panorama of mountain and plain and forest, with +rivers winding like silver ribbons through the land; then far off he +saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a luminous mist in the great +distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for him, and as he +turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of her love +which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his heart burst out +into a sorrowful and bitter cry: + +"Azuma, Azuma, Ya!" (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there is a +district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of Prince +Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into the sea +to save him is still pointed out. So, though in life the Princess +Ototachibana was unhappy, history keeps her memory green, and the story +of her unselfishness and heroic death will never pass away. + +Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father's orders, he had subdued +all rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to the peace, +and his renown was great, for in the whole land there was no one who +could stand up against him, he was so strong in battle and wise in +council. + +He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come, when +the thought struck him that he would find it more interesting to take +another route, so he passed through the province of Owari and came to +the province of Omi. + +When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great +excitement and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the signs +of mourning and heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the cause of this +he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in the mountains, who +daily came down from thence and made raids on the villages, devouring +whoever he could seize. Many homes had been made desolate and the men +were afraid to go out to their daily work in the fields, or the women +to go to the rivers to wash their rice. + +When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said fiercely: + +"From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I have +subdued all the King's enemies--there is no one who dares to break the +laws or to rebel against the King. It is indeed a matter for wonder +that here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked monster has +dared to take up his abode and be the terror of the King's subjects. +Not long shall it find pleasure in devouring innocent folk. I will +start out and kill it at once." + +With these words he set out for the Ibuki Mountain, where the monster +was said to live. He climbed up a good distance, when all of a sudden, +at a winding in the path, a monster serpent appeared before him and +stopped the way. + +"This must be the monster," said the Prince; "I do not need my sword +for a serpent. I can kill him with my hands." + +He thereupon sprang upon the serpent and tried to strangle it to death +with his bare arms. It was not long before his prodigious strength +gained the mastery and the serpent lay dead at his feet. Now a sudden +darkness came over the mountain and rain began to fall, so that for the +gloom and the rain the Prince could hardly see which way to take. In a +short time, however, while he was groping his way down the pass, the +weather cleared, and our brave hero was able to make his way quickly +down the mountain. + +When he got back he began to feel ill and to have burning pains in his +feet, so he knew that the serpent had poisoned him. So great was his +suffering that he could hardly move, much less walk, so he had himself +carried to a place in the mountains famous for its hot mineral springs, +which rose bubbling out of the earth, and almost boiling from the +volcanic fires beneath. + +Yamato Take bathed daily in these waters, and gradually he felt his +strength come again, and the pains left him, till at last one day he +found with great joy that he was quite recovered. He now hastened to +the temples of Ise, where you will remember that he prayed before +undertaking this long expedition. His aunt, priestess of the shrine, +who had blessed him on his setting out, now came to welcome him back. +He told her of the many dangers he had encountered and of how +marvelously his life had been preserved through all--and she praised +his courage and his warrior's prowess, and then putting on her most +magnificent robes she returned thanks to their ancestress the Sun +Goddess Amaterasu, to whose protection they both ascribed the Prince's +wonderful preservation. + +Here ends the story of Prince Yamato Take of Japan. + + + + +MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH. + + +Long, long ago there lived, an old man and an old woman; they were +peasants, and had to work hard to earn their daily rice. The old man +used to go and cut grass for the farmers around, and while he was gone +the old woman, his wife, did the work of the house and worked in their +own little rice field. + +One day the old man went to the hills as usual to cut grass and the old +woman took some clothes to the river to wash. + +It was nearly summer, and the country was very beautiful to see in its +fresh greenness as the two old people went on their way to work. The +grass on the banks of the river looked like emerald velvet, and the +pussy willows along the edge of the water were shaking out their soft +tassels. + +The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water into +wavelets, and passing on touched the cheeks of the old couple who, for +some reason they could not explain, felt very happy that morning. + +The old woman at last found a nice spot by the river bank and put her +basket down. Then she set to work to wash the clothes; she took them +one by one out of the basket and washed them in the river and rubbed +them on the stones. The water was as clear as crystal, and she could +see the tiny fish swimming to and fro, and the pebbles at the bottom. + +As she was busy washing her clothes a great peach came bumping down the +stream. The old woman looked up from her work and saw this large peach. +She was sixty years of age, yet in all her life she had never seen such +a big peach as this. + +"How delicious that peach must be!" she said to herself. "I must +certainly get it and take it home to my old man." + +She stretched out her arm to try and get it, but it was quite out of +her reach. She looked about for a stick, but there was not one to be +seen, and if she went to look for one she would lose the peach. + +Stopping a moment to think what she would do, she remembered an old +charm-verse. Now she began to clap her hands to keep time to the +rolling of the peach down stream, and while she clapped she sang this +song: + + "Distant water is bitter, + The near water is sweet; + Pass by the distant water + And come into the sweet." + +Strange to say, as soon as she began to repeat this little song the +peach began to come nearer and nearer the bank where the old woman was +standing, till at last it stopped just in front of her so that she was +able to take it up in her hands. The old woman was delighted. She could +not go on with her work, so happy and excited was she, so she put all +the clothes back in her bamboo basket, and with the basket on her back +and the peach in her hand she hurried homewards. + +It seemed a very long time to her to wait till her husband returned. +The old man at last came back as the sun was setting, with a big bundle +of grass on his back--so big that he was almost hidden and she could +hardly see him. He seemed very tired and used the scythe for a walking +stick, leaning on it as he walked along. + +As soon as the old woman saw him she called out: + +"O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come home for such +a long time to-day!" + +"What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?" asked the old man, +wondering at her unusual eagerness. "Has anything happened while I have +been away?" + +"Oh, no!" answered the old woman, "nothing has happened, only I have +found a nice present for you!" + +"That is good," said the old man. He then washed his feet in a basin of +water and stepped up to the veranda. + +The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the +cupboard the big peach. It felt even heavier than before. She held it +up to him, saying: + +"Just look at this! Did you ever see such a large peach in all your +life?" + +When the old man looked at the peach he was greatly astonished and said: + +"This is indeed the largest peach I have ever seen! Wherever did you +buy it?" + +"I did not buy it," answered the old woman. "I found it in the river +where I was washing." And she told him the whole story. + +"I am very glad that you have found it. Let us eat it now, for I am +hungry," said the O Fii San. + +He brought out the kitchen knife, and, placing the peach on a board, +was about to cut it when, wonderful to tell, the peach split in two of +itself and a clear voice said: + +"Wait a bit, old man!" and out stepped a beautiful little child. + +The old man and his wife were both so astonished at what they saw that +they fell to the ground. The child spoke again: + +"Don't be afraid. I am no demon or fairy. I will tell you the truth. +Heaven has had compassion on you. Every day and every night you have +lamented that you had no child. Your cry has been heard and I am sent +to be the son of your old age!" + +On hearing this the old man and his wife were very happy. They had +cried night and day for sorrow at having no child to help them in their +lonely old age, and now that their prayer was answered they were so +lost with joy that they did not know where to put their hands or their +feet. First the old man took the child up in his arms, and then the old +woman did the same; and they named him MOMOTARO, OR SON OF A PEACH, +because he had come out of a peach. + +The years passed quickly by and the child grew to be fifteen years of +age. He was taller and far stronger than any other boys of his own age, +he had a handsome face and a heart full of courage, and he was very +wise for his years. The old couple's pleasure was very great when they +looked at him, for he was just what they thought a hero ought to be +like. + +One day Momotaro came to his foster-father and said solemnly: + +"Father, by a strange chance we have become father and son. Your +goodness to me has been higher than the mountain grasses which it was +your daily work to cut, and deeper than the river where my mother +washes the clothes. I do not know how to thank you enough." + +"Why," answered the old man, "it is a matter of course that a father +should bring up his son. When you are older it will be your turn to +take care of us, so after all there will be no profit or loss between +us--all will be equal. Indeed, I am rather surprised that you should +thank me in this way!" and the old man looked bothered. + +"I hope you will be patient with me," said Momotaro; "but before I +begin to pay back your goodness to me I have a request to make which I +hope you will grant me above everything else." + +"I will let you do whatever you wish, for you are quite different to +all other boys!" + +"Then let me go away at once!" + +"What do you say? Do you wish to leave your old father and mother and +go away from your old home?" + +"I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!" + +"Where are you going?" + +"You must think it strange that I want to go away," said Momotaro, +"because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to the +northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is the +stronghold of a band of devils. I have often heard how they invade this +land, kill and rob the people, and carry off all they can find. They +are not only very wicked but they are disloyal to our Emperor and +disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, for they kill and eat some +of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. +These devils are very hateful beings. I must go and conquer them and +bring back all the plunder of which they have robbed this land. It is +for this reason that I want to go away for a short time!" + +The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy of +fifteen. He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and +fearless, and besides all this, the old man knew he was no common +child, for he had been sent to them as a gift from Heaven, and he felt +quite sure that the devils would be powerless to harm him. + +"All you say is very interesting, Momotaro," said the old man. "I will +not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish. Go to the +island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and bring peace +to the land." + +"Thank you, for all your kindness," said Momotaro, who began to get +ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know what +fear was. + +The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the kitchen +mortar to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his journey. + +At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his long +journey. + +Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people +were filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said: + +"Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!" + +Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he was +coming back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely they +would be while he was away. But he said "Good-by!" quite bravely. + +"I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away. +Good-by!" And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes +of Momotaro and his parents met in farewell. + +Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel +hungry, so he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and sat +down under a tree by the side of the road to eat it. While he was thus +having his lunch a dog almost as large as a colt came running out from +the high grass. He made straight for Momotaro, and showing his teeth, +said in a fierce way: + +"You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission first. +If you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may go; +otherwise I will bite you till I kill you!" + +Momotaro only laughed scornfully: + +"What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro, and +I am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold in the +northeast of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I will cut +you in two from the head downwards!" + +The dog's manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs, +and coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground. + +"What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I have +often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I have +behaved in a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my rudeness? Are +you indeed on your way to invade the Island of Devils? If you will take +such a rude fellow with you as one of your followers, I shall be very +grateful to you." + +"I think I can take you with me if you wish to go," said Momotaro. + +"Thank you!" said the dog. "By the way, I am very very hungry. Will you +give me one of the cakes you are carrying?" + +"This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan," said Momotaro. "I +cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one." + +"Thank you very much," said the dog, taking the piece thrown to him. + +Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they walked +over the hills and through the valleys. As they were going along an +animal came down from a tree a little ahead of them. The creature soon +came up to Momotaro and said: + +"Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the country. +Will you allow me to go with you?" + +The dog answered jealously: + +"Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a monkey +like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils! Get away!" + +The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two animals +always hate each other. + +"Now, don't quarrel!" said Momotaro, putting himself between them. +"Wait a moment, dog!" + +"It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that +following you!" said the dog. + +"What do you know about it?" asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the dog, +he spoke to the monkey: + +"Who are you?" + +"I am a monkey living in these hills," replied the monkey. "I heard of +your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go with +you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!" + +"Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with me?" + +"Yes, sir," replied the monkey. + +"I admire your courage," said Momotaro. "Here is a piece of one of my +fine rice-cakes. Come along!" + +So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on +well together. They were always snapping at each other as they went +along, and always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very +cross, and at last he sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the +monkey behind with a sword, and he placed himself between them with a +war-fan, which is made of iron. + +By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and +alighted on the ground just in front of the little party. It was the +most beautiful bird Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five +different robes of feathers and its head was covered with a scarlet cap. + +The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But the +bird struck out its spurs and flew at the dog's tail, and the fight +went hard with both. + +Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it showed +so much spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good fighter. + +Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back, said +to the bird: + +"You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I +will take you with me. If you don't I will set this dog to bite your +head off!" + +Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into +Momotaro's company. + +"I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog, your +servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a +pheasant. It is very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to take +me with you. Please allow me to follow you behind the dog and the +monkey!" + +"I congratulate you on surrendering so soon," said Momotaro, smiling. +"Come and join us in our raid on the devils." + +"Are you going to take this bird with you also?" asked the dog, +interrupting. + +"Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn't you hear what I +said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!" + +"Humph!" said the dog. + +Then Momotaro stood and gave this order: + +"Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an army +is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that 'Advantage on earth is +better than advantage in Heaven!' Union amongst ourselves is better +than any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst ourselves it is +no easy thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you three, the dog, the +monkey and the pheasant, must be friends with one mind. The one who +first begins a quarrel will be discharged on the spot!" + +All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a +member of Momotaro's suite, and received half a cake. + +Momotaro's influence was so great that the three became good friends, +and hurried onwards with him as their leader. + +Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of the +North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the +horizon--not a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was the +rolling of the waves upon the shore. + +Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely all +the way through the long valleys and over the hills, but they had never +seen the sea before, and for the first time since they set out they +were bewildered and gazed at each other in silence. How were they to +cross the water and get to the Island of Devils? + +Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea, and +to try them he spoke loudly and roughly: + +"Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards you +are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me to +fight the demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I discharge +you all at once!" + +The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung to +Momotaro's sleeve, begging him not to send them away. + +"Please, Momotaro!" said the dog. + +"We have come thus far!" said the monkey. + +"It is inhuman to leave us here!" said the pheasant. + +"We are not at all afraid of the sea," said the monkey again. + +"Please do take us with you," said the pheasant. + +"Do please," said the dog. + +They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said: + +"Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!" + +Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind and +weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. It was +the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at first the +dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the waves and the +rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew accustomed to the water +and were quite happy again. Every day they paced the deck of their +little ship, eagerly looking out for the demons' island. + +When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all their +exploits of which they were proud, and then played games together; and +Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the three animals and +watching their antics, and in this way he forgot that the way was long +and that he was tired of the voyage and of doing nothing. He longed to +be at work killing the monsters who had done so much harm in his +country. + +As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made a +quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a sight of +land rewarded the four watchers at the bow. + +Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils' stronghold. On +the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large +castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in +thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should +begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for orders. +At last he called to the pheasant: + +"It is a great advantage for us to have you with us." said Momotaro to +the bird, "for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and +engage the demons to fight. We will follow you." + +The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the air +gladly with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took up his +position on the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out loudly: + +"All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro has +come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you wish to +save your lives surrender at once, and in token of your submission you +must break off the horns that grow on your forehead. If you do not +surrender at once, but make up your mind to fight, we, the pheasant, +the dog and the monkey, will kill you all by biting and tearing you to +death!" + +The horned demons looking up and only seeing a pheasant, laughed and +said: + +"A wild pheasant, indeed! It is ridiculous to hear such words from a +mean thing like you. Wait till you get a blow from one of our iron +bars!" + +Very angry, indeed, were the devils. They shook their horns and their +shocks of red hair fiercely, and rushed to put on tiger skin trousers +to make themselves look more terrible. They then brought out great iron +bars and ran to where the pheasant perched over their heads, and tried +to knock him down. The pheasant flew to one side to escape the blow, +and then attacked the head of first one and then another demon. He flew +round and round them, beating the air with his wings so fiercely and +ceaselessly, that the devils began to wonder whether they had to fight +one or many more birds. + +In the meantime, Momotaro had brought his ship to land. As they had +approached, he saw that the shore was like a precipice, and that the +large castle was surrounded by high walls and large iron gates and was +strongly fortified. + +Momotaro landed, and with the hope of finding some way of entrance, +walked up the path towards the top, followed by the monkey and the dog. +They soon came upon two beautiful damsels washing clothes in a stream. +Momotaro saw that the clothes were blood-stained, and that as the two +maidens washed, the tears were falling fast down their cheeks. He +stopped and spoke to them: + +"Who are you, and why do you weep?" + +"We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our homes +to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios (Lords), we +are obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill us"--and the +maidens held up the blood-stained clothes--"and eat us, and there is no +one to help us!" + +And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought. + +"I will rescue you," said Momotaro. "Do not weep any more, only show me +how I may get into the castle." + +Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back door +in the lowest part of the castle wall--so small that Momotaro could +hardly crawl in. + +The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and his +little band rush in at the back. + +Momotaro's onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand +against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the pheasant, +but now that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had arrived they were +bewildered, for the four enemies fought like a hundred, so strong were +they. Some of the devils fell off the parapet of the castle and were +dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath; others fell into the sea and +were drowned; many were beaten to death by the three animals. + +The chief of the devils at last was the only one left. He made up his +mind to surrender, for he knew that his enemy was stronger than mortal +man. + +He came up humbly to Momotaro and threw down his iron bar, and kneeling +down at the victor's feet he broke off the horns on his head in token +of submission, for they were the sign of his strength and power. + +"I am afraid of you," he said meekly. "I cannot stand against you. I +will give you all the treasure hidden in this castle if you will spare +my life!" + +Momotaro laughed. + +"It is not like you, big devil, to beg for mercy, is it? I cannot spare +your wicked life, however much you beg, for you have killed and +tortured many people and robbed our country for many years." + +Then Momotaro tied the devil chief up and gave him into the monkey's +charge. Having done this, he went into all the rooms of the castle and +set the prisoners free and gathered together all the treasure he found. + +The dog and the pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro +returned triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief as a +captive. + +The two poor damsels, daughters of Daimios, and others whom the wicked +demon had carried off to be his slaves, were taken safely to their own +homes and delivered to their parents. + +The whole country made a hero of Momotaro on his triumphant return, and +rejoiced that the country was now freed from the robber devils who had +been a terror of the land for a long time. + +The old couple's joy was greater than ever, and the treasure Momotaro +had brought home with him enabled them to live in peace and plenty to +the end of their days. + + + + +THE OGRE OF RASHOMON. + + +Long, long ago in Kyoto, the people of the city were terrified by +accounts of a dreadful ogre, who, it was said, haunted the Gate of +Rashomon at twilight and seized whoever passed by. The missing victims +were never seen again, so it was whispered that the ogre was a horrible +cannibal, who not only killed the unhappy victims but ate them also. +Now everybody in the town and neighborhood was in great fear, and no +one durst venture out after sunset near the Gate of Rashomon. + +Now at this time there lived in Kyoto a general named Raiko, who had +made himself famous for his brave deeds. Some time before this he made +the country ring with his name, for he had attacked Oeyama, where a +band of ogres lived with their chief, who instead of wine drank the +blood of human beings. He had routed them all and cut off the head of +the chief monster. + +This brave warrior was always followed by a band of faithful knights. +In this band there were five knights of great valor. One evening as the +five knights sat at a feast quaffing SAKE in their rice bowls and +eating all kinds of fish, raw, and stewed, and broiled, and toasting +each other's healths and exploits, the first knight, Hojo, said to the +others: + +"Have you all heard the rumor that every evening after sunset there +comes an ogre to the Gate of Rashomon, and that he seizes all who pass +by?" + +The second knight, Watanabe, answered him, saying: + +"Do not talk such nonsense! All the ogres were killed by our chief +Raiko at Oeyama! It cannot be true, because even if any ogres did +escape from that great killing they would not dare to show themselves +in this city, for they know that our brave master would at once attack +them if he knew that any of them were still alive!" + +"Then do you disbelieve what I say, and think that I am telling you a +falsehood?" + +"No, I do not think that you are telling a lie," said Watanabe; "but +you have heard some old woman's story which is not worth believing." + +"Then the best plan is to prove what I say, by going there yourself and +finding out yourself whether it is true or not," said Hojo. + +Watanabe, the second knight, could not bear the thought that his +companion should believe he was afraid, so he answered quickly: + +"Of course, I will go at once and find out for myself!" + +So Watanabe at once got ready to go--he buckled on his long sword and +put on a coat of armor, and tied on his large helmet. When he was ready +to start he said to the others: + +"Give me something so that I can prove I have been there!" + +Then one of the men got a roll of writing paper and his box of Indian +ink and brushes, and the four comrades wrote their names on a piece of +paper. + +"I will take this," said Watanabe, "and put it on the Gate of Rashomon, +so to-morrow morning will you all go and look at it? I may be able to +catch an ogre or two by then!" and he mounted his horse and rode off +gallantly. + +It was a very dark night, and there was neither moon nor star to light +Watanabe on his way. To make the darkness worse a storm came on, the +rain fell heavily and the wind howled like wolves in the mountains. Any +ordinary man would have trembled at the thought of going out of doors, +but Watanabe was a brave warrior and dauntless, and his honor and word +were at stake, so he sped on into the night, while his companions +listened to the sound of his horse's hoofs dying away in the distance, +then shut the sliding shutters close and gathered round the charcoal +fire and wondered what would happen--and whether their comrade would +encounter one of those horrible Oni. + +At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might +through the darkness he could see no sign of an ogre. + +"It is just as I thought," said Watanabe to himself; "there are +certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman's story. I will stick +this paper on the gate so that the others can see I have been here when +they come to-morrow, and then I will take my way home and laugh at them +all." + +He fastened the piece of paper, signed by all his four companions, on +the gate, and then turned his horse's head towards home. + +As he did so he became aware that some one was behind him, and at the +same time a voice called out to him to wait. Then his helmet was seized +from the back. "Who are you?" said Watanabe fearlessly. He then put out +his hand and groped around to find out who or what it was that held him +by the helmet. As he did so he touched something that felt like an +arm--it was covered with hair and as big round as the trunk of a tree! + +Watanabe knew at once that this was the arm of an ogre, so he drew his +sword and cut at it fiercely. + +There was a loud yell of pain, and then the ogre dashed in front of the +warrior. + +Watanabe's eyes grew large with wonder, for he saw that the ogre was +taller than the great gate, his eyes were flashing like mirrors in the +sunlight, and his huge mouth was wide open, and as the monster +breathed, flames of fire shot out of his mouth. + +The ogre thought to terrify his foe, but Watanabe never flinched. He +attacked the ogre with all his strength, and thus they fought face to +face for a long time. At last the ogre, finding that he could neither +frighten nor beat Watanabe and that he might himself be beaten, took to +flight. But Watanabe, determined not to let the monster escape, put +spurs to his horse and gave chase. + +But though the knight rode very fast the ogre ran faster, and to his +disappointment he found himself unable to overtake the monster, who was +gradually lost to sight. + +Watanabe returned to the gate where the fierce fight had taken place, +and got down from his horse. As he did so he stumbled upon something +lying on the ground. + +Stooping to pick it up he found that it was one of the ogre's huge arms +which he must have slashed off in the fight. His joy was great at +having secured such a prize, for this was the best of all proofs of his +adventure with the ogre. So he took it up carefully and carried it home +as a trophy of his victory. + +When he got back, he showed the arm to his comrades, who one and all +called him the hero of their band and gave him a great feast. His +wonderful deed was soon noised abroad in Kyoto, and people from far and +near came to see the ogre's arm. + +Watanabe now began to grow uneasy as to how he should keep the arm in +safety, for he knew that the ogre to whom it belonged was still alive. +He felt sure that one day or other, as soon as the ogre got over his +scare, he would come to try to get his arm back again. Watanabe +therefore had a box made of the strongest wood and banded with iron. In +this he placed the arm, and then he sealed down the heavy lid, refusing +to open it for anyone. He kept the box in his own room and took charge +of it himself, never allowing it out of his sight. + +Now one night he heard some one knocking at the porch, asking for +admittance. + +When the servant went to the door to see who it was, there was only an +old woman, very respectable in appearance. On being asked who she was +and what was her business, the old woman replied with a smile that she +had been nurse to the master of the house when he was a little baby. If +the lord of the house were at home she begged to be allowed to see him. + +The servant left the old woman at the door and went to tell his master +that his old nurse had come to see him. Watanabe thought it strange +that she should come at that time of night, but at the thought of his +old nurse, who had been like a foster-mother to him and whom he had not +seen for a long time, a very tender feeling sprang up for her in his +heart. He ordered the servant to show her in. + +The old woman was ushered into the room, and after the customary bows +and greetings were over, she said: + +"Master, the report of your brave fight with the ogre at the Gate of +Rashomon is so widely known that even your poor old nurse has heard of +it. Is it really true, what every one says, that you cut off one of the +ogre's arms? If you did, your deed is highly to be praised!" + +"I was very disappointed," said Watanabe, "that I was not able take the +monster captive, which was what I wished to do, instead of only cutting +off an arm!" + +"I am very proud to think," answered the old woman, "that my master was +so brave as to dare to cut off an ogre's arm. There is nothing that can +be compared to your courage. Before I die it is the great wish of my +life to see this arm," she added pleadingly. + +"No," said Watanabe, "I am sorry, but I cannot grant your request." + +"But why?" asked the old woman. + +"Because," replied Watanabe, "ogres are very revengeful creatures, and +if I open the box there is no telling but that the ogre may suddenly +appear and carry off his arm. I have had a box made on purpose with a +very strong lid, and in this box I keep the ogre's arm secure; and I +never show it to any one, whatever happens." + +"Your precaution is very reasonable," said the old woman. "But I am +your old nurse, so surely you will not refuse to show ME the arm. I +have only just heard of your brave act, and not being able to wait till +the morning I came at once to ask you to show it to me." + +Watanabe was very troubled at the old woman's pleading, but he still +persisted in refusing. Then the old woman said: + +"Do you suspect me of being a spy sent by the ogre?" + +"No, of course I do not suspect you of being the ogre's spy, for you +are my old nurse," answered Watanabe. + +"Then you cannot surely refuse to show me the arm any longer." +entreated the old woman; "for it is the great wish of my heart to see +for once in my life the arm of an ogre!" + +Watanabe could not hold out in his refusal any longer, so he gave in at +last, saying: + +"Then I will show you the ogre's arm, since you so earnestly wish to +see it. Come, follow me!" and he led the way to his own room, the old +woman following. + +When they were both in the room Watanabe shut the door carefully, and +then going towards a big box which stood in a corner of the room, he +took off the heavy lid. He then called to the old woman to come near +and look in, for he never took the arm out of the box. + +"What is it like? Let me have a good look at it," said the old nurse, +with a joyful face. + +She came nearer and nearer, as if she were afraid, till she stood right +against the box. Suddenly she plunged her hand into the box and seized +the arm, crying with a fearful voice which made the room shake: + +"Oh, joy! I have got my arm back again!" + +And from an old woman she was suddenly transformed into the towering +figure of the frightful ogre! + +Watanabe sprang back and was unable to move for a moment, so great was +his astonishment; but recognizing the ogre who had attacked him at the +Gate of Rashomon, he determined with his usual courage to put an end to +him this time. He seized his sword, drew it out of its sheath in a +flash, and tried to cut the ogre down. + +So quick was Watanabe that the creature had a narrow escape. But the +ogre sprang up to the ceiling, and bursting through the roof, +disappeared in the mist and clouds. + +In this way the ogre escaped with his arm. The knight gnashed his teeth +with disappointment, but that was all he could do. He waited in +patience for another opportunity to dispatch the ogre. But the latter +was afraid of Watanabe's great strength and daring, and never troubled +Kyoto again. So once more the people of the city were able to go out +without fear even at night time, and the brave deeds of Watanabe have +never been forgotten! + + + + +HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN. + + +Many, many years ago there lived a good old man who had a wen like a +tennis-ball growing out of his right cheek. This lump was a great +disfigurement to the old man, and so annoyed him that for many years he +spent all his time and money in trying to get rid of it. He tried +everything he could think of. He consulted many doctors far and near, +and took all kinds of medicines both internally and externally. But it +was all of no use. The lump only grew bigger and bigger till it was +nearly as big as his face, and in despair he gave up all hopes of ever +losing it, and resigned himself to the thought of having to carry the +lump on his face all his life. + +One day the firewood gave out in his kitchen, so, as his wife wanted +some at once, the old man took his ax and set out for the woods up +among the hills not very far from his home. It was a fine day in the +early autumn, and the old man enjoyed the fresh air and was in no hurry +to get home. So the whole afternoon passed quickly while he was +chopping wood, and he had collected a goodly pile to take back to his +wife. When the day began to draw to a close, he turned his face +homewards. + +The old man had not gone far on his way down the mountain pass when the +sky clouded and rain began to fall heavily. He looked about for some +shelter, but there was not even a charcoal-burner's hut near. At last +he espied a large hole in the hollow trunk of a tree. The hole was near +the ground, so he crept in easily, and sat down in hopes that he had +only been overtaken by a mountain shower, and that the weather would +soon clear. + +But much to the old man's disappointment, instead of clearing the rain +fell more and more heavily, and finally a heavy thunderstorm broke over +the mountain. The thunder roared so terrifically, and the heavens +seemed to be so ablaze with lightning, that the old man could hardly +believe himself to be alive. He thought that he must die of fright. At +last, however, the sky cleared, and the whole country was aglow in the +rays of the setting sun. The old man's spirits revived when he looked +out at the beautiful twilight, and he was about to step out from his +strange hiding-place in the hollow tree when the sound of what seemed +like the approaching steps of several people caught his ear. He at once +thought that his friends had come to look for him, and he was delighted +at the idea of having some jolly companions with whom to walk home. But +on looking out from the tree, what was his amazement to see, not his +friends, but hundreds of demons coming towards the spot. The more he +looked, the greater was his astonishment. Some of these demons were as +large as giants, others had great big eyes out of all proportion to the +rest of their bodies, others again had absurdly long noses, and some +had such big mouths that they seemed to open from ear to ear. All had +horns growing on their foreheads. The old man was so surprised at what +he saw that he lost his balance and fell out of the hollow tree. +Fortunately for him the demons did not see him, as the tree was in the +background. So he picked himself up and crept back into the tree. + +While he was sitting there and wondering impatiently when he would be +able to get home, he heard the sounds of gay music, and then some of +the demons began to sing. + +"What are these creatures doing?" said the old man to himself. "I will +look out, it sounds very amusing." + +On peeping out, the old man saw that the demon chief himself was +actually sitting with his back against the tree in which he had taken +refuge, and all the other demons were sitting round, some drinking and +some dancing. Food and wine was spread before them on the ground, and +the demons were evidently having a great entertainment and enjoying +themselves immensely. + +It made the old man laugh to see their strange antics. + +"How amusing this is!" laughed the old man to himself "I am now quite +old, but I have never seen anything so strange in all my life." + +He was so interested and excited in watching all that the demons were +doing, that he forgot himself and stepped out of the tree and stood +looking on. + +The demon chief was just taking a big cup of SAKE and watching one of +the demons dancing. In a little while he said with a bored air: + +"Your dance is rather monotonous. I am tired of watching it. Isn't +there any one amongst you all who can dance better than this fellow?" + +Now the old man had been fond of dancing all his life, and was quite an +expert in the art, and he knew that he could do much better than the +demon. + +"Shall I go and dance before these demons and let them see what a human +being can do? It may be dangerous, for if I don't please them they may +kill me!" said the old fellow to himself. + +His fears, however, were soon overcome by his love of dancing. In a few +minutes he could restrain himself no longer, and came out before the +whole party of demons and began to dance at once. The old man, +realizing that his life probably depended on whether he pleased these +strange creatures or not, exerted his skill and wit to the utmost. + +The demons were at first very surprised to see a man so fearlessly +taking part in their entertainment, and then their surprise soon gave +place to admiration. + +"How strange!" exclaimed the horned chief. "I never saw such a skillful +dancer before! He dances admirably!" + +When the old man had finished his dance, the big demon said: + +"Thank you very much for your amusing dance. Now give us the pleasure +of drinking a cup of wine with us," and with these words he handed him +his largest wine-cup. + +The old man thanked him very humbly: + +"I did not expect such kindness from your lordship. I fear I have only +disturbed your pleasant party by my unskillful dancing." + +"No, no," answered the big demon. "You must come often and dance for +us. Your skill has given us much pleasure." + +The old man thanked him again and promised to do so. + +"Then will you come again to-morrow, old man?" asked the demon. + +"Certainly, I will," answered the old man. + +"Then you must leave some pledge of your word with us," said the demon. + +"Whatever you like," said the old man. + +"Now what is the best thing he can leave with us as a pledge?" asked +the demon, looking round. + +Then said one of the demon's attendants kneeling behind the chief: + +"The token he leaves with us must be the most important thing to him in +his possession. I see the old man has a wen on his right cheek. Now +mortal men consider such a wen very fortunate. Let my lord take the +lump from the old man's right cheek, and he will surely come to-morrow, +if only to get that back." + +"You are very clever," said the demon chief, giving his horns an +approving nod. Then he stretched out a hairy arm and claw-like hand, +and took the great lump from the old man's right cheek. Strange to say, +it came off as easily as a ripe plum from the tree at the demon's +touch, and then the merry troop of demons suddenly vanished. + +The old man was lost in bewilderment by all that had happened. He +hardly knew for some time where he was. When he came to understand what +had happened to him, he was delighted to find that the lump on his +face, which had for so many years disfigured him, had really been taken +away without any pain to himself. He put up his hand to feel if any +scar remained, but found that his right cheek was as smooth as his left. + +The sun had long set, and the young moon had risen like a silver +crescent in the sky. The old man suddenly realized how late it was and +began to hurry home. He patted his right cheek all the time, as if to +make sure of his good fortune in having lost the wen. He was so happy +that he found it impossible to walk quietly--he ran and danced the +whole way home. + +He found his wife very anxious, wondering what had happened to make him +so late. He soon told her all that had passed since he left home that +afternoon. She was quite as happy as her husband when he showed her +that the ugly lump had disappeared from his face, for in her youth she +had prided herself on his good looks, and it had been a daily grief to +her to see the horrid growth. + +Now next door to this good old couple there lived a wicked and +disagreeable old man. He, too, had for many years been troubled with +the growth of a wen on his left cheek, and he, too, had tried all +manner of things to get rid of it, but in vain. + +He heard at once, through the servant, of his neighbor's good luck in +losing the lump on his face, so he called that very evening and asked +his friend to tell him everything that concerned the loss of it. The +good old man told his disagreeable neighbor all that had happened to +him. He described the place where he would find the hollow tree in +which to hide, and advised him to be on the spot in the late afternoon +towards the time of sunset. + +The old neighbor started out the very next afternoon, and after hunting +about for some time, came to the hollow tree just as his friend had +described. Here he hid himself and waited for the twilight. + +Just as he had been told, the band of demons came at that hour and held +a feast with dance and song. When this had gone on for some time the +chief of the demons looked around and said: + +"It is now time for the old man to come as he promised us. Why doesn't +he come?" + +When the second old man heard these words he ran out of his +hiding-place in the tree and, kneeling down before the Oni, said: + +"I have been waiting for a long time for you to speak!" + +"Ah, you are the old man of yesterday," said the demon chief. "Thank +you for coming, you must dance for us soon." + +The old man now stood up and opened his fan and began to dance. But he +had never learned to dance, and knew nothing about the necessary +gestures and different positions. He thought that anything would please +the demons, so he just hopped about, waving his arms and stamping his +feet, imitating as well as he could any dancing he had ever seen. + +The Oni were very dissatisfied at this exhibition, and said amongst +themselves: + +"How badly he dances to-day!" + +Then to the old man the demon chief said: + +"Your performance to-day is quite different from the dance of +yesterday. We don't wish to see any more of such dancing. We will give +you back the pledge you left with us. You must go away at once." + +With these words he took out from a fold of his dress the lump which he +had taken from the face of the old man who had danced so well the day +before, and threw it at the right cheek of the old man who stood before +him. The lump immediately attached itself to his cheek as firmly as if +it had grown there always, and all attempts to pull it off were +useless. The wicked old man, instead of losing the lump on his left +cheek as he had hoped, found to his dismay that he had but added +another to his right cheek in his attempt to get rid of the first. + +He put up first one hand and then the other to each side of his face to +make sure if he were not dreaming a horrible nightmare. No, sure enough +there was now a great wen on the right side of his face as on the left. +The demons had all disappeared, and there was nothing for him to do but +to return home. He was a pitiful sight, for his face, with the two +large lumps, one on each side, looked just like a Japanese gourd. + + + + +THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. + +AN OLD CHINESE STORY. + + +Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her +brother the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress +Jokwa, for that was her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as tall +as her brother. She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler. There is +an interesting story of how she mended a part of the broken heavens and +one of the terrestrial pillars which upheld the sky, both of which were +damaged during a rebellion raised by one of King Fuki's subjects. + +The rebel's name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body was +entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. He was a +wizard and a very terrible character indeed. When the Emperor Fuki +died, Kokai was bitten with the ambition to be Emperor of China, but +his plan failed, and Jokwa, the dead Emperor's sister, mounted the +throne. Kokai was so angry at being thwarted in his desire that he +raised a revolt. His first act was to employ the Water Devil, who +caused a great flood to rush over the country. This swamped the poor +people out of their homes, and when the Empress Jokwa saw the plight of +her subjects, and knew it was Kokai's fault, she declared war against +him. + +Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, +and the former she made General of the front forces. Hako was delighted +that the Empress's choice should fall on him, and he prepared himself +for battle. He took up the longest lance he could find and mounted a +red horse, and was just about to set out when he heard some one +galloping hard behind him and shouting: + +"Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!" + +He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in +the act of unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako's anger was +kindled, and as he turned to face his rival he cried: + +"Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the +front forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?" + +"Yes," answered Eiko. "I ought to lead the army. It is you who should +follow me." + +At this bold reply Hako's anger burst from a spark into a flame. + +"Dare you answer me thus? Take that," and he lunged at him with his +lance. + +But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his sword, +he wounded the head of the General's horse. Obliged to dismount, Hako +was about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as quick as lightning, +tore from his breast the badge of commandership and galloped away. The +action was so quick that Hako stood dazed, not knowing what to do. + +The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but +admire the quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify the +rivals she determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of the +front army. + +So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and Eiko +of the right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and marched +to put down the rebel Kokai. + +Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai had +fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard said: + +"I will blow these two poor children away with one breath." (He little +thought how hard he would find the fight.) + +With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, +and rushed forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes. + +As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said to +each other: "We must not let him escape alive," and they attacked him +from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But the +all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten--he whirled his iron rod +round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they fought thus, +neither side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the wizard's iron +rod, Hako turned his horse too quickly; the animal's hoofs struck +against a large stone, and in a fright the horse reared as straight on +end as a screen, throwing his master to the ground. + +Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the +prostrate Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the +brave Eiko had wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to try +his strength with him, and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai was +tired, and he did not feel inclined to face this fresh and dauntless +young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse round, he fled from the +fray. + +Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon his +feet, and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, the one +on foot and the other on horseback. + +Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest assailant, +who was, of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth an arrow from +the quiver at his back, fitted it to his bow and drew upon Eiko. + +As quick as lightning the wary Eiko avoided the shaft, which only +touched his helmet strings, and glancing off, fell harmless against +Hako's coat of armor. + +The wizard saw that both his enemies remained unscathed. He also knew +that there was no time to pull a second arrow before they would be upon +him, so to save himself he resorted to magic. He stretched forth his +wand, and immediately a great flood arose, and Jokwa's army and her +brave young Generals were swept away like a falling of autumn leaves on +a stream. + +Hako and Eiko found themselves struggling neck deep in water, and +looking round they saw the ferocious Kokai making towards them through +the water with his iron rod on high. They thought every moment that +they would be cut down, but they bravely struck out to swim as far as +they could from Kokai's reach. All of a sudden they found themselves in +front of what seemed to be an island rising straight out of the water. +They looked up, and there stood an old man with hair as white as snow, +smiling at them. They cried to him to help them. The old man nodded his +head and came down to the edge of the water. As soon as his feet +touched the flood it divided, and a good road appeared, to the +amazement of the drowning men, who now found themselves safe. + +Kokai had by this time reached the island which had risen as if by a +miracle out of the water, and seeing his enemies thus saved he was +furious. He rushed through the water upon the old man, and it seemed as +if he would surely be killed. But the old man appeared not in the least +dismayed, and calmly awaited the wizard's onslaught. + +As Kokai drew near, the old man laughed aloud merrily, and turning into +a large and beautiful white crane, flapped his wings and flew upwards +into the heavens. + +When Hako and Eiko saw this, they knew that their deliverer was no mere +human being--was perhaps a god in disguise--and they hoped later on to +find out who the venerable old man was. + +In the meantime they had retreated, and it being now the close of day, +for the sun was setting, both Kokai and the young warriors gave up the +idea of fighting more that day. + +That night Hako and Eiko decided that it was useless to fight against +the wizard Kokai, for he had supernatural powers, while they were only +human. So they presented themselves before the Empress Jokwa. After a +long consultation, the Empress decided to ask the Fire King, Shikuyu, +to help her against the rebel wizard and to lead her army against him. + +Now Shikuyu, the Fire King, lived at the South Pole. It was the only +safe place for him to be in, for he burnt up everything around him +anywhere else, but it was impossible to burn up ice and snow. To look +at he was a giant, and stood thirty feet high. His face was just like +marble, and his hair and beard long and as white as snow. His strength +was stupendous, and he was master of all fire just as Kokai was of +water. + +"Surely," thought the Empress, "Shikuyu can conquer Kokai." So she sent +Eiko to the South Pole to beg Shikuyu to take the war against Kokai +into his own hands and conquer him once for all. + +The Fire King, on hearing the Empress's request, smiled and said: + +"That is an easy matter, to be sure! It was none other than I who came +to your rescue when you and your companion were drowning in the flood +raised by Kokai!" + +Eiko was surprised at learning this. He thanked the Fire King for +coming to the rescue in their dire need, and then besought him to +return with him and lead the war and defeat the wicked Kokai. + +Shikuyu did as he was asked, and returned with Eiko to the Empress. She +welcomed the Fire King cordially, and at once told him why she had sent +for him--to ask him to be the Generalissimo of her army. His reply was +very reassuring: + +"Do not have any anxiety. I will certainly kill Kokai." + +Shikuyu then placed himself at the head of thirty thousand soldiers, +and with Hako and Eiko showing him the way, marched to the enemy's +castle. The Fire King knew the secret of Kokai's power, and he now told +all the soldiers to gather a certain kind of shrub. This they burned in +large quantities, and each soldier was then ordered to fill a bag full +of the ashes thus obtained. + +Kokai, on the other hand, in his own conceit, thought that Shikuyu was +of inferior power to himself, and he murmured angrily: + +"Even though you are the Fire King, I can soon extinguish you." + +Then he repeated an incantation, and the water-floods rose and welled +as high as mountains. Shikuyu, not in the least frightened, ordered his +soldiers to scatter the ashes which he had caused them to make. Every +man did as he was bid, and such was the power of the plant that they +had burned, that as soon as the ashes mingled with the water a stiff +mud was formed, and they were all safe from drowning. + +Now Kokai the wizard was dismayed when he saw that the Fire King was +superior in wisdom to himself, and his anger was so great that he +rushed headlong towards the enemy. + +Eiko rode to meet him, and the two fought together for some time. They +were well matched in a hand-to-hand combat. Hako, who was carefully +watching the fray, saw that Eiko began to tire, and fearing that his +companion would be killed, he took his place. + +But Kokai had tired as well, and feeling him self unable to hold out +against Hako, he said artfully: + +"You are too magnanimous, thus to fight for your friend and run the +risk of being killed. I will not hurt such a good man." + +And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. His +intention was to throw Hako off his guard and then to wheel round and +take him by surprise. + +But Shikuyu understood the wily wizard, and he spoke at once: + +"You are a coward! You cannot deceive me!" + +Saying this, the Fire King made a sign to the unwary Hako to attack +him. Kokai now turned upon Shikuyu furiously, but he was tired and +unable to fight well, and he soon received a wound in his shoulder. He +now broke from the fray and tried to escape in earnest. + +While the fight between their leaders had been going on the two armies +had stood waiting for the issue. Shikuyu now turned and bade Jokwa's +soldiers charge the enemy's forces. This they did, and routed them with +great slaughter, and the wizard barely escaped with his life. + +It was in vain that Kokai called upon the Water Devil to help him, for +Shikuyu knew the counter-charm. The wizard found that the battle was +against him. Mad with pain, for his wound began to trouble him, and +frenzied with disappointment and fear, he dashed his head against the +rocks of Mount Shu and died on the spot. + +There was an end of the wicked Kokai, but not of trouble in the Empress +Jokwa's Kingdom, as you shall see. The force with which the wizard fell +against the rocks was so great that the mountain burst, and fire rushed +out from the earth, and one of the pillars upholding the Heavens was +broken so that one corner of the sky dropped till it touched the earth. + +Shikuyu, the Fire King, took up the body of the wizard and carried it +to the Empress Jokwa, who rejoiced greatly that her enemy was +vanquished, and her generals victorious. She showered all manner of +gifts and honors upon Shikuyu. + +But all this time fire was bursting from the mountain broken by the +fall of Kokai. Whole villages were destroyed, rice-fields burnt up, +river beds filled with the burning lava, and the homeless people were +in great distress. So the Empress left the capital as soon as she had +rewarded the victor Shikuyu, and journeyed with all speed to the scene +of disaster. She found that both Heaven and earth had sustained damage, +and the place was so dark that she had to light her lamp to find out +the extent of the havoc that had been wrought. + +Having ascertained this, she set to work at repairs. To this end she +ordered her subjects to collect stones of five colors--blue, yellow, +red, white and black. When she had obtained these, she boiled them with +a kind of porcelain in a large caldron, and the mixture became a +beautiful paste, and with this she knew that she could mend the sky. +Now all was ready. + +Summoning the clouds that were sailing ever so high above her head, she +mounted them, and rode heavenwards, carrying in her hands the vase +containing the paste made from the stones of five colors. She soon +reached the corner of the sky that was broken, and applied the paste +and mended it. Having done this, she turned her attention to the broken +pillar, and with the legs of a very large tortoise she mended it. When +this was finished she mounted the clouds and descended to the earth, +hoping to find that all was now right, but to her dismay she found that +it was still quite dark. Neither the sun shone by day nor the moon by +night. + +Greatly perplexed, she at last called a meeting of all the wise men of +the Kingdom, and asked their advice as to what she should do in this +dilemma. + +Two of the wisest said: + +"The roads of Heaven have been damaged by the late accident, and the +Sun and Moon have been obliged to stay at home. Neither the Sun could +make his daily journey nor the Moon her nightly one because of the bad +roads. The Sun and Moon do not yet know that your Majesty has mended +all that was damaged, so we will go and inform them that since you have +repaired them the roads are safe." + +The Empress approved of what the wise men suggested, and ordered them +to set out on their mission. But this was not easy, for the Palace of +the Sun and Moon was many, many hundreds of thousands of miles distant +into the East. If they traveled on foot they might never reach the +place, they would die of old age on the road. But Jokwa had recourse to +magic. She gave her two ambassadors wonderful chariots which could +whirl through the air by magic power a thousand miles per minute. They +set out in good spirits, riding above the clouds, and after many days +they reached the country where the Sun and the Moon were living happily +together. + +The two ambassadors were granted an interview with their Majesties of +Light and asked them why they had for so many days secluded themselves +from the Universe? Did they not know that by doing so they plunged the +world and all its people into uttermost darkness both day and night? + +Replied the Sun and the Moon: + +"Surely you know that Mount Shu has suddenly burst forth with fire, and +the roads of Heaven have been greatly damaged! I, the Sun, found it +impossible to make my daily journey along such rough roads--and +certainly the Moon could not issue forth at night! so we both retired +into private life for a time." + +Then the two wise men bowed themselves to the ground and said: + +"Our Empress Jokwa has already repaired the roads with the wonderful +stones of five colors, so we beg to assure your Majesties that the +roads are just as they were before the eruption took place." + +But the Sun and the Moon still hesitated, saying that they had heard +that one of the pillars of Heaven had been broken as well, and they +feared that, even if the roads had been remade, it would still be +dangerous for them to sally forth on their usual journeys. + +"You need have no anxiety about the broken pillar," said the two +ambassadors. "Our Empress restored it with the legs of a great +tortoise, and it is as firm as ever it was." + +Then the Sun and Moon appeared satisfied, and they both set out to try +the roads. They found that what the Empress's deputies had told them +was correct. + +After the examination of the heavenly roads, the Sun and Moon again +gave light to the earth. All the people rejoiced greatly, and peace and +prosperity were secured in China for a long time under the reign of the +wise Empress Jokwa. + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE FAIRY TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 4018.txt or 4018.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/4018/ + +Produced by Charles Franks, Greg Weeks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. 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O. + +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +PREFACE. + +This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a +suggestion made to me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew +Lang. They have been translated from the modern version written by +Sadanami Sanjin. These stories are not literal translations, and +though the Japanese story and all quaint Japanese expressions have +been faithfully preserved, they have been told more with the view to +interest young readers of the West than the technical student of +folk-lore. + +Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, +my brother Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko +Yamao, who have helped me with translations. + +The story which I have named "The Story of the Man who did not Wish +to Die" is taken from a little book written a hundred years ago by +one Shinsui Tamenaga. It is named Chosei Furo, or "Longevity." "The +Bamboo-cutter and the Moon-child" is taken from the classic +"Taketari Monogatari," and is NOT classed by the Japanese among +their fairy tales, though it really belongs to this class of +literature. + +The pictures were drawn by Mr. Kakuzo Fujiyama, a Tokio artist. + +In telling these stories in English I have followed my fancy in +adding such touches of local color or description as they seemed to +need or as pleased me, and in one or two instances I have gathered +in an incident from another version. At all times, among my friends, +both young and old, English or American, I have always found eager +listeners to the beautiful legends and fairy tales of Japan, and in +telling them I have also found that they were still unknown to the +vast majority, and this has encouraged me to write them for the +children of the West. + +Y. T. O. + +Tokio, 1908. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +MY LORD BAG OF RICE + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW + +THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD + +THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + +THE "shinansha," OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE + +THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY + +THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE + +THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE + +THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD + +THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA + +THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA + +THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR + +THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER + +THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER + +THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY + +THE QUARREL OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB + +THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + +THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE + +MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH + +THE OGRE OF RASHOMON + +HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN + +THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA + + + + + + +JAPANESE FAIRY TALES. + + + + +MY LORD BAG OF RICE. + + +Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as +Tawara Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice." His true name was Fujiwara +Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to +change his name. + +One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the +nature of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on +his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his +hand, and slinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not +gone far when he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one +end of the beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the +bridge than he saw lying right across his path a huge serpent- +dragon. Its body was so big that it looked like the trunk of a large +pine tree and it took up the whole width of the bridge. One of its +huge claws rested on the parapet of one side of the bridge, while +its tail lay right against the other. The monster seemed to be +asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke came out of its nostrils. + +At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of +this horrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn +back or walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and +putting aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he +stepped now on the dragon's body, now between its coils, and without +even one glance backward he went on his way. + +He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him from +behind. On turning back he was much surprised to see that the +monster dragon had entirely disappeared and in its place was a +strange-looking man, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the +ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders and was surmounted +by a crown in the shape of a dragon's head, and his sea-green dress +was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no +ordinary mortal and he wondered much at the strange occurrence. +Where had the dragon gone in such a short space of time? Or had it +transformed itself into this man, and what did the whole thing mean? +While these thoughts passed through his mind he had come up to the +man on the bridge and now addressed him: + +"Was it you that called me just now?" + +"Yes, it was I," answered the man: "I have an earnest request to +make to you. Do you think you can grant it to me?" + +"If it is in my power to do so I will," answered Hidesato, "but +first tell me who you are?" + +"I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters +just under this bridge." + +"And what is it you have to ask of me!" said Hidesato. + +"I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the +mountain beyond," and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on the +opposite shore of the lake. + +"I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large +family of children and grand-children. For some time past we have +lived in terror, for a monster centipede has discovered our home, +and night after night it comes and carries off one of my family. I +am powerless to save them. If it goes on much longer like this, not +only shall I lose all my children, but I myself must fall a victim +to the monster. I am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I +determined to ask the help of a human being. For many days with this +intention I have waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible +serpent-dragon that you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man +would come along. But all who came this way, as soon as they saw me +were terrified and ran away as fast as they could. You are the first +man I have found able to look at me without fear, so I knew at once +that you were a man of great courage. I beg you to have pity upon +me. Will you not help me and kill my enemy the centipede?" + +Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, +and readily promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior +asked where the centipede lived, so that he might attack the +creature at once. The Dragon King replied that its home was on the +mountain Mikami, but that as it came every night at a certain hour +to the palace of the lake, it would be better to wait till then. So +Hidesato was conducted to the palace of the Dragon King, under the +bridge. Strange to say, as he followed his host downwards the waters +parted to let them pass, and his clothes did not even feel damp as +he passed through the flood. Never had Hidesato seen anything so +beautiful as this palace built of white marble beneath the lake. He +had often heard of the Sea King's palace at the bottom of the sea, +where all the servants and retainers were salt-water fishes, but +here was a magnificent building in the heart of Lake Biwa. The +dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout, waited upon the +Dragon King and his guest. + +Hidesato was astonished at the feast that was spread for him. The +dishes were crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the +chopsticks were of the rarest ebony. As soon as they sat down, the +sliding doors opened and ten lovely goldfish dancers came out, and +behind them followed ten red-carp musicians with the koto and the +samisen. Thus the hours flew by till midnight, and the beautiful +music and dancing had banished all thoughts of the centipede. The +Dragon King was about to pledge the warrior in a fresh cup of wine +when the palace was suddenly shaken by a tramp, tramp! as if a +mighty army had begun to march not far away. + +Hidesato and his host both rose to their feet and rushed to the +balcony, and the warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great +balls of glowing fire coming nearer and nearer. The Dragon King +stood by the warrior's side trembling with fear. + +"The centipede! The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its eyes. +It is coming for its prey! Now is the time to kill it." + +Hidesato looked where his host pointed, and, in the dim light of the +starlit evening, behind the two balls of fire he saw the long body +of an enormous centipede winding round the mountains, and the light +in its hundred feet glowed like so many distant lanterns moving +slowly towards the shore. + +Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried to calm the +Dragon King. + +"Don't be afraid. I shall surely kill the centipede. Just bring me +my bow and arrows." + +The Dragon King did as he was bid, and the warrior noticed that he +had only three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow, and +fitting an arrow to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. + +The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, but +instead of penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell to the +ground. + +Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted it to the notch +of the bow and let fly. Again the arrow hit the mark, it struck the +centipede right in the middle of its head, only to glance off and +fall to the ground. The centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When +the Dragon King saw that even this brave warrior's arrows were +powerless to kill the centipede, he lost heart and began to tremble +with fear. + +The warrior saw that he had now only one arrow left in his quiver, +and if this one failed he could not kill the centipede. He looked +across the waters. The huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven +times round the mountain and would soon come down to the lake. +Nearer and nearer gleamed fireballs of eyes, and the light of its +hundred feet began to throw reflections in the still waters of the +lake. + +Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that human +saliva was deadly to centipedes. But this was no ordinary centipede. +This was so monstrous that even to think of such a creature made one +creep with horror. Hidesato determined to try his last chance. So +taking his last arrow and first putting the end of it in his mouth, +he fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim once more and let +fly. + +This time the arrow again hit the centipede right in the middle of +its head, but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it +struck home to the creature's brain. Then with a convulsive shudder +the serpentine body stopped moving, and the fiery light of its great +eyes and hundred feet darkened to a dull glare like the sunset of a +stormy day, and then went out in blackness. A great darkness now +overspread the heavens, the thunder rolled and the lightning +flashed, and the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if the world +were coming to an end. The Dragon King and his children and +retainers all crouched in different parts of the palace, frightened +to death, for the building was shaken to its foundation. At last the +dreadful night was over. Day dawned beautiful and clear. The +centipede was gone from the mountain. + +Then Hidesato called to the Dragon King to come out with him on the +balcony, for the centipede was dead and he had nothing more to fear. + +Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy, and +Hidesato pointed to the lake. There lay the body of the dead +centipede floating on the water, which was dyed red with its blood. + +The gratitude of the Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family +came and bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver +and the bravest warrior in all Japan. + +Another feast was prepared, more sumptuous than the first. All kinds +of fish, prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed, boiled and +roasted, served on coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before +him, and the wine was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in his +life. To add to the beauty of everything the sun shone brightly, the +lake glittered like a liquid diamond, and the palace was a thousand +times more beautiful by day than by night. + +His host tried to persuade the warrior to stay a few days, but +Hidesato insisted on going home, saying that he had now finished +what he had come to do, and must return. The Dragon King and his +family were all very sorry to have him leave so soon, but since he +would go they begged him to accept a few small presents (so they +said) in token of their gratitude to him for delivering them forever +from their horrible enemy the centipede. + +As the warrior stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish was +suddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial +robes and dragon's crowns on their heads to show that they were +servants of the great Dragon King. The presents that they carried +were as follows: + + First, a large bronze bell. + Second, a bag of rice. + Third, a roll of silk. + Fourth, a cooking pot. + Fifth, a bell. + +Hidesato did not want to accept all these presents, but as the +Dragon King insisted, he could not well refuse. + +The Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the +bridge, and then took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, +leaving the procession of servants to accompany Hidesato to his +house with the presents. + +The warrior's household and servants had been very much concerned +when they found that he did not return the night before, but they +finally concluded that he had been kept by the violent storm and had +taken shelter somewhere. When the servants on the watch for his +return caught sight of him they called to every one that he was +approaching, and the whole household turned out to meet him, +wondering much what the retinue of men, bearing presents and +banners, that followed him, could mean. + +As soon as the Dragon King's retainers had put down the presents +they vanished, and Hidesato told all that had happened to him. + +The presents which he had received from the grateful Dragon King +were found to be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and as +Hidesato had no use for it he presented it to the temple near by, +where it was hung up, to boom out the hour of day over the +surrounding neighborhood. + +The single bag of rice, however much was taken from it day after day +for the meals of the knight and his whole family, never grew less-- +the supply in the bag was inexhaustible. + +The roll of silk, too, never grew shorter, though time after time +long pieces were cut off to make the warrior a new suit of clothes +to go to Court in at the New Year. + +The cooking pot was wonderful, too. No matter what was put into it, +it cooked deliciously whatever was wanted without any firing--truly +a very economical saucepan. + +The fame of Hidesato's fortune spread far and wide, and as there was +no need for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became +very rich and prosperous, and was henceforth known as My Lord Bag of +Rice. + + + + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW. + + +Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old +man was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his wife +was a regular cross-patch, who spoiled the happiness of her home by +her scolding tongue. She was always grumbling about something from +morning to night. The old man had for a long time ceased to take any +notice of her crossness. He was out most of the day at work in the +fields, and as he had no child, for his amusement when he came home, +he kept a tame sparrow. He loved the little bird just as much as if +she had been his child. + +When he came back at night after his hard day's work in the open air +it was his only pleasure to pet the sparrow, to talk to her and to +teach her little tricks, which she learned very quickly. The old man +would open her cage and let her fly about the room, and they would +play together. Then when supper-time came, he always saved some tit- +bits from his meal with which to feed his little bird. + +Now one day the old man went out to chop wood in the forest, and the +old woman stopped at home to wash clothes. The day before, she had +made some starch, and now when she came to look for it, it was all +gone; the bowl which she had filled full yesterday was quite empty. + +While she was wondering who could have used or stolen the starch, +down flew the pet sparrow, and bowing her little feathered head--a +trick which she had been taught by her master--the pretty bird +chirped and said: + +"It is I who have taken the starch. I thought it was some food put +out for me in that basin, and I ate it all. If I have made a mistake +I beg you to forgive me! tweet, tweet, tweet!" + +You see from this that the sparrow was a truthful bird, and the old +woman ought to have been willing to forgive her at once when she +asked her pardon so nicely. But not so. + +The old woman had never loved the sparrow, and had often quarreled +with her husband for keeping what she called a dirty bird about the +house, saying that it only made extra work for her. Now she was only +too delighted to have some cause of complaint against the pet. She +scolded and even cursed the poor little bird for her bad behavior, +and not content with using these harsh, unfeeling words, in a fit of +rage she seized the sparrow--who all this time had spread out her +wings and bowed her head before the old woman, to show how sorry she +was--and fetched the scissors and cut off the poor little bird's +tongue. + +"I suppose you took my starch with that tongue! Now you may see what +it is like to go without it! "And with these dreadful words she +drove the bird away, not caring in the least what might happen to it +and without the smallest pity for its suffering, so unkind was she! + +The old woman, after she had driven the sparrow away, made some more +rice-paste, grumbling all the time at the trouble, and after +starching all her clothes, spread the things on boards to dry in the +sun, instead of ironing them as they do in England. + +In the evening the old man came home. As usual, on the way back he +looked forward to the time when he should reach his gate and see his +pet come flying and chirping to meet him, ruffling out her feathers +to show her joy, and at last coming to rest on his shoulder. But to- +night the old man was very disappointed, for not even the shadow of +his dear sparrow was to be seen. + +He quickened his steps, hastily drew off his straw sandals, and +stepped on to the veranda. Still no sparrow was to be seen. He now +felt sure that his wife, in one of her cross tempers, had shut the +sparrow up in its cage. So he called her and said anxiously: + +"Where is Suzume San (Miss Sparrow) today?" + +The old woman pretended not to know at first, and answered: + +"Your sparrow? I am sure I don't know. Now I come to think of it, I +haven't seen her all the afternoon. I shouldn't wonder if the un- +grateful bird had flown away and left you after all your petting!" + +But at last, when the old man gave her no peace, but asked her again +and again, insisting that she must know what had happened to his +pet, she confessed all. She told him crossly how the sparrow had +eaten the rice-paste she had specially made for starching her +clothes, and how when the sparrow had confessed to what she had +done, in great anger she had taken her scissors and cut out her +tongue, and how finally she had driven the bird away and forbidden +her to return to the house again. + +Then the old woman showed her husband the sparrow's tongue, saying: + +"Here is the tongue I cut off! Horrid little bird, why did it eat +all my starch?" + +"How could you be so cruel? Oh! how could you so cruel?" was all +that the old man could answer. He was too kind-hearted to punish his +be shrew of a wife, but he was terribly distressed at what had +happened to his poor little sparrow. + +"What a dreadful misfortune for my poor Suzume San to lose her +tongue!" he said to himself. "She won't be able to chirp any more, +and surely the pain of the cutting of it out in that rough way must +have made her ill! Is there nothing to be done?" + +The old man shed many tears after his cross wife had gone to sleep. +While he wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his cotton robe, a +bright thought comforted him: he would go and look for the sparrow +on the morrow. Having decided this he was able to go to sleep at +last. + +The next morning he rose early, as soon as ever the day broke, and +snatching a hasty breakfast, started out over the hills and through +the woods, stopping at every clump of bamboos to cry: + +"Where, oh where does my tongue-cut sparrow stay? Where, oh where, +does my tongue-cut sparrow stay!" + +He never stopped to rest for his noonday meal, and it was far on in +the afternoon when he found himself near a large bamboo wood. Bamboo +groves are the favorite haunts of sparrows, and there sure enough at +the edge of the wood he saw his own dear sparrow waiting to welcome +him. He could hardly believe his eyes for joy, and ran forward +quickly to greet her. She bowed her little head and went through a +number of the tricks her master had taught her, to show her pleasure +at seeing her old friend again, and, wonderful to relate, she could +talk as of old. The old man told her how sorry he was for all that +had happened, and inquired after her tongue, wondering how she could +speak so well without it. Then the sparrow opened her beak and +showed him that a new tongue had grown in place of the old one, and +begged him not to think any more about the past, for she was quite +well now. Then the old man knew that his sparrow was a fairy, and no +common bird. It would be difficult to exaggerate the old man's +rejoicing now. He forgot all his troubles, he forgot even how tired +he was, for he had found his lost sparrow, and instead of being ill +and without a tongue as he had feared and expected to find her, she +was well and happy and with a new tongue, and without a sign of the +ill-treatment she had received from his wife. And above all she was +a fairy. + +The sparrow asked him to follow her, and flying before him she led +him to a beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove. The old +man was utterly astonished when he entered the house to find what a +beautiful place it was. It was built of the whitest wood, the soft +cream-colored mats which took the place of carpets were the finest +he had ever seen, and the cushions that the sparrow brought out for +him to sit on were made of the finest silk and crape. Beautiful +vases and lacquer boxes adorned the tokonoma [Footnote: An alcove +where precious objects are displayed.] of every room. + +The sparrow led the old man to the place of honor, and then, taking +her place at a humble distance, she thanked him with many polite +bows for all the kindness he had shown her for many long years. + +Then the Lady Sparrow, as we will now call her, introduced all her +family to the old man. This done, her daughters, robed in dainty +crape gowns, brought in on beautiful old-fashioned trays a feast of +all kinds of delicious foods, till the old man began to think he +must be dreaming. In the middle of the dinner some of the sparrow's +daughters performed a wonderful dance, called the "suzume-odori" or +the "Sparrow's dance," to amuse the guest. + +Never had the old man enjoyed himself so much. The hours flew by too +quickly in this lovely spot, with all these fairy sparrows to wait +upon him and to feast him and to dance before him. + +But the night came on and the darkness reminded him that he had a +long way to go and must think about taking his leave and return +home. He thanked his kind hostess for her splendid entertainment, +and begged her for his sake to forget all she had suffered at the +hands of his cross old wife. He told the Lady Sparrow that it was a +great comfort and happiness to him to find her in such a beautiful +home and to know that she wanted for nothing. It was his anxiety to +know how she fared and what had really happened to her that had led +him to seek her. Now he knew that all was well he could return home +with a light heart. If ever she wanted him for anything she had only +to send for him and he would come at once. + +The Lady Sparrow begged him to stay and rest several days and enjoy +the change, but the old man said he must return to his old wife--who +would probably be cross at his not coming home at the usual time-- +and to his work, and there-fore, much as he wished to do so, he +could not accept her kind invitation. But now that he knew where the +Lady Sparrow lived he would come to see her whenever he had the +time. + +When the Lady Sparrow saw that she could not persuade the old man to +stay longer, she gave an order to some of her servants, and they at +once brought in two boxes, one large and the other small. These were +placed before the old man, and the Lady Sparrow asked him to choose +whichever he liked for a present, which she wished to give him. + +The old man could not refuse this kind proposal, and he chose the +smaller box, saying: + +"I am now too old and feeble to carry the big and heavy box. As you +are so kind as to say that I may take whichever I like, I will +choose the small one, which will be easier for me to carry." + +Then the sparrows all helped him put it on his back and went to the +gate to see him off, bidding him good-by with many bows and +entreating him to come again whenever he had the time. Thus the old +man and his pet sparrow separated quite happily, the sparrow showing +not the least ill-will for all the unkindness she had suffered at +the hands of the old wife. Indeed, she only felt sorrow for the old +man who had to put up with it all his life. + +When the old man reached home he found his wife even crosser than +usual, for it was late on in the night and she had been waiting up +for him for a long time + +"Where have you been all this time?" she asked in a big voice. "Why +do you come back so late?" + +The old man tried to pacify her by showing her the box of presents +he had brought back with him, and then he told her of all that had +happened to him, and how wonderfully he had been entertained at the +sparrow's house. + +"Now let us see what is in the box," said the old man, not giving +her time to grumble again. "You must help me open it." And they both +sat down before the box and opened it. + +To their utter astonishment they found the box filled to the brim +with gold and silver coins and many other precious things. The mats +of their little cottage fairly glittered as they took out the things +one by one and put them down and handled them over and over again. +The old man was overjoyed at the sight of the riches that were now +his. Beyond his brightest expectations was the sparrow's gift, which +would enable him to give up work and live in ease and comfort the +rest of his days. + +He said: "Thanks to my good little sparrow! Thanks to my good little +sparrow!" many times. + +But the old woman, after the first moments of surprise and +satisfaction at the sight of the gold and silver were over, could +not suppress the greed of her wicked nature. She now began to +reproach the old man for not having brought home the big box of +presents, for in the innocence of his heart he had told her how he +had refused the large box of presents which the sparrows had offered +him, preferring the smaller one because it was light and easy to +carry home. + +"You silly old man," said she, "Why did you not bring the large box? +Just think what we have lost. We might have had twice as much silver +and gold as this. You are certainly an old fool!" she screamed, and +then went to bed as angry as she could be. + +The old man now wished that he had said nothing about the big box, +but it was too late; the greedy old woman, not contented with the +good luck which had so unexpectedly befallen them and which she so +little deserved, made up her mind, if possible, to get more. + +Early the next morning she got up and made the old man describe the +way to the sparrow's house. When he saw what was in her mind he +tried to keep her from going, but it was useless. She would not +listen to one word he said. It is strange that the old woman did not +feel ashamed of going to see the sparrow after the cruel way she had +treated her in cutting off her tongue in a fit of rage. But her +greed to get the big box made her forget everything else. It did not +even enter her thoughts that the sparrows might be angry with her-- +as, indeed, they were--and might punish her for what she had done. + +Ever since the Lady Sparrow had returned home in the sad plight in +which they had first found her, weeping and bleeding from the mouth, +her whole family and relations had done little else but speak of the +cruelty of the old woman. "How could she," they asked each other, +"inflict such a heavy punishment for such a trifling offense as that +of eating some rice-paste by mistake?" They all loved the old man +who was so kind and good and patient under all his troubles, but the +old woman they hated, and they determined, if ever they had the +chance, to punish her as she deserved. They had not long to wait. + +After walking for some hours the old woman had at last found the +bamboo grove which she had made her husband carefully describe, and +now she stood before it crying out: + +"Where is the tongue-cut sparrow's house? Where is the tongue-cut +sparrow's house?" + +At last she saw the eaves of the house peeping out from amongst the +bamboo foliage. She hastened to the door and knocked loudly. + +When the servants told the Lady Sparrow that her old mistress was at +the door asking to see her, she was somewhat surprised at the +unexpected visit, after all that had taken place, and she wondered +not a little at the boldness of the old woman in venturing to come +to the house. The Lady Sparrow, however, was a polite bird, and so +she went out to greet the old woman, remembering that she had once +been her mistress. + +The old woman intended, however, to waste no time in words, she went +right to the point, without the least shame, and said: + +"You need not trouble to entertain me as you did my old man. I have +come myself to get the box which he so stupidly left behind. I shall +soon take my leave if you will give me the big box--that is all I +want!" + +The Lady Sparrow at once consented, and told her servants to bring +out the big box. The old woman eagerly seized it and hoisted it on +her back, and without even stopping to thank the Lady Sparrow began +to hurry homewards. + +The box was so heavy that she could not walk fast, much less run, as +she would have liked to do, so anxious was she to get home and see +what was inside the box, but she had often to sit down and rest +herself by the way. + +While she was staggering along under the heavy load, her desire to +open the box became too great to be resisted. She could wait no +longer, for she supposed this big box to be full of gold and silver +and precious jewels like the small one her husband had received. + +At last this greedy and selfish old woman put down the box by the +wayside and opened it carefully, expecting to gloat her eyes on a +mine of wealth. What she saw, however, so terrified her that she +nearly lost her senses. As soon as she lifted the lid, a number of +horrible and frightful looking demons bounced out of the box and +surrounded her as if they intended to kill her. Not even in +nightmares had she ever seen such horrible creatures as her much- +coveted box contained. A demon with one huge eye right in the middle +of its forehead came and glared at her, monsters with gaping mouths +looked as if they would devour her, a huge snake coiled and hissed +about her, and a big frog hopped and croaked towards her. + +The old woman had never been so frightened in her life, and ran from +the spot as fast as her quaking legs would carry her, glad to escape +alive. When she reached home she fell to the floor and told her +husband with tears all that had happened to her, and how she had +been nearly killed by the demons in the box. + +Then she began to blame the sparrow, but the old man stopped her at +once, saying: + +"Don't blame the sparrow, it is your wickedness which has at last +met with its reward. I only hope this may be a lesson to you in the +future!" + +The old woman said nothing more, and from that day she repented of +her cross, unkind ways, and by degrees became a good old woman, so +that her husband hardly knew her to be the same person, and they +spent their last days together happily, free from want or care, +spending carefully the treasure the old man had received from his +pet, the tongue-cut sparrow. + + + + +THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD. + + +Long, long ago in the province of Tango there lived on the shore of +Japan in the little fishing village of Mizu-no-ye a young fisherman +named Urashima Taro. His father had been a fisherman before him, and +his skill had more than doubly descended to his son, for Urashima +was the most skillful fisher in all that country side, and could +catch more Bonito and Tai in a day than his comrades could in a +week. + +But in the little fishing village, more than for being a clever +fisher of the sea was he known for his kind heart. In his whole life +he had never hurt anything, either great or small, and when a boy, +his companions had always laughed at him, for he would never join +with them in teasing animals, but always tried to keep them from +this cruel sport. + +One soft summer twilight he was going home at the end of a day's +fishing when he came upon a group of children. They were all +screaming and talking at the tops of their voices, and seemed to be +in a state of great excitement about something, and on his going up +to them to see what was the matter he saw that they were tormenting +a tortoise. First one boy pulled it this way, then another boy +pulled it that way, while a third child beat it with a stick, and +the fourth hammered its shell with a stone. + +Now Urashima felt very sorry for the poor tortoise and made up his +mind to rescue it. He spoke to the boys: + +"Look here, boys, you are treating that poor tortoise so badly that +it will soon die!" + +The boys, who were all of an age when children seem to delight in +being cruel to animals, took no notice of Urashima's gentle reproof, +but went on teasing it as before. One of the older boys answered: + +"Who cares whether it lives or dies? We do not. Here, boys, go on, +go on!" + +And they began to treat the poor tortoise more cruelly than ever. +Urashima waited a moment, turning over in his mind what would be the +best way to deal with the boys. He would try to persuade them to +give the tortoise up to him, so he smiled at them and said: + +"I am sure you are all good, kind boys! Now won't you give me the +tortoise? I should like to have it so much!" + +"No, we won't give you the tortoise," said one of the boys. "Why +should we? We caught it ourselves." + +"What you say is true," said Urashima, "but I do not ask you to give +it to me for nothing. I will give you some money for it--in other +words, the Ojisan (Uncle) will buy it of you. Won't that do for you, +my boys?" He held up the money to them, strung on a piece of string +through a hole in the center of each coin. "Look, boys, you can buy +anything you like with this money. You can do much more with this +money than you can with that poor tortoise. See what good boys you +are to listen to me" + +The boys were not bad boys at all, they were only mischievous, and +as Urashima spoke they were won by his kind smile and gentle words +and began "to be of his spirit," as they say in Japan. Gradually +they all came up to him, the ringleader of the little band holding +out the tortoise to him. + +"Very well, Ojisan, we will give you the tortoise if you will give +us the money!" And Urashima took the tortoise and gave the money to +the boys, who, calling to each other, scampered away and were soon +out of sight. + +Then Urashima stroked the tortoise's back, saying as he did so: + +"Oh, you poor thing! Poor thing!--there, there! you are safe now! +They say that a stork lives for a thousand years, but the tortoise +for ten thousand years. You have the longest life of any creature in +this world, and you were in great danger of having that precious +life cut short by those cruel boys. Luckily I was passing by and +saved you, and so life is still yours. Now I am going to take you +back to your home, the sea, at once. Do not let yourself be caught +again, for there might be no one to save you next time!" + +All the time that the kind fisherman was speaking he was walking +quickly to the shore and out upon the rocks; then putting the +tortoise into the water he watched the animal disappear, and turned +homewards himself, for he was tired and the sun had set. + +The next morning Urashima went out as usual in his boat. The weather +was fine and the sea and sky were both blue and soft in the tender +haze of the summer morning. Urashima got into his boat and dreamily +pushed out to sea, throwing his line as he did so. He soon passed +the other fishing boats and left them behind him till they were lost +to sight in the distance, and his boat drifted further and further +out upon the blue waters. Somehow, he knew not why, he felt +unusually happy that morning; and he could not help wishing that, +like the tortoise he set free the day before, he had thousands of +years to live instead of his own short span of human life. + +He was suddenly startled from his reverie by hearing his own name +called: + +"Urashima, Urashima!" + +Clear as a bell and soft as the summer wind the name floated over +the sea. + +He stood up and looked in every direction, thinking that one of the +other boats had overtaken him, but gaze as he might over the wide +expanse of water, near or far there was no sign of a boat, so the +voice could not have come from any human being. + +Startled, and wondering who or what it was that had called him so +clearly, he looked in all directions round about him and saw that +without his knowing it a tortoise had come to the side of the boat. +Urashima saw with surprise that it was the very tortoise he had +rescued the day before. + +"Well, Mr. Tortoise," said Urashima, "was it you who called my name +just now?" + +The tortoise nodded its head several times and said: + +"Yes, it was I. Yesterday in your honorable shadow (o kage sama de) +my life was saved, and I have come to offer you my thanks and to +tell you how grateful I am for your kindness to me." + +"Indeed," said Urashima, "that is very polite of you. Come up into +the boat. I would offer you a smoke, but as you are a tortoise +doubtless you do not smoke," and the fisherman laughed at the joke. + +"He-he-he-he!" laughed the tortoise; "sake (rice wine) is my +favorite refreshment, but I do not care for tobacco." + +"Indeed," said Urashima, "I regret very much that I have no "sake" +in my boat to offer you, but come up and dry your back in the sun-- +tortoises always love to do that." + +So the tortoise climbed into the boat, the fisherman helping him, +and after an exchange of complimentary speeches the tortoise said: + +"Have you ever seen Rin Gin, the Palace of the Dragon King of the +Sea, Urashima?" + +The fisherman shook his head and replied; "No; year after year the +sea has been my home, but though I have often heard of the Dragon +King's realm under the sea I have never yet set eyes on that +wonderful place. It must be very far away, if it exists at all!" + +"Is that really so? You have never seen the Sea King's Palace? Then +you have missed seeing one of the most wonderful sights in the whole +universe. It is far away at the bottom of the sea, but if I take you +there we shall soon reach the place. If you would like to see the +Sea King's land I will be your guide." + +"I should like to go there, certainly, and you are very kind to +think of taking me, but you must remember that I am only a poor +mortal and have not the power of swimming like a sea creature such +as you are--" + +Before the fisherman could say more the tortoise stopped him, +saying: + +"What? You need not swim yourself. If you will ride on my back I +will take you without any trouble on your part." + +"But," said Urashima, "how is it possible for me to ride on your +small back?" + +"It may seem absurd to you. but I assure you that you can do so. Try +at once! Just come and get on my back, and see if it is as +impossible as you think!" + +As the tortoise finished speaking, Urashima looked at its shell, and +strange to say be saw that the creature had suddenly grown so big +that a man could easily sit on its back. + +"This is strange indeed!" said Urashima; "then. Mr. Tortoise, with +your kind permission I will get on your back. Dokoisho!" [Footnote: +"All right" (only used by lower classes).] he exclaimed as he jumped +on. + +The tortoise, with an unmoved face, as if this strange proceeding +were quite an ordinary event, said: + +"Now we will set out at our leisure," and with these words he leapt +into the sea with Urashima on his back. Down through the water the +tortoise dived. For a long time these two strange companions rode +through the sea. Urashima never grew tired, nor his clothes moist +with the water. At last, far away in the distance a magnificent gate +appeared, and behind the gate, the long, sloping roofs of a palace +on the horizon. + +"Ya." exclaimed Urashima. "that looks like the gate of some large +palace just appearing! Mr. Tortoise, can you tell what that place is +we can now see?" + +"That is the great gate of the Rin Gin Palace, the large roof that +you see behind the gate is the Sea King's Palace itself." + +"Then we have at last come to the realm of the Sea King and to his +Palace," said Urashima. + +"Yes, indeed," answered the tortoise, "and don't you think we have +come very quickly?" And while he was speaking the tortoise reached +the side of the gate. "And here we are, and you must please walk +from here." + +The tortoise now went in front, and speaking to the gatekeeper, +said: + +"This is Urashima Taro, from the country of Japan. I have had the +honor of bringing him as a visitor to this kingdom. Please show him +the way." + +Then the gatekeeper, who was a fish, at once led the way through the +gate before them. + +The red bream, the flounder, the sole, the cuttlefish, and all the +chief vassals of the Dragon King of the Sea now came out with +courtly bows to welcome the stranger. + +"Urashima Sama, Urashima Sama! welcome to the Sea Palace, the home +of the Dragon King of the Sea. Thrice welcome are you, having come +from such a distant country. And you, Mr. Tortoise, we are greatly +indebted to you for all your trouble in bringing Urashima here." +Then, turning again to Urashima, they said, "Please follow us this +way," and from here the whole band of fishes became his guides. + +Urashima, being only a poor fisher lad, did not know how to behave +in a palace; but, strange though it was all to him, he did not feel +ashamed or embarrassed, but followed his kind guides quite calmly +where they led to the inner palace. When he reached the portals a +beautiful Princess with her attendant maidens came out to welcome +him. She was more beautiful than any human being, and was robed in +flowing garments of red and soft green like the under side of a +wave, and golden threads glimmered through the folds of her gown. +Her lovely black hair streamed over her shoulders in the fashion of +a king's daughter many hundreds of years ago, and when she spoke her +voice sounded like music over the water. Urashima was lost in wonder +while he looked upon her, and he could not speak. Then he remembered +that he ought to bow, but before he could make a low obeisance the +Princess took him by the hand and led him to a beautiful hall, and +to the seat of honor at the upper end, and bade him be seated. + +"Urashima Taro, it gives me the highest pleasure to welcome you to +my father's kingdom," said the Princess. "Yesterday you set free a +tortoise, and I have sent for you to thank you for saving my life, +for I was that tortoise. Now if you like you shall live here forever +in the land of eternal youth, where summer never dies and where +sorrow never comes, and I will be your bride if you will, and we +will live together happily forever afterwards!" + +And as Urashima listened to her sweet words and gazed upon her +lovely face his heart was filled with a great wonder and joy, and he +answered her, wondering if it was not all a dream: + +"Thank you a thousand times for your kind speech. There is nothing I +could wish for more than to be permitted to stay here with you in +this beautiful land, of which I have often heard, but have never +seen to this day. Beyond all words, this is the most wonderful place +I have ever seen." + +While he was speaking a train of fishes appeared, all dressed in +ceremonial, trailing garments. One by one, silently and with stately +steps, they entered the hall, bearing on coral trays delicacies of +fish and seaweed, such as no one can dream of, and this wondrous +feast was set before the bride and bridegroom. The bridal was +celebrated with dazzling splendor, and in the Sea King's realm there +was great rejoicing. As soon as the young pair had pledged +themselves in the wedding cup of wine, three times three, music was +played, and songs were sung, and fishes with silver scales and +golden tails stepped in from the waves and danced. Urashima enjoyed +himself with all his heart. Never in his whole life had he sat down +to such a marvelous feast. + +When the feast was over the Princes asked the bridegroom if he would +like to walk through the palace and see all there was to be seen. +Then the happy fisherman, following his bride, the Sea King's +daughter, was shown all the wonders of that enchanted land where +youth and joy go hand in hand and neither time nor age can touch +them. The palace was built of coral and adorned with pearls, and the +beauties and wonders of the place were so great that the tongue +fails to describe them. + +But, to Urashima, more wonderful than the palace was the garden that +surrounded it. Here was to be seen at one time the scenery of the +four different seasons; the beauties of summer and winter, spring +and autumn, were displayed to the wondering visitor at once. + +First, when he looked to the east, the plum and cherry trees were +seen in full bloom, the nightingales sang in the pink avenues, and +butterflies flitted from flower to flower. + +Looking to the south all the trees were green in the fullness of +summer, and the day cicala and the night cricket chirruped loudly. + +Looking to the west the autumn maples were ablaze like a sunset sky, +and the chrysanthemums were in perfection. + +Looking to the north the change made Urashima start, for the ground +was silver white with snow, and trees and bamboos were also covered +with snow and the pond was thick with ice. + +And each day there were new joys and new wonders for Urashima, and +so great was his happiness that he forgot everything, even the home +he had left behind and his parents and his own country, and three +days passed without his even thinking of all he had left behind. +Then his mind came back to him and he remembered who he was, and +that he did not belong to this wonderful land or the Sea King's +palace, and he said to himself: + +"O dear! I must not stay on here, for I have an old father and +mother at home. What can have happened to them all this time? How +anxious they must have been these days when I did not return as +usual. I must go back at once without letting one more day pass." +And he began to prepare for the journey in great haste. + +Then he went to his beautiful wife, the Princess, and bowing low +before her he said: + +"Indeed, I have been very happy with you for a long time, Otohime +Sama" (for that was her name), "and you have been kinder to me than +any words can tell. But now I must say good-by. I must go back to my +old parents." + +Then Otohime Sama began to weep, and said softly and sadly: + +"Is it not well with you here, Urashima, that you wish to leave me +so soon? Where is the haste? Stay with me yet another day only!" + +But Urashima had remembered his old parents, and in Japan the duty +to parents is stronger than everything else, stronger even than +pleasure or love, and he would not be persuaded, but answered: + +"Indeed, I must go. Do not think that I wish to leave you. It is not +that. I must go and see my old parents. Let me go for one day and I +will come back to you." + +"Then," said the Princess sorrowfully, "there is nothing to be done. +I will send you back to-day to your father and mother, and instead +of trying to keep you with me one more day, I shall give you this as +a token of our love--please take it back with you;" and she brought +him a beautiful lacquer box tied about with a silken cord and +tassels of red silk. + +Urashima had received so much from the Princess already that he felt +some compunction in taking the gift, and said: + +"It does not seem right for me to take yet another gift from you +after all the many favors I have received at your hands, but because +it is your wish I will do so," and then he added: + +"Tell me what is this box?" + +"That," answered the Princess "is the tamate-bako (Box of the Jewel +Hand), and it contains something very precious. You must not open +this box, whatever happens! If you open it something dreadful will +happen to you! Now promise me that you will never open this box!" + +And Urashima promised that he would never, never open the box +whatever happened. + +Then bidding good-by to Otohime Sama he went down to the seashore, +the Princess and her attendants following him, and there he found a +large tortoise waiting for him. + +He quickly mounted the creature's back and was carried away over the +shining sea into the East. He looked back to wave his hand to +Otohime Sama till at last he could see her no more, and the land of +the Sea King and the roofs of the wonderful palace were lost in the +far, far distance. Then, with his face turned eagerly towards his +own land, he looked for the rising of the blue hills on the horizon +before him. + +At last the tortoise carried him into the bay he knew so well, and +to the shore from whence he had set out. He stepped on to the shore +and looked about him while the tortoise rode away back to the Sea +King's realm. + +But what is the strange fear that seizes Urashima as he stands and +looks about him? Why does he gaze so fixedly at the people that pass +him by, and why do they in turn stand and look at him? The shore is +the same and the hills are the same, but the people that he sees +walking past him have very different faces to those he had known so +well before. + +Wondering what it can mean he walks quickly towards his old home. +Even that looks different, but a house stands on the spot, and he +calls out: + +"Father, I have just returned!" and he was about to enter, when he +saw a strange man coming out. + +"Perhaps my parents have moved while I have been away, and have gone +somewhere else," was the fisherman's thought. Somehow he began to +feel strangely anxious, he could not tell why. + +"Excuse me," said he to the man who was staring at him, "but till +within the last few days I have lived in this house. My name is +Urashima Taro. Where have my parents gone whom I left here?" + +A very bewildered expression came over the face of the man, and, +still gazing intently on Urashima's face, he said: + +"What? Are you Urashima Taro?" + +"Yes," said the fisherman, "I am Urashima Taro!" + +"Ha, ha!" laughed the man, "you must not make such jokes. It is true +that once upon a time a man called Urashima Taro did live in this +village, but that is a story three hundred years old. He could not +possibly be alive now!" + +When Urashima heard these strange words he was frightened, and said: + +"Please, please, you must not joke with me, I am greatly perplexed. +I am really Urashima Taro, and I certainly have not lived three +hundred years. Till four or five days ago I lived on this spot. Tell +me what I want to know without more joking, please." + +But the man's face grew more and more grave, and he answered: + +"You may or may not be Urashima Taro, I don't know. But the Urashima +Taro of whom I have heard is a man who lived three hundred years +ago. Perhaps you are his spirit come to revisit your old home?" + +"Why do you mock me?" said Urashima. "I am no spirit! I am a living +man--do you not see my feet;" and "don-don," he stamped on the +ground, first with one foot and then with the other to show the man. +(Japanese ghosts have no feet.) + +"But Urashima Taro lived three hundred years ago, that is all I +know; it is written in the village chronicles, "persisted the man, +who could not believe what the fisherman said. + +Urashima was lost in bewilderment and trouble. He stood looking all +around him, terribly puzzled, and, indeed, something in the +appearance of everything was different to what he remembered before +he went away, and the awful feeling came over him that what the man +said was perhaps true. He seemed to be in a strange dream. The few +days he had spent in the Sea King's palace beyond the sea had not +been days at all: they had been hundreds of years, and in that time +his parents had died and all the people he had ever known, and the +village had written down his story. There was no use in staying here +any longer. He must get back to his beautiful wife beyond the sea. + +He made his way back to the beach, carrying in his hand the box +which the Princess had given him. But which was the way? He could +not find it alone! Suddenly he remembered the box, the tamate-bako. + +"The Princess told me when she gave me the box never to open it-- +that it contained a very precious thing. But now that I have no +home, now that I have lost everything that was dear to me here, and +my heart grows thin with sadness, at such a time, if I open the box, +surely I shall find something that will help me, something that will +show me the way back to my beautiful Princess over the sea. There is +nothing else for me to do now. Yes, yes, I will open the box and +look in!" + +And so his heart consented to this act of disobedience, and he tried +to persuade himself that he was doing the right thing in breaking +his promise. + +Slowly, very slowly, he untied the red silk cord, slowly and +wonderingly he lifted the lid of the precious box. And what did he +find? Strange to say only a beautiful little purple cloud rose out +of the box in three soft wisps. For an instant it covered his face +and wavered over him as if loath to go, and then it floated away +like vapor over the sea. + +Urashima, who had been till that moment like a strong and handsome +youth of twenty-four, suddenly became very, very old. His back +doubled up with age, his hair turned snowy white, his face wrinkled +and he fell down dead on the beach. + +Poor Urashima! because of his disobedience he could never return to +the Sea King's realm or the lovely Princess beyond the sea. + +Little children, never be disobedient to those who are wiser than +you for disobedience was the beginning of all the miseries and +sorrows of life. + + + + +THE FARMER AND THE BADGER + +Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made +their home in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor +was a bad and malicious badger. This badger used to come out every +night and run across to the farmer's field and spoil the vegetables +and the rice which the farmer spent his time in carefully +cultivating. The badger at last grew so ruthless in his mischievous +work, and did so much harm everywhere on the farm, that the good- +natured farmer could not stand it any longer, and determined to put +a stop to it. So he lay in wait day after day and night after night, +with a big club, hoping to catch the badger, but all in vain. Then +he laid traps for the wicked animal. + +The farmer's trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on +going his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for +that purpose. The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, +and carried him home securely bound with rope. When he reached the +house the farmer said to his wife: + +"I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him +while I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to +make him into soup to-night." + +Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse +and went out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great +distress, for he did not at all like the idea of being made into +soup that night, and he thought and thought for a long time, trying +to hit upon some plan by which he might escape. It was hard to think +clearly in his uncomfortable position, for he had been hung upside +down. Very near him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out +towards the green fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, +stood the farmer's old wife pounding barley. She looked tired and +old. Her face was seamed with many wrinkles, and was as brown as +leather, and every now and then she stopped to wipe the perspiration +which rolled down her face. + +"Dear lady," said the wily badger, "you must be very weary doing +such heavy work in your old age. Won't you let me do that for you? +My arms are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little +while!" + +"Thank you for your kindness," said the old woman, "but I cannot let +you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might +escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home +and found you gone." + +Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said +again in a very sad, gentle, voice: + +"You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try +to escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me +again before his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I +am so tired and sore tied up like this. If you would only let me +down for a few minutes I would indeed be thankful!" + +The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think +badly of any one. Much less did she think that the badger was only +deceiving her in order to get away. She felt sorry, too, for the +animal as she turned to look at him. He looked in such a sad plight +hanging downwards from the ceiling by his legs, which were all tied +together so tightly that the rope and the knots were cutting into +the skin. So in the kindness of her heart, and believing the +creature's promise that he would not run away, she untied the cord +and let him down. + +The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the +work for a short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but +instead of doing the work as he was told, the badger at once sprang +upon the old woman and knocked her down with the heavy piece of +wood. He then killed her and cut her up and made soup of her, and +waited for the return of the old farmer. The old man worked hard in +his fields all day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that +no more now would his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger. + +Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very +tired, but the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup +awaiting his return cheered him. The thought that the badger might +get free and take revenge on the poor old woman never once came into +his mind. + +The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman's form, and as soon as he +saw the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda +of the little house, saying: + +"So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have +been waiting for you for a long time." + +The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down +before his tiny dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed +that it was not his wife but the badger who was waiting upon him, +and asked at once for the soup. Then the badger suddenly transformed +himself back to his natural form and cried out: + +"You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!" + +Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran +away to his den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He +could hardly believe what he had seen and heard. Then when he +understood the whole truth he was so scared and horrified that he +fainted right away. After a while he came round and burst into +tears. He cried loudly and bitterly. He rocked himself to and fro in +his hopeless grief. It seemed too terrible to be real that his +faithful old wife had been killed and cooked by the badger while he +was working quietly in the fields, knowing nothing of what was going +on at home, and congratulating himself on having once for all got +rid of the wicked animal who had so often spoiled his fields. And +oh! the horrible thought; he had very nearly drunk the soup which +the creature had made of his poor old woman. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh +dear!" he wailed aloud. Now, not far away there lived in the same +mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He heard the old man +crying and sobbing and at once set out to see what was the matter, +and if there was anything he could do to help his neighbor. The old +man told him all that had happened. When the rabbit heard the story +he was very angry at the wicked and deceitful badger, and told the +old man to leave everything to him and he would avenge his wife's +death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping away his tears, +thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his +distress. + +The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to +his home to lay his plans for the punishment of the badger. + +The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find +the badger. He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or +in the fields anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the +badger hiding there, for the animal had been afraid to show himself +ever since he had escaped from the farmer's house, for fear of the +old man's wrath. + +The rabbit called out: + +"Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and +we will go and cut grass on the hills together." + +The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, +willingly consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away +from the neighborhood of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The +rabbit led the way miles away from their homes, out on the hills +where the grass grew tall and thick and sweet. They both set to work +to cut down as much as they could carry home, to store it up for +their winter's food. When they had each cut down all they wanted +they tied it in bundles and then started homewards, each carrying +his bundle of grass on his back. This time the rabbit made the +badger go first. + +When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and +steel, and, striking it over the badger's back as he stepped along +in front, set his bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the +flint striking, and asked: + +"What is that noise. 'Crack, crack'?" + +"Oh, that is nothing." replied the rabbit; "I only said 'Crack, +crack' because this mountain is called Crackling Mountain." + +The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger's +back. The badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, +"What is that?" + +"Now we have come to the 'Burning Mountain,'" answered the rabbit. + +By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had +been burned off the badger's back. He now knew what had happened by +the smell of the smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the +badger ran as fast as he could to his hole. The rabbit followed and +found him lying on his bed groaning with pain. + +"What an unlucky fellow you are!" said the rabbit. "I can't imagine +how this happened! I will bring you some medicine which will heal +your back quickly!" + +The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment +upon the badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would +die of his burns, for he felt that nothing could be too bad for the +animal, who was guilty of murdering a poor helpless old woman who +had trusted him. He went home and made an ointment by mixing some +sauce and red pepper together. + +He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him +that it would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it +patiently, because it was a very wonderful medicine for burns and +scalds and such wounds. The badger thanked him and begged him to +apply it at once. But no language can describe the agony of the +badger as soon as the red pepper had been pasted all over his sore +back. He rolled over and over and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking +on, felt that the farmer's wife was beginning to be avenged. + +The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of +the red pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When +the rabbit saw that the badger was getting well, he thought of +another plan by which he could compass the creature's death. So he +went one day to pay the badger a visit and to congratulate him on +his recovery. + +During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going +fishing, and described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was +fine and the sea smooth. + +The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit's account of the way +he passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month's +illness, and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing +too; so he asked the rabbit if he would take him the next time he +went out to fish. This was just what the rabbit wanted, so he +agreed. + +Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of +clay. At last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and +looked at his work he felt that all his trouble would be well +rewarded if his plan succeeded, and he could manage to kill the +wicked badger now. + +The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger +fishing. He kept the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the +clay boat. The badger, who knew nothing about boats, was delighted +with his new boat and thought how kind it was of the rabbit to give +it to him. They both got into their boats and set out. After going +some distance from the shore the rabbit proposed that they should +try their boats and see which one could go the quickest. The badger +fell in with the proposal, and they both set to work to row as fast +as they could for some time. In the middle of the race the badger +found his boat going to pieces, for the water now began to soften +the clay. He cried out in great fear to the rabbit to help him. But +the rabbit answered that he was avenging the old woman's murder, and +that this had been his intention all along, and that he was happy to +think that the badger had at last met his deserts for all his evil +crimes, and was to drown with no one to help him. Then he raised his +oar and struck at the badger with all his strength till he fell with +the sinking clay boat and was seen no more. + +Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now +turned and rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat +upon the beach, hurried back to tell the old farmer everything, and +how the badger, his enemy, had been killed. + +The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till +now he could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, +thinking of how his wife's death was unavenged, but from this time +he would be able to sleep and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to +stay with him and share his home, so from this day the rabbit went +to stay with the old farmer and they both lived together as good +friends to the end of their days. + + + + +THE shinansha, OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE. + + +The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite +a common thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though +when it was first invented it must have been a wonder. + +Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention +called the shinansha. This was a kind of chariot with the figure of +a man on it always pointing to the South. No matter how the chariot +was placed the figure always wheeled about and pointed to the South. + +This curious instrument was invented by Kotei, one of the three +Chinese Emperors of the Mythological age. Kotei was the son of the +Emperor Yuhi. Before he was born his mother had a vision which +foretold that her son would be a great man. + +One summer evening she went out to walk in the meadows to seek the +cool breezes which blow at the end of the day and to gaze with +pleasure at the star-lit heavens above her. As she looked at the +North Star, strange to relate, it shot forth vivid flashes of +lightning in every direction. Soon after this her son Kotei came +into the world. + +Kotei in time grew to manhood and succeeded his father the Emperor +Yuhi. His early reign was greatly troubled by the rebel Shiyu. This +rebel wanted to make himself King, and many were the battles which +he fought to this end. Shiyu was a wicked magician, his head was +made of iron, and there was no man that could conquer him. + +At last Kotei declared war against the rebel and led his army to +battle, and the two armies met on a plain called Takuroku. The +Emperor boldly attacked the enemy, but the magician brought down a +dense fog upon the battlefield, and while the royal army were +wandering about in confusion, trying to find their way, Shiyu +retreated with his troops, laughing at having fooled the royal army. + +No matter however strong and brave the Emperor's soldiers were, the +rebel with his magic could always escape in the end. + +Kotei returned to his Palace, and thought and pondered deeply as to +how he should conquer the magician, for he was determined not to +give up yet. After a long time he invented the shinansha with the +figure of a man always pointing South, for there were no compasses +in those days. With this instrument to show him the way he need not +fear the dense fogs raised up by the magician to confound his men. + +Kotei again declared war against Shiyu. He placed the shinansha in +front of his army and led the way to the battlefield. + +The battle began in earnest. The rebel was being driven backward by +the royal troops when he again resorted to magic, and upon his +saying some strange words in a loud voice, immediately a dense fog +came down upon the battlefield. + +But this time no soldier minded the fog, not one was confused. Kotei +by pointing to the shinansha could find his way and directed the +army without a single mistake. He closely pursued the rebel army and +drove them backward till they came to a big river. This river Kotei +and his men found was swollen by the floods and impossible to cross. + +Shiyu by using his magic art quickly passed over with his army and +shut himself up in a fortress on the opposite bank. + +When Kotei found his march checked he was wild with disappointment, +for he had very nearly overtaken the rebel when the river stopped +him. + +He could do nothing, for there were no boats in those days, so the +Emperor ordered his tent to be pitched in the pleasantest spot that +the place afforded. + +One day he stepped forth from his tent and after walking about for a +short time he came to a pond. Here he sat down on the bank and was +lost in thought. + +It was autumn. The trees growing along the edge of the water were +shedding their leaves, which floated hither and thither on the +surface of the pond. By and by, Kotei's attention was attracted to a +spider on the brink of the water. The little insect was trying to +get on to one of the floating leaves near by. It did so at last, and +was soon floating over the water to the other side of the pond. + +This little incident made the clever Emperor think that he might try +to make something that could carry himself and his men over the +river in the same way that the leaf had carried over the spider. He +set to work and persevered till he invented the first boat. When he +found that it was a success he set all his men to make more, and in +time there were enough boats for the whole army. + +Kotei now took his army across the river, and attacked Shiyu's +headquarters. He gained a complete victory, and so put an end to the +war which had troubled his country for so long. + +This wise and good Emperor did not rest till he had secured peace +and prosperity throughout his whole land. He was beloved by his +subjects, who now enjoyed their happiness of peace for many long +years under him. He spent a great deal of time in making inventions +which would benefit his people, and he succeeded in many besides the +boat and the South Pointing shinansha. + +He had reigned about a hundred years when one day, as Kotei was +looking upwards, the sky became suddenly red, and something came +glittering like gold towards the earth. As it came nearer Kotei saw +that it was a great Dragon. The Dragon approached and bowed down its +head before the Emperor. The Empress and the courtiers were so +frightened that they ran away screaming. + +But the Emperor only smiled and called to them to stop, and said: + +"Do not be afraid. This is a messenger from Heaven. My time here is +finished!" He then mounted the Dragon, which began to ascend towards +the sky. + +When the Empress and the courtiers saw this they all cried out +together: + +"Wait a moment! We wish to come too." And they all ran and caught +hold of the Dragon's beard and tried to mount him. + +But it was impossible for so many people to ride on the Dragon. +Several of them hung on to the creature's beard so that when it +tried to mount the hair was pulled out and they fell to the ground. + +Meanwhile the Empress and a few of the courtiers were safely seated +on the Dragon's back. The Dragon flew up so high in the heavens that +in a short time the inmates of the Palace, who had been left behind +disappointed, could see them no more. + +After some time a bow and an arrow dropped to the earth in the +courtyard of the Palace. They were recognized as having belonged to +the Emperor Kotei. The courtiers took them up carefully and +preserved them as sacred relics in the Palace. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY. + + +Long, long ago there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. +Now he fell in love with a beautiful lady and married her. Not long +after this, through the malice of some of his friends, he fell into +disgrace at Court and was dismissed. This misfortune so preyed upon +his mind that he did not long survive his dismissal--he died, +leaving behind him his beautiful young wife to face the world alone. +Fearing her husband's enemies, she fled to the Ashigara Mountains as +soon as her husband was dead, and there in the lonely forests where +no one ever came except woodcutters, a little boy was born to her. +She called him Kintaro or the Golden Boy. Now the remarkable thing +about this child was his great strength, and as he grew older he +grew stronger and stronger, so that by the time he was eight years +of age he was able to cut down trees as quickly as the woodcutters. +Then his mother gave him a large ax, and he used to go out in the +forest and help the woodcutters, who called him "Wonder-child," and +his mother the "Old Nurse of the Mountains," for they did not know +her high rank. Another favorite pastime of Kintaro's was to smash up +rocks and stones. You can imagine how strong he was! + +Quite unlike other boys, Kintaro, grew up all alone in the mountain +wilds, and as he had no companions he made friends with all the +animals and learned to understand them and to speak their strange +talk. By degrees they all grew quite tame and looked upon Kintaro as +their master, and he used them as his servants and messengers. But +his special retainers were the bear, the deer, the monkey and the +hare. + +The bear often brought her cubs for Kintaro to romp with, and when +she came to take them home Kintaro would get on her back and have a +ride to her cave. He was very fond of the deer too, and would often +put his arms round the creature's neck to show that its long horns +did not frighten him. Great was the fun they all had together. + +One day, as usual, Kintaro went up into the mountains, followed by +the bear, the deer, the monkey, and the hare. After walking for some +time up hill and down dale and over rough roads, they suddenly came +out upon a wide and grassy plain covered with pretty wild flowers. + +Here, indeed, was a nice place where they could all have a good romp +together. The deer rubbed his horns against a tree for pleasure, the +monkey scratched his back, the hare smoothed his long ears, and the +bear gave a grunt of satisfaction. + +Kintaro said, "Here is a place for a good game. What do you all say +to a wrestling match?" + +The bear being the biggest and the oldest, answered for the others: + +"That will be great fun," said she. "I am the strongest animal, so I +will make the platform for the wrestlers;" and she set to work with +a will to dig up the earth and to pat it into shape. + +"All right," said Kintaro, "I will look on while you all wrestle +with each other. I shall give a prize to the one who wins in each +round." + +"What fun! we shall all try to get the prize," said the bear. + +The deer, the monkey and the hare set to work to help the bear raise +the platform on which they were all to wrestle. When this was +finished, Kintaro cried out: + +"Now begin! the monkey and the hare shall open the sports and the +deer shall be umpire. Now, Mr. Deer, you are to be umpire!" + +"He, he!" answered the deer. "I will be umpire. Now, Mr. Monkey and +Mr. Hare, if you are both ready, please walk out and take your +places on the platform." + +Then the monkey and the hare both hopped out, quickly and nimbly, to +the wrestling platform. The deer, as umpire, stood between the two +and called out: + +"Red-back! Red-back!" (this to the monkey, who has a red back in +Japan). "Are you ready?" + +Then he turned to the hare: + +"Long-ears! Long-ears! are you ready?" + +Both the little wrestlers faced each other while the deer raised a +leaf on high as signal. When he dropped the leaf the monkey and the +hare rushed upon each other, crying "Yoisho, yoisho!" + +While the monkey and the hare wrestled, the deer called out +encouragingly or shouted warnings to each of them as the hare or the +monkey pushed each other near the edge of the platform and were in +danger of falling over. + +"Red-back! Red-back! stand your ground!" called out the deer. + +"Long-ears! Long-ears! be strong, be strong--don't let the monkey +beat you!" grunted the bear. + +So the monkey and the hare, encouraged by their friends, tried their +very hardest to beat each other. The hare at last gained on the +monkey. The monkey seemed to trip up, and the hare giving him a good +push sent him flying off the platform with a bound. + +The poor monkey sat up rubbing his back, and his face was very long +as he screamed angrily. "Oh, oh! how my back hurts--my back hurts +me!" + +Seeing the monkey in this plight on the ground, the deer holding his +leaf on high said: + +"This round is finished--the hare has won." + +Kintaro then opened his luncheon box and taking out a rice-dumpling, +gave it to the hare saying: + +"Here is your prize, and you have earned, it well!" + +Now the monkey got up looking very cross, and as they say in Japan +"his stomach stood up," for he felt that he had not been fairly +beaten. So he said to Kintaro and the others who were standing by: + +"I have not been fairly beaten. My foot slipped and I tumbled. +Please give me another chance and let the hare wrestle with me for +another round." + +Then Kintaro consenting, the hare and the monkey began to wrestle +again. Now, as every one knows, the monkey is a cunning animal by +nature, and he made up his mind to get the best of the hare this +time if it were possible. To do this, he thought that the best and +surest way would be to get hold of the hare's long ear. This he soon +managed to do. The hare was quite thrown off his guard by the pain +of having his long ear pulled so hard, and the monkey seizing his +opportunity at last, caught hold of one of the hare's legs and sent +him sprawling in the middle of the dais. The monkey was now the +victor and received, a rice-dumpling from Kintaro, which pleased him +so much that he quite forgot his sore back. + +The deer now came up and asked the hare if he felt ready for another +round, and if so whether be would try a round with him, and the hare +consenting, they both stood up to wrestle. The bear came forward as +umpire. + +The deer with long horns and the hare with long ears, it must have +been an amusing sight to those who watched this queer match. +Suddenly the deer went down on one of his knees, and the bear with +the leaf on high declared him beaten. In this way, sometimes the +one, sometimes the other, conquering, the little party amused +themselves till they were tired. + +At last Kintaro got up and said: + +"This is enough for to-day. What a nice place we have found for +wrestling; let us come again to-morrow. Now, we will all go home. +Come along!" So saying, Kintaro led the way while the animals +followed. + +After walking some little distance they came out on the banks of a +river flowing through a valley. Kintaro and his four furry friends +stood and looked about for some means of crossing. Bridge there was +none. The river rushed "don, don" on its way. All the animals looked +serious, wondering how they could cross the stream and get home that +evening. + +Kintaro, however, said: + +"Wait a moment. I will make a good bridge for you all in a few +minutes." + +The bear, the deer, the monkey and the hare looked at him to see +what he would do now. + +Kintaro went from one tree to another that grew along the river +bank. At last he stopped in front of a very large tree that was +growing at the water's edge. He took hold of the trunk and pulled it +with all his might, once, twice, thrice! At the third pull, so great +was Kintaro's strength that the roots gave way, and "meri, meri" +(crash, crash), over fell the tree, forming an excellent bridge +across the stream. + +"There," said Kintaro, "what do you think of my bridge? It is quite +safe, so follow me," and he stepped across first. The four animals +followed. Never had they seen any one so strong before, and they all +exclaimed: + +"How strong he is! how strong he is!" + +While all this was going on by the river a woodcutter, who happened +to be standing on a rock overlooking the stream, had seen all that +passed beneath him. He watched with great surprise Kintaro and his +animal companions. He rubbed his eyes to be sure that he was not +dreaming when he saw this boy pull over a tree by the roots and +throw it across the stream to form a bridge. + +The woodcutter, for such he seemed to be by his dress, marveled at +all he saw, and said to himself: + +"This is no ordinary child. Whose son can he be? I will find out +before this day is done." + +He hastened after the strange party and crossed the bridge behind +them. Kintaro knew nothing of all this, and little guessed that he +was being followed. On reaching the other side of the river he and +the animals separated, they to their lairs in the woods and he to +his mother, who was waiting for him. + +As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in +the heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying: + +"Okkasan (mother), here I am!" + +"O, Kimbo!" said his mother with a bright smile, glad to see her boy +home safe after the long day. "How late you are to-day. I feared +that something had happened to you. Where have you been all the +time?" + +"I took my four friends, the bear, the deer, the monkey, and the +hare, up into the hills, and there I made them try a wrestling +match, to see which was the strongest. We all enjoyed the sport, and +are going to the same place to-morrow to have another match." + +"Now tell me who is the strongest of all?" asked his mother, +pretending not to know. + +"Oh, mother," said Kintaro, "don't you know that I am the strongest? +There was no need for me to wrestle with any of them." + +"But next to you then, who is the strongest?" + +"The bear comes next to me in strength," answered Kintaro. + +"And after the bear?" asked his mother again. + +"Next to the bear it is not easy to say which is the strongest, for +the deer, the monkey, and the hare all seem to be as strong as each +other," said Kintaro. + +Suddenly Kintaro and his mother were startled by a voice from +outside. + +"Listen to me, little boy! Next time you go, take this old man with +you to the wrestling match. He would like to join the sport too!" + +It was the old woodcutter who had followed Kintaro from the river. +He slipped off his clogs and entered the cottage. Yama-uba and her +son were both taken by surprise. They looked at the intruder +wonderingly and saw that he was some one they had never seen before. + +"Who are you?" they both exclaimed. + +Then the woodcutter laughed and said: + +"It does not matter who I am yet, but let us see who has the +strongest arm--this boy or myself?" + +Then Kintaro, who had lived all his life in the forest, answered the +old man without any ceremony, saying: + +"We will have a try if you wish it, but you must not be angry +whoever is beaten." + +Then Kintaro and the woodcutter both put out their right arms and +grasped each other's hands. For a long time Kintaro and the old man +wrestled together in this way, each trying to bend the other's arm, +but the old man was very strong, and the strange pair were evenly +matched. At last the old man desisted, declaring it a drawn game. + +"You are, indeed, a very strong child. There are few men who can +boast of the strength of my right arm!" said the woodcutter. "I saw +you first on the hanks of the river a few hours ago, when you pulled +up that large tree to make a bridge across the torrent. Hardly able +to believe what I saw I followed you home. Your strength of arm, +which I have just tried, proves what I saw this afternoon. When you +are full-grown you will surely be the strongest man in all Japan. It +is a pity that you are hidden away in these wild mountains." + +Then he turned to Kintaro's mother: + +"And you, mother, have you no thought of taking your child to the +Capital, and of teaching him to carry a sword as befits a samurai (a +Japanese knight)?" + +"You are very kind to take so much interest in my son." replied the +mother; "but he is as you see, wild and uneducated, and I fear it +would be very difficult to do as you say. Because of his great +strength as an infant I hid him away in this unknown part of the +country, for he hurt every one that came near him. I have often +wished that I could, one day, see my boy a knight wearing two +swords, but as we have no influential friend to introduce us at the +Capital, I fear my hope will never come true." + +"You need not trouble yourself about that. To tell you the truth I +am no woodcutter! I am one of the great generals of Japan. My name +is Sadamitsu, and I am a vassal of the powerful Lord Minamoto-no- +Raiko. He ordered me to go round the country and look for boys who +give promise of remarkable strength, so that they may be trained as +soldiers for his army. I thought that I could best do this by +assuming the disguise of a woodcutter. By good fortune, I have thus +unexpectedly come across your son. Now if you really wish him to be +a SAMURAI (a knight), I will take him and present him to the Lord +Raiko as a candidate for his service. What do you say to this?" + +As the kind general gradually unfolded his plan the mother's heart +was filled with a great joy. She saw that here was a wonderful +chance of the one wish of her life being fulfilled--that of seeing +Kintaro a SAMURAI before she died. + +Bowing her head to the ground, she replied: + +"I will then intrust my son to you if you really mean what you say." + +Kintaro had all this time been sitting by his mother's side +listening to what they said. When his mother finished speaking, he +exclaimed: + +"Oh, joy! joy! I am to go with the general and one day I shall be a +SAMURAI!" + +Thus Kintaro's fate was settled, and the general decided to start +for the Capital at once, taking Kintaro with him. It need hardly be +said that Yama-uba was sad at parting with her boy, for he was all +that was left to her. But she hid her grief with a strong face, as +they say in Japan. She knew that it was for her boy's good that he +should leave her now, and she must not discourage him just as he was +setting out. Kintaro promised never to forget her, and said that as +soon as he was a knight wearing two swords he would build her a home +and take care of her in her old age. + +All the animals, those he had tamed to serve him, the bear, the +deer, the monkey, and the hare, as soon as they found out that he +was going away, came to ask if they might attend him as usual. When +they learned that he was going away for good they followed him to +the foot of the mountain to see him off. + +"Kimbo," said his mother, "mind and be a good boy." + +"Mr. Kintaro," said the faithful animals, "we wish you good health +on your travels." + +Then they all climbed a tree to see the last of him, and from that +height they watched him and his shadow gradually grow smaller and +smaller, till he was lost to sight. + +The general Sadamitsu went on his way rejoicing at having so +unexpectedly found such a prodigy as Kintaro. + +Having arrived at their destination the general took Kintaro at once +to his Lord, Minamoto-no-Raiko, and told him all about Kintaro and +how he had found the child. Lord Raiko was delighted with the story, +and having commanded Kintaro to be brought to him, made him one of +his vassals at once. + +Lord Raiko's army was famous for its band called "The Four Braves." +These warriors were chosen by himself from amongst the bravest and +strongest of his soldiers, and the small and well-picked band was +distinguished throughout the whole of Japan for the dauntless +courage of its men. + +When Kintaro grew up to be a man his master made him the Chief of +the Four Braves. He was by far the strongest of them all. Soon after +this event, news was brought to the city that a cannibal monster had +taken up his abode not far away and that people were stricken with +fear. Lord Raiko ordered Kintaro to the rescue. He immediately +started off, delighted at the prospect of trying his sword. + +Surprising the monster in its den, he made short work of cutting off +its great head, which he carried back in triumph to his master. + +Kintaro now rose to be the greatest hero of his country, and great +was the power and honor and wealth that came to him. He now kept his +promise and built a comfortable home for his old mother, who lived +happily with him in the Capital to the end of her days. + +Is not this the story of a great hero? + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCESS HASE. + +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN. + + +Many, many years ago there lived in Nara, the ancient Capital of +Japan, a wise State minister, by name Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His +wife was a noble, good, and beautiful woman called Princess Murasaki +(Violet). They had been married by their respective families +according to Japanese custom when very young, and had lived together +happily ever since. They had, however, one cause for great sorrow, +for as the years went by no child was born to them. This made them +very unhappy, for they both longed to see a child of their own who +would grow up to gladden their old age, carry on the family name, +and keep up the ancestral rites when they were dead. The Prince and +his lovely wife, after long consultation and much thought, +determined to make a pilgrimage to the temple of Hase-no-Kwannon +(Goddess of Mercy at Hase), for they believed, according to the +beautiful tradition of their religion, that the Mother of Mercy, +Kwannon, comes to answer the prayers of mortals in the form that +they need the most. Surely after all these years of prayer she would +come to them in the form of a beloved child in answer to their +special pilgrimage, for that was the greatest need of their two +lives. Everything else they had that this life could give them, but +it was all as nothing because the cry of their hearts was +unsatisfied. + +So the Prince Toyonari and his wife went to the temple of Kwannon at +Hase and stayed there for a long time, both daily offering incense +and praying to Kwannon, the Heavenly Mother, to grant them the +desire of their whole lives. And their prayer was answered. + +A daughter was born at last to the Princess Murasaki, and great was +the joy of her heart. On presenting the child to her husband, they +both decided to call her Hase-Hime, or the Princess of Hase, because +she was the gift of the Kwannon at that place. They both reared her +with great care and tenderness, and the child grew in strength and +beauty. + +When the little girl was five years old her mother fell dangerously +ill and all the doctors and their medicines could not save her. A +little before she breathed her last she called her daughter to her, +and gently stroking her head, said: + +"Hase-Hime, do you know that your mother cannot live any longer? +Though I die, you must grow up a good girl. Do your best not to give +trouble to your nurse or any other of your family. Perhaps your +father will marry again and some one will fill my place as your +mother. If so do not grieve for me, but look upon your father's +second wife as your true mother, and be obedient and filial to both +her and your father. Remember when you are grown up to be submissive +to those who are your superiors, and to be kind to all those who are +under you. Don't forget this. I die with the hope that you will grow +up a model woman." + +Hase-Hime listened in an attitude of respect while her mother spoke, +and promised to do all that she was told. There is a proverb which +says "As the soul is at three so it is at one hundred," and so Hase- +Hime grew up as her mother had wished, a good and obedient little +Princess, though she was now too young to understand how great was +the loss of her mother. + +Not long after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari married +again, a lady of noble birth named Princess Terute. Very different +in character, alas! to the good and wise Princess Murasaki, this +woman had a cruel, bad heart. She did not love her step-daughter at +all, and was often very unkind to the little motherless girl, saving +to herself: + +"This is not my child! this is not my child!" + +But Hase-Hime bore every unkindness with patience, and even waited +upon her step-mother kindly and obeyed her in every way and never +gave any trouble, just as she had been trained by her own good +mother, so that the Lady Terute had no cause for complaint against +her. + +The little Princess was very diligent, and her favorite studies were +music and poetry. She would spend several hours practicing every +day, and her father had the most proficient of masters he could find +to teach her the koto (Japanese harp), the art of writing letters +and verse. When she was twelve years of age she could play so +beautifully that she and her step-mother were summoned to the Palace +to perform before the Emperor. + +It was the Festival of the Cherry Flowers, and there were great +festivities at the Court. The Emperor threw himself into the +enjoyment of the season, and commanded that Princess Hase should +perform before him on the koto, and that her mother Princess Terute +should accompany her on the flute. + +The Emperor sat on a raised dais, before which was hung a curtain of +finely-sliced bamboo and purple tassels, so that His Majesty might +see all and not be seen, for no ordinary subject was allowed to +looked upon his sacred face. + +Hase-Hime was a skilled musician though so young, and often +astonished her masters by her wonderful memory and talent. On this +momentous occasion she played well. But Princess Terute, her step- +mother, who was a lazy woman and never took the trouble to practice +daily, broke down in her accompaniment and had to request one of the +Court ladies to take her place. This was a great disgrace, and she +was furiously jealous to think that she had failed where her step- +daughter succeeded; and to make matters worse the Emperor sent many +beautiful gifts to the little Princess to reward her for playing so +well at the Palace. + +There was also now another reason why Princess Terute hated her +step-daughter, for she had had the good fortune to have a son born +to her, and in her inmost heart she kept saying: + +"If only Hase-Hime were not here, my son would have all the love of +his father." + +And never having learned to control herself, she allowed this wicked +thought to grow into the awful desire of taking her step-daughter's +life. + +So one day she secretly ordered some poison and poisoned some sweet +wine. This poisoned wine she put into a bottle. Into another similar +bottle she poured some good wine. It was the occasion of the Boys' +Festival on the fifth of May, and Hase-Hime was playing with her +little brother. All his toys of warriors and heroes were spread out +and she was telling him wonderful stories about each of them. They +were both enjoying themselves and laughing merrily with their +attendants when his mother entered with the two bottles of wine and +some delicious cakes. + +"You are both so good and happy." said the wicked Princess Terute +with a smile, "that I have brought you some sweet wine as a reward-- +and here are some nice cakes for my good children." + +And she filled two cups from the different bottles. + +Hase-Hime, never dreaming of the dreadful part her step-mother was +acting, took one of the cups of wine and gave to her little step +brother the other that had been poured out for him. + +The wicked woman had carefully marked the poisoned bottle, but on +coming into the room she had grown nervous, and pouring out the wine +hurriedly had unconsciously given the poisoned cup to her own child. +All this time she was anxiously watching the little Princess, but to +her amazement no change whatever took place in the young girl's +face. Suddenly the little boy screamed and threw himself on the +floor, doubled up with pain. His mother flew to him, taking the +precaution to upset the two tiny jars of wine which she had brought +into the room, and lifted him up. The attendants rushed for the +doctor, but nothing could save the child--he died within the hour in +his mother's arms. Doctors did not know much in those ancient times, +and it was thought that the wine had disagreed with the boy, causing +convulsions of which he died. + +Thus was the wicked woman punished in losing her own child when she +had tried to do away with her step-daughter; but instead of blaming +herself she began to hate Hase-Hime more than ever in the bitterness +and wretchedness of her own heart, and she eagerly watched for an +opportunity to do her harm, which was, however, long in coming. + +When Hase-Hime was thirteen years of age, she had already become +mentioned as a poetess of some merit. This was an accomplishment +very much cultivated by the women of old Japan and one held in high +esteem. + +It was the rainy season at Nara, and floods were reported every day +as doing damage in the neighborhood. The river Tatsuta, which flowed +through the Imperial Palace grounds, was swollen to the top of its +banks, and the roaring of the torrents of water rushing along a +narrow bed so disturbed the Emperor's rest day and night, that a +serious nervous disorder was the result. An Imperial Edict was sent +forth to all the Buddhist temples commanding the priests to offer up +continuous prayers to Heaven to stop the noise of the flood. But +this was of no avail. + +Then it was whispered in Court circles that the Princess Hase, the +daughter of Prince Toyonari Fujiwara, second minister at Court, was +the most gifted poetess of the day, though still so young, and her +masters confirmed the report. Long ago, a beautiful and gifted +maiden-poetess had moved Heaven by praying in verse, had brought +down rain upon a land famished with drought--so said the ancient +biographers of the poetess Ono-no-Komachi. If the Princess Hase were +to write a poem and offer it in prayer, might it not stop the noise +of the rushing river and remove the cause of the Imperial illness? +What the Court said at last reached the ears of the Emperor himself, +and he sent an order to the minister Prince Toyonari to this effect. + +Great indeed was Hase-Hime's fear and astonishment when her father +sent for her and told her what was required of her. Heavy, indeed, +was the duty that was laid on her young shoulders--that of saving +the Emperor's life by the merit of her verse. + +At last the day came and her poem was finished. It was written on a +leaflet of paper heavily flecked with gold-dust. With her father and +attendants and some of the Court officials, she proceeded to the +bank of the roaring torrent and raising up her heart to Heaven, she +read the poem she had composed, aloud, lifting it heavenwards in her +two hands. + +Strange indeed it seemed to all those standing round. The waters +ceased their roaring, and the river was quiet in direct answer to +her prayer. After this the Emperor soon recovered his health. + +His Majesty was highly pleased, and sent for her to the Palace and +rewarded her with the rank of Chinjo--that of Lieutenant-General--to +distinguish her. From that time she was called Chinjo-hime, or the +Lieutenant-General Princess, and respected and loved by all. + +There was only one person who was not pleased at Hase-Hime's +success. That one was her stepmother. Forever brooding over the +death of her own child whom she had killed when trying to poison her +step-daughter, she had the mortification of seeing her rise to power +and honor, marked by Imperial favor and the admiration of the whole +Court. Her envy and jealousy burned in her heart like fire. Many +were the lies she carried to her husband about Hase-Hime, but all to +no purpose. He would listen to none of her tales, telling her +sharply that she was quite mistaken. + +At last the step-mother, seizing the opportunity of her husband's +absence, ordered one of her old servants to take the innocent girl +to the Hibari Mountains, the wildest part of the country, and to +kill her there. She invented a dreadful story about the little +Princess, saying that this was the only way to prevent disgrace +falling upon the family--by killing her. + +Katoda, her vassal, was bound to obey his mistress. Anyhow, he saw +that it would be the wisest plan to pretend obedience in the absence +of the girl's father, so he placed Hase-Hime in a palanquin and +accompanied her to the most solitary place he could find in the wild +district. The poor child knew there was no good in protesting to her +unkind step-mother at being sent away in this strange manner, so she +went as she was told. + +But the old servant knew that the young Princess was quite innocent +of all the things her step-mother had invented to him as reasons for +her outrageous orders, and he determined to save her life. Unless he +killed her, however, he could not return to his cruel task-mistress, +so he decided to stay out in the wilderness. With the help of some +peasants he soon built a little cottage, and having sent secretly +for his wife to come, these two good old people did all in their +power to take care of the now unfortunate Princess. She all the time +trusted in her father, knowing that as soon as he returned home and +found her absent, he would search for her. + +Prince Toyonari, after some weeks, came home, and was told by his +wife that his daughter Hime had done something wrong and had run +away for fear of being punished. He was nearly ill with anxiety. +Every one in the house told the same story--that Hase-Hime had +suddenly disappeared, none of them knew why or whither. For fear of +scandal he kept the matter quite and searched everywhere he could +think of, but all to no purpose. + +One day, trying to forget his terrible worry, he called all his men +together and told them to make ready for a several days' hunt in the +mountains. They were soon ready and mounted, waiting at the gate for +their lord. He rode hard and fast to the district of the Hibari +Mountains, a great company following him. He was soon far ahead of +every one, and at last found himself in a narrow picturesque valley. + +Looking round and admiring the scenery, he noticed a tiny house on +one of the hills quite near, and then he distinctly heard a +beautiful clear voice reading aloud. Seized with curiosity as to who +could be studying so diligently in such a lonely spot, he +dismounted, and leaving his horse to his groom, he walked up the +hillside and approached the cottage. As he drew nearer his surprise +increased, for he could see that the reader was a beautiful girl. +The cottage was wide open and she was sitting facing the view. +Listening attentively, he heard her reading the Buddhist scriptures +with great devotion. More and more curious, he hurried on to the +tiny gate and entered the little garden, and looking up beheld his +lost daughter Hase-Hime. She was so intent on what she was saying +that she neither heard nor saw her father till he spoke. + +"Hase-Hime!" he cried, "it is you. my Hase-Hime!" + +Taken by surprise, she could hardly realize that it was her own dear +father who was calling her, and for a moment she was utterly bereft +of the power to speak or move. + +"My father, my father! It is indeed you--oh, my father!" was all she +could say, and running to him she caught hold of his thick sleeve, +and burying her face burst into a passion of tears. + +Her father stroked her dark hair, asking her gently to tell him all +that had happened, but she only wept on, and he wondered if he were +not really dreaming. + +Then the faithful old servant Katoda came out, and bowing himself to +the ground before his master, poured out the long tale of wrong, +telling him all that had happened, and how it was that he found his +daughter in such a wild and desolate spot with only two old servants +to take care of her. + +The Prince's astonishment and indignation knew no bounds. He gave up +the hunt at once and hurried home with his daughter. One of the +company galloped ahead to inform the household of the glad news, and +the step-mother hearing what had happened, and fearful of meeting +her husband now that her wickedness was discovered, fled from the +house and returned in disgrace to her father's roof, and nothing +more was heard of her. + +The old servant Katoda was rewarded with the highest promotion in +his master's service, and lived happily to the end of his days, +devoted to the little Princess, who never forgot that she owed her +life to this faithful retainer. She was no longer troubled by an +unkind step-mother, and her days passed happily and quietly with her +father. + +As Prince Toyonari had no son, he adopted a younger son of one of +the Court nobles to be his heir, and to marry his daughter Hase- +Hime, and in a few years the marriage took place. Hase-Hime lived to +a good old age, and all said that she was the wisest, most devout, +and most beautiful mistress that had ever reigned in Prince +Toyonari's ancient house. She had the joy of presenting her son, the +future lord of the family, to her father just before he retired from +active life. + +To this day there is preserved a piece of needle-work in one of the +Buddhist temples of Kioto. It is a beautiful piece of tapestry, with +the figure of Buddha embroidered in the silky threads drawn from the +stem of the lotus. This is said to have been the work of the hands +of the good Princess Hase. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO DID NOT WISH TO DIE. + + +Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant +"Millionaire," but although he was not so rich as all that, he was +still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small +fortune from his father and lived on this, spending his time +carelessly, without any serious thoughts of work, till he was about +thirty-two years of age. + +One day, without any reason whatsoever, the thought of death and +sickness came to him. The idea of falling ill or dying made him very +wretched. + +"I should like to live," he said to himself, "till I am five or six +hundred years old at least, free from all sickness. The ordinary +span of a man's life is very short." + +He wondered whether it were possible, by living simply and frugally +henceforth, to prolong his life as long as he wished. + +He knew there were many stories in ancient history of emperors who +had lived a thousand years, and there was a Princess of Yamato, who, +it was said, lived to the age of five hundred This was the latest +story of a very long life record. + +Sentaro had often heard the tale of the Chinese King named Shin-no- +Shiko. He was one of the most able and powerful rulers in Chinese +history. He built all the large palaces, and also the famous great +wall of China. He had everything in the world he could wish for, but +in spite of all his happiness and the luxury and the splendor of his +Court, the wisdom of his councilors and the glory of his reign, he +was miserable because he knew that one day he must die and leave it +all. + +When Shin-no-Shiko went to bed at night, when he rose in the +morning, as he went through his day, the thought of death was always +with him. He could not get away from it. Ah--if only he could find +the "Elixir of Life," he would be happy. + +The Emperor at last called a meeting of his courtiers and asked them +all if they could not find for him the "Elixir of Life" of which he +had so often read and heard. + +One old courtier, Jofuku by name, said that far away across the seas +there was a country called Horaizan, and that certain hermits lived +there who possessed the secret of the "Elixir of Life." Whoever +drank of this wonderful draught lived forever. + +The Emperor ordered Jofuku to set out for the land of Horaizan, to +find the hermits, and to bring him back a phial of the magic elixir. +He gave Jofuku one of his best junks, fitted it out for him, and +loaded it with great quantities of treasures and precious stones for +Jofuku to take as presents to the hermits. + +Jofuku sailed for the land of Horaizan, but he never returned to the +waiting Emperor; but ever since that time Mount Fuji has been said +to be the fabled Horaizan and the home of hermits who had the secret +of the elixir, and Jofuku has been worshiped as their patron god. + +Now Sentaro determined to set out to find the hermits, and if he +could, to become one, so that he might obtain the water of perpetual +life. He remembered that as a child he had been told that not only +did these hermits live on Mount Fuji, but that they were said to +inhabit all the very high peaks. + +So he left his old home to the care of his relatives, and started +out on his quest. He traveled through all the mountainous regions of +the land, climbing to the tops of the highest peaks, but never a +hermit did he find. + +At last, after wandering in an unknown region for many days, he met +a hunter. + +"Can you tell me," asked Sentaro, "where the hermits live who have +the Elixir of Life?" + +"No." said the hunter; "I can't tell you where such hermits live, +but there is a notorious robber living in these parts. It is said +that he is chief of a band of two hundred followers." + +This odd answer irritated Sentaro very much, and he thought how +foolish it was to waste more time in looking for the hermits in this +way, so he decided to go at once to the shrine of Jofuku, who is +worshiped as the patron god of the hermits in the south of Japan. + +Sentaro reached the shrine and prayed for seven days, entreating +Jofuku to show him the way to a hermit who could give him what he +wanted so much to find. + +At midnight of the seventh day, as Sentaro knelt in the temple, the +door of the innermost shrine flew open, and Jofuku appeared in a +luminous cloud, and calling to Sentaro to come nearer, spoke thus: + +"Your desire is a very selfish one and cannot be easily granted. You +think that you would like to become a hermit so as to find the +Elixir of Life. Do you know how hard a hermit's life is? A hermit is +only allowed to eat fruit and berries and the bark of pine trees; a +hermit must cut himself off from the world so that his heart may +become as pure as gold and free from every earthly desire. Gradually +after following these strict rules, the hermit ceases to feel hunger +or cold or heat, and his body becomes so light that he can ride on a +crane or a carp, and can walk on water without getting his feet +wet." + +"You, Sentaro, are fond of good living and of every comfort. You are +not even like an ordinary man, for you are exceptionally idle, and +more sensitive to heat and cold than most people. You would never be +able to go barefoot or to wear only one thin dress in the winter +time! Do you think that you would ever have the patience or the +endurance to live a hermit's life?" + +"In answer to your prayer, however, I will help you in another way. +I will send you to the country of Perpetual Life, where death never +comes--where the people live forever!" + +Saying this, Jofuku put into Sentaro's hand a little crane made of +paper, telling him to sit on its back and it would carry him there. + +Sentaro obeyed wonderingly. The crane grew large enough for him to +ride on it with comfort. It then spread its wings, rose high in the +air, and flew away over the mountains right out to sea. + +Sentaro was at first quite frightened; but by degrees he grew +accustomed to the swift flight through the air. On and on they went +for thousands of miles. The bird never stopped for rest or food, but +as it was a paper bird it doubtless did not require any nourishment, +and strange to say, neither did Sentaro. + +After several days they reached an island. The crane flew some +distance inland and then alighted. + +As soon as Sentaro got down from the bird's back, the crane folded +up of its own accord and flew into his pocket. + +Now Sentaro began to look about him wonderingly, curious to see what +the country of Perpetual Life was like. He walked first round about +the country and then through the town. Everything was, of course, +quite strange, and different from his own land. But both the land +and the people seemed prosperous, so he decided that it would be +good for him to stay there and took up lodgings at one of the +hotels. + +The proprietor was a kind man, and when Sentaro told him that he was +a stranger and had come to live there, he promised to arrange +everything that was necessary with the governor of the city +concerning Sentaro's sojourn there. He even found a house for his +guest, and in this way Sentaro obtained his great wish and became a +resident in the country of Perpetual Life. + +Within the memory of all the islanders no man had ever died there, +and sickness was a thing unknown. Priests had come over from India +and China and told them of a beautiful country called Paradise, +where happiness and bliss and contentment fill all men's hearts, but +its gates could only be reached by dying. This tradition was handed +down for ages from generation to generation--but none knew exactly +what death was except that it led to Paradise. + +Quite unlike Sentaro and other ordinary people, instead of having a +great dread of death, they all, both rich and poor, longed for it as +something good and desirable. They were all tired of their long, +long lives, and longed to go to the happy land of contentment called +Paradise of which the priests had told them centuries ago. + +All this Sentaro soon found out by talking to the islanders. He +found himself, according to his ideas, in the land of Topsyturvydom. +Everything was upside down. He had wished to escape from dying. He +had come to the land of Perpetual Life with great relief and joy, +only to find that the inhabitants themselves, doomed never to die, +would consider it bliss to find death. + +What he had hitherto considered poison these people ate as good +food, and all the things to which he had been accustomed as food +they rejected. Whenever any merchants from other countries arrived, +the rich people rushed to them eager to buy poisons. These they +swallowed eagerly, hoping for death to come so that they might go to +Paradise. + +But what were deadly poisons in other lands were without effect in +this strange place, and people who swallowed them with the hope of +dying, only found that in a short time they felt better in health +instead of worse. + +Vainly they tried to imagine what death could be like. The wealthy +would have given all their money and all their goods if they could +but shorten their lives to two or three hundred years even. Without +any change to live on forever seemed to this people wearisome and +sad. + +In the chemist shops there was a drug which was in constant demand, +because after using it for a hundred years, it was supposed to turn +the hair slightly gray and to bring about disorders of the stomach. + +Sentaro was astonished to find that the poisonous globe-fish was +served up in restaurants as a delectable dish, and hawkers in the +streets went about selling sauces made of Spanish flies. He never +saw any one ill after eating these horrible things, nor did he ever +see any one with as much as a cold. + +Sentaro was delighted. He said to himself that he would never grow +tired of living, and that he considered it profane to wish for +death. He was the only happy man on the island. For his part he +wished to live thousands of years and to enjoy life. He set himself +up in business, and for the present never even dreamed of going back +to his native land. + +As years went by, however, things did not go as smoothly as at +first. He had heavy losses in business, and several times some +affairs went wrong with his neighbors. This caused him great +annoyance. + +Time passed like the flight of an arrow for him, for he was busy +from morning till night. Three hundred years went by in this +monotonous way, and then at last he began to grow tired of life in +this country, and he longed to see his own land and his old home. +However long he lived here, life would always be the game, so was it +not foolish and wearisome to stay on here forever? + +Sentaro, in his wish to escape from the country of Perpetual Life, +recollected Jofuku, who had helped him before when he was wishing to +escape from death--and he prayed to the saint to bring him back to +his own land again. + +No sooner did he pray than the paper crane popped out of his pocket. +Sentaro was amazed to see that it had remained undamaged after all +these years. Once more the bird grew and grew till it was large +enough for him to mount it. As he did so, the bird spread its wings +and flew, swiftly out across the sea in the direction of Japan. + +Such was the willfulness of the man's nature that he looked back and +regretted all he had left behind. He tried to stop the bird in vain. +The crane held on its way for thousands of miles across the ocean. + +Then a storm came on, and the wonderful paper crane got damp, +crumpled up, and fell into the sea. Sentaro fell with it. Very much +frightened at the thought of being drowned, he cried out loudly to +Jofuku to save him. He looked round, but there was no ship in sight. +He swallowed a quantity of sea-water, which only increased his +miserable plight. While he was thus struggling to keep himself +afloat, he saw a monstrous shark swimming towards him. As it came +nearer it opened its huge mouth ready to devour him. Sentaro was all +but paralyzed with fear now that he felt his end so near, and +screamed out as loudly as ever he could to Jofuku to come and rescue +him. + +Lo, and behold, Sentaro was awakened by his own screams, to find +that during his long prayer he had fallen asleep before the shrine, +and that all his extraordinary and frightful adventures had been +only a wild dream. He was in a cold perspiration with fright, and +utterly bewildered. + +Suddenly a bright light came towards him, and in the light stood a +messenger. The messenger held a book in his hand, and spoke to +Sentaro: + +"I am sent to you by Jofuku, who in answer to your prayer, has +permitted you in a dream to see the land of Perpetual Life. But you +grew weary of living there, and begged to be allowed to return to +your native land so that you might die. Jofuku, so that he might try +you, allowed you to drop into the sea, and then sent a shark to +swallow you up. Your desire for death was not real, for even at that +moment you cried out loudly and shouted for help." + +"It is also vain for you to wish to become a hermit, or to find the +Elixir of Life. These things are not for such as you--your life is +not austere enough. It is best for you to go back to your paternal +home, and to live a good and industrious life. Never neglect to keep +the anniversaries of your ancestors, and make it your duty to +provide for your children's future. Thus will you live to a good old +age and be happy, but give up the vain desire to escape death, for +no man can do that, and by this time you have surely found out that +even when selfish desires are granted they do not bring happiness." + +"In this book I give you there are many precepts good for you to +know--if you study them, you will be guided in the way I have +pointed out to you." + +The angel disappeared as soon as he had finished speaking, and +Sentaro took the lesson to heart. With the book in his hand he +returned to his old home, and giving up all his old vain wishes, +tried to live a good and useful life and to observe the lessons +taught him in the book, and he and his house prospered henceforth. + + + + +THE BAMBOO-CUTTER AND THE MOON-CHILD. + + +Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very +poor and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old +age, and in his heart there was no hope of rest from work till he +died and was laid in the quiet grave. Every morning he went forth +into the woods and hills wherever the bamboo reared its lithe green +plumes against the sky. When he had made his choice, he would cut +down these feathers of the forest, and splitting them lengthwise, or +cutting them into joints, would carry the bamboo wood home and make +it into various articles for the household, and he and his old wife +gained a small livelihood by selling them. + +One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having found a +nice clump of bamboos, had set to work to cut some of them down. +Suddenly the green grove of bamboos was flooded with a bright soft +light, as if the full moon had risen over the spot. Looking round in +astonishment, he saw that the brilliance was streaming from one +bamboo. The old man. full of wonder. dropped his ax and went towards +the light. On nearer approach he saw that this soft splendor came +from a hollow in the green bamboo stem, and still more wonderful to +behold, in the midst of the brilliance stood a tiny human being, +only three inches in height, and exquisitely beautiful in +appearance. + +"You must be sent to be my child, for I find you here among the +bamboos where lies my daily work," said the old man, and taking the +little creature in his hand he took it home to his wife to bring up. +The tiny girl was so exceedingly beautiful and so small, that the +old woman put her into a basket to safeguard her from the least +possibility of being hurt in any way. + +The old couple were now very happy, for it had been a lifelong +regret that they had no children of their own, and with joy they now +expended all the love of their old age on the little child who had +come to them in so marvelous a manner. + +From this time on, the old man often found gold in the notches of +the bamboos when he hewed them down and cut them up; not only gold, +but precious stones also, so that by degrees he became rich. He +built himself a fine house, and was no longer known as the poor +bamboo woodcutter, but as a wealthy man. + +Three months passed quickly away, and in that time the bamboo child +had, wonderful to say, become a full-grown girl, so her foster- +parents did up her hair and dressed her in beautiful kimonos. She +was of such wondrous beauty that they placed her behind the screens +like a princess, and allowed no one to see her, waiting upon her +themselves. It seemed as if she were made of light, for the house +was filled with a soft shining, so that even in the dark of night it +was like daytime. Her presence seemed to have a benign influence on +those there. Whenever the old man felt sad, he had only to look upon +his foster-daughter and his sorrow vanished, and he became as happy +as when he was a youth. + +At last the day came for the naming of their new-found child, so the +old couple called in a celebrated name-giver, and he gave her the +name of Princess Moonlight, because her body gave forth so much soft +bright light that she might have been a daughter of the Moon God. + +For three days the festival was kept up with song and dance and +music. All the friends and relations of the old couple were present, +and great was their enjoyment of the festivities held to celebrate +the naming of Princess Moonlight. Everyone who saw her declared that +there never had been seen any one so lovely; all the beauties +throughout the length and breadth of the land would grow pale beside +her, so they said. The fame of the Princess's loveliness spread far +and wide, and many were the suitors who desired to win her hand, or +even so much as to see her. + +Suitors from far and near posted themselves outside the house, and +made little holes in the fence, in the hope of catching a glimpse of +the Princess as she went from one room to the other along the +veranda. They stayed there day and night, sacrificing even their +sleep for a chance of seeing her, but all in vain. Then they +approached the house, and tried to speak to the old man and his wife +or some of the servants, but not even this was granted them. + +Still, in spite of all this disappointment they stayed on day after +day, and night after night, and counted it as nothing, so great was +their desire to see the Princess. + +At last, however, most of the men, seeing how hopeless their quest +was, lost heart and hope both, and returned to their homes. All +except five Knights, whose ardor and determination, instead of +waning, seemed to wax greater with obstacles. These five men even +went without their meals, and took snatches of whatever they could +get brought to them, so that they might always stand outside the +dwelling. They stood there in all weathers, in sunshine and in rain. + +Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was +vouchsafed to them. Then when letters failed to draw any reply, they +wrote poems to her telling her of the hopeless love which kept them +from sleep, from food, from rest, and even from their homes. Still +Princes Moonlight gave no sign of having received their verses. + +In this hopeless state the winter passed. The snow and frost and the +cold winds gradually gave place to the gentle warmth of spring. Then +the summer came, and the sun burned white and scorching in the +heavens above and on the earth beneath, and still these faithful +Knights kept watch and waited. At the end of these long months they +called out to the old bamboo-cutter and entreated him to have some +mercy upon them and to show them the Princess, but he answered only +that as he was not her real father he could not insist on her +obeying him against her wishes. + +The five Knights on receiving this stern answer returned to their +several homes, and pondered over the best means of touching the +proud Princess's heart, even so much as to grant them a hearing. +They took their rosaries in hand and knelt before their household +shrines, and burned precious incense, praying to Buddha to give them +their heart's desire. Thus several days passed, but even so they +could not rest in their homes. + +So again they set out for the bamboo-cutter's house. This time the +old man came out to see them, and they asked him to let them know if +it was the Princess's resolution never to see any man whatsoever, +and they implored him to speak for them and to tell her the +greatness of their love, and how long they had waited through the +cold of winter and the heat of summer, sleepless and roofless +through all weathers, without food and without rest, in the ardent +hope of winning her, and they were willing to consider this long +vigil as pleasure if she would but give them one chance of pleading +their cause with her. + +The old man lent a willing ear to their tale of love, for in his +inmost heart he felt sorry for these faithful suitors and would have +liked to see his lovely foster-daughter married to one of them. So +he went in to Princess Moonlight and said reverently: + +"Although you have always seemed to me to be a heavenly being, yet I +have had the trouble of bringing you up as my own child and you have +been glad of the protection of my roof. Will you refuse to do as I +wish?" + +Then Princess Moonlight replied that there was nothing she would not +do for him, that she honored and loved him as her own father, and +that as for herself she could not remember the time before she came +to earth. + +The old man listened with great joy as she spoke these dutiful +words. Then he told her how anxious he was to see her safely and +happily married before he died. + +"I am an old man, over seventy years of age, and my end may come any +time now. It is necessary and right that you should see these five +suitors and choose one of them." + +"Oh, why," said the Princess in distress, "must I do this? I have no +wish to marry now." + +"I found you," answered the old man, "many years ago, when you were +a little creature three inches high, in the midst of a great white +light. The light streamed from the bamboo in which you were hid and +led me to you. So I have always thought that you were more than +mortal woman. While I am alive it is right for you to remain as you +are if you wish to do so, but some day I shall cease to be and who +will take care of you then? Therefore I pray you to meet these five +brave men one at a time and make up your mind to marry one of them!" + +Then the Princess answered that she felt sure that she was not as +beautiful as perhaps report made her out to be, and that even if she +consented to marry any one of them, not really knowing her before, +his heart might change afterwards. So as she did not feel sure of +them, even though her father told her they were worthy Knights, she +did not feel it wise to see them. + +"All you say is very reasonable," said the old man, "but what kind +of men will you consent to see? I do not call these five men who +have waited on you for months, light-hearted. They have stood +outside this house through the winter and the summer, often denying +themselves food and sleep so that they may win you. What more can +you demand?" + +Then Princess Moonlight said she must make further trial of their +love before she would grant their request to interview her. The five +warriors were to prove their love by each bringing her from distant +countries something that she desired to possess. + +That same evening the suitors arrived and began to play their flutes +in turn, and to sing their self-composed songs telling of their +great and tireless love. The bamboo-cutter went out to them and +offered them his sympathy for all they had endured and all the +patience they had shown in their desire to win his foster-daughter. +Then he gave them her message, that she would consent to marry +whosoever was successful in bringing her what she wanted. This was +to test them. + +The five all accepted the trial, and thought it an excellent plan, +for it would prevent jealousy between them. + +Princess Moonlight then sent word to the First Knight that she +requested him to bring her the stone bowl which had belonged to +Buddha in India. + +The Second Knight was asked to go to the Mountain of Horai, said to +be situated in the Eastern Sea, and to bring her a branch of the +wonderful tree that grew on its summit. The roots of this tree were +of silver, the trunk of gold, and the branches bore as fruit white +jewels. + +The Third Knight was told to go to China and search for the fire-rat +and to bring her its skin. + +The Fourth Knight was told to search for the dragon that carried on +its head the stone radiating five colors and to bring the stone to +her. + +The Fifth Knight was to find the swallow which carried a shell in +its stomach and to bring the shell to her. + +The old man thought these very hard tasks and hesitated to carry the +messages, but the Princess would make no other conditions. So her +commands were issued word for word to the five men who, when they +heard what was required of them, were all disheartened and disgusted +at what seemed to them the impossibility of the tasks given them and +returned to their own homes in despair. + +But after a time, when they thought of the Princess, the love in +their hearts revived for her, and they resolved to make an attempt +to get what she desired of them. + +The First Knight sent word to the Princess that he was starting out +that day on the quest of Buddha's bowl, and he hoped soon to bring +it to her. But he had not the courage to go all the way to India, +for in those days traveling was very difficult and full of danger, +so he went to one of the temples in Kyoto and took a stone bowl from +the altar there, paying the priest a large sum of money for it. He +then wrapped it in a cloth of gold and, waiting quietly for three +years, returned and carried it to the old man. + +Princess Moonlight wondered that the Knight should have returned so +soon. She took the bowl from its gold wrapping, expecting it to make +the room full of light, but it did not shine at all, so she knew +that it was a sham thing and not the true bowl of Buddha. She +returned it at once and refused to see him. The Knight threw the +bowl away and returned to his home in despair. He gave up now all +hopes of ever winning the Princess. + +The Second Knight told his parents that he needed change of air for +his health, for he was ashamed to tell them that love for the +Princess Moonlight was the real cause of his leaving them. He then +left his home, at the same time sending word to the Princess that he +was setting out for Mount Horai in the hope of getting her a branch +of the gold and silver tree which she so much wished to have. He +only allowed his servants to accompany him half-way, and then sent +them back. He reached the seashore and embarked on a small ship, and +after sailing away for three days he landed and employed several +carpenters to build him a house contrived in such a way that no one +could get access to it. He then shut himself up with six skilled +jewelers, and endeavored to make such a gold and silver branch as he +thought would satisfy the Princess as having come from the wonderful +tree growing on Mount Horai. Every one whom he had asked declared +that Mount Horai belonged to the land of fable and not to fact. + +When the branch was finished, he took his journey home and tried to +make himself look as if he were wearied and worn out with travel. He +put the jeweled branch into a lacquer box and carried it to the +bamboo-cutter, begging him to present it to the Princess. + +The old man was quite deceived by the travel-stained appearance of +the Knight, and thought that he had only just returned from his long +journey with the branch. So he tried to persuade the Princess to +consent to see the man. But she remained silent and looked very sad. +The old man began to take out the branch and praised it as a +wonderful treasure to be found nowhere in the whole land. Then he +spoke of the Knight, how handsome and how brave he was to have +undertaken a journey to so remote a place as the Mount of Horai. + +Princess Moonlight took the branch in her hand and looked at it +carefully. She then told her foster-parent that she knew it was +impossible for the man to have obtained a branch from the gold and +silver tree growing on Mount Horai so quickly or so easily, and she +was sorry to say she believed it artificial. + +The old man then went out to the expectant Knight, who had now +approached the house, and asked where he had found the branch. Then +the man did not scruple to make up a long story. + +"Two years ago I took a ship and started in search of Mount Horai. +After going before the wind for some time I reached the far Eastern +Sea. Then a great storm arose and I was tossed about for many days, +losing all count of the points of the compass, and finally we were +blown ashore on an unknown island. Here I found the place inhabited +by demons who at one time threatened to kill and eat me. However, I +managed to make friends with these horrible creatures, and they +helped me and my sailors to repair the boat, and I set sail again. +Our food gave out, and we suffered much from sickness on board. At +last, on the five-hundredth day from the day of starting, I saw far +off on the horizon what looked like the peak of a mountain. On +nearer approach, this proved to be an island, in the center of which +rose a high mountain. I landed, and after wandering about for two or +three days, I saw a shining being coming towards me on the beach, +holding in his hands a golden bowl. I went up to him and asked him +if I had, by good chance, found the island of Mount Horai, and he +answered:" + +"'Yes, this is Mount Horai!'" + +"With much difficulty I climbed to the summit, here stood the golden +tree growing with silver roots in the ground. The wonders of that +strange land are many, and if I began to tell you about them I could +never stop. In spite of my wish to stay there long, on breaking off +the branch I hurried back. With utmost speed it has taken me four +hundred days to get back, and, as you see, my clothes are still damp +from exposure on the long sea voyage. I have not even waited to +change my raiment, so anxious was I to bring the branch to the +Princess quickly." + +Just at this moment the six jewelers, who had been employed on the +making of the branch, but not yet paid by the Knight, arrived at the +house and sent in a petition to the Princess to be paid for their +labor. They said that they had worked for over a thousand days +making the branch of gold, with its silver twigs and its jeweled +fruit, that was now presented to her by the Knight, but as yet they +had received nothing in payment. So this Knight's deception was thus +found out, and the Princess, glad of an escape from one more +importunate suitor, was only too pleased to send back the branch. +She called in the workmen and had them paid liberally, and they went +away happy. But on the way home they were overtaken by the +disappointed man. who beat them till they were nearly dead, for +letting out the secret, and they barely escaped with their lives. +The Knight then returned home, raging in his heart; and in despair +of ever winning the Princess gave up society and retired to a +solitary life among the mountains. + +Now the Third Knight had a friend in China, so he wrote to him to +get the skin of the fire-rat. The virtue of any part of this animal +was that no fire could harm it. He promised his friend any amount of +money he liked to ask if only he could get him the desired article. +As soon as the news came that the ship on which his friend had +sailed home had come into port, he rode seven days on horseback to +meet him. He handed his friend a large sum of money, and received +the fire-rat's skin. When he reached home he put it carefully in a +box and sent it in to the Princess while he waited outside for her +answer. + +The bamboo-cutter took the box from the Knight and, as usual, +carried it in to her and tried to coax her to see the Knight at +once, but Princess Moonlight refused, saying that she must first put +the skin to test by putting it into the fire. If it were the real +thing it would not burn. So she took off the crape wrapper and +opened the box, and then threw the skin into the fire. The skin +crackled and burnt up at once, and the Princess knew that this man +also had not fulfilled his word. So the Third Knight failed also. + +Now the Fourth Knight was no more enterprising than the rest. +Instead of starting out on the quest of the dragon bearing on its +head the five-color-radiating jewel, he called all his servants +together and gave them the order to seek for it far and wide in +Japan and in China, and he strictly forbade any of them to return +till they had found it. + +His numerous retainers and servants started out in different +directions, with no intention, however, of obeying what they +considered an impossible order. They simply took a holiday, went to +pleasant country places together, and grumbled at their master's +unreasonableness. + +The Knight meanwhile, thinking that his retainers could not fail to +find the jewel, repaired to his house, and fitted it up beautifully +for the reception of the Princess, he felt so sure of winning her. + +One year passed away in weary waiting, and still his men did not +return with the dragon-jewel. The Knight became desperate. He could +wait no longer, so taking with him only two men he hired a ship and +commanded the captain to go in search of the dragon; the captain and +the sailors refused to undertake what they said was an absurd +search, but the Knight compelled them at last to put out to sea. + +When they had been but a few days out they encountered a great storm +which lasted so long that, by the time its fury abated, the Knight +had determined to give up the hunt of the dragon. They were at last +blown on shore, for navigation was primitive in those days. Worn out +with his travels and anxiety, the fourth suitor gave himself up to +rest. He had caught a very heavy cold, and had to go to bed with a +swollen face. + +The governor of the place, hearing of his plight, sent messengers +with a letter inviting him to his house. While he was there thinking +over all his troubles, his love for the Princess turned to anger, +and he blamed her for all the hardships he had undergone. He thought +that it was quite probable she had wished to kill him so that she +might be rid of him, and in order to carry out her wish had sent him +upon his impossible quest. + +At this point all the servants he had sent out to find the jewel +came to see him, and were surprised to find praise instead of +displeasure awaiting them. Their master told them that he was +heartily sick of adventure, and said that he never intended to go +near the Princess's house again in the future. + +Like all the rest, the Fifth Knight failed in his quest--he could +not find the swallow's shell. + +By this time the fame of Princess Moonlight's beauty had reached the +ears of the Emperor, and he sent one of the Court ladies to see if +she were really as lovely as report said; if so he would summon her +to the Palace and make her one of the ladies-in-waiting. + +When the Court lady arrived, in spite of her father's entreaties, +Princess Moonlight refused to see her. The Imperial messenger +insisted, saying it was the Emperor's order. Then Princess Moonlight +told the old man that if she was forced to go to the Palace in +obedience to the Emperor's order, she would vanish from the earth. + +When the Emperor was told of her persistence in refusing to obey his +summons, and that if pressed to obey she would disappear altogether +from sight, he determined to go and see her. So he planned to go on +a hunting excursion in the neighborhood of the bamboo-cutter's +house, and see the Princess himself. He sent word to the old man of +his intention, and he received consent to the scheme. The next day +the Emperor set out with his retinue, which he soon managed to +outride. He found the bamboo-cutter's house and dismounted. He then +entered the house and went straight to where the Princess was +sitting with her attendant maidens. + +Never had he seen any one so wonderfully beautiful, and he could not +but look at her, for she was more lovely than any human being as she +shone in her own soft radiance. When Princess Moonlight became aware +that a stranger was looking at her she tried to escape from the +room, but the Emperor caught her and begged her to listen to what he +had to say. Her only answer was to hide her face in her sleeves. + +The Emperor fell deeply in love with her, and begged her to come to +the Court, where he would give her a position of honor and +everything she could wish for. He was about to send for one of the +Imperial palanquins to take her back with him at once, saying that +her grace and beauty should adorn a Court, and not be hidden in a +bamboo-cutter's cottage. + +But the Princess stopped him. She said that if she were forced to go +to the Palace she would turn at once into a shadow, and even as she +spoke she began to lose her form. Her figure faded from his sight +while he looked. + +The Emperor then promised to leave her free if only she would resume +her former shape, which she did. + +It was now time for him to return, for his retinue would be +wondering what had happened to their Royal master when they missed +him for so long. So be bade her good-by, and left the house with a +sad heart. Princess Moonlight was for him the most beautiful woman +in the world; all others were dark beside her, and he thought of her +night and day. His Majesty now spent much of his time in writing +poems, telling her of his love and devotion, and sent them to her, +and though she refused to see him again she answered with many +verses of her own composing, which told him gently and kindly that +she could never marry any one on this earth. These little songs +always gave him pleasure. + +At this time her foster-parents noticed that night after night the +Princess would sit on her balcony and gaze for hours at the moon, in +a spirit of the deepest dejection, ending always in a burst of +tears. One night the old man found her thus weeping as if her heart +were broken, and he besought her to tell him the reason of her +sorrow. + +With many tears she told him that he had guessed rightly when he +supposed her not to belong to this world--that she had in truth come +from the moon, and that her time on earth would soon be over. On the +fifteenth day of that very month of August her friends from the moon +would come to fetch her, and she would have to return. Her parents +were both there, but having spent a lifetime on the earth she had +forgotten them, and also the moon-world to which she belonged. It +made her weep, she said, to think of leaving her kind foster- +parents, and the home where she had been happy for so long. + +When her attendants heard this they were very sad, and could not eat +or drink for sadness at the thought that the Princess was so soon to +leave them. + +The Emperor, as soon as the news was carried to him, sent messengers +to the house to find out if the report were true or not. + +The old bamboo-cutter went out to meet the Imperial messengers. The +last few days of sorrow had told upon the old man; he had aged +greatly, and looked much more than his seventy years. Weeping +bitterly, he told them that the report was only too true, but he +intended, however, to make prisoners of the envoys from the moon, +and to do all he could to prevent the Princess from being carried +back. + +The men returned and told His Majesty all that had passed. On the +fifteenth day of that month the Emperor sent a guard of two thousand +warriors to watch the house. One thousand stationed themselves on +the roof, another thousand kept watch round all the entrances of the +house. All were well trained archers, with bows and arrows. The +bamboo-cutter and his wife hid Princess Moonlight in an inner room. + +The old man gave orders that no one was to sleep that night, all in +the house were to keep a strict watch, and be ready to protect the +Princess. With these precautions, and the help of the Emperor's men- +at-arms, he hoped to withstand the moon-messengers, but the Princess +told him that all these measures to keep her would be useless, and +that when her people came for her nothing whatever could prevent +them from carrying out their purpose. Even the Emperors men would be +powerless. Then she added with tears that she was very, very sorry +to leave him and his wife, whom she had learned to love as her +parents, that if she could do as she liked she would stay with them +in their old age, and try to make some return for all the love and +kindness they had showered upon her during all her earthly life. + +The night wore on! The yellow harvest moon rose high in the heavens, +flooding the world asleep with her golden light. Silence reigned +over the pine and the bamboo forests, and on the roof where the +thousand men-at-arms waited. + +Then the night grew gray towards the dawn and all hoped that the +danger was over--that Princess Moonlight would not have to leave +them after all. Then suddenly the watchers saw a cloud form round +the moon--and while they looked this cloud began to roll earthwards. +Nearer and nearer it came, and every one saw with dismay that its +course lay towards the house. + +In a short time the sky was entirely obscured, till at last the +cloud lay over the dwelling only ten feet off the ground. In the +midst of the cloud there stood a flying chariot, and in the chariot +a band of luminous beings. One amongst them who looked like a king +and appeared to be the chief stepped out of the chariot, and, poised +in air, called to the old man to come out. + +"The time has come," he said, "for Princess Moonlight to return to +the moon from whence she came. She committed a grave fault, and as a +punishment was sent to live down here for a time. We know what good +care you have taken of the Princess, and we have rewarded you for +this and have sent you wealth and prosperity. We put the gold in the +bamboos for you to find." + +"I have brought up this Princess for twenty years and never once has +she done a wrong thing, therefore the lady you are seeking cannot be +this one," said the old man. "I pray you to look elsewhere." + +Then the messenger called aloud, saying: + +"Princess Moonlight, come out from this lowly dwelling. Rest not +here another moment," + +At these words the screens of the Princess's room slid open of their +own accord, revealing the Princess shining in her own radiance, +bright and wonderful and full of beauty. + +The messenger led her forth and placed her in the chariot. She +looked back, and saw with pity the deep sorrow of the old man. She +spoke to him many comforting words, and told him that it was not her +will to leave him and that he must always think of her when looking +at the moon. + +The bamboo-cutter implored to be allowed to accompany her, but this +was not allowed. The Princess took off her embroidered outer garment +and gave it to him as a keepsake. + +One of the moon beings in the chariot held a wonderful coat of +wings, another had a phial full of the Elixir of Life which was +given the Princess to drink. She swallowed a little and was about to +give the rest to the old man, but she was prevented from doing so. + +The robe of wings was about to be put upon her shoulders, but she +said: + +"Wait a little. I must not forget my good friend the Emperor. I must +write him once more to say good-by while still in this human form." + +In spite of the impatience of the messengers and charioteers she +kept them waiting while she wrote. She placed the phial of the +Elixir of Life with the letter, and, giving them to the old man, she +asked him to deliver them to the Emperor. + +Then the chariot began to roll heavenwards towards the moon, and as +they all gazed with tearful eyes at the receding Princess, the dawn +broke, and in the rosy light of day the moon-chariot and all in it +were lost amongst the fleecy clouds that were now wafted across the +sky on the wings of the morning wind. + +Princess Moonlight's letter was carried to the Palace. His Majesty +was afraid to touch the Elixir of Life, so he sent it with the +letter to the top of the most sacred mountain in the land. Mount +Fuji, and there the Royal emissaries burnt it on the summit at +sunrise. So to this day people say there is smoke to be seen rising +from the top of Mount Fuji to the clouds. + + + + +THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA + +A STORY OF OLD JAPAN. + + +Long years ago in old Japan there lived in the Province of Echigo, a +very remote part of Japan even in these days, a man and his wife. +When this story begins they had been married for some years and were +blessed with one little daughter. She was the joy and pride of both +their lives, and in her they stored an endless source of happiness +for their old age. + +What golden letter days in their memory were these that had marked +her growing up from babyhood; the visit to the temple when she was +just thirty days old, her proud mother carrying her, robed in +ceremonial kimono, to be put under the patronage of the family's +household god; then her first dolls festival, when her parents gave +her a set of dolls' and their miniature belongings, to be added to +as year succeeded year; and perhaps the most important occasion of +all, on her third birthday, when her first OBI (broad brocade sash) +of scarlet and gold was tied round her small waist, a sign that she +had crossed the threshold of girlhood and left infancy behind. Now +that she was seven years of age, and had learned to talk and to wait +upon her parents in those several little ways so dear to the hearts +of fond parents, their cup of happiness seemed full. There could not +be found in the whole of the Island Empire a happier little family. + +One day there was much excitement in the home, for the father had +been suddenly summoned to the capital on business. In these days of +railways and jinrickshas and other rapid modes of traveling, it is +difficult to realize what such a journey as that from Matsuyama to +Kyoto meant. The roads were rough and bad, and ordinary people had +to walk every step of the way, whether the distance were one hundred +or several hundred miles. Indeed, in those days it was as great an +undertaking to go up to the capital as it is for a Japanese to make +a voyage to Europe now. + +So the wife was very anxious while she helped her husband get ready +for the long journey, knowing what an arduous task lay before him. +Vainly she wished that she could accompany him, but the distance was +too great for the mother and child to go, and besides that, it was +the wife's duty to take care of the home. + +All was ready at last, and the husband stood in the porch with his +little family round him. + +"Do not be anxious, I will come back soon," said the man. "While I +am away take care of everything, and especially of our little +daughter." + +"Yes. we shall be all right--but you--you must take care of yourself +and delay not a day in coming back to us," said the wife, while the +tears fell like rain from her eyes. + +The little girl was the only one to smile, for she was ignorant of +the sorrow of parting, and did not know that going to the capital +was at all different from walking to the next village, which her +father did very often. She ran to his side, and caught hold of his +long sleeve to keep him a moment. + +"Father, I will be very good while I am waiting for you to come +back, so please bring me a present." + +As the father turned to take a last look at his weeping wife and +smiling, eager child, he felt as if some one were pulling him back +by the hair, so hard was it for him to leave them behind, for they +had never been separated before. But he knew that he must go, for +the call was imperative. With a great effort he ceased to think, and +resolutely turning away he went quickly down the little garden and +out through the gate. His wife, catching up the child in her arms, +ran as far as the gate, and watched him as he went down the road +between the pines till he was lost in the haze of the distance and +all she could see was his quaint peaked hat, and at last that +vanished too. + +"Now father has gone, you and I must take care of everything till he +comes back," said the mother, as she made her way back to the house. + +"Yes, I will be very good," said the child, nodding her head, "and +when father comes home please tell him how good I have been, and +then perhaps he will give me a present." + +"Father is sure to bring you something that you want very much. I +know, for I asked him to bring you a doll. You must think of father +every day, and pray for a safe journey till he comes back." + +"O, yes, when he comes home again how happy I shall be," said the +child, clapping her hands, and her face growing bright with joy at +the glad thought. It seemed to the mother as she looked at the +child's face that her love for her grew deeper and deeper. + +Then she set to work to make the winter clothes for the three of +them. She set up her simple wooden spinning-wheel and spun the +thread before she began to weave the stuffs. In the intervals of her +work she directed the little girl's games and taught her to read the +old stories of her country. Thus did the wife find consolation in +work during the lonely days of her husband's absence. While the time +was thus slipping quickly by in the quiet home, the husband finished +his business and returned. + +It would have been difficult for any one who did not know the man +well to recognize him. He had traveled day after day, exposed to all +weathers, for about a month altogether, and was sunburnt to bronze, +but his fond wife and child knew him at a glance, and flew to meet +him from either side, each catching hold of one of his sleeves in +their eager greeting. Both the man and his wife rejoiced to find +each other well. It seemed a very long time to all till--the mother +and child helping--his straw sandals were untied, his large umbrella +hat taken off, and he was again in their midst in the old familiar +sitting-room that had been so empty while he was away. + +As soon as they had sat down on the white mats, the father opened a +bamboo basket that he had brought in with him, and took out a +beautiful doll and a lacquer box full of cakes. + +"Here," he said to the little girl, "is a present for you. It is a +prize for taking care of mother and the house so well while I was +away." + +"Thank you," said the child, as she bowed her head to the ground, +and then put out her hand just like a little maple leaf with its +eager wide-spread fingers to take the doll and the box, both of +which, coming from the capital, were prettier than anything she had +ever seen. No words can tell how delighted the little girl was--her +face seemed as if it would melt with joy, and she had no eyes and no +thought for anything else. + +Again the husband dived into the basket, and brought out this time a +square wooden box, carefully tied up with red and white string, and +handing it to his wife, said: + +"And this is for you." + +The wife took the box, and opening it carefully took out a metal +disk with a handle attached. One side was bright and shining like a +crystal, and the other was covered with raised figures of pine-trees +and storks, which had been carved out of its smooth surface in +lifelike reality. Never had she seen such a thing in her life, for +she had been born and bred in the rural province of Echigo. She +gazed into the shining disk, and looking up with surprise and wonder +pictured on her face, she said: + +"I see somebody looking at me in this round thing! What is it that +you have given me " + +The husband laughed and said: + +"Why, it is your own face that you see. What I have brought you is +called a mirror, and whoever looks into its clear surface can see +their own form reflected there. Although there are none to be found +in this out of the way place, yet they have been in use in the +capital from the most ancient times. There the mirror is considered +a very necessary requisite for a woman to possess. There is an old +proverb that 'As the sword is the soul of a samurai, so is the +mirror the soul of a woman,' and according to popular tradition, a +woman's mirror is an index to her own heart--if she keeps it bright +and clear, so is her heart pure and good. It is also one of the +treasures that form the insignia of the Emperor. So you must lay +great store by your mirror, and use it carefully." + +The wife listened to all her husband told her, and was pleased at +learning so much that was new to her. She was still more pleased at +the precious gift--his token of remembrance while he had been away. + +"If the mirror represents my soul, I shall certainly treasure it as +a valuable possession, and never will I use it carelessly." Saying +so, she lifted it as high as her forehead, in grateful +acknowledgment of the gift, and then shut it up in its box and put +it away. + +The wife saw that her husband was very tired, and set about serving +the evening meal and making everything as comfortable as she could +for him. It seemed to the little family as if they had not known +what true happiness was before, so glad were they to be together +again, and this evening the father had much to tell of his journey +and of all he had seen at the great capital. + +Time passed away in the peaceful home, and the parents saw their +fondest hopes realized as their daughter grew from childhood into a +beautiful girl of sixteen. As a gem of priceless value is held in +its proud owner's hand, so had they reared her with unceasing love +and care: and now their pains were more than doubly rewarded. What a +comfort she was to her mother as she went about the house taking her +part in the housekeeping, and how proud her father was of her, for +she daily reminded him of her mother when he had first married her. + +But, alas! in this world nothing lasts forever. Even the moon is not +always perfect in shape, but loses its roundness with time, and +flowers bloom and then fade. So at last the happiness of this family +was broken up by a great sorrow. The good and gentle wife and mother +was one day taken ill. + +In the first days of her illness the father and daughter thought +that it was only a cold, and were not particularly anxious. But the +days went by and still the mother did not get better; she only grew +worse, and the doctor was puzzled, for in spite of all he did the +poor woman grew weaker day by day. The father and daughter were +stricken with grief, and day or night the girl never left her +mother's side. But in spite of all their efforts the woman's life +was not to be saved. + +One day as the girl sat near her mother's bed, trying to hide with a +cheery smile the gnawing trouble at her heart, the mother roused +herself and taking her daughter's hand, gazed earnestly and lovingly +into her eyes. Her breath was labored and she spoke with difficulty: + +"My daughter. I am sure that nothing can save me now. When I am +dead, promise me to take care of your dear father and to try to be a +good and dutiful woman." + +"Oh, mother," said the girl as the tears rushed to her eyes, "you +must not say such things. All you have to do is to make haste and +get well--that will bring the greatest happiness to father and +myself." + +"Yes, I know, and it is a comfort to me in my last days to know how +greatly you long for me to get better, but it is not to be. Do not +look so sorrowful, for it was so ordained in my previous state of +existence that I should die in this life just at this time; knowing +this, I am quite resigned to my fate. And now I have something to +give you whereby to remember me when I am gone." + +Putting her hand out, she took from the side of the pillow a square +wooden box tied up with a silken cord and tassels. Undoing this very +carefully, she took out of the box the mirror that her husband had +given her years ago. + +"When you were still a little child your father went up to the +capital and brought me back as a present this treasure; it is called +a mirror. This I give you before I die. If, after I have ceased to +be in this life, you are lonely and long to see me sometimes, then +take out this mirror and in the clear and shining surface you will +always see me--so will you be able to meet with me often and tell me +all your heart; and though I shall not be able to speak, I shall +understand and sympathize with you, whatever may happen to you in +the future." With these words the dying woman handed the mirror to +her daughter. + +The mind of the good mother seemed to be now at rest, and sinking +back without another word her spirit passed quietly away that day. + +The bereaved father and daughter were wild with grief, and they +abandoned themselves to their bitter sorrow. They felt it to be +impossible to take leave of the loved woman who till now had filled +their whole lives and to commit her body to the earth. But this +frantic burst of grief passed, and then they took possession of +their own hearts again, crushed though they were in resignation. In +spite of this the daughter's life seemed to her desolate. Her love +for her dead mother did not grow less with time, and so keen was her +remembrance, that everything in daily life, even the falling of the +rain and the blowing of the wind, reminded her of her mother's death +and of all that they had loved and shared together. One day when her +father was out, and she was fulfilling her household duties alone, +her loneliness and sorrow seemed more than she could bear. She threw +herself down in her mother's room and wept as if her heart would +break. Poor child, she longed just for one glimpse of the loved +face, one sound of the voice calling her pet name, or for one +moment's forgetfulness of the aching void in her heart. Suddenly she +sat up. Her mother's last words had rung through her memory hitherto +dulled by grief. + +"Oh! my mother told me when she gave me the mirror as a parting +gift, that whenever I looked into it I should be able to meet her-- +to see her. I had nearly forgotten her last words--how stupid I am; +I will get the mirror now and see if it can possibly be true!" + +She dried her eyes quickly, and going to the cupboard took out the +box that contained the mirror, her heart beating with expectation as +she lifted the mirror out and gazed into its smooth face. Behold, +her mother's words were true! In the round mirror before her she saw +her mother's face; but, oh, the joyful surprise! It was not her +mother thin and wasted by illness, but the young and beautiful woman +as she remembered her far back in the days of her own earliest +childhood. It seemed to the girl that the face in the mirror must +soon speak, almost that she heard the voice of her mother telling +her again to grow up a good woman and a dutiful daughter, so +earnestly did the eyes in the mirror look back into her own. + +"It is certainly my mother's soul that I see. She knows how +miserable I am without her and she has come to comfort me. Whenever +I long to see her she will meet me here; how grateful I ought to +be!" + +And from this time the weight of sorrow was greatly lightened for +her young heart. Every morning, to gather strength for the day's +duties before her, and every evening, for consolation before she lay +down to rest, did the young girl take out the mirror and gaze at the +reflection which in the simplicity of her innocent heart she +believed to be her mother's soul. Daily she grew in the likeness of +her dead mother's character, and was gentle and kind to all, and a +dutiful daughter to her father. + +A year spent in mourning had thus passed away in the little +household, when, by the advice of his relations, the man married +again, and the daughter now found herself under the authority of a +step-mother. It was a trying position; but her days spent in the +recollection of her own beloved mother, and of trying to be what +that mother would wish her to be, had made the young girl docile and +patient, and she now determined to be filial and dutiful to her +father's wife, in all respects. Everything went on apparently +smoothly in the family for some time under the new regime; there +were no winds or waves of discord to ruffle the surface of every-day +life, and the father was content. + +But it is a woman's danger to be petty and mean, and step-mothers +are proverbial all the world over, and this one's heart was not as +her first smiles were. As the days and weeks grew into months, the +step-mother began to treat the motherless girl unkindly and to try +and come between the father and child. + +Sometimes she went to her husband and complained of her step- +daughter's behavior, but the father knowing that this was to be +expected, took no notice of her ill-natured complaints. Instead of +lessening his affection for his daughter, as the woman desired, her +grumblings only made him think of her the more. The woman soon saw +that he began to show more concern for his lonely child than before. +This did not please her at all, and she began to turn over in her +mind how she could, by some means or other, drive her step-child out +of the house. So crooked did the woman's heart become. + +She watched the girl carefully, and one day peeping into her room in +the early morning, she thought she discovered a grave enough sin of +which to accuse the child to her father. The woman herself was a +little frightened too at what she had seen. + +So she went at once to her husband, and wiping away some false tears +she said in a sad voice: + +"Please give me permission to leave you today." + +The man was completely taken by surprise at the suddenness of her +request, and wondered whatever was the matter. + +"Do you find it so disagreeable," he asked, "in my house, that you +can stay no longer?" + +"No! no! it has nothing to do with you--even in my dreams I have +never thought that I wished to leave your side; but if I go on +living here I am in danger of losing my life, so I think it best for +all concerned that you should allow me to go home!" + +And the woman began to weep afresh. Her husband, distressed to see +her so unhappy, and thinking that he could not have heard aright, +said: + +"Tell me what you mean! How is your life in danger here?" + +"I will tell you since you ask me. Your daughter dislikes me as her +step-mother. For some time past she has shut herself up in her room +morning and evening, and looking in as I pass by, I am convinced +that she has made an image of me and is trying to kill me by magic +art, cursing me daily. It is not safe for me to stay here, such +being the case; indeed, indeed, I must go away, we cannot live under +the same roof any more." + +The husband listened to the dreadful tale, but he could not believe +his gentle daughter guilty of such an evil act. He knew that by +popular superstition people believed that one person could cause the +gradual death of another by making an image of the hated one and +cursing it daily; but where had his young daughter learned such +knowledge?--the thing was impossible. Yet he remembered having +noticed that his daughter stayed much in her room of late and kept +herself away from every one, even when visitors came to the house. +Putting this fact together with his wife's alarm, he thought that +there might be something to account for the strange story. + +His heart was torn between doubting his wife and trusting his child, +and he knew not what to do. He decided to go at once to his daughter +and try to find out the truth. Comforting his wife and assuring her +that her fears were groundless, he glided quietly to his daughter's +room. + +The girl had for a long time past been very unhappy. She had tried +by amiability and obedience to show her goodwill and to mollify the +new wife, and to break down that wall of prejudice and +misunderstanding that she knew generally stood between step-parents +and their step-children. But she soon found that her efforts were in +vain. The step-mother never trusted her, and seemed to misinterpret +all her actions, and the poor child knew very well that she often +carried unkind and untrue tales to her father. She could not help +comparing her present unhappy condition with the time when her own +mother was alive only a little more than a year ago--so great a +change in this short time! Morning and evening she wept over the +remembrance. Whenever she could she went to her room, and sliding +the screens to, took out the mirror and gazed, as she thought, at +her mother's face. It was the only comfort that she had in these +wretched days. + +Her father found her occupied in this way. Pushing aside the fusama, +he saw her bending over something or other very intently. Looking +over her shoulder, to see who was entering her room, the girl was +surprised to see her father, for he generally sent for her when he +wished to speak to her. She was also confused at being found looking +at the mirror, for she had never told any one of her mother's last +promise, but had kept it as the sacred secret of her heart. So +before turning to her father she slipped the mirror into her long +sleeve. Her father noting her confusion, and her act of hiding +something, said in a severe manner: + +"Daughter, what are you doing here? And what is that that you have +hidden in your sleeve?" + +The girl was frightened by her father's severity. Never had he +spoken to her in such a tone. Her confusion changed to apprehension, +her color from scarlet to white. She sat dumb and shamefaced, unable +to reply. + +Appearances were certainly against her; the young girl looked +guilty, and the father thinking that perhaps after all what his wife +had told him was true, spoke angrily: + +"Then, is it really true that you are daily cursing your step-mother +and praying for her death? Have you forgotten what I told you, that +although she is your step-mother you must he obedient and loyal to +her? What evil spirit has taken possession of your heart that you +should be so wicked? You have certainly changed, my daughter! What +has made you so disobedient and unfaithful?" + +And the father's eyes filled with sudden tears to think that he +should have to upbraid his daughter in this way. + +She on her part did not know what he meant, for she had never heard +of the superstition that by praying over an image it is possible to +cause the death of a hated person. But she saw that she must speak +and clear herself somehow. She loved her father dearly, and could +not bear the idea of his anger. She put out her hand on his knee +deprecatingly: + +"Father! father! do not say such dreadful things to me. I am still +your obedient child. Indeed, I am. However stupid I may be, I should +never be able to curse any one who belonged to you, much less pray +for the death of one you love. Surely some one has been telling you +lies, and you are dazed, and you know not what you say--or some evil +spirit has taken possession of YOUR heart. As for me I do not know-- +no, not so much as a dew-drop, of the evil thing of which you accuse +me." + +But the father remembered that she had hidden something away when he +first entered the room, and even this earnest protest did not +satisfy him. He wished to clear up his doubts once for all. + +"Then why are you always alone in your room these days? And tell me +what is that that you have hidden in your sleeve--show it to me at +once." + +Then the daughter, though shy of confessing how she had cherished +her mother's memory, saw that she must tell her father all in order +to clear herself. So she slipped the mirror out from her long sleeve +and laid it before him. + +"This," she said, "is what you saw me looking at just now." + +"Why," he said in great surprise." this is the mirror that I brought +as a gift to your mother when I went up to the capital many years +ago! And so you have kept it all this time? Now, why do you spend so +much of your time before this mirror?" + +Then she told him of her mother's last words, and of how she had +promised to meet her child whenever she looked into the glass. But +still the father could not understand the simplicity of his +daughter's character in not knowing that what she saw reflected in +the mirror was in reality her own face, and not that of her mother. + +"What do you mean?" he asked. "I do not understand how you can meet +the soul of your lost mother by looking in this mirror?" + +"It is indeed true," said the girl: "and if you don't believe what I +say, look for yourself," and she placed the mirror before her. +There, looking back from the smooth metal disk, was her own sweet +face. She pointed to the reflection seriously: + +"Do you doubt me still?" she asked earnestly, looking up into his +face. + +With an exclamation of sudden understanding the father smote his two +hands together. + +"How stupid I am! At last I understand. Your face is as like your +mother's as the two sides of a melon--thus you have looked at the +reflection of your face ail this time, thinking that you were +brought face to face with your lost mother! You are truly a faithful +child. It seems at first a stupid thing to have done, but it is not +really so, It shows how deep has been your filialpiety, and how +innocent your heart. Living in constant remembrance of your lost +mother has helped you to grow like her in character. How clever it +was of her to tell you to do this. I admire and respect you, my +daughter, and I am ashamed to think that for one instant I believed +your suspicious step-mother's story and suspected you of evil, and +came with the intention of scolding you severely, while all this +time you have been so true and good. Before you I have no +countenance left, and I beg you to forgive me." + +And here the father wept. He thought of how lonely the poor girl +must have been, and of all that she must have suffered under her +step-mother's treatment. His daughter steadfastly keeping her faith +and simplicity in the midst of such adverse circumstances--bearing +all her troubles with so much patience and amiability--made him +compare her to the lotus which rears its blossom of dazzling beauty +out of the slime and mud of the moats and ponds, fitting emblem of a +heart which keeps itself unsullied while passing through the world. + +The step-mother, anxious to know what would happen, had all this +while been standing outside the room. She had grown interested, and +had gradually pushed the sliding screen back till she could see all +that went on. At this moment she suddenly entered the room, and +dropping to the mats, she bowed her head over her outspread hands +before her step-daughter. + +"I am ashamed! I am ashamed!" she exclaimed in broken tones. "I did +not know what n filial child you were. Through no fault of yours, +but with a step-mother's jealous heart, I have disliked you all the +time. Hating you so much myself, it was but natural that I should +think you reciprocated the feeling, and thus when I saw you retire +so often to your room I followed you, and when I saw you gaze daily +into the mirror for long intervals, I concluded that you had found +out how I disliked you, and that you were out of revenge trying to +take my life by magic art. As long as I live I shall never forget +the wrong I have done you in so misjudging you, and in causing your +father to suspect you. From this day I throw away my old and wicked +heart, and in its place I put a new one, clean and full of +repentance. I shall think of you as a child that I have borne +myself. I shall love and cherish you with all my heart, and thus try +to make up for all the unhappiness I have caused you. Therefore, +please throw into the water all that has gone before, and give me, I +beg of you, some of the filial love that you have hitherto given to +your own lost mother." + +Thus did the unkind step-mother humble herself and ask forgiveness +of the girl she had so wronged. + +Such was the sweetness of the girl's disposition that she willingly +forgave her step-mother, and never bore a moment's resentment or +malice towards her afterwards. The father saw by his wife's face +that she was truly sorry for the past, and was greatly relieved to +see the terrible misunderstanding wiped out of remembrance by both +the wrong-doer and the wronged. + +From this time on, the three lived together as happily as fish in +water. No such trouble ever darkened the home again, and the young +girl gradually forgot that year of unhappiness in the tender love +and care that her step-mother now bestowed on her. Her patience and +goodness were rewarded at last. + + + + +THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA. + + +Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the +province of Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a +cannibal goblin who took the form of an old woman. From time to time +many travelers disappeared and were never heard of more, and the old +women round the charcoal braziers in the evenings, and the girls +washing the household rice at the wells in the mornings, whispered +dreadful stories of how the missing folk had been lured to the +goblin's cottage and devoured, for the goblin lived only on human +flesh. No one dared to venture near the haunted spot after sunset, +and all those who could, avoided it in the daytime, and travelers +were warned of the dreaded place. + +One day as the sun was setting, a priest came to the plain. He was a +belated traveler, and his robe showed that he was a Buddhist pilgrim +walking from shrine to shrine to pray for some blessing or to crave +for forgiveness of sins. He had apparently lost his way, and as it +was late he met no one who could show him the road or warn him of +the haunted spot. + +He had walked the whole day and was now tired and hungry, and the +evenings were chilly, for it was late autumn, and he began to be +very anxious to find some house where he could obtain a night's +lodging. He found himself lost in the midst of the large plain, and +looked about in vain for some sign of human habitation. + +At last, after wandering about for some hours, he saw a clump of +trees in the distance, and through the trees he caught sight of the +glimmer of a single ray of light. He exclaimed with joy: + +"Oh. surely that is some cottage where I can get a night's lodging!" + +Keeping the light before his eyes he dragged his weary, aching feet +as quickly as he could towards the spot, and soon came to a +miserable-looking little cottage. As he drew near he saw that it was +in a tumble-down condition, the bamboo fence was broken and weeds +and grass pushed their way through the gaps. The paper screens which +serve as windows and doors in Japan were full of holes, and the +posts of the house were bent with age and seemed scarcely able to +support the old thatched roof. The hut was open, and by the light of +an old lantern an old woman sat industriously spinning. + +The pilgrim called to her across the bamboo fence and said: + +"O Baa San (old woman), good evening! I am a traveler! Please excuse +me, but I have lost my way and do not know what to do, for I have +nowhere to rest to-night. I beg you to be good enough to let me +spend the night under your roof." + +The old woman as soon as she heard herself spoken to stopped +spinning, rose from her seat and approached the intruder. + +"I am very sorry for you. You must indeed be distressed to have lost +your way in such a lonely spot so late at night. Unfortunately I +cannot put you up, for I have no bed to offer you, and no +accommodation whatsoever for a guest in this poor place!" + +"Oh, that does not matter," said the priest; "all I want is a +shelter under some roof for the night, and if you will be good +enough just to let me lie on the kitchen floor I shall be grateful. +I am too tired to walk further to-night, so I hope you will not +refuse me, otherwise I shall have to sleep out on the cold plain." +And in this way he pressed the old woman to let him stay. + +She seemed very reluctant, but at last she said: + +"Very well, I will let you stay here. I can offer you a very poor +welcome only, but come in now and I will make a fire, for the night +is cold." + +The pilgrim was only too glad to do as he was told. He took off his +sandals and entered the hut. The old woman then brought some sticks +of wood and lit the fire, and bade her guest draw near and warm +himself. + +"You must be hungry after your long tramp," said the old woman. "I +will go and cook some supper for you." She then went to the kitchen +to cook some rice. + +After the priest had finished his supper the old woman sat down by +the fire-place, and they talked together for a long time. The +pilgrim thought to himself that he had been very lucky to come +across such a kind, hospitable old woman. At last the wood gave out, +and as the fire died slowly down he began to shiver with cold just +as he had done when he arrived. + +"I see you are cold," said the old woman; "I will go out and gather +some wood, for we have used it all. You must stay and take care of +the house while I am gone." + +"No, no," said the pilgrim, "let me go instead, for you are old, and +I cannot think of letting you go out to get wood for me this cold +night!" + +The old woman shook her head and said: + +"You must stay quietly here, for you are my guest." Then she left +him and went out. + +In a minute she came back and said: + +"You must sit where you are and not move, and whatever happens don't +go near or look into the inner room. Now mind what I tell you!" + +"If you tell me not to go near the back room, of course I won't," +said the priest, rather bewildered. + +The old woman then went out again, and the priest was left alone. +The fire had died out, and the only light in the hut was that of a +dim lantern. For the first time that night he began to feel that he +was in a weird place, and the old woman's words, "Whatever you do +don't peep into the back room," aroused his curiosity and his fear. + +What hidden thing could be in that room that she did not wish him to +see? For some time the remembrance of his promise to the old woman +kept him still, but at last he could no longer resist his curiosity +to peep into the forbidden place. + +He got up and began to move slowly towards the back room. Then the +thought that the old woman would be very angry with him if he +disobeyed her made him come back to his place by the fireside. + +As the minutes went slowly by and the old woman did not return, he +began to feel more and more frightened, and to wonder what dreadful +secret was in the room behind him. He must find out. + +"She will not know that I have looked unless I tell her. I will just +have a peep before she comes back," said the man to himself. + +With these words he got up on his feet (for he had been sitting all +this time in Japanese fashion with his feet under him) and +stealthily crept towards the forbidden spot. With trembling hands he +pushed back the sliding door and looked in. What he saw froze the +blood in his veins. The room was full of dead men's bones and the +walls were splashed and the floor was covered with human blood. In +one corner skull upon skull rose to the ceiling, in another was a +heap of arm bones, in another a heap of leg bones. The sickening +smell made him faint. He fell backwards with horror, and for some +time lay in a heap with fright on the floor, a pitiful sight. He +trembled all over and his teeth chattered, and he could hardly crawl +away from the dreadful spot. + +"How horrible!" he cried out. "What awful den have I come to in my +travels? May Buddha help me or I am lost. Is it possible that that +kind old woman is really the cannibal goblin? When she comes back +she will show herself in her true character and eat me up at one +mouthful!" + +With these words his strength came back to him and, snatching up his +hat and staff, he rushed out of the house as fast as his legs could +carry him. Out into the night he ran, his one thought to get as far +as he could from the goblin's haunt. He had not gone far when he +heard steps behind him and a voice crying: "Stop! stop!" + +He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear. As he ran +he heard the steps behind him come nearer and nearer, and at last he +recognized the old woman's voice which grew louder and louder as she +came nearer. + +"Stop! stop, you wicked man, why did you look into the forbidden +room?" + +The priest quite forgot how tired he was and his feet flew over the +ground faster than ever. Fear gave him strength, for he knew that if +the goblin caught him he would soon be one of her victims. With all +his heart he repeated the prayer to Buddha: + +"Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu." + +And after him rushed the dreadful old hag, her hair flying in the +wind, and her face changing with rage into the demon that she was. +In her hand she carried a large blood-stained knife, and she still +shrieked after him, "Stop! stop!" + +At last, when the priest felt he could run no more, the dawn broke, +and with the darkness of night the goblin vanished and he was safe. +The priest now knew that he had met the Goblin of Adachigahara, the +story of whom he had often heard but never believed to be true. He +felt that he owed his wonderful escape to the protection of Buddha +to whom he had prayed for help, so he took out his rosary and bowing +his head as the sun rose he said his prayers and made his +thanksgiving earnestly. He then set forward for another part of the +country, only too glad to leave the haunted plain behind him. + + + + +THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR. + + +Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a +traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey +and showing off the animal's tricks. + +One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife +to send for the butcher the next morning. + +The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband: + +"Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?" + +"It's no use taking that monkey round any longer, he's too old and +forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I know how, but he +won't dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make +what money out of him I can. There is nothing else to be done." + +The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded +for her husband to spare the monkey, but her pleading was all in +vain, the man was determined to sell him to the butcher. + +Now the monkey was in the next room and overheard ever word of the +conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he +said to himself: + +"Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully +for years, and instead of allowing me to end my days comfortably and +in peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my +poor body is to be roasted and stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am +I to do. Ah! a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a +wild bear living in the forest near by. I have often heard tell of +his wisdom. Perhaps if I go to him and tell him the strait I am in +he will give me his counsel. I will go and try." + +There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and +ran as quickly as he could to the forest to find the boar. The boar +was at home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once. + +"Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great +trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown old in the service of +my master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to +sell me to the butcher. What do you advise me to do? I know how +clever you are!" + +The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help the +monkey. He thought for a little while and then said: + +"Hasn't your master a baby?" + +"Oh, yes," said the monkey, "he has one infant son." + +"Doesn't it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins +the work of the day? Well, I will come round early and when I see my +opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it." + +"What then?" said the monkey. + +"Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your +master and mistress know what to do, you must run after me and +rescue the child and take it home safely to its parents, and you +will see that when the butcher comes they won't have the heart to +sell you." + +The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did +not sleep much that night, as you may imagine, for thinking of the +morrow. His life depended on whether the boar's plan succeeded or +not. He was the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. +It seemed to him a very long time before his master's wife began to +move about and open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then +all happened as the boar had planned. The mother placed her child +near the porch as usual while she tidied up the house and got her +breakfast ready. + +The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on +the mats at the play of light and shadow. Suddenly there was a noise +in the porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from +the kitchen to the spot, only just in time to see the boar +disappearing through the gate with her child in its clutch. She +flung out her hands with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the +inner room where her husband was still sleeping soundly. + +He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his +wife was making all that noise about. By the time that the man was +alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the +boar had got well away, but they saw the monkey running after the +thief as hard as his legs would carry him. + +Both the man and wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct +of the sagacious monkey, and their gratitude knew no bounds when the +faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms. + +"There!" said the wife. "This is the animal you want to kill--if the +monkey hadn't been here we should have lost our child forever." + +"You are right, wife, for once," said the man as he carried the +child into the house. "You may send the butcher back when he comes, +and now give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too." + +When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some +boar's meat for the evening dinner, and the monkey was petted and +lived the rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike +him again. + + + + +THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER. + + +Long, long ago Japan was governed by Hohodemi, the fourth Mikoto (or +Augustness) in descent from the illustrious Amaterasu, the Sun +Goddess. He was not only as handsome as his ancestress was +beautiful, but he was also very strong and brave, and was famous for +being the greatest hunter in the land. Because of his matchless +skill as a hunter, he was called "Yama-sachi-hiko" or "The Happy +Hunter of the Mountains." + +His elder brother was a very skillful fisher, and as he far +surpassed all rivals in fishing, he was named "Unii-sachi-hiko" or +the "Skillful Fisher of the Sea." The brothers thus led happy lives, +thoroughly enjoying their respective occupations, and the days +passed quickly and pleasantly while each pursued his own way, the +one hunting and the other fishing. + +One day the Happy Hunter came to his brother, the Skillful Fisher, +and said: + +"Well, my brother, I see you go to the sea every day with your +fishing rod in your hand, and when you return you come laden with +fish. And as for me, it is my pleasure to take my bow and arrow and +to hunt the wild animals up the mountains and down in the valleys. +For a long time we have each followed our favorite occupation, so +that now we must both be tired, you of your fishing and I of my +hunting. Would it not be wise for us to make a change? Will you try +hunting in the mountains and I will go and fish in the sea?" + +The Skillful Fisher listened in silence to his brother, and for a +moment was thoughtful, but at last he answered: + +"O yes, why not? Your idea is not a bad one at all. Give me your bow +and arrow and I will set out at once for the mountains and hunt for +game." + +So the matter was settled by this talk, and the two brothers each +started out to try the other's occupation, little dreaming of all +that would happen. It was very unwise of them, for the Happy Hunter +knew nothing of fishing, and the Skillful Fisher, who was bad +tempered, knew as much about hunting. + +The Happy Hunter took his brother's much-prized fishing hook and rod +and went down to the seashore and sat down on the rocks. He baited +his hook and then threw it into the sea clumsily. He sat and gazed +at the little float bobbing up and down in the water, and longed for +a good fish to come and be caught. Every time the buoy moved a +little he pulled up his rod, but there was never a fish at the end +of it, only the hook and the bait. If he had known how to fish +properly, he would have been able to catch plenty of fish, but +although he was the greatest hunter in the land he could not help +being the most bungling fisher. + +The whole day passed in this way, while he sat on the rocks holding +the fishing rod and waiting in vain for his luck to turn. At last +the day began to darken, and the evening came; still he had caught +not a single fish. Drawing up his line for the last time before +going home, he found that he had lost his hook without even knowing +when he had dropped it. + +He now began to feel extremely anxious, for he knew that his brother +would be angry at his having lost his hook, for, it being his only +one, he valued it above all other things. The Happy Hunter now set +to work to look among the rocks and on the sand for the lost hook, +and while he was searching to and fro, his brother, the Skillful +Fisher, arrived on the scene. He had failed to find any game while +hunting that day, and was not only in a bad temper, but looked +fearfully cross. When he saw the Happy Hunter searching about on the +shore he knew that something must have gone wrong, so he said at +once: + +"What are you doing, my brother?" + +The Happy Hunter went forward timidly, for he feared his brother's +anger, and said: + +"Oh, my brother, I have indeed done badly." + +"What is the matter?--what have you done?" asked the elder brother +impatiently. + +"I have lost your precious fishing hook--" + +While he was still speaking his brother stopped him, and cried out +fiercely: + +"Lost my hook! It is just what I expected. For this reason, when you +first proposed your plan of changing over our occupations I was +really against it, but you seemed to wish it so much that I gave in +and allowed you to do as you wished. The mistake of our trying +unfamiliar tasks is soon seen! And you have done badly. I will not +return you your bow and arrow till you have found my hook. Look to +it that you find it and return it to me quickly." + +The Happy Hunter felt that he was to blame for all that had come to +pass, and bore his brother's scornful scolding with humility and +patience. He hunted everywhere for the hook most diligently, but it +was nowhere to be found. He was at last obliged to give up all hope +of finding it. He then went home, and in desperation broke his +beloved sword into pieces and made five hundred hooks out of it. + +He took these to his angry brother and offered them to him, asking +his forgiveness, and begging him to accept them in the place of the +one he had lost for him. It was useless; his brother would not +listen to him, much less grant his request. + +The Happy Hunter then made another five hundred hooks, and again +took them to his brother, beseeching him to pardon him. + +"Though you make a million hooks," said the Skillful Fisher, shaking +his head, "they are of no use to me. I cannot forgive you unless you +bring me back my own hook." + +Nothing would appease the anger of the Skillful Fisher, for he had a +bad disposition, and had always hated his brother because of his +virtues, and now with the excuse of the lost fishing hook he planned +to kill him and to usurp his place as ruler of Japan. The Happy +Hunter knew all this full well, but he could say nothing, for being +the younger he owed his elder brother obedience; so he returned to +the seashore and once more began to look for the missing hook. He +was much cast down, for he had lost all hope of ever finding his +brother's hook now. While he stood on the beach, lost in perplexity +and wondering what he had best do next, an old man suddenly appeared +carrying a stick in his hand. The Happy Hunter afterwards remembered +that he did not see from whence the old man came, neither did he +know how he was there--he happened to look up and saw the old man +coming towards him. + +"You are Hohodemi, the Augustness, sometimes called the Happy +Hunter, are you not?" asked the old man. "What are you doing alone +in such a place?" + +"Yes, I am he," answered the unhappy young man. "Unfortunately, +while fishing I lost my brother's precious fishing hook. I have +hunted this shore all over, but alas! I cannot find it, and I am +very troubled, for my brother won't forgive me till I restore it to +him. But who are you?" + +"My name is Shiwozuchino Okina, and I live near by on this shore. I +am sorry to hear what misfortune has befallen you. You must indeed +be anxious. But if I tell you what I think, the hook is nowhere +here--it is either at the bottom of the sea or in the body of some +fish who has swallowed it, and for this reason, though you spend +your whole life in looking for it here, you will never find it." + +"Then what can I do?" asked the distressed man. + +"You had better go down to Ryn Gu and tell Ryn Jin, the Dragon King +of the Sea, what your trouble is and ask him to find the hook for +you. I think that would be the best way." + +"Your idea is a splendid one," said the Happy Hunter, "but I fear I +cannot get to the Sea King's realm, for I have always heard that it +is situated at the bottom of the sea." + +"Oh, there will be no difficulty about your getting there," said the +old man; "I can soon make something for you to ride on through the +sea." + +"Thank you," said the Happy Hunter, "I shall be very grateful to you +if you will be so kind." + +The old man at once set to work, and soon made a basket and offered +it to the Happy Hunter. He received it with joy, and taking it to +the water, mounted it, and prepared to start. He bade good by to the +kind old man who had helped him so much, and told him that he would +certainly reward him as soon as he found his hook and could return +to Japan without fear of his brother's anger. The old man pointed +out the direction he must take, and told him how to reach the realm +of Ryn Gu, and watched him ride out to sea on the basket, which +resembled a small boat. + +The Happy Hunter made all the haste he could, riding on the basket +which had been given him by his friend. His queer boat seemed to go +through the water of its own accord, and the distance was much +shorter than he had expected, for in a few hours he caught sight of +the gate and the roof of the Sea King's Palace. And what a large +place it was, with its numberless sloping roofs and gables, its huge +gateways, and its gray stone walls! He soon landed, and leaving his +basket on the beach, he walked up to the large gateway. The pillars +of the gate were made of beautiful red coral, and the gate itself +was adorned with glittering gems of all kinds. Large katsura trees +overshadowed it. Our hero had often heard of the wonders of the Sea +King's Palace beneath the sea, but all the stories he had ever heard +fell short of the reality which he now saw for the first time. + +The Happy Hunter would have liked to enter the gate there and then, +but he saw that it was fast closed, and also that there was no one +about whom he could ask to open it for him, so he stopped to think +what he should do. In the shade of the trees before the gate he +noticed a well full of fresh spring water. Surely some one would +come out to draw water from the well some time, he thought. Then he +climbed into the tree overhanging the well, and seated himself to +rest on one of the branches, and waited for what might happen. Ere +long he saw the huge gate swing open, and two beautiful women came +out. Now the Mikoto (Augustness) had always heard that Ryn Gu was +the realm of the Dragon King under the Sea, and had naturally +supposed that the place was inhabited by dragons and similar +terrible creatures, so that when he saw these two lovely princesses, +whose beauty would be rare even in the world from which he had just +come, he was exceedingly surprised, and wondered what it could mean. + +He said not a word, however, but silently gazed at them through the +foliage of the trees, waiting to see what they would do. He saw that +in their hands they carried golden buckets. Slowly and gracefully in +their trailing garments they approached the well, standing in the +shade of the katsura trees, and were about to draw water, all +unknowing of the stranger who was watching them, for the Happy +Hunter was quite hidden among the branches of the tree where he had +posted himself. + +As the two ladies leaned over the side of the well to let down their +golden buckets, which they did every day in the year, they saw +reflected in the deep still water the face of a handsome youth +gazing at them from amidst the branches of the tree in whose shade +they stood. Never before had they seen the face of mortal man; they +were frightened, and drew back quickly with their golden buckets in +their hands. Their curiosity, however, soon gave them courage, and +they glanced timidly upwards to see the cause of the unusual +reflection, and then they beheld the Happy Hunter sitting in the +tree looking down at them with surprise and admiration. They gazed +at him face to face, but their tongues were still with wonder and +could not find a word to say to him. + +When the Mikoto saw that he was discovered, he sprang down lightly +from the tree and said: + +"I am a traveler, and as I was very thirsty I came to the well in +the hopes of quenching my thirst, but I could find no bucket with +which to draw the water. So I climbed into the tree, much vexed, and +waited for some one to come. Just at that moment, while I was +thirstily and impatiently waiting, you noble ladies appeared, as if +in answer to my great need. Therefore I pray you of your mercy give +me some water to drink, for I am a thirsty traveler in a strange +land." + +His dignity and graciousness overruled their timidity, and bowing in +silence they both once more approached the well, and letting down +their golden buckets drew up some water and poured it into a jeweled +cup and offered it to the stranger. + +He received it from them with both hands, raising it to the height +of his forehead in token of high respect and pleasure, and then +drank the water quickly, for his thirst was great. When he had +finished his long draught he set the cup down on the edge of the +well, and drawing his short sword he cut off one of the strange +curved jewels (magatama), a necklace of which hung round his neck +and fell over his breast. He placed the jewel in the cup and +returned it to them, and said, bowing deeply: + +"This is a token of my thanks!" + +The two ladies took the cup, and looking into it to see what he had +put inside--for they did not yet know what it was--they gave a start +of surprise, for there lay a beautiful gem at the bottom of the cup. + +"No ordinary mortal would give away a jewel so freely. Will you not +honor us by telling us who you are?" said the elder damsel. + +"Certainly," said the Happy Hunter, "I am Hohodemi, the fourth +Mikoto, also called in Japan, the Happy Hunter." + +"Are you indeed Hohodemi, the grandson of Amaterasu, the Sun +Goddess?" asked the damsel who had spoken first. "I am the eldest +daughter of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, and my name is Princess +Tayotama." + +"And," said the younger maiden, who at last found her tongue, "I am +her sister, the Princess Tamayori." + +"Are you indeed the daughters of Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea? I +cannot tell you how glad I am to meet you," said the Happy Hunter. +And without waiting for them to reply he went on: + +"The other day I went fishing with my brother's hook and dropped it, +how, I am sure I can't tell. As my brother prizes his fishing hook +above all his other possessions, this is the greatest calamity that +could have befallen me. Unless I find it again I can never hope to +win my brother's forgiveness, for he is very angry at what I have +done. I have searched for it many, many times, but I cannot find it, +therefore I am much troubled. While I was hunting for the hook, in +great distress, I met a wise old man, and he told me that the best +thing I could do was to come to Ryn Gu, and to Ryn Jin, the Dragon +King of the Sea, and ask him to help me. This kind old man also +showed me how to come. Now you know how it is I am here and why. I +want to ask Ryn Jin, if he knows where the lost hook is. Will you be +so kind as to take me to your father? And do you think he will see +me?" asked the Happy Hunter anxiously. + +Princess Tayotama listened to this long story, and then said: + +"Not only is it easy for you to see my father, but he will be much +pleased to meet you. I am sure he will say that good fortune has +befallen him, that so great and noble a man as you, the grandson of +Amaterasu. should come down to the bottom of the sea." And then +turning to her younger sister, she said: + +"Do you not think so, Tamayori?" + +"Yes, indeed," answered the Princess Tamayori, in her sweet voice. +"As you say, we can know no greater honor than to welcome the Mikoto +to our home." + +"Then I ask you to be so kind as to lead the way," said the Happy +Hunter. + +"Condescend to enter, Mikoto (Augustness)," said both the sisters, +and bowing low, they led him through the gate. + +The younger Princess left her sister to take charge of the Happy +Hunter, and going faster than they, she reached the Sea King's +Palace first, and running quickly to her father's room, she told him +of all that had happened to them at the gate, and that her sister +was even now bringing the Augustness to him. The Dragon King of the +Sea was much surprised at the news, for it was but seldom, perhaps +only once in several hundred years, that the Sea King's Palace was +visited by mortals. + +Ryn Jin at once clapped his hands and summoned all his courtiers and +the servants of the Palace, and the chief fish of the sea together, +and solemnly told them that the grandson of the Sun Goddess, +Amaterasu, was coming to the Palace, and that they must be very +ceremonious and polite in serving the august visitor. He then +ordered them all to the entrance of the Palace to welcome the Happy +Hunter. + +Ryn Jin then dressed himself in his robes of ceremony, and went out +to welcome him. In a few moments the Princess Tayotama and the Happy +Hunter reached the entrance, and the Sea King and his wife bowed to +the ground and thanked him for the honor he did them in coming to +see them. The Sea King then led the Happy Hunter to the guest room, +and placing him in the uppermost seat, he bowed respectfully before +him, and said: + +"I am Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea, and this is my wife. +Condescend to remember us forever!" + +"Are you indeed Ryn Jin, the King of the Sea, of whom I have so +often heard?" answered the Happy Hunter, saluting his host most +ceremoniously. "I must apologize for all the trouble I am giving you +by my unexpected visit." And he bowed again, and thanked the Sea +King. + +"You need not thank me," said Ryn Jin. "It is I who must thank you +for coming. Although the Sea Palace is a poor place, as you see, I +shall be highly honored if you will make us a long visit." + +There was much gladness between the Sea King and the Happy Hunter, +and they sat and talked for a long time. At last the Sea King +clapped his hands, and then a huge retinue of fishes appeared, all +robed in ceremonial garments, and bearing in their fins various +trays on which all kinds of sea delicacies were served. A great +feast was now spread before the King and his Royal guest. All the +fishes-in-waiting were chosen from amongst the finest fish in the +sea, so you can imagine what a wonderful array of sea creatures it +was that waited upon the Happy Hunter that day. All in the Palace +tried to do their best to please him and to show him that he was a +much honored guest. During the long repast, which lasted for hours, +Ryn Jin commanded his daughters to play some music, and the two +Princesses came in and performed on the KOTO (the Japanese harp), +and sang and danced in turns. The time passed so pleasantly that the +Happy Hunter seemed to forget his trouble and why he had come at all +to the Sea King's Realm, and he gave himself up to the enjoyment of +this wonderful place, the land of fairy fishes! Who has ever heard +of such a marvelous place? But the Mikoto soon remembered what had +brought him to Ryn Gu, and said to his host: + +"Perhaps your daughters have told you, King Ryn Jin, that I have +come here to try and recover my brother's fishing hook, which I lost +while fishing the other day. May I ask you to be so kind as to +inquire of all your subjects if any of them have seen a fishing hook +lost in the sea?" + +"Certainly," said the obliging Sea King, "I will immediately summon +them all here and ask them." + +As soon as he had issued his command, the octopus, the cuttlefish, +the bonito, the oxtail fish, the eel, the jelly fish, the shrimp, +and the plaice, and many other fishes of all kinds came in and sat +down before Ryn Jin their King, and arranged themselves and their +fins in order. Then the Sea King said solemnly: + +"Our visitor who is sitting before you all is the august grandson of +Amaterasu. His name is Hohodemi, the fourth Augustness, and he is +also called the Happy Hunter of the Mountains. While he was fishing +the other day upon the shore of Japan, some one robbed him of his +brother's fishing hook. He has come all this way down to the bottom +of the sea to our Kingdom because he thought that one of you fishes +may have taken the hook from him in mischievous play. If any of you +have done so you must immediately return it, or if any of you know +who the thief is you must at once tell us his name and where he is +now." + +All the fishes were taken by surprise when they heard these words, +and could say nothing for some time. They sat looking at each other +and at the Dragon King. At last the cuttlefish came forward and +said: + +"I think the TAI (the red bream) must be the thief who has stolen +the hook!" + +"Where is your proof?" asked the King. + +"Since yesterday evening the TAI has not been able to eat anything, +and he seems to be suffering from a bad throat! For this reason I +think the hook may be in his throat. You had better send for him at +once! " + +All the fish agreed to this, and said: + +"It is certainly strange that the TAI is the only fish who has not +obeyed your summons. Will you send for him and inquire into the +matter. Then our innocence will be proved." + +"Yes," said the Sea King, "it is strange that the TAI has not come, +for he ought to be the first to be here. Send for him at once!" + +Without waiting for the King's order the cuttlefish had already +started for the TAI'S dwelling, and he now returned, bringing the +TAI with him. He led him before the King. + +The TAI sat there looking frightened and ill. He certainly was in +pain, for his usually red face was pale, and his eyes were nearly +closed and looked but half their usual size. + +"Answer, O TAI!" cried the Sea King, "why did you not come in answer +to my summons today?" + +"I have been ill since yesterday," answered the TAI; "that is why I +could not come." + +"Don't say another word!" cried out Ryn Jin angrily. "Your illness +is the punishment of the gods for stealing the Mikoto's hook." + +"It is only too true!" said the TAI; "the hook is still in my +throat, and all my efforts to get it out have been useless. I can't +eat, and I can scarcely breathe, and each moment I feel that it will +choke me, and sometimes it gives me great pain. I had no intention +of stealing the Mikoto's hook. I heedlessly snapped at the bait +which I saw in the water, and the hook came off and stuck in my +throat. So I hope you will pardon me." + +The cuttlefish now came forward, and said to the King: + +"What I said was right. You see the hook still sticks in the TAI'S +throat. I hope to be able to pull it out in the presence of the +Mikoto, and then we can return it to him safely!" + +"O please make haste and pull it out!" cried the TAI, pitifully, for +he felt the pains in his throat coming on again; "I do so want to +return the hook to the Mikoto." + +"All right, TAI SAN," said his friend the cuttlefish, and then +opening the TAI'S mouth as wide as he could and putting one of his +feelers down the TAI'S throat, he quickly and easily drew the hook +out of the sufferer's large mouth. He then washed it and brought it +to the King. + +Ryn Jin took the hook from his subject, and then respectfully +returned it to the Happy Hunter (the Mikoto or Augustness, the +fishes called him), who was overjoyed at getting back his hook. He +thanked Ryn Jin many times, his face beaming with gratitude, and +said that he owed the happy ending of his quest to the Sea King's +wise authority and kindness. + +Ryn Jin now desired to punish the TAI, but the Happy Hunter begged +him not to do so; since his lost hook was thus happily recovered he +did not wish to make more trouble for the poor TAI. It was indeed +the TAI who had taken the hook, but he had already suffered enough +for his fault, if fault it could be called. What had been done was +done in heedlessness and not by intention. The Happy Hunter said he +blamed himself; if he had understood how to fish properly he would +never have lost his hook, and therefore all this trouble had been +caused in the first place by his trying to do something which he did +not know how to do. So he begged the Sea King to forgive his +subject. + +Who could resist the pleading of so wise and compassionate a judge? +Ryn Jin forgave his subject at once at the request of his august +guest. The TAI was so glad that he shook his fins for joy, and he +and all the other fish went out from the presence of their King, +praising the virtues of the Happy Hunter. + +Now that the hook was found the Happy Hunter had nothing to keep him +in Ryn Gu, and he was anxious to get back to his own kingdom and to +make peace with his angry brother, the Skillful Fisher; but the Sea +King, who had learnt to love him and would fain have kept him as a +son, begged him not to go so soon, but to make the Sea Palace his +home as long as ever he liked. While the Happy Hunter was still +hesitating, the two lovely Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, came, +and with the sweetest of bows and voices joined with their father in +pressing him to stay, so that without seeming ungracious he could +not say them "Nay," and was obliged to stay on for some time. + +Between the Sea Realm and the Earth there was no difference in the +night of time, and the Happy Hunter found that three years went +fleeting quickly by in this delightful land. The years pass swiftly +when any one is truly happy. But though the wonders of that +enchanted land seemed to be new every day, and though the Sea King's +kindness seemed rather to increase than to grow less with time, the +Happy Hunter grew more and more homesick as the days passed, and he +could not repress a great anxiety to know what had happened to his +home and his country and his brother while he had been away. + +So at last he went to the Sea King and said: + +"My stay with you here has been most happy and I am very grateful to +you for all your kindness to me, but I govern Japan, and, delightful +as this place is, I cannot absent myself forever from my country. I +must also return the fishing hook to my brother and ask his +forgiveness for having deprived him of it for so long. I am indeed +very sorry to part from you, but this time it cannot be helped. With +your gracious permission, I will take my leave to-day. I hope to +make you another visit some day. Please give up the idea of my +staying longer now." + +King Ryn Jin was overcome with sorrow at the thought that he must +lose his friend who had made a great diversion in the Palace of the +Sea, and his tears fell fast as he answered: + +"We are indeed very sorry to part with you, Mikoto, for we have +enjoyed your stay with us very much. You have been a noble and +honored guest and we have heartily made you welcome. I quite +understand that as you govern Japan you ought to be there and not +here, and that it is vain for us to try and keep you longer with us, +much as we would like to have you stay. I hope you will not forget +us. Strange circumstances have brought us together and I trust the +friendship thus begun between the Land and the Sea will last and +grow stronger than it has ever been before." + +When the Sea King had finished speaking he turned to his two +daughters and bade them bring him the two Tide-Jewels of the Sea. +The two Princesses bowed low, rose and glided out of the hall. In a +few minutes they returned, each one carrying in her hands a flashing +gem which filled the room with light. As the Happy Hunter looked at +them he wondered what they could be. The Sea King took them from his +daughters and said to his guest: + +"These two valuable talismans we have inherited from our ancestors +from time immemorial. We now give them to you as a parting gift in +token of our great affection for you. These two gems are called the +nanjiu and the kanjiu." + +The Happy Hunter bowed low to the ground and said: + +"I can never thank you enough for all your kindness to me. And now +will you add one more favor to the rest and tell me what these +jewels are and what I am to do with them?" + +"The nanjiu," answered the Sea King, "is also called the Jewel of +the Flood Tide, and whoever holds it in his possession can command +the sea to roll in and to flood the land at any time that he wills. +The kanjiu is also called the Jewel of the Ebbing Tide, and this gem +controls the sea and the waves thereof, and will cause even a tidal +wave to recede." + +Then Ryn Jin showed his friend how to use the talismans one by one +and handed them to him. The Happy Hunter was very glad to have these +two wonderful gems, the Jewel of the Flood Tide and the Jewel of the +Ebbing Tide, to take back with him, for he felt that they would +preserve him in case of danger from enemies at any time. After +thanking his kind host again and again, he prepared to depart. The +Sea King and the two Princesses, Tayotama and Tamayori, and all the +inmates of the Palace, came out to say "Good-by," and before the +sound of the last farewell had died away the Happy Hunter passed out +from under the gateway, past the well of happy memory standing in +the shade of the great KATSURA trees on his way to the beach. + +Here he found, instead of the queer basket on which he had come to +the Realm of Ryn Gu, a large crocodile waiting for him. Never had he +seen such a huge creature. It measured eight fathoms in length from +the tip of its tail to the end of its long mouth. The Sea King had +ordered the monster to carry the Happy Hunter back to Japan. Like +the wonderful basket which Shiwozuchino Okina had made, it could +travel faster than any steamboat, and in this strange way, riding on +the back of a crocodile, the Happy Hunter returned to his own land. + +As soon as the crocodile landed him, the Happy Hunter hastened to +tell the Skillful Fisher of his safe return. He then gave him back +the fishing hook which had been found in the mouth of the TAI and +which had been the cause of so much trouble between them. He +earnestly begged his brother's forgiveness, telling him all that had +happened to him in the Sea King's Palace and what wonderful +adventures had led to the finding of the hook. + +Now the Skillful Fisher had used the lost hook as an excuse for +driving his brother out of the country. When his brother had left +him that day three years ago, and had not returned, he had been very +glad in his evil heart and had at once usurped his brother's place +as ruler of the land, and had become powerful and rich. Now in the +midst of enjoying what did not belong to him, and hoping that his +brother might never return to claim his rights, quite unexpectedly +there stood the Happy Hunter before him. + +The Skillful Fisher feigned forgiveness, for he could make no more +excuses for sending his brother away again, but in his heart he was +very angry and hated his brother more and more, till at last be +could no longer bear the sight of him day after day, and planned and +watched for an opportunity to kill him. + +One day when the Happy Hunter was walking in the rice fields his +brother followed him with a dagger. The Happy Hunter knew that his +brother was following him to kill him, and he felt that now, in this +hour of great danger, was the time to use the Jewels of the Flow and +Ebb of the Tide and prove whether what the Sea King had told him was +true or not. + +So he took out the Jewel of the Flood Tide from the bosom of his +dress and raised it to his forehead. Instantly over the fields and +over the farms the sea came rolling in wave upon wave till it +reached the spot where his brother was standing. The Skillful Fisher +stood amazed and terrified to see what was happening. In another +minute he was struggling in the water and calling on his brother to +save him from drowning. + +The Happy Hunter had a kind heart and could not bear the sight of +his brother's distress. He at once put back the Jewel of the Flood +Tide and took out the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. No sooner did he hold +it up as high as his forehead than the sea ran back and back, and +ere long the tossing rolling floods had vanished, and the farms and +fields and dry land appeared as before. + +The Skillful Fisher was very frightened at the peril of death in +which he had stood, and was greatly impressed by the wonderful +things he had seen his brother do. He learned now that he was making +a fatal mistake to set himself against his brother, younger than he +thought he was, for he now had become so powerful that the sea would +flow in and the tide ebb at his word of command. So he humbled +himself before the Happy Hunter and asked him to forgive him all the +wrong he had done him. The Skillful Fisher promised to restore his +brother to his rights and also swore that though the Happy Hunter +was the younger brother and owed him allegiance by right of birth, +that he, the Skillful Fisher, would exalt him as his superior and +bow before him as Lord of all Japan. + +Then the Happy Hunter said that he would forgive his brother if he +would throw into the receding tide all his evil ways. The Skillful +Fisher promised and there was peace between the two brothers. From +this time he kept his word and became a good man and a kind brother. + +The Happy Hunter now ruled his Kingdom without being disturbed by +family strife, and there was peace in Japan for a long, long time. +Above all the treasures in his house he prized the wonderful Jewels +of the Flow and Ebb of the Tide which had been given him by Ryn Jin, +the Dragon King of the Sea. + +This is the congratulatory ending of the Happy Hunter and the +Skillful Fisher. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO FLOWER. + + +Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported +themselves by cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been +a very happy and peaceful one save for one great sorrow, and this +was they had no child. Their only pet was a dog named Shiro, and on +him they lavished all the affection of their old age. Indeed, they +loved him so much that whenever they had anything nice to eat they +denied themselves to give it to Shiro. Now Shiro means "white," and +he was so called because of his color. He was a real Japanese dog, +and very like a small wolf in appearance. + +The happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was +when the man returned from his work in the field, and having +finished his frugal supper of rice and vegetables, would take what +he had saved from the meal out to the little veranda that ran round +the cottage. Sure enough, Shiro was waiting for his master and the +evening tit-bit. Then the old man said "Chin, chin!" and Shiro sat +up and begged, and his master gave him the food. Next door to this +good old couple there lived another old man and his wife who were +both wicked and cruel, and who hated their good neighbors and the +dog Shiro with all their might. Whenever Shiro happened to look into +their kitchen they at once kicked him or threw something at him, +sometimes even wounding him. + +One day Shiro was heard barking for a long time in the field at the +back of his master's house. The old man, thinking that perhaps some +birds were attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the +matter. As soon as Shiro saw his master he ran to meet him, wagging +his tail, and, seizing the end of his kimono, dragged him under a +large yenoki tree. Here he began to dig very industriously with his +paws, yelping with joy all the time. The old man, unable to +understand what it all meant, stood looking on in bewilderment. But +Shiro went on barking and digging with all his might. + +The thought that something might be hidden beneath the tree, and +that the dog had scented it, at last struck the old man. He ran back +to the house, fetched his spade and began to dig the ground at that +spot. What was his astonishment when, after digging for some time, +he came upon a heap of old and valuable coins, and the deeper he dug +the more gold coins did he find. So intent was the old man on his +work that he never saw the cross face of his neighbor peering at him +through the bamboo hedge. At last all the gold coins lay shining on +the ground. Shiro sat by erect with pride and looking fondly at his +master as if to say, "You see, though only a dog, I can make some +return for all the kindness you show me." + +The old man ran in to call his wife, and together they carried home +the treasure. Thus in one day the poor old man became rich. His +gratitude to the faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved and +petted him more than ever, if that were possible. + +The cross old neighbor, attracted by Shiro's barking, had been an +unseen and envious witness of the finding of the treasure. He began +to think that he, too, would like to find a fortune. So a few days +later he called at the old man's house and very ceremoniously asked +permission to borrow Shiro for a short time. + +Shiro's master thought this a strange request, because he knew quite +well that not only did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that +he never lost an opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever +the dog crossed his path. But the good old man was too kind-hearted +to refuse his neighbor, so he consented to lend the dog on condition +that he should be taken great care of. + +The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on his +face, and told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty +intentions. He then took his spade and hastened to his own field, +forcing the unwilling Shiro to follow him. As soon as he reached a +yenoki tree, he said to the dog, threateningly: + +"If there were gold coins under your master's tree, there must also +be gold coins under my tree. You must find them for me! Where are +they? Where? Where?" + +And catching hold of Shiro's neck he held the dog's head to the +ground, so that Shiro began to scratch and dig in order to free +himself from the horrid old man's grasp. + +The old man was very pleased when he saw the dog begin to scratch +and dig, for he at once supposed that some gold coins lay buried +under his tree as well as under his neighbor's, and that the dog had +scented them as before; so pushing Shiro away he began to dig +himself, but there was nothing to be found. As he went on digging a +foul smell was noticeable, and he at last came upon a refuse heap. + +The old man's disgust can be imagined. This soon gave way to anger. +He had seen his neighbor's good fortune, and hoping for the same +luck himself, he had borrowed the dog Shiro; and now, just as he +seemed on the point of finding what he sought, only a horrid +smelling refuse heap had rewarded him for a morning's digging. +Instead of blaming his own greed for his disappointment, he blamed +the poor dog. He seized his spade, and with all his strength struck +Shiro and killed him on the spot. He then threw the dog's body into +the hole which he had dug in the hope of finding a treasure of gold +coins, and covered it over with the earth. Then he returned to the +house, telling no one, not even his wife, what be had done. + +After waiting several days, as the dog Shiro did not return, his +master began to grow anxious. Day after day went by and the good old +man waited in vain. Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to +give him back his dog. Without any shame or hesitation, the wicked +neighbor answered that he had killed Shiro because of his bad +behavior. At this dreadful news Shiro's master wept many sad and +bitter tears. Great indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too +good and gentle to reproach his bad neighbor. Learning that Shiro +was buried under the yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man +to give him the tree, in remembrance of his poor dog Shiro. + +Even the cross old neighbor could not refuse such a simple request, +so he consented to give the old man the tree under which Shiro lay +buried. Shiro's master then cut the tree down and carried it home. +Out of the trunk he made a mortar. In this his wife put some rice, +and he began to pound it with the intention of making a festival to +the memory of his dog Shiro. + +A strange thing happened! His wife put the rice into the mortar, and +no sooner had he begun to pound it to make the cakes, than it began +to increase in quantity gradually till it was about five times the +original amount, and the cakes were turned out of the mortar as if +an invisible hand were at work. + +When the old man and his wife saw this, they understood that it was +a reward to them from Shiro for their faithful love to him. They +tasted the cakes and found them nicer than any other food. So from +this time they never troubled about food, for they lived upon the +cakes with which the mortar never ceased to supply them. + +The greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of good luck, was +filled with envy as before, and called on the old man and asked +leave to borrow the wonderful mortar for a short time, pretending +that he, too, sorrowed for the death of Shiro, and wished to make +cakes for a festival to the dog's memory. + +The old man did not in the least wish to lend it to his cruel +neighbor, but he was too kind to refuse. So the envious man carried +home the mortar, but he never brought it back. + +Several days passed, and Shiro's master waited in vain for the +mortar, so he went to call on the borrower, and asked him to be good +enough to return the mortar if he had finished with it. He found him +sitting by a big fire made of pieces of wood. On the ground lay what +looked very much like pieces of a broken mortar. In answer to the +old man's inquiry, the wicked neighbor answered haughtily: + +"Have you come to ask me for your mortar? I broke it to pieces, and +now I am making a fire of the wood, for when I tried to pound cakes +in it only some horrid smelling stuff came out." + +The good old man said: + +"I am very sorry for that. It is a great pity you did not ask me for +the cakes if you wanted them. I would have given you as many as ever +you wanted. Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to +keep them in remembrance of my dog." + +The neighbor consented at once, and the old man carried home a +basket full of ashes. + +Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of the +ashes made by the burning of the mortar on the trees of his garden. +A wonderful thing happened! + +It was late in autumn and all the trees had shed their leaves, but +no sooner did the ashes touch their branches than the cherry trees, +the plum trees, and all other blossoming shrubs burst into bloom, so +that the old man's garden was suddenly transformed into a beautiful +picture of spring. The old man's delight knew no bounds, and he +carefully preserved the remaining ashes. + +The story of the old man's garden spread far and wide, and people +from far and near came to see the wonderful sight. + +One day, soon after this, the old man heard some one knocking at his +door, and going to the porch to see who it was he was surprised to +see a Knight standing there. This Knight told him that he was a +retainer of a great Daimio (Earl); that one of the favorite cherry +trees in this nobleman's garden had withered, and that though every +one in his service had tried all manner of means to revive it, none +took effect. The Knight was sore perplexed when he saw what great +displeasure the loss of his favorite cherry tree caused the Daimio. +At this point, fortunately, they had heard that there was a +wonderful old man who could make withered trees to blossom, and that +his Lord had sent him to ask the old man to come to him. + +"And," added the Knight, "I shall be very much obliged if you will +come at once." + +The good old man was greatly surprised at what he heard, but +respectfully followed the Knight to the nobleman's Palace. + +The Daimio, who had been impatiently awaiting the old man's coming, +as soon as he saw him asked him at once: + +"Are you the old man who can make withered trees flower even out of +season?" + +The old man made an obeisance, and replied: + +"I am that old man!" + +Then the Daimio said: + +"You must make that dead cherry tree in my garden blossom again by +means of your famous ashes. I shall look on." + +Then they all went into the garden--the Daimio and his retainers and +the ladies-in waiting, who carried the Daimio's sword. + +The old man now tucked up his kimono and made ready to climb the +tree. Saying "Excuse me," he took the pot of ashes which he had +brought with him, and began to climb the tree, every one watching +his movements with great interest. + +At last he climbed to the spot where the tree divided into two great +branches, and taking up his position here, the old man sat down and +scattered the ashes right and left all over the branches and twigs. + +Wonderful, indeed, was the result! The withered tree at once burst +into full bloom! The Daimio was so transported with joy that he +looked as if he would go mad. He rose to his feet and spread out his +fan, calling the old man down from the tree. He himself gave the old +man a wine cup filled with the best SAKE, and rewarded him with much +silver and gold and many other precious things. The Daimio ordered +that henceforth the old man should call himself by the name of Hana- +Saka-Jijii, or "The Old Man who makes the Trees to Blossom," and +that henceforth all were to recognize him by this name, and he sent +him home with great honor. + +The wicked neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man's fortune, +and of all that had so auspiciously befallen him, and he could not +suppress all the envy and jealousy that filled his heart. He called +to mind how he had failed in his attempt to find the gold coins, and +then in making the magic cakes; this time surely he must succeed if +he imitated the old man, who made withered trees to flower simply by +sprinkling ashes on them. This would be the simplest task of all. + +So he set to work and gathered together all the ashes which remained +in the fire-place from the burning of the wonderful mortar. Then he +set out in the hope of finding some great man to employ him, calling +out loudly as he went along: + +"Here comes the wonderful man who can make withered trees blossom! +Here comes the old man who can make dead trees blossom!" + +The Daimio in his Palace heard this cry, and said: + +"That must be the Hana-Saka-Jijii passing. I have nothing to do to- +day. Let him try his art again; it will amuse me to look on." + +So the retainers went out and brought in the impostor before their +Lord. The satisfaction of false old man can now be imagined. + +But the Daimio looking at him, thought it strange that he was not at +all like the old man he had seen before, so he asked him: + +"Are you the man whom I named Hana-Saka-Jijii?" + +And the envious neighbor answered with a lie: + +"Yes, my Lord!" + +"That is strange!" said the Daimio. "I thought there was only one +Hana-Saka-Jijii in the world! Has he now some disciples?" + +"I am the true Hana-Saka-Jijii. The one who came to you before was +only my disciple!" replied the old man again. + +"Then you must be more skillful than the other. Try what you can do +and let me see!" + +The envious neighbor, with the Daimio and his Court following, then +went into the garden, and approaching a dead tree, took out a +handful of the ashes which he carried with him, and scattered them +over the tree. + +But not only did the tree not burst into flower, but not even a bud +came forth. Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man +took handfuls and again sprinkled them over the withered tree. But +all to no effect. After trying several times, the ashes were blown +into the Daimio's eyes. This made him very angry, and he ordered his +retainers to arrest the false Hana-Saka-Jijii at once and put him in +prison for an impostor. From this imprisonment the wicked old man +was never freed. Thus did he meet with punishment at last for all +his evil doings. + +The good old man, however, with the treasure of gold coins which +Shiro had found for him, and with all the gold and the silver which +the Daimio had showered on him, became a rich and prosperous man in +his old age, and lived a long and happy life, beloved and respected +by all. + + + + +THE JELLY FISH AND THE MONKEY. + + +Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by +a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the +Sea. His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea +creatures both great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels +of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide. The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when +thrown into the ocean caused the sea to recede from the land, and +the Jewel of the Flowing Tide made the waves to rise mountains high +and to flow in upon the shore like a tidal wave. + +The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so +beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. +The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and +the floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, +in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all +its wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole +sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought +that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more +powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish +retainers together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go +through the sea and seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be +his bride. + +At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely +young dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of +summer beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was +dressed in gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with +embroidery adorned them. + +The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was +celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from +the great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer +their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a +long and prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or +such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers +who carried the bride's possessions to her new home seemed to reach +across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish +carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial +robes, gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose +and fell and broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white +and green fire, for the phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in +honor of the event. + +Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. +They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took +delight in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his +coral Palace, and she was never tired of wandering with him through +its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long +summer's day. + +Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell +ill and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled +when he saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish +doctor to come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to +the servants to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with +diligence, but in spite of all the nurses' assiduous care and the +medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs +of recovery, but grew daily worse. + +Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not +curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin's evident +displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although +he knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was +impossible to find it in the sea. + +"Do you mean to tell me that you can't get the medicine here?" asked +the Dragon King. + +"It is just as you say!" said the doctor. + +"Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?" demanded Rin Jin. + +"I want the liver of a live monkey!" answered the doctor. + +"The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult +to get," said the King. + +"If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon +recover," said the doctor. + +"Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But +where are we most likely to find a monkey?" asked the King. + +Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south +there was a Monkey Island where a great many monkeys lived. + +"If only you could capture one of these monkeys?" said the doctor. + +"How can any of my people capture a monkey?" said the Dragon King, +greatly puzzled. "The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the +water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don't see +what we can do!" + +"That has been my difficulty too," said the doctor. "But amongst +your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on +shore for that express purpose!" + +"Something must be done," said the King, and calling his chief +steward he consulted him on the matter. + +The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a +sudden thought, said joyfully: + +"I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is +certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on +land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the +Island of Monkeys to catch one." + +The jelly fish was then summoned to the King's presence, and was +told by His Majesty what was required of him. + +The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to +be intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had +never been to the island in question, and as he had never had any +experience in catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be +able to get one. + +"Well," said the chief steward, "if you depend on your strength or +dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a +trick on one!" + +"How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don't know how to do it," +said the perplexed jelly fish. + +"This is what you must do," said the wily chief steward. "When you +approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try +to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of +the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the +Dragon King's Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can +the grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to +arouse his curiosity and make him long to see it all!" + +"But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don't swim?" +said the reluctant jelly fish. + +"You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if +you can't do that!" said the chief steward. + +"Won't he be very heavy?" queried kurage again. + +"You mustn't mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King," +replied the chief steward. + +"I will do my best then," said the jelly fish, and he swam away from +the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island. Swimming +swiftly he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a +convenient wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away +a big pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches +was just what he was looking for--a live monkey. + +"I'm in luck!" thought the jelly fish. "Now I must flatter the +creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, +and my part will be done!" + +So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those +ancient days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a +tortoise. When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said: + +"How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn't it a lovely day?" + +"A very fine day," answered the monkey from the tree. "I have never +seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from +and what is your name?" + +"My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the +Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I +have come on purpose to see it," answered the jelly fish. + +"I am very glad to see you," said the monkey. + +"By the bye," said the jelly fish, "have you ever seen the Palace of +the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?" + +"I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!" answered the +monkey. + +"Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to +go through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is +beyond all description--it is certainly to my mind the most lovely +place in the world," said the jelly fish. + +"Is it so beautiful as all that?" asked the monkey in astonishment. + +Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the +best of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King's +Palace, and the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of +white, pink and red coral, and the still more curious fruits like +great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey grew more and more +interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by step so +as not to lose a word of the wonderful story. + +"I have got him at last!" thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said: + +"Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace +of the Dragon King, won't you avail yourself of this splendid +opportunity by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide +and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more +wonderful to you--a land-lubber." + +"I should love to go," said the monkey, "but how am I to cross the +water! I can't swim, as you surely know!" + +"There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back." + +"That will be troubling you too much," said the monkey. + +"I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn't +hesitate," said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he +stepped into the sea. + +"Keep very still, Mr. monkey," said the jelly fish. "You mustn't +fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the +King's Palace." + +"Please don't go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off," said the +monkey. + +Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with +the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the +jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the +monkey had his liver with him or not! + +"Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?" + +The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked +what the jelly fish wanted with a liver. + +"That is the most important thing of all," said the stupid jelly +fish, "so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours +with you?" + +"Why is my liver so important to you?" asked the monkey. + +"Oh! you will learn the reason later," said the jelly fish. + +The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the +jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up +by appealing to his hearer's feelings by saying that he was very +troubled at what he had been told. + +Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry +for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen +ill, and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live +monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find +one. + +"Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the +Palace the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!" +said the silly jelly fish. + +The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very +angry at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the +thought of what was in store for him. + +But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest +plan not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm +himself and to think of some way by which he might escape. + +"The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I +shall die!" thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, +so he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish: + +"What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this +before we left the island!" + +"If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly +have refused to come," answered the jelly fish. + +"You are quite mistaken," said the monkey. "Monkeys can very well +spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon +Queen of the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I +should have presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I +have several livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not +speak in time, I have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree." + +"Have you left your liver behind you?" asked the jelly fish. + +"Yes," said the cunning monkey, "during the daytime I usually leave +my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in +the way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, +listening to your interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and +left it behind when I came off with you. If only you had spoken in +time I should have remembered it, and should have brought it along +with me!" + +The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he +believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good +without a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey +so. + +"Well," said the monkey, "that is soon remedied. I am really sorry +to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to +the place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver." + +The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way +back to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he +would be so kind as to take him back he would get his very best +liver, and bring it with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the +jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island once more. + +No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey +landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had +first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy +at being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish +said: + +"So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present +my compliments to the Dragon King on your return!" + +The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which +it was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn't his intention +to come with him at once after getting his liver. + +The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn't afford to lose his +liver: it was too precious. + +"But remember your promise!" pleaded the jelly fish, now very +discouraged. + +"That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!" answered the +monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he +had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose +his life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the +Sea King's Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of +persuading the jelly fish to return under false pretenses. + +"Of course, I won't GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you +can!" added the monkey mockingly from the tree. + +There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his +stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to +confess his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. +The last thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind +him, was the monkey laughing at him. + +Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all +the servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly +fish. When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they +hailed him with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all +the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey Island, and then they +asked him where the monkey was. + +Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all +over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway +over the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his +commission; how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe +that he had left his liver behind him. + +The Dragon King's wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that +the jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a +horrible one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living +body, and he was to be beaten with sticks. + +The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, +cried out for pardon. But the Dragon King's order had to be obeyed. +The servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and +surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat +him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates +and threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent +his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of +bonelessness. + +From this story it is evident that in former times the jelly fish +once had a shell and bones something like a tortoise, but, ever +since the Dragon King's sentence was carried out on the ancestor of +the jelly fishes, his descendants have all been soft and boneless +just as you see them to-day thrown up by the waves high upon the +shores of Japan. + + + + +THE QUARREL OF TEE MONKEY AND THE CRAB. + + +Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a +pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the +bank of a river. As they were running about, the crab found a rice- +dumpling and the monkey a persimmon-seed. + +The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, +saying: + +"Look what a nice thing I have found!" + +Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said: + +"I also have found something good! Look!" + +Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had +no use for the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard +and uneatable as a stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt +very envious of the crab's nice dumpling, and he proposed an +exchange. The crab naturally did not see why he should give up his +prize for a hard stone-like seed, and would not consent to the +monkey's proposition. + +Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying: + +"How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling +can be eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if +you sow this seed in the ground it will soon grow and become a great +tree in a few years, and bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons +year after year. If only I could show it to you then with the yellow +fruit hanging on its branches! Of course, if you don't believe me I +shall sow it myself; though I am sure, later on, you will be very +sorry that you did not take my advice." + +The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey's clever +persuasion. He at last gave in and consented to the monkey's +proposal, and the exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled +up the dumpling, and with great reluctance gave up the persimmon- +seed to the crab. He would have liked to keep that too, but he was +afraid of making the crab angry and of being pinched by his sharp +scissor-like claws. They then separated, the monkey going home to +his forest trees and the crab to his stones along the river-side. As +soon as the crab reached home he put the persimmon-seed in the +ground as the monkey had told him. + +In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a +young tree push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew +bigger, till at last it blossomed one spring, and in the following +autumn bore some fine large persimmons. Among the broad smooth green +leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they +mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little crab's pleasure to go +out day by day and sit in the sun and put out his long eyes in the +same way as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the persimmons +ripening to perfection. + +"How delicious they will be to eat!" he said to himself. + +At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he +wanted very much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the +tree, in the vain hope of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons +hanging above him; but he failed each time, for a crab's legs are +not made for climbing trees but only for running along the ground +and over stones, both of which he can do most cleverly. In his +dilemma he thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he knew, +could climb trees better than any one else in the world. He +determined to ask the monkey to help him, and set out to find him. + +Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into +the shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an +afternoon nap in his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight +around a branch to prevent him from falling off in his dreams. He +was soon wide awake, however, when he heard himself called, and +eagerly listening to what the crab told him. When he heard that the +seed which he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had grown +into a tree and was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he +at once devised a cunning plan which would give him all the +persimmons for himself. + +He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When +they both reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a +fine tree had sprung from the seed, and with what a number of ripe +persimmons the branches were loaded. + +He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as +he could, one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best +and ripest he could find, and went on eating till he could eat no +more. Not one would he give to the poor hungry crab waiting below, +and when he had finished there was little but the hard, unripe fruit +left. + +You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting +patiently, for so long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the +fruit to ripen, when he saw the monkey devouring all the good +persimmons. He was so disappointed that he ran round and round the +tree calling to the monkey to remember his promise. The monkey at +first took no notice of the crab's complaints, but at last he picked +out the hardest, greenest persimmon he could find and aimed it at +the crab's head. The persimmon is as hard as stone when it is +unripe. The monkey's missile struck home and the crab was sorely +hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as he could pick them, +the monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw them at the +defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered with wounds all over +his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the tree he +had himself planted. + +When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away +from the spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a +coward as he was. + +Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far +from the spot where this sad work had taken place. On the way home +he came across his father dead, in a most dreadful condition--his +head was smashed and his shell broken in several places, and around +his body lay the unripe persimmons which had done their deadly work. +At this dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down and wept. + +But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying +would do no good; it was his duty to avenge his father's murder, and +this he determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would +lead him to discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed +that the best fruit had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel +and numerous seeds strewn on the ground as well as the unripe +persimmons which had evidently been thrown at his father. Then he +understood that the monkey was the murderer, for he now remembered +that his father had once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and +the persimmon-seed. The young crab knew that monkeys liked +persimmons above all other fruit, and he felt sure that his greed +for the coveted fruit had been the cause of the old crab's death. +Alas! + +He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he +burned with rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was +useless, for the monkey was an old and cunning animal and would be +hard to overcome. He must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of +his friends to help him, for he knew it would be quite out of his +power to kill him alone. + +The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father's +old friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the +mortar with tears to help him avenge his father's death. The mortar +was very sorry when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to +help the young crab punish the monkey to death. He warned him that +he must be very careful in what he did, for the monkey was a strong +and cunning enemy. The mortar now sent to fetch the bee and the +chestnut (also the crab's old friends) to consult them about the +matter. In a short time the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they +were told all the details of the old crab's death and of the +monkey's wickedness and greed, they both gladly consented to help +the young crab in his revenge. + +After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying +out their plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the +young crab to help him bury his poor father. + +While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating +himself (as the wicked often do before their punishment comes upon +them) on all he had done so neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing +that he had robbed his friend of all his ripe persimmons and then +that he had killed him. Still, smile as hard as he might, he could +not banish altogether the fear of the consequences should his evil +deeds be discovered. IF he were found out (and he told himself that +this could not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab's family would +be sure to bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he +would not go out, and kept himself at home for several days. He +found this kind of life, however, extremely dull, accustomed as he +was to the free life of the woods, and at last he said: + +"No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the +old thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no +mouths! Who is there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one +knows, what is the use of shutting myself up and brooding over the +matter? What is done cannot be undone!" + +With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about +as slyly as possible near the crab's house and tried to hear the +neighbors' gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs +were saving about their chief's death, for the old crab had been the +chief of the tribe. But he heard nothing and said to himself: + +"They are all such fools that they don't know and don't care who +murdered their chief!" + +Little did he know in his so-called "monkey's wisdom" that this +seeming unconcern was part of the young crab's plan. He purposely +pretended not to know who killed his father, and also to believe +that he had met his death through his own fault. By this means he +could the better keep secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was +meditating. + +So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told +himself he had nothing now to fear. + +One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised +by the appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was +wondering what this might mean, the messenger bowed before him and +said: + +"I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died +the other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb +the tree after fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first +anniversary after his death, and my master has prepared a little +festival in his father's honor, and bids you come to participate in +it as you were one of his best friends. My master hopes you will +honor his house with your kind visit." + +When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, +for all his fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not +guess that a plot had just been set in motion against him. He +pretended to be very surprised at the news of the crab's death, and +said: + +"I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief's death. We were +great friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice- +dumpling for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that +seed was in the end the cause of his death. I accept your kind +invitation with many thanks. I shall be delighted to do honor to my +poor old friend!" And he screwed some false tears from his eyes. + +The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, "The wicked monkey is +now dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real +ones." But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home. + +When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought +was the young crab's innocence, and without the least feeling began +to look forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the +dead crab, to which he had been invited. He changed his dress and +set out solemnly to visit the young crab. + +He found all the members of the crab's family and his relatives +waiting to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting +were over they led him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came +to receive him. Expressions of condolence and thanks were exchanged +between them, and then they all sat down to a luxurious feast and +entertained the monkey as the guest of honor. + +The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to +drink a cup of tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to +the tearoom he left him and retired. Time passed and still he did +not return. At last the monkey became impatient. He said to himself: + +"This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of +waiting so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at +the dinner!" + +He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out +some hot water from the kettle boiling there, when something burst +out from the ashes with a great pop and hit the monkey right in the +neck. It was the chestnut, one of the crab's friends, who had hidden +himself in the fireplace. The monkey, taken by surprise, jumped +backward, and then started to run out of the room. + +The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung +him on the cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned +by the chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on +screaming and chattering with rage. + +Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on +the top of the crab's gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the +mortar and all fell down on the top of the monkey's head. Was it +possible for the monkey to bear the weight of the mortar falling on +him from the top of the gate? He lay crushed and in great pain, +quite unable to get up. As he lay there helpless the young crab came +up, and, holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, he said: + +"Do you now remember that you murdered my father?" + +"Then you--are--my--enemy?" gasped the monkey brokenly. + +"Of course," said the young crab. + +"It--was--your--father's--fault--not--mine!" gasped the unrepentant +monkey. + +"Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!" and with +that he cut off the monkey's head with his pitcher claws. Thus the +wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab +avenged his father's death. + +This is the end of the story of the monkey, the crab, and the +persimmon-seed. + + + + +THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES + + +Long, long ago. when all the animals could talk, there lived in the +province of Inaba in Japan, a little white hare. His home was on the +island of Oki, and just across the sea was the mainland of Inaba. + +Now the hare wanted very much to cross over to Inaba. Day after day +he would go out and sit on the shore and look longingly over the +water in the direction of Inaba. and day after day he hoped to find +some way of getting across. + +One day as usual, the hare was standing on the beach, looking +towards the mainland across the water, when he saw a great crocodile +swimming near the island. + +"This is very lucky!" thought the hare. "Now I shall be able to get +my wish. I will ask the crocodile to carry me across the sea!" + +But he was doubtful whether the crocodile would consent to do what +wanted. So he thought instead of asking a favor he would try to get +what he wanted by a trick. + +So with a loud voice he called to the crocodile, and said: + +"Oh, Mr. Crocodile, isn't it a lovely day?" + +The crocodile, who had come out all by itself that day to enjoy the +bright sunshine, was just beginning to feel a bit lonely when the +hare's cheerful greeting broke the silence. The crocodile swam +nearer the shore, very pleased to hear some one speak. + +"I wonder who it was that spoke to me just now! Was it you, Mr. +Hare? You must be very lonely all by yourself!" + +"Oh, no, I am not at all lonely," said the hare, "but as it was such +a fine day I came out here to enjoy myself. Won't you stop and play +with me a little while?" + +The crocodile came out of the sea and sat on the shore, and the two +played together for some time. Then the hare said: + +"Mr. Crocodile, you live in the sea and I live on this island, and +we do not often meet, so I know very little about you. Tell me, do +you think the number of your company is greater than mine?" + +"Of course, there are more crocodiles than hares," answered the +crocodile. "Can you not see that for yourself? You live on this +small island, while I live in the sea, which spreads through all +parts of the world, so if I call together all the crocodiles who +dwell in the sea you hares will be as nothing compared to us!" The +crocodile was very conceited. + +The hare, who meant to play a trick on the crocodile, said: + +"Do you think it possible for you to call up enough crocodiles to +form a line from this island across the sea to Inaba?" + +The crocodile thought for a moment and then answered: + +"Of course, it is possible." + +"Then do try," said the artful hare, "and I will count the number +from here!" + +The crocodile, who was very simple-minded, and who hadn't the least +idea that the hare intended to play a trick on him, agreed to do +what the hare asked, and said: + +"Wait a little while I go back into the sea and call my company +together!" + +The crocodile plunged into the sea and was gone for some time. The +hare, meanwhile, waited patiently on the shore. At last the +crocodile appeared, bringing with him a large number of other +crocodiles. + +"Look, Mr. Hare!" said the crocodile, "it is nothing for my friends +to form a line between here and Inaba. There are enough crocodiles +to stretch from here even as far as China or India. Did you ever see +so many crocodiles?" + +Then the whole company of crocodiles arranged themselves in the +water so as to form a bridge between the Island of Oki and the +mainland of Inaba. When the hare saw the bridge of crocodiles, he +said: + +"How splendid! I did not believe this was possible. Now let me count +you all! To do this, however, with your permission, I must walk over +on your backs to the other side, so please be so good as not to +move, or else I shall fall into the sea and be drowned!" + +So the hare hopped off the island on to the strange bridge of +crocodiles, counting as he jumped from one crocodile's back to the +other: + +"Please keep quite still, or I shall not be able to count. One, two, +three, four, five, six. seven, eight, nine--" + +Thus the cunning hare walked right across to the mainland of Inaba. +Not content with getting his wish, he began to jeer at the +crocodiles instead of thanking them, and said, as he leapt off the +last one's back: + +"Oh! you stupid crocodiles, now I have done with you!" + +And he was just about to run away as fast as he could. But he did +not escape so easily, for so soon as the crocodiles understood that +this was a trick played upon them by the hare so as to enable him to +cross the sea, and that the hare was now laughing at them for their +stupidity, they became furiously angry and made up their minds to +take revenge. So some of them ran after the hare and caught him. +Then they all surrounded the poop little animal and pulled out all +his fur. He cried out loudly and entreated them to spare him, but +with each tuft of fur they pulled out they said: + +"Serve you right!" + +When the crocodiles had pulled out the last bit of fur, they threw +the poor hare on the beach, and all swam away laughing at what they +had done. + +The hare was now in a pitiful plight, all his beautiful white fur +had been pulled out, and his bare little body was quivering with +pain and bleeding all over. He could hardly move, and all he could +do was to lie on the beach quite helpless and weep over the +misfortune that had befallen him. Notwithstanding that it was his +own fault that had brought all this misery and suffering upon the +white hare of Inaba, any one seeing the poor little creature could +not help feeling sorry for him in his sad condition, for the +crocodiles had been very cruel in their revenge. + +Just at this time a number of men, who looked like King's sons, +happened to pass by, and seeing the hare lying on the beach crying, +stopped and asked what was the matter. + +The hare lifted up his head from between his paws, and answered +them, saying: + +"I had a fight with some crocodiles, but I was beaten, and they +pulled out all my fur and left me to suffer here--that is why I am +crying." + +Now one of these young men had a bad and spiteful disposition. But +he feigned kindness, and said to the hare: + +"I feel very sorry for you. If you will only try it, I know of a +remedy which will cure your sore body. Go and bathe yourself in the +sea, and then come and sit in the wind. This will make your fur grow +again, and you will be just as you were before." + +Then all the young men passed on. The hare was very pleased, +thinking that he had found a cure. He went and bathed in the sea and +then came out and sat where the wind could blow upon him. + +But as the wind blew and dried him, his skin became drawn and +hardened, and the salt increased the pain so much that he rolled on +the sand in his agony and cried aloud. + +Just then another King's son passed by, carrying a great bag on his +back. He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so +loudly. + +But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very +like the man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to +cry. + +But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very +pityingly, and said: + +"You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your +skin is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?" + +When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the +man, and encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that +had befallen him. The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but +told him frankly how he had played a trick on the crocodiles and how +he had come across the bridge they had made, thinking that he wished +to count their number: how he had jeered at them for their +stupidity, and then how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on +him. Then he went on to say how he had been deceived by a party of +men who looked very like his kind friend: and the hare ended his +long tale of woe by begging the man to give him some medicine that +would cure him and make his fur grow again. + +When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity +towards him, and said: + +"I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was +only the consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles." + +"I know," answered the sorrowful hare, "but I have repented and made +up my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I +may cure my sore body and make the fur grow again." + +"Then I will tell you of a good remedy," said the man. "First go and +bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from +your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing +near the edge of the water, spread them on the ground and roll +yourself on them. If you do this the pollen will cause your fur to +grow again, and you will be quite well in a little while." + +The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled +to the pond pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked +the kaba flowers growing near the water, and rolled himself on them. + +To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice +white fur growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had +done before all his misfortunes. + +The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping +joyfully towards the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling +down at his feet, said: + +"I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my +earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who +you are?" + +"I am no King's son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto," answered the man, "and those beings who +passed here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a +beautiful Princess called Yakami who lives in this province of +Inaba, and they are on their way to find her and to ask her to marry +one of them. But on this expedition I am only an attendant, so I am +walking behind them with this great big bag on my back." + +The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no- +Mikoto, whom many in that part of the land worshiped as a god. + +"Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind +you have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind +fellow who sent me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am +quite sure that the Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, +will refuse to be the bride of any of them, and will prefer you for +your goodness of heart. I am quite sure that you will win her heart +without intending to do so, and she will ask to be your bride." + +Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but +bidding the little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon +overtook his brothers. He found them just entering the Princess's +gate. + +Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to +become the bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the +kind brother's face she went straight up to him and said: + +"To you I give myself," and so they were married. + +This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by +the people in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become +famous as "The White Hare of Inaba." But what became of the +crocodiles nobody knows. + + + + +THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE. + + +The insignia of the great Japanese Empire is composed of three +treasures which have been considered sacred, and guarded with +jealous care from time immemorial. These are the Yatano-no-Kagami or +the Mirror of Yata, the Yasakami-no-Magatama or the Jewel of +Yasakami, and the Murakumo-no-Tsurugi or the Sword of Murakumo. + +Of these three treasures of the Empire, the sword of Murakumo, +afterwards known as Kusanagi-no-Tsrugugi, or the grass-cleaving +sword, is considered the most precious and most highly to be +honored, for it is the symbol of strength to this nation of warriors +and the talisman of invincibility for the Emperor, while he holds it +sacred in the shrine of his ancestors. + +Nearly two thousand years ago this sword was kept at the shrines of +Ite, the temples dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu, the great +and beautiful Sun Goddess from whom the Japanese Emperors are said +to be descended. + +There is a story of knightly adventure and daring which explains why +the name of the sword was changed from that of Murakumo to Kasanagi, +which means grass clearing. + +Once, many, many years ago, there was born a son to the Emperor +Keiko, the twelfth in descent from the great Jimmu, the founder of +the Japanese dynasty. This Prince was the second son of the Emperor +Keiko, and he was named Yamato. From his childhood he proved himself +to be of remarkable strength, wisdom and courage, and his father +noticed with pride that he gave promise of great things, and he +loved him even more than he did his elder son. + +Now when Prince Yamato had grown to manhood (in the olden days of +Japanese history, a boy was considered to have reached man's estate +at the early age of sixteen) the realm was much troubled by a band +of outlaws whose chiefs were two brothers, Kumaso and Takeru. These +rebels seemed to delight in rebelling against the King, in breaking +the laws and defying all authority. + +At last King Keiko ordered his younger son Prince Yamato to subdue +the brigands and, if possible, to rid the land of their evil lives. +Prince Yamato was only sixteen years of age, he had but reached his +manhood according to the law, yet though he was such a youth in +years he possessed the dauntless spirit of a warrior of fuller age +and knew not what fear was. Even then there was no man who could +rival him for courage and bold deeds, and he received his father's +command with great joy. + +He at once made ready to start, and great was the stir in the +precincts of the Palace as he and his trusty followers gathered +together and prepared for the expedition, and polished up their +armor and donned it. Before he left his father's Court he went to +pray at the shrine of Ise and to take leave of his aunt the Princess +Yamato, for his heart was somewhat heavy at the thought of the +dangers he had to face, and he felt that he needed the protection of +his ancestress, Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. The Princess his aunt +came out to give him glad welcome, and congratulated him on being +trusted with so great a mission by his father the King. She then +gave him one of her gorgeous robes as a keepsake to go with him and +to bring him good luck, saying that it would surely be of service to +him on this adventure. She then wished him all success in his +undertaking and bade him good speed. + +The young Prince bowed low before his aunt, and received her +gracious gift with much pleasure and many respectful bows. + +"I will now set out," said the Prince, and returning to the Palace +he put himself at the head of his troops. Thus cheered by his aunt's +blessing, he felt ready for all that might befall, and marching +through the land he went down to the Southern Island of Kiushiu, the +home of the brigands. + +Before many days had passed he reached the Southern Island, and then +slowly but surely made his way to the head-quarters of the chiefs +Kumaso and Takeru. He now met with great difficulties, for he found +the country exceedingly wild and rough. The mountains were high and +steep, the valleys dark and deep, and huge trees and bowlders of +rock blocked up the road and stopped the progress of his army. It +was all but impossible to go on. + +Though the Prince was but a youth he had the wisdom of years, and, +seeing that it was vain to try and lead his men further, he said to +himself: + +"To attempt to fight a battle in this impassable country unknown to +my men only makes my task harder. We cannot clear the roads and +fight as well. It is wiser for me to resort to stratagem and come +upon my enemies unawares. In that way I may be able to kill them +without much exertion." + +So he now bade his army halt by the way. His wife, the Princess +Ototachibana, had accompanied him, and he bade her bring him the +robe his aunt the priestess of Ise had given him, and to help him +attire himself as a woman. With her help he put on the robe, and let +his hair down till it flowed over his shoulders. Ototachibana then +brought him her comb, which he put in his black tresses, and then +adorned himself with strings of strange jewels just as you see in +the picture. When he had finished his unusual toilet, Ototachibana +brought him her mirror. He smiled as he gazed at himself--the +disguise was so perfect. + +He hardly knew himself, so changed was he. All traces of the warrior +had disappeared, and in the shining surface only a beautiful lady +looked back at him. + +Thus completely disguised, he set out for the enemy's camp alone. In +the folds of his silk gown, next his strong heart, was hidden a +sharp dagger. + +The two chiefs Kumaso and Takeru wore sitting in their tent, resting +in the cool of the evening, when the Prince approached. They were +talking of the news which had recently been carried to them, that +the King's son had entered their country with a large army +determined to exterminate their band. They had both heard of the +young warrior's renown, and for the first time in their wicked lives +they felt afraid. In a pause in their talk they happened to look up, +and saw through the door of the tent a beautiful woman robed in +sumptuous garments coming towards them. Like an apparition of +loveliness she appeared in the soft twilight. Little did they dream +that it was their enemy whose coming they so dreaded who now stood +before them in this disguise. + +"What a beautiful woman! Where has she come from?" said the +astonished Kumaso, forgetting war and council and everything as he +looked at the gentle intruder. + +He beckoned to the disguised Prince and bade him sit down and serve +them with wine. Yamato Take felt his heart swell with a fierce glee +for he now knew that his plan would succeed. However, he dissembled +cleverly, and putting on a sweet air of shyness he approached the +rebel chief with slow steps and eyes glancing like a frightened +deer. Charmed to distraction by the girl's loveliness Kumaso drank +cup after cup of wine for the pleasure of seeing her pour it out for +him, till at last he was quite overcome with the quantity he had +drunk. + +This was the moment for which the brave Prince had been waiting. +Flinging down the wine jar, he seized the tipsy and astonished +Kumaso and quickly stabbed him to death with the dagger which he had +secretly carried hidden in his breast. + +Takeru, the brigand's brother, was terror-struck as soon as he saw +what was happening and tried to escape, but Prince Yamato was too +quick for him. Ere he could reach the tent door the Prince was at +his heel, his garments were clutched by a hand of iron, and a dagger +flashed before his eyes and he lay stabbed to the earth, dying but +not yet dead. + +"Wait one moment!" gasped the brigand painfully, and he seized the +Prince's hand. + +Yamato relaxed his hold somewhat and said. + +"Why should I pause, thou villain?" + +The brigand raised himself fearfully and said: + +"Tell me from whence you come, and whom I have the honor of +addressing? Hitherto I believed that my dead brother and I were the +strongest men in the land, and that there was no one who could +overcome us. Alone you have ventured into our stronghold, alone you +have attacked and killed us! Surely you are more than mortal?" + +Then the young Prince answered with a proud smile:--"I am the son of +the King and my name is Yamato, and I have been sent by my father as +the avenger of evil to bring death to all rebels! No longer shall +robbery and murder hold my people in terror!" and he held the dagger +dripping red above the rebel's head. + +"Ah," gasped the dying man with a great effort, "I have often heard +of you. You are indeed a strong man to have so easily overcome us. +Allow me to give you a new name. From henceforth you shall be known +as Yamato Take. Our title I bequeath to you as the bravest man in +Yamato." + +And with these noble words, Takeru fell back and died. + +The Prince having thus successfully put an end to his father's +enemies in the world, was prepared to return to the capital. On the +way back he passed through the province of Idum. Here he met with +another outlaw named Idzumo Takeru who he knew had done much harm in +the land. He again resorted to stratagem, and feigned friendship +with the rebel under an assumed name. Having done this he made a +sword of wood and jammed it tightly in the shaft of his own strong +sword. This he purposedly buckled to his side and wore on every +occasion when he expected to meet the third robber Takeru, + +He now invited Takeru to the bank of the River Hinokawa, and +persuaded him to try a swim with him in the cool refreshing waters +of the river. + +As it was a hot summer's day, the rebel was nothing loath to take a +plunge in the river, while his enemy was still swimming down the +stream the Prince turned back and landed with all possible haste. +Unperceived, he managed to change swords, putting his wooden one in +place of the keen steel sword of Takeru. + +Knowing nothing of this, the brigand came up to the bank shortly. As +soon as he had landed and donned his clothes, the Prince came +forward and asked him to cross swords with him to prove his skill, +saying: + +"Let us two prove which is the better swordsman of the two!" + +The robber agreed with delight, feeling certain of victory, for he +was famous as a fencer in his province and he did not know who his +adversary was. He seized quickly what he thought was his sword and +stood on guard to defend himself. Alas! for the rebel the sword was +the wooden one of the young Prince and in vain Takeru tried to +unsheathe it--it was jammed fast, not all his exerted strength could +move it. Even if his efforts had been successful the sword would +have been of no use to him for it was of wood. Yamato Take saw that +his enemy was in his power, and swinging high the sword he had taken +from Takeru he brought it down with great might and dexterity and +cut off the robber's head. + +In this way, sometimes by using his wisdom and sometimes by using +his bodily strength, and at other times by resorting to craftiness, +which was as much esteemed in those days as it is despised in these, +he prevailed against all the King's foes one by one, and brought +peace and rest to the land and the people. + +When he returned to the capital the King praised him for his brave +deeds, and held a feast in the Palace in honor of his safe coming +home and presented him with many rare gifts. From this time forth +the King loved him more than ever and would not let Yamato Take go +from his side, for he said that his son was now as precious to him +as one of his arms. + +But the Prince was not allowed to live an idle life long. When he +was about thirty years old, news was brought that the Ainu race, the +aborigines of the islands of Japan, who had been conquered and +pushed northwards by the Japanese, had rebelled in the Eastern +provinces, and leaving the vicinity which had been allotted to them +were causing great trouble in the land. The King decided that it was +necessary to send an army to do battle with them and bring them to +reason. But who was to lead the men? + +Prince Yamato Take at once offered to go and bring the newly arisen +rebels into subjection. Now as the King loved the Prince dearly, and +could not bear to have him go out of his sight even for the length +of one day, he was of course very loath to send him on his dangerous +expedition. But in the whole army there was no warrior so strong or +so brave as the Prince his son, so that His Majesty, unable to do +otherwise, reluctantly complied with Yamato's wish. + +When the time came for the Prince to start, the King gave him a +spear called the Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree (the +handle was probably made from the wood of the holly tree), and +ordered him to set out to subjugate the Eastern Barbarians as the +Ainu were then called. + +The Eight-Arms-Length-Spear of the Holly Tree of those old days, was +prized by warriors just as much as the Standard or Banner is valued +by a regiment in these modern days, when given by the King to his +soldiers on the occasion of setting out for war. + +The Prince respectfully and with great reverence received the King's +spear, and leaving the capital, marched with his army to the East. +On his way he visited first of all the temples of Ise for worship, +and his aunt the Princess of Yamato and High Priestess came out to +greet him. She it was who had given him her robe which had proved +such a boon to him before in helping him to overcome and slay the +brigands of the West. + +He told her all that had happened to him, and of the great part her +keepsake had played in the success of his previous undertaking, and +thanked her very heartily. When she heard that he was starting out +once again to do battle with his father's enemies, she went into the +temple, and reappeared bearing a sword and a beautiful bag which she +had made herself, and which was full of flints, which in those times +people used instead of matches for making fire. These she presented +to him as a parting gift. + +The sword was the sword of Murakumo, one of the three sacred +treasures which comprise the insignia of the Imperial House of +Japan. No more auspicious talisman of luck and success could she +have given her nephew, and she bade him use it in the hour of his +greatest need. + +Yamato Take now bade farewell to his aunt, and once more placing +himself at the head of his men he marched to the farthest East +through the province of Owari, and then he reached the province of +Suruga. Here the governor welcomed the Prince right heartily and +entertained him royally with many feasts. When these were over, the +governor told his guest that his country was famous for its fine +deer, and proposed a deer hunt for the Prince's amusement. The +Prince was utterly deceived by the cordiality of his host, which was +all feigned, and gladly consented to join in the hunt. + +The governor then led the Prince to a wild and extensive plain where +the grass grew high and in great abundance. Quite ignorant that the +governor had laid a trap for him with the desire to compass his +death, the Prince began to ride hard and hunt down the deer, when +all of a sudden to his amazement he saw flames and smoke bursting +out from the bush in front of him. Realizing his danger he tried to +retreat, but no sooner did he turn his horse in the opposite +direction than he saw that even there the prairie was on fire. At +the same time the grass on his left and right burst into flames, and +these began to spread swiftly towards him on all sides. He looked +round for a chance of escape. There was none. He was surrounded by +fire. + +"This deer hunt was then only a cunning trick of the enemy!" said +the Prince, looking round on the flames and the smoke that crackled +and rolled in towards him on every side. "What a fool I was to be +lured into this trap like a wild beast!" and he ground his teeth +with rage as he thought of the governor's smiling treachery. + +Dangerous as was his situation now, the Prince was not in the least +confounded. In his dire extremity he remembered the gifts his aunt +had given him when they parted, and it seemed to him as if she must, +with prophetic foresight, have divined this hour of need. He coolly +opened the flint-bag that his aunt had given him and set fire to the +grass near him. Then drawing the sword of Murakumo from its sheath +he set to work to cut down the grass on either side of him with all +speed. He determined to die, if that were necessary, fighting for +his life and not standing still waiting for death to come to him. + +Strange to say the wind began to change and to blow from the +opposite direction, and the fiercest portion of the burning bush +which had hitherto threatened to come upon him was now blown right +away from him, and the Prince, without even a scratch on his body or +a single hair burned, lived to tell the tale of his wonderful +escape, while the wind rising to a gale overtook the governor, and +he was burned to death in the flames he had set alight to kill +Yamato Take. + +Now the Prince ascribed his escape entirely to the virtue of the +sword of Murakumo, and to the protection of Amaterasu, the Sun +Goddess of Ise, who controls the wind and all the elements and +insures the safety of all who pray to her in the hour of danger. +Lifting the precious sword he raised it above his head many times in +token of his great respect, and as he did this he re-named it +Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi or the Grass-Cleaving Sword, and the place where +he set fire to the grass round him and escaped from death in the +burning prairie, he called Yaidzu. To this day there is a spot along +the great Tokaido railway named Yaidzu, which is said to be the very +place where this thrilling event took place. + +Thus did the brave Prince Yamato Take escape out of the snare laid +for him by his enemy. He was full of resource and courage, and +finally outwitted and subdued all his foes. Leaving Yaidzu he +marched eastward, and came to the shore at Idzu from whence he +wished to cross to Kadzusa. + +In these dangers and adventures he had been followed by his faithful +loving wife the Princess Ototachibana. For his sake she counted the +weariness of the long journeys and the dangers of war as nothing, +and her love for her warrior husband was so great that she felt well +repaid for all her wanderings if she could but hand him his sword +when he sallied forth to battle, or minister to his wants when he +returned weary to the camp. + +But the heart of the Prince was full of war and conquest and he +cared little for the faithful Ototachibana. From long exposure in +traveling, and from care and grief at her lord's coldness to her, +her beauty had faded, and her ivory skin was burnt brown by the sun, +and the Prince told her one day that her place was in the Palace +behind the screens at home and not with him upon the warpath. But in +spite of rebuffs and indifference on her husband's part, +Ototachibana could not find it in her heart to leave him. But +perhaps it would have been better for her if she had done so, for on +the way to Idzu, when they came to Owari, her heart was well-nigh +broken. + +Here dwelt in a Palace shaded by pine-trees and approached by +imposing gates, the Princess Miyadzu, beautiful as the cherry +blossom in the blushing dawn of a spring morning. Her garments were +dainty and bright, and her skin was white as snow, for she had never +known what it was to be weary along the path of duty or to walk in +the heat of a summer's sun. And the Prince was ashamed of his +sunburnt wife in her travel-stained garments, and bade her remain +behind while he went to visit the Princess Miyadzu. Day after day he +spent hours in the gardens and the Palace of his new friend, +thinking only of his pleasure, and caring little for his poor wife +who remained behind to weep in the tent at the misery which had come +into her life. Yet she was so faithful a wife, and her character so +patient, that she never allowed a reproach to escape her lips, or a +frown to mar the sweet sadness of her face, and she was ever ready +with a smile to welcome her husband back or usher him forth wherever +he went. + +At last the day came when the Prince Yamato Take must depart for +Idzu and cross over the sea to Kadzusa, and he bade his wife follow +in his retinue as an attendant while he went to take a ceremonious +farewell of the Princess Miyadzu. She came out to greet him dressed +in gorgeous robes, and she seemed more beautiful than ever, and when +Yamato Take saw her he forgot his wife, his duty, and everything +except the joy of the idle present, and swore that he would return +to Owari and marry her when the war was over. And as he looked up +when he had said these words he met the large almond eyes of +Ototachibana fixed full upon him in unspeakable sadness and wonder, +and he knew that he had done wrong, hut he hardened his heart and +rode on, caring little for the pain he had caused her. + +When they reached the seashore at Idzu his men sought for boats in +which to cross the straits to Kadzusa, but it was difficult to find +boats enough to allow all the soldiers to embark. Then the Prince +stood on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and +said: + +"This is not the sea! This is only a brook! Why do you men want so +many boats? I could jump this if I would." + +When at last they had all embarked and were fairly on their way +across the straits, the sky suddenly clouded and a great storm +arose. The waves rose mountains high, the wind howled, the lightning +flashed and the thunder rolled, and the boat which held Ototachibana +and the Prince and his men was tossed from crest to crest of the +rolling waves, till it seemed that every moment must be their last +and that they must all be swallowed up in the angry sea. For Kin +Jin. the Dragon King of the Sea, had heard Yamato Take jeer, and had +raised this terrible storm in anger, to show the scoffing Prince how +awful the sea could be though it did but look like a brook. + +The terrified crew lowered the sails and looked after the rudder, +and worked for their dear lives' sake, but all in vain--the storm +only seemed to increase in violence, and all gave themselves up for +lost. Then the faithful Ototachibana rose, and forgetting all the +grief that her husband had caused her, forgetting even that he had +wearied of her, in the one great desire of her love to save him, she +determined to sacrifice her life to rescue him from death if it were +possible. + +While the waves dashed over the ship and the wind whirled round them +in fury she stood up and said: + +"Surely all this has come because the Prince has angered Rin Jin, +the God of the Sea, by his jesting. If so, I, Ototachibana, will +appease the wrath of the Sea God who desires nothing less than my +husband's life!" + +Then addressing the sea she said: + +"I will take the place of His Augustness, Yamato Take. I will now +cast myself into your outraged depths, giving my life for his. +Therefore hear me and bring him safely to the shore of Kadzusa." + +With these words she leaped quickly into the boisterous sea, and the +waves soon whirled her away and she was lost to sight. Strange to +say, the storm ceased at once, and the sea became as calm and smooth +as the matting on which the astonished onlookers were sitting. The +gods of the sea were now appeased, and the weather cleared and the +sun shone as on a summer's day. + +Yamato Take soon reached the opposite shore and landed safely, even +as his wife Ototachibana had prayed. His prowess in war was +marvelous, and he succeeded after some time in conquering the +Eastern Barbarians, the Ainu. + +He ascribed his safe landing wholly to the faithfulness of his wife, +who had so willingly and lovingly sacrificed herself in the hour of +his utmost peril. His heart was softened at the remembrance of her, +and he never allowed her to pass from his thoughts even for a +moment. Too late had he learned to esteem the goodness of her heart +and the greatness of her love for him. + +As he was returning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of +the Usui Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect +beneath him. The country, from this great elevation, all lay open to +his sight, a vast panorama of mountain and plain and forest, with +rivers winding like silver ribbons through the land; then far off he +saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a luminous mist in the +great distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for him, and +as he turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of +her love which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his +heart burst out into a sorrowful and bitter cry: + +"Azuma, Azuma, Ya!" (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there is +a district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of +Prince Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into +the sea to save him is still pointed out. So, though in life the +Princess Ototachibana was unhappy, history keeps her memory green, +and the story of her unselfishness and heroic death will never pass +away. + +Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father's orders, he had +subdued all rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to +the peace, and his renown was great, for in the whole land there was +no one who could stand up against him, he was so strong in battle +and wise in council. + +He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come, +when the thought struck him that he would find it more interesting +to take another route, so he passed through the province of Owari +and came to the province of Omi. + +When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great +excitement and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the +signs of mourning and heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the +cause of this he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in +the mountains, who daily came down from thence and made raids on the +villages, devouring whoever he could seize. Many homes had been made +desolate and the men were afraid to go out to their daily work in +the fields, or the women to go to the rivers to wash their rice. + +When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said +fiercely: + +"From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I +have subdued all the King's enemies--there is no one who dares to +break the laws or to rebel against the King. It. is indeed a matter +for wonder that here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked +monster has dared to take up his abode and be the terror of the +King's subjects. Not long shall it find pleasure in devouring +innocent folk. I will start out and kill it at once." + +With these words he set out for the Ibuki Mountain, where the +monster was said to live. He climbed up a good distance, when all of +a sudden, at a winding in the path, a monster serpent appeared +before him and stopped the way. + +"This must be the monster," said the Prince; "I do not need my sword +for a serpent. I can kill him with my hands." + +He thereupon sprang upon the serpent and tried to strangle it to +death with his bare arms. It was not long before his prodigious +strength gained the mastery and the serpent lay dead at his feet. +Now a sudden darkness came over the mountain and rain began to fall, +so that for the gloom and the rain the Prince could hardly see which +way to take. In a short time, however, while he was groping his way +down the pass, the weather cleared, and our brave hero was able to +make his way quickly down the mountain. + +When be got back he began to feel ill and to have burning pains in +his feet, so he knew that the serpent had poisoned him. So great was +his suffering that he could hardly move, much less walk, so he had +himself carried to a place in the mountains famous for its hot +mineral springs, which rose bubbling out of the earth, and almost +boiling from the volcanic fires beneath. + +Yamato Take bathed daily in these waters, and gradually he felt his +strength come again, and the pains left him, till at last one day he +found with great joy that he was quite recovered. He now hastened to +the temples of Ise, where you will remember that he prayed before +undertaking this long expedition. His aunt, priestess of the shrine, +who had blessed him on his setting out, now came to welcome him +back. He told her of the many dangers he had encountered and of how +marvelously his life had been preserved through all--and she praised +his courage and his warrior's prowess, and then putting on her most +magnificent robes she returned thanks to their ancestress the Sun +Goddess Amaterasu, to whose protection they both ascribed the +Prince's wonderful preservation. + +Here ends the story of Prince Yamato Take of Japan. + + + + +MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH. + + +Long, long ago there lived, an old man and. an old woman; they were +peasants, and had to work hard to earn their daily rice. The old man +used to go and cut grass for the farmers around, and while he was +gone the old woman, his wife, did the work of the house and worked +in their own little rice field. + +One day the old man went to the hills as usual to cut grass and the +old woman took some clothes to the river to wash. + +It was nearly summer, and the country was very beautiful to see in +its fresh greenness as the two old people went on their way to work. +The grass on the banks of the river looked like emerald velvet, and +the pussy willows along the edge of the water were shaking out their +soft tassels. + +The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water into +wavelets, and passing on touched the cheeks of the old couple who, +for some reason they could not explain, felt very happy that +morning. + +The old woman at last found a nice spot by the river bank and put +her basket down. Then she set to work to wash the clothes; she took +them one by one out of the basket and washed them in the river and +rubbed them on the stones. The water was as clear as crystal, and +she could see the tiny fish swimming to and fro, and the pebbles at +the bottom. + +As she was busy washing her clothes a great peach came bumping down +the stream. The old woman looked up from her work and saw this large +peach. She was sixty years of age, yet in all her life she had never +seen such a big peach as this. + +"How delicious that peach must be!" she said to herself. "I must +certainly get it and take it home to my old man." + +She stretched out her arm to try and get it, but it was quite out of +her reach. She looked about for a stick, but there was not one to be +seen, and if she went to look for one she would lose the peach. + +Stopping a moment to think what she would do, she remembered an old +charm-verse. Now she began to clap her hands to keep time to the +rolling of the peach down stream, and while she clapped she sang +this song: + + "Distant water is bitter, + The near water is sweet; + Pass by the distant water + And come into the sweet." + +Strange to say, as soon as she began to repeat this little song the +peach began to come nearer and nearer the bank where the old woman +was standing, till at last it stopped just in front of her so that +she was able to take it up in her hands. The old woman was +delighted. She could not go on with her work, so happy and excited +was she, so she put all the clothes back in her bamboo basket, and +with the basket on her back and the peach in her hand she hurried +homewards. + +It seemed a very long time to her to wait till her husband returned. +The old man at last came back as the sun was setting, with a big +bundle of grass on his back--so big that he was almost hidden and +she could hardly see him. He seemed very tired and used the scythe +for a walking stick, leaning on it as he walked along. + +As soon as the old woman saw him she called out: + +"O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come home for +such a long time to-day!" + +"What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?" asked the old man, +wondering at her unusual eagerness. "Has anything happened while I +have been away?" + +"Oh, no!" answered the old woman, "nothing has happened, only I have +found a nice present for you!" + +"That is good," said the old man. He then washed his feet in a basin +of water and stepped up to the veranda. + +The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the +cupboard the big peach. It felt even heavier than before. She held +it up to him, saying: + +"Just look at this! Did you ever see such a large peach in all your +life?" + +When the old man looked at the peach he was greatly astonished and +said: + +"This is indeed the largest peach I have ever seen! Wherever did you +buy it?" + +"I did not buy it," answered the old woman. "I found it in the river +where I was washing." And she told him the whole story. + +"I am very glad that you have found it. Let us eat it now, for I am +hungry," said the O Fii San. + +He brought out the kitchen knife, and, placing the peach on a board, +was about to cut it when, wonderful to tell, the peach split in two +of itself and a clear voice said: + +"Wait a bit, old man!" and out stepped a beautiful little child. + +The old man and his wife were both so astonished at what they saw +that they fell to the ground. The child spoke again: + +"Don't be afraid. I am no demon or fairy. I will tell you the truth. +Heaven has had compassion on you. Every day and every night you have +lamented that you had no child. Your cry has been heard and I am +sent to be the son of your old age!" + +On hearing this the old man and his wife were very happy. They had +cried night and day for sorrow at having no child to help them in +their lonely old age, and now that their prayer was answered they +were so lost with joy that they did not know where to put their +hands or their feet. First the old man took the child up in his +arms, and then the old woman did the same; and they named him +MOMOTARO, OR SON OF A PEACH, because he had come out of a peach. + +The years passed quickly by and the child grew to be fifteen years +of age. He was taller and far stronger than any other boys of his +own age, he had a handsome face and a heart full of courage, and he +was very wise for his years. The old couple's pleasure was very +great when they looked at him, for he was just what they thought a +hero ought to be like. + +One day Momotaro came to his foster-father and said solemnly: + +"Father, by a strange chance we have become father and son. Your +goodness to me has been higher than the mountain grasses which it +was your daily work to cut, and deeper than the river where my +mother washes the clothes. I do not know how to thank you enough." + +"Why," answered the old man, "it is a matter of course that a father +should bring up his son. When you are older it will be your turn to +take care of us, so after all there will be no profit or loss +between us--all will be equal. Indeed, I am rather surprised that +you should thank me in this way!" and the old man looked bothered. + +"I hope you will be patient with me," said Momotaro; "but before I +begin to pay back your goodness to me I have a request to make which +I hope you will grant me above everything else." + +"I will let you do whatever you wish, for you are quite different to +all other boys!" + +"Then let me go away at once!" + +"What do you say? Do you wish to leave your old father and mother +and go away from your old home?" + +"I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!" + +"Where are you going?" + +"You must think it strange that I want to go away," said Momotaro, +"because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to +the northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is +the stronghold of a band of devils. I have often heard how they +invade this land, kill and rob the people, and carry off all they +can find. They are not only very wicked but they are disloyal to our +Emperor and disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, for they kill +and eat some of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall +into their hands. These devils are very hateful beings. I must go +and conquer them and bring back all the plunder of which they have +robbed this land. It is for this reason that I want to go away for a +short time!" + +The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy +of fifteen. He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and +fearless, and besides all this, the old man knew he was no common +child, for he had been sent to them as a gift from Heaven, and he +felt quite sure that the devils would be powerless to harm him. + +"All you say is very interesting, Momotaro," said the old man. "I +will not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish. +Go to the island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and +bring peace to the land." + +"Thank you, for all your kindness," said Momotaro, who began to get +ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know +what fear was. + +The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the +kitchen mortar to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his +journey. + +At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his +long journey. + +Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people +were filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said: + +"Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!" + +Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he +was coming back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely +they would be while he was away. But he said "Good-by!" quite +bravely. + +"I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away. Good- +by!" And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes of +Momotaro and his parents met in farewell. + +Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel +hungry, so he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and +sat down under a tree by the side of the road to eat it. While he +was thus having his lunch a dog almost as large as a colt came +running out from the high grass. He made straight for Momotaro, and +showing his teeth, said in a fierce way: + +"You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission +first. If you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may +go; otherwise I will bite you till I kill you!" + +Momotaro only laughed scornfully: + +"What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro, +and I am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold +in the northeast of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I +will cut you in two from the head downwards!" + +The dog's manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs, +and coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the +ground. + +"What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I +have often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I +have behaved in a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my +rudeness? Are you indeed on your way to invade the Island of Devils? +If you will take such a rude fellow with you as one of your +followers, I shall be very grateful to you." + +"I think I can take you with me if you wish to go," said Momotaro. + +"Thank you!" said the dog. "By the way, I am very very hungry. Will +you give me one of the cakes you are carrying?" + +"This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan," said Momotaro. "I +cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one." + +"Thank you very much," said the dog, taking the piece thrown to him. + +Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they +walked over the hills and through the valleys. As they were going +along an animal came down from a tree a little ahead of them. The +creature soon came up to Momotaro and said: + +"Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the +country. Will you allow me to go with you?" + +The dog answered jealously: + +"Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a +monkey like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils! +Get away!" + +The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two +animals always hate each other. + +"Now, don't quarrel!" said Momotaro, putting himself between them. +"Wait a moment, dog!" + +"It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that +following you!" said the dog. + +"What do you know about it?" asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the +dog, he spoke to the monkey: + +"Who are you?" + +"I am a monkey living in these hills," replied the monkey." I heard +of your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go +with you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!" + +"Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with +me?" + +"Yes, sir," replied the monkey. + +"I admire your courage," said Momotaro. "Here is a piece of one of +my fine rice-cakes. Come along!" + +So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on +well together. They were always snapping at each other as they went +along, and always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very +cross, and at last he sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the +monkey behind with a sword, and he placed himself between them with +a war-fan, which is made of iron. + +By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and +alighted on the ground just in front of the little party. It was the +most beautiful bird Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five +different robes of feathers and its head was covered with a scarlet +cap. + +The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But +the bird struck out its spurs and flew at the dog's tail, and the +fight went hard with both. + +Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it +showed so much spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good +fighter. + +Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back, +said to the bird: + +"You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I +will take you with me. If you don't I will set this dog to bite your +head off!" + +Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into +Momotaro's company. + +"I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog, +your servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a +pheasant. It is very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to +take me with you. Please allow me to follow you behind the dog and +the monkey!" + +"I congratulate you on surrendering so soon," said Momotaro, +smiling. "Come and join us in our raid on the devils." + +"Are you going to take this bird with you also?" asked the dog, +interrupting. + +"Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn't you hear what I +said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!" + +"Humph!" said the dog. + +Then Momotaro stood and gave this order: + +"Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an +army is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that 'Advantage on +earth is better than advantage in Heaven!' Union amongst ourselves +is better than any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst +ourselves it is no easy thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you +three, the dog, the monkey and the pheasant, must be friends with +one mind. The one who first begins a quarrel will be discharged on +the spot!" + +All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a +member of Momotaro's suite, and received half a cake. + +Momotaro's influence was so great that the three became good +friends, and hurried onwards with him as their leader. + +Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of +the North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the +horizon--not a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was +the rolling of the waves upon the shore. + +Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely +all the way through the long valleys and over the hills, but they +had never seen the sea before, and for the first time since they set +out they were bewildered and gazed at each other in silence. How +were they to cross the water and get to the Island of Devils? + +Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea, +and to try them he spoke loudly and roughly: + +"Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards +you are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me +to fight the demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I +discharge you all at once!" + +The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung +to Momotaro's sleeve, begging him not to send them away. + +"Please, Momotaro!" said the dog. + +"We have come thus far!" said the monkey. + +"It is inhuman to leave us here!" said the pheasant. + +"We are not at all afraid of the sea," said the monkey again. + +"Please do take us with you," said the pheasant. + +"Do please," said the dog. + +They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said: + +"Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!" + +Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind +and weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. +It was the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at +first the dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the +waves and the rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew +accustomed to the water and were quite happy again. Every day they +paced the deck of their little ship, eagerly looking out for the +demons' island. + +When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all +their exploits of which they were proud, and then played games +together; and Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the +three animals and watching their antics, and in this way he forgot +that the way was long and that he was tired of the voyage and of +doing nothing. He longed to be at work killing the monsters who had +done so much harm in his country. + +As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made +a quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a +sight of land rewarded the four watchers at the bow. + +Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils' stronghold. +On the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large +castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in +thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should +begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for +orders. At last he called to the pheasant: + +"It is a great advantage for us to have you with us." said Momotaro +to the bird, "for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and +engage the demons to fight. We will follow you." + +The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the +air gladly with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took +up his position on the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out +loudly: + +"All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro +has come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you +wish to save your lives surrender at once, and in token of your +submission you must break off the horns that grow on your forehead. +If you do not surrender at once, but make up your mind to fight, we, +the pheasant, the dog and the monkey, will kill you all by biting +and tearing you to death!" + +The horned demons looking up and only seeing a pheasant, laughed and +said: + +"A wild pheasant, indeed! It is ridiculous to hear such words from a +mean thing like you. Wait till you get a blow from one of our iron +bars!" + +Very angry, indeed, were the devils. They shook their horns and +their shocks of red hair fiercely, and rushed to put on tiger skin +trousers to make themselves look more terrible. They then brought +out great iron bars and ran to where the pheasant perched over their +heads, and tried to knock him down. The pheasant flew to one side to +escape the blow, and then attacked the head of first one and then +another demon. He flew round and round them, beating the air with +his wings so fiercely and ceaselessly, that the devils began to +wonder whether they had to fight one or many more birds. + +In the meantime, Momotaro had brought his ship to land. As they had +approached, he saw that the shore was like a precipice, and that the +large castle was surrounded by high walls and large iron gates and +was strongly fortified. + +Momotaro landed, and with the hope of finding some way of entrance, +walked up the path towards the top, followed by the monkey and the +dog. They soon came upon two beautiful damsels washing clothes in a +stream. Momotaro saw that the clothes were blood-stained, and that +as the two maidens washed, the tears were falling fast down their +cheeks. He stopped and spoke to them: + +"Who are you, and why do you weep?" + +"We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our +homes to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios +(Lords), we are obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill +us"--and the maidens held up the blood-stained clothes--"and eat us, +and there is no one to help us!" + +And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought. + +"I will rescue you," said Momotaro. "Do not weep any more, only show +me how I may get into the castle." + +Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back +door in the lowest part of the castle wall--so small that Momotaro +could hardly crawl in. + +The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and +his little band rush in at the back. + +Momotaro's onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand +against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the +pheasant, but now that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had +arrived they were bewildered, for the four enemies fought like a +hundred, so strong were they. Some of the devils fell off the +parapet of the castle and were dashed to pieces on the rocks +beneath; others fell into the sea and were drowned; many were beaten +to death by the three animals. + +The chief of the devils at last was the only one left. He made up +his mind to surrender, for he knew that his enemy was stronger than +mortal man. + +He came up humbly to Momotaro and threw down his iron bar, and +kneeling down at the victor's feet he broke off the horns on his +head in token of submission, for they were the sign of his strength +and power. + +"I am afraid of you," he said meekly. "I cannot stand against you. I +will give you all the treasure hidden in this castle if you will +spare my life!" + +Momotaro laughed. + +"It is not like you, big devil, to beg for mercy, is it? I cannot +spare your wicked life, however much you beg, for you have killed +and tortured many people and robbed our country for many years." + +Then Momotaro tied the devil chief up and gave him into the monkey's +charge. Having done this, he went into all the rooms of the castle +and set the prisoners free and gathered together all the treasure he +found. + +The dog and the pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro +returned triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief +as a captive. + +The two poor damsels, daughters of Daimios, and others whom the +wicked demon had carried off to be his slaves, were taken safely to +their own homes and delivered to their parents. + +The whole country made a hero of Momotaro on his triumphant return, +and rejoiced that the country was now freed from the robber devils +who had been a terror of the land for a long time. + +The old couple's joy was greater than ever, and the treasure +Momotaro had brought home with him enabled them to live in peace and +plenty to the end of their days. + + + + +THE OGRE OF RASHOMON. + + +Long, long ago in Kyoto, the people of the city were terrified by +accounts of a dreadful ogre, who, it was said, haunted the Gate of +Rashomon at twilight and seized whoever passed by. The missing +victims were never seen again, so it was whispered that the ogre was +a horrible cannibal, who not only killed the unhappy victims but ate +them also. Now everybody in the town and neighborhood was in great +fear, and no one durst venture out after sunset near the Gate of +Rashomon. + +Now at this time there lived in Kyoto a general named Raiko, who had +made himself famous for his brave deeds. Some time before this he +made the country ring with his name, for he had attacked Oeyama, +where a band of ogres lived with their chief, who instead of wine +drank the blood of human beings. He had routed them all and cut off +the head of the chief monster. + +This brave warrior was always followed by a band of faithful +knights. In this band there were five knights of great valor. One +evening as the five knights sat at a feast quaffing SAKE in their +rice bowls and eating all kinds of fish, raw, and stewed, and +broiled, and toasting each other's healths and exploits, the first +knight, Hojo, said to the others: + +"Have you all heard the rumor that every evening after sunset there +comes an ogre to the Gate of Rashomon, and that he seizes all who +pass by?" + +The second knight, Watanabe, answered him, saying: + +"Do not talk such nonsense! All the ogres were killed by our chief +Raiko at Oeyama! It cannot be true, because even if any ogres did +escape from that great killing they would not dare to show +themselves in this city, for they know that our brave master would +at once attack them if he knew that any of them were still alive!" + +"Then do you disbelieve what I say, and think that I am telling you +a falsehood?" + +"No, I do not think that you are telling a lie," said Watanabe; "but +you have heard some old woman's story which is not worth believing." + +"Then the best plan is to prove what I say, by going there yourself +and finding out yourself whether it is true or not," said Hojo. + +Watanabe, the second knight, could not bear the thought that his +companion should believe he was afraid, so he answered quickly: + +"Of course, I will go at once and find out for myself!" + +So Watanabe at once got ready to go--he buckled on his long sword +and put on a coat of armor, and tied on his large helmet. When he +was ready to start he said to the others: + +"Give me something so that I can prove I have been there!" + +Then one of the men got a roll of writing paper and his box of +Indian ink and brushes, and the four comrades wrote their names on a +piece of paper. + +"I will take this," said Watanabe, "and put it on the Gate of +Rashomon, so to-morrow morning will you all go and look at it? I may +be able to catch an ogre or two by then!" and he mounted his horse +and rode off gallantly. + +It was a very dark night, and there was neither moon nor star to +light Watanabe on his way. To make the darkness worse a storm came +on, the rain fell heavily and the wind howled like wolves in the +mountains. Any ordinary man would have trembled at the thought of +going out of doors, but Watanabe was a brave warrior and dauntless, +and his honor and word were at stake, so he sped on into the night, +while his companions listened to the sound of his horse's hoofs +dying away in the distance, then shut the sliding shutters close and +gathered round the charcoal fire and wondered what would happen--and +whether their comrade would encounter one of those horrible Oni. + +At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might +through the darkness he could see no sign of an ogre. + +"It is just as I thought," said Watanabe to himself; "there are +certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman's story. I will +stick this paper on the gate so that the others can see I have been +here when they come to-morrow, and then I will take my way home and +laugh at them all." + +He fastened the piece of paper, signed by all his four companions, +on the gate, and then turned his horse's head towards home. + +As he did so he became aware that some one was behind him, and at +the same time a voice called out to him to wait. Then his helmet was +seized from the back. "Who are you?" said Watanabe fearlessly. He +then put out his hand and groped around to find out who or what it +was that held him by the helmet. As he did so he touched something +that felt like an arm--it was covered with hair and as big round as +the trunk of a tree! + +Watanabe knew at once that this was the arm of an ogre, so he drew +his sword and cut at it fiercely. + +There was a loud yell of pain, and then the ogre dashed in front of +the warrior. + +Watanabe's eyes grew large with wonder, for he saw that the ogre was +taller than the great gate, his eyes were flashing like mirrors in +the sunlight, and his huge mouth was wide open, and as the monster +breathed, flames of fire shot out of his mouth. + +The ogre thought to terrify his foe, but Watanabe never flinched. He +attacked the ogre with all his strength, and thus they fought face +to face for a long time. At last the ogre, finding that he could +neither frighten nor beat Watanabe and that he might himself be +beaten, took to flight. But Watanabe, determined not to let the +monster escape, put spurs to his horse and gave chase. + +But though the knight rode very fast the ogre ran faster, and to his +disappointment he found himself unable to overtake the monster, who +was gradually lost to sight. + +Watanabe returned to the gate where the fierce fight had taken +place, and got down from his horse. As he did so he stumbled upon +something lying on the ground. + +Stooping to pick it up he found that it was one of the ogre's huge +arms which he must have slashed off in the fight. His joy was great +at having secured such a prize, for this was the best of all proofs +of his adventure with the ogre. So he took it up carefully and +carried it home as a trophy of his victory. + +When he got back, he showed the arm to his comrades, who one and all +called him the hero of their band and gave him a great feast. His +wonderful deed was soon noised abroad in Kyoto, and people from far +and near came to see the ogre's arm. + +Watanabe now began to grow uneasy as to how he should keep the arm +in safety, for he knew that the ogre to whom it belonged was still +alive. He felt sure that one day or other, as soon as the ogre got +over his scare, he would come to try to get his arm back again. +Watanabe therefore had a box made of the strongest wood and banded +with iron. In this he placed the arm, and then he sealed down the +heavy lid, refusing to open it for anyone. He kept the box in his +own room and took charge of it himself, never allowing it out of his +sight. + +Now one night he heard some one knocking at the porch, asking for +admittance. + +When the servant went to the door to see who it was, there was only +an old woman, very respectable in appearance. On being asked who she +was and what was her business, the old woman replied with a smile +that she had been nurse to the master of the house when he was a +little baby. If the lord of the house were at home she begged to be +allowed to see him. + +The servant left the old woman at the door and went to tell his +master that his old nurse had come to see him. Watanabe thought it +strange that she should come at that time of night, but at the +thought of his old nurse, who had been like a foster-mother to him +and whom he had not seen for a long time, a very tender feeling +sprang up for her in his heart. He ordered the servant to show her +in. + +The old woman was ushered into the room, and after the customary +bows and greetings were over, she said: + +"Master, the report of your brave fight with the ogre at the Gate of +Rashomon is so widely known that even your poor old nurse has heard +of it. Is it really true, what every one says, that you cut off one +of the ogre's arms? If you did, your deed is highly to be praised!" + +"I was very disappointed," said Watanabe, "that I was not able take +the monster captive, which was what I wished to do, instead of only +cutting off an arm!" + +"I am very proud to think," answered the old woman, "that my master +was so brave as to dare to cut off an ogre's arm. There is nothing +that can be compared to your courage. Before I die it is the great +wish of my life to see this arm," she added pleadingly. + +"No," said Watanabe, "I am sorry, but I cannot grant your request." + +"But why?" asked the old woman. + +"Because," replied Watanabe, "ogres are very revengeful creatures, +and if I open the box there is no telling but that the ogre may +suddenly appear and carry off his arm. I have had a box made on +purpose with a very strong lid, and in this box I keep the ogre's +arm secure; and I never show it to any one, whatever happens." + +"Your precaution is very reasonable," said the old woman. "But I am +your old nurse, so surely you will not refuse to show ME the arm. I +have only just heard of your brave act, and not being able to wait +till the morning I came at once to ask you to show it to me." + +Watanabe was very troubled at the old woman's pleading, but he still +persisted in refusing. Then the old woman said: + +"Do you suspect me of being a spy sent by the ogre?" + +"No, of course I do not suspect you of being the ogre's spy, for you +are my old nurse," answered Watanabe. + +"Then you cannot surely refuse to show me the arm any longer." +entreated the old woman; "for it is the great wish of my heart to +see for once in my life the arm of an ogre!" + +Watanabe could not hold out in his refusal any longer, so he gave in +at last, saying: + +"Then I will show you the ogre's arm, since you so earnestly wish to +see it. Come, follow me!" and he led the way to his own room, the +old woman following. + +When they were both in the room Watanabe shut the door carefully, +and then going towards a big box which stood in a corner of the +room, he took off the heavy lid. He then called to the old woman to +come near and look in, for he never took the arm out of the box. + +"What is it like? Let me have a good look at it," said the old +nurse, with a joyful face. + +She came nearer and nearer, as if she were afraid, till she stood +right against the box. Suddenly she plunged her hand into the box +and seized the arm, crying with a fearful voice which made the room +shake: + +"Oh, joy! I have got my arm back again!" + +And from an old woman she was suddenly transformed into the towering +figure of the frightful ogre! + +Watanabe sprang back and was unable to move for a moment, so great +was his astonishment; but recognizing the ogre who had attacked him +at the Gate of Rashomon, he determined with his usual courage to put +an end to him this time. He seized his sword, drew it out of its +sheath in a flash, and tried to cut the ogre down. + +So quick was Watanabe that the creature had a narrow escape. But the +ogre sprang up to the ceiling, and bursting through the roof, +disappeared in the mist and clouds. + +In this way the ogre escaped with his arm. The knight gnashed his +teeth with disappointment, but that was all he could do. He waited +in patience for another opportunity to dispatch the ogre. But the +latter was afraid of Watanabe's great strength and daring, and never +troubled Kyoto again. So once more the people of the city were able +to go out without fear even at night time, and the brave deeds of +Watanabe have never been forgotten! + + + + +HOW AN OLD MAN LOST HIS WEN. + + +Many, many years ago there lived a good old man who had a wen like a +tennis-ball growing out of his right cheek. This lump was a great +disfigurement to the old man, and so annoyed him that for many years +he spent all his time and money in trying to get rid of it. He tried +everything he could think of. He consulted many doctors far and +near, and took all kinds of medicines both internally and +externally. But it was all of no use. The lump only grew bigger and +bigger till it was nearly as big as his face, and in despair he gave +up all hopes of ever losing it, and resigned himself to the thought +of having to carry the lump on his face all his life. + +One day the firewood gave out in his kitchen, so, as his wife wanted +some at once, the old man took his ax and set out for the woods up +among the hills not very far from his home. It was a fine day in the +early autumn, and the old man enjoyed the fresh air and was in no +hurry to get home. So the whole afternoon passed quickly while he +was chopping wood, and he had collected a goodly pile to take back +to his wife. When the day began to draw to a close, he turned his +face homewards. + +The old man had not gone far on his way down the mountain pass when +the sky clouded and rain began to fall heavily. He looked about for +some shelter, but there was not even a charcoal-burner's hut near. +At last he espied a large hole in the hollow trunk of a tree. The +hole was near the ground, so he crept in easily, and sat down in +hopes that he had only been overtaken by a mountain shower, and that +the weather would soon clear. + +But much to the old man's disappointment, instead of clearing the +rain fell more and more heavily, and finally a heavy thunderstorm +broke over the mountain. The thunder roared so terrifically, and the +heavens seemed to be so ablaze with lightning, that the old man +could hardly believe himself to be alive. He thought that he must +die of fright. At last, however, the sky cleared, and the whole +country was aglow in the rays of the setting sun. The old man's +spirits revived when he looked out at the beautiful twilight, and he +was about to step out from his strange hiding-place in the hollow +tree when the sound of what seemed like the approaching steps of +several people caught his ear. He at once thought that his friends +had come to look for him, and he was delighted at the idea of having +some jolly companions with whom to walk home. But on looking out +from the tree, what was his amazement to see, not his friends, but +hundreds of demons coming towards the spot. The more he looked, the +greater was his astonishment. Some of these demons were as large as +giants, others had great big eyes out of all proportion to the rest +of their bodies, others again had absurdly long noses, and some had +such big mouths that they seemed to open from ear to ear. All had +horns growing on their foreheads. The old man was so surprised at +what he saw that he lost his balance and fell out of the hollow +tree. Fortunately for him the demons did not see him, as the tree +was in the background. So he picked himself up and crept back into +the tree. + +While he was sitting there and wondering impatiently when he would +be able to get home, he heard the sounds of gay music, and then some +of the demons began to sing. + +"What are these creatures doing?" said the old man to himself. "I +will look out, it sounds very amusing." + +On peeping out, the old man saw that the demon chief himself was +actually sitting with his back against the tree in which he had +taken refuge, and all the other demons were sitting round, some +drinking and some dancing. Food and wine was spread before them on +the ground, and the demons were evidently having a great +entertainment and enjoying themselves immensely. + +It made the old man laugh to see their strange antics. + +"How amusing this is!" laughed the old man to himself "I am now +quite old, but I have never seen anything so strange in all my +life." + +He was so interested and excited in watching all that the demons +were doing, that he forgot himself and stepped out of the tree and +stood looking on. + +The demon chief was just taking a big cup of SAKE and watching one +of the demons dancing. In a little while he said with a bored air: + +"Your dance is rather monotonous. I am tired of watching it. Isn't +there any one amongst you all who can dance better than this +fellow?" + +Now the old man had been fond of dancing all his life, and was quite +an expert in the art, and he knew that he could do much better than +the demon. + +"Shall I go and dance before these demons and let them see what a +human being can do? It may be dangerous, for if I don't please them +they may kill me!" said the old fellow to himself. + +His fears, however, were soon overcome by his love of dancing. In a +few minutes he could restrain himself no longer, and came out before +the whole party of demons and began to dance at once. The old man, +realizing that his life probably depended on whether he pleased +these strange creatures or not, exerted his skill and wit to the +utmost. + +The demons were at first very surprised to see a man so fearlessly +taking part in their entertainment, and then their surprise soon +gave place to admiration. + +"How strange!" exclaimed the horned chief. "I never saw such a +skillful dancer before! He dances admirably!" + +When the old man had finished his dance, the big demon said: + +"Thank you very much for your amusing dance. Now give us the +pleasure of drinking a cup of wine with us," and with these words he +handed him his largest wine-cup. + +The old man thanked him very humbly: + +"I did not expect such kindness from your lordship. I fear I have +only disturbed your pleasant party by my unskillful dancing." + +"No, no," answered the big demon. "You must come often and dance for +us. Your skill has given us much pleasure." + +The old man thanked him again and promised to do so. + +"Then will you come again to-morrow, old man?" asked the demon. + +"Certainly, I will," answered the old man. + +"Then you must leave some pledge of your word with us," said the +demon. + +"Whatever you like," said the old man. + +"Now what is the best thing he can leave with us as a pledge?" asked +the demon, looking round. + +Then said one of the demon's attendants kneeling behind the chief: + +"The token he leaves with us must be the most important thing to him +in his possession. I see the old man has a wen on his right cheek. +Now mortal men consider such a wen very fortunate. Let my lord take +the lump from the old man's right cheek, and he will surely come to- +morrow, if only to get that back." + +"You are very clever," said the demon chief, giving his horns an +approving nod. Then he stretched out a hairy arm and claw-like hand, +and took the great lump from the old man's right cheek. Strange to +say, it came off as easily as a ripe plum from the tree at the +demon's touch, and then the merry troop of demons suddenly vanished. + +The old man was lost in bewilderment by all that had happened. He +hardly knew for some time where he was. When he came to understand +what had happened to him, he was delighted to find that the lump on +his face, which had for so many years disfigured him, had really +been taken away without any pain to himself. He put up his hand to +feel if any scar remained, but found that his right cheek was as +smooth as his left. + +The sun had long set, and the young moon had risen like a silver +crescent in the sky. The old man suddenly realized how late it was +and began to hurry home. He patted his right cheek all the time, as +if to make sure of his good fortune in having lost the wen. He was +so happy that he found it impossible to walk quietly--he ran and +danced the whole way home. + +He found his wife very anxious, wondering what had happened to make +him so late. He soon told her all that had passed since he left home +that afternoon. She was quite as happy as her husband when he showed +her that the ugly lump had disappeared from his face, for in her +youth she had prided herself on his good looks, and it had been a +daily grief to her to see the horrid growth. + +Now next door to this good old couple there lived a wicked and +disagreeable old man. He, too, had for many years been troubled with +the growth of a wen on his left cheek, and he, too, + +had tried all manner of things to get rid of it, but in vain. + +He heard at once, through the servant, of his neighbor's good luck +in losing the lump on his face, so he called that very evening and +asked his friend to tell him everything that concerned the loss of +it. The good old man told his disagreeable neighbor all that had +happened to him. He described the place where he would find the +hollow tree in which to hide, and advised him to be on the spot in +the late afternoon towards the time of sunset. + +The old neighbor started out the very next afternoon, and after +hunting about for some time, came to the hollow tree just as his +friend had described. Here he hid himself and waited for the +twilight. + +Just as he had been told, the band of demons came at that hour and +held a feast with dance and song. When this had gone on for some +time the chief of the demons looked around and said: + +"It is now time for the old man to come as he promised us. Why +doesn't he come?" + +When the second old man heard these words he ran out of his hiding- +place in the tree and, kneeling down before the Oni, said: + +"I have been waiting for a long time for you to speak!" + +"Ah, you are the old man of yesterday," said the demon chief. "Thank +you for coming, you must dance for us soon." + +The old man now stood up and opened his fan and began to dance. But +he had never learned to dance, and knew nothing about the necessary +gestures and different positions. He thought that anything would +please the demons, so he just hopped about, waving his arms and +stamping his feet, imitating as well as he could any dancing he had +ever seen. + +The Oni were very dissatisfied at this exhibition, and said amongst +themselves: + +"How badly he dances to-day!" + +Then to the old man the demon chief said: + +"Your performance to-day is quite different from the dance of +yesterday. We don't wish to see any more of such dancing. We will +give you back the pledge you left with us. You must go away at +once." + +With these words he took out from a fold of his dress the lump which +he had taken from the face of the old man who had danced so well the +day before, and threw it at the right cheek of the old man who stood +before him. The lump immediately attached itself to his cheek as +firmly as if it had grown there always, and all attempts to pull it +off were useless. The wicked old man, instead of losing the lump on +his left cheek as he had hoped, found to his dismay that he had but +added another to his right cheek in his attempt to get rid of the +first. + +He put up first one hand and then the other to each side of his face +to make sure if he were not dreaming a horrible nightmare. No, sure +enough there was now a great wen on the right side of his face as on +the left. The demons had all disappeared, and there was nothing for +him to do but to return home. He was a pitiful sight, for his face, +with the two large lumps, one on each side, looked just like a +Japanese gourd. + + + + +THE STONES OF FIVE COLORS AND THE EMPRESS JOKWA. + +AN OLD CHINESE STORY. + + +Long, long ago there lived a great Chinese Empress who succeeded her +brother the Emperor Fuki. It was the age of giants, and the Empress +Jokwa, for that was her name, was twenty-five feet high, nearly as +tall as her brother. She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler. +There is an interesting story of how she mended a part of the broken +heavens and one of the terrestrial pillars which upheld the sky, +both of which were damaged during a rebellion raised by one of King +Fuki's subjects. + +The rebel's name was Kokai. He was twenty-six feet high. His body +was entirely covered with hair, and his face was as black as iron. +He was a wizard and a very terrible character indeed. When the +Emperor Fuki died, Kokai was bitten with the ambition to be Emperor +of China, but his plan failed, and Jokwa, the dead Emperor's sister, +mounted the throne. Kokai was so angry at being thwarted in his +desire that he raised a revolt. His first act was to employ the +Water Devil, who caused a great flood to rush over the country. This +swamped the poor people out of their homes, and when the Empress +Jokwa saw the plight of her subjects, and knew it was Kokai's fault, +she declared war against him. + +Now Jokwa, the Empress, had two young warriors called Hako and Eiko, +and the former she made General of the front forces. Hako was +delighted that the Empress's choice should fall on him, and he +prepared himself for battle. He took up the longest lance he could +find and mounted a red horse, and was just about to set out when he +heard some one galloping hard behind him and shouting: + +"Hako! Stop! The general of the front forces must be I!" + +He looked back and saw Eiko his comrade, riding on a white horse, in +the act of unsheathing a large sword to draw upon him. Hako's anger +was kindled, and as he turned to face his rival he cried: + +"Insolent wretch! I have been appointed by the Empress to lead the +front forces to battle. Do you dare to stop me?" + +"Yes," answered Eiko. "I ought to lead the army. It is you who +should follow me." + +At this bold reply Hako's anger burst from a spark into a flame. + +"Dare you answer me thus? Take that," and he lunged at him with his +lance. + +But Eiko moved quickly aside, and at the same time, raising his +sword, he wounded the head of the General's horse. Obliged to +dismount, Hako was about to rush at his antagonist, when Eiko, as +quick as lightning, tore from his breast the badge of commandership +and galloped away. The action was so quick that Hako stood dazed, +not knowing what to do. + +The Empress had been a spectator of the scene, and she could not but +admire the quickness of the ambitious Eiko, and in order to pacify +the rivals she determined to appoint them both to the Generalship of +the front army. + +So Hako was made commander of the left wing of the front army, and +Eiko of the right. One hundred thousand soldiers followed them and +marched to put down the rebel Kokai. + +Within a short time the two Generals reached the castle where Kokai +had fortified himself. When aware of their approach, the wizard +said: + +"I will blow these two poor children away with one breath." (He +little thought how hard he would find the fight.) + +With these words Kokai seized an iron rod and mounted a black horse, +and rushed forth like an angry tiger to meet his two foes. + +As the two young warriors saw him tearing down upon them, they said +to each other: "We must not let him escape alive," and they attacked +him from the right and from the left with sword and with lance. But +the all-powerful Kokai was not to be easily beaten--he whirled his +iron rod round like a great water-wheel, and for a long time they +fought thus, neither side gaining nor losing. At last, to avoid the +wizard's iron rod, Hako turned his horse too quickly; the animal's +hoofs struck against a large stone, and in a fright the horse reared +as straight on end as a screen, throwing his master to the ground. + +Thereupon Kokai drew his three-edged sword and was about to kill the +prostrate Hako, but before the wizard could work his wicked will the +brave Eiko had wheeled his horse in front of Kokai and dared him to +try his strength with him, and not to kill a fallen man. But Kokai +was tired, and he did not feel inclined to face this fresh and +dauntless young soldier, so suddenly wheeling his horse round, he +fled from the fray. + +Hako, who had been only slightly stunned, had by this time got upon +his feet, and he and his comrade rushed after the retreating enemy, +the one on foot and the other on horseback. + +Kokai, seeing that he was pursued, turned upon his nearest +assailant, who was, of course, the mounted Eiko, and drawing forth +an arrow from the quiver at his back, fitted it to his bow and drew +upon Eiko. + +As quick as lightning the wary Eiko avoided the shaft, which only +touched his helmet strings, and glancing off, fell harmless against +Hako's coat of armor. + +The wizard saw that both his enemies remained unscathed. He also +knew that there was no time to pull a second arrow before they would +be upon him, so to save himself he resorted to magic. He stretched +forth his wand, and immediately a great flood arose, and Jokwa's +army and her brave young Generals were swept away like a falling of +autumn leaves on a stream. + +Hako and Eiko found themselves struggling neck deep in water, and +looking round they saw the ferocious Kokai making towards them +through the water with his iron rod on high. They thought every +moment that they would be cut down, but they bravely struck out to +swim as far as they could from Kokai's reach. All of a sudden they +found themselves in front of what seemed to be an island rising +straight out of the water. They looked up, and there stood an old +man with hair as white as snow, smiling at them. They cried to him +to help them. The old man nodded his head and came down to the edge +of the water. As soon as his feet touched the flood it divided, and +a good road appeared, to the amazement of the drowning men, who now +found themselves safe. + +Kokai had by this time reached the island which had risen as if by a +miracle out of the water, and seeing his enemies thus saved he was +furious. He rushed through the water upon the old man, and it seemed +as if he would surely be killed. But the old man appeared not in the +least dismayed, and calmly awaited the wizard's onslaught. + +As Kokai drew near, the old man laughed aloud merrily, and turning +into a large and beautiful white crane, flapped his wings and flew +upwards into the heavens. + +When Hako and Eiko saw this, they knew that their deliverer was no +mere human being--was perhaps a god in disguise--and they hoped +later on to find out who the venerable old man was. + +In the meantime they had retreated, and it being now the close of +day, for the sun was setting, both Kokai and the young warriors gave +up the idea of fighting more that day. + +That night Hako and Eiko decided that it was useless to fight +against the wizard Kokai, for he had supernatural powers, while they +were only human. So they presented themselves before the Empress +Jokwa. After a long consultation, the Empress decided to ask the +Fire King, Shikuyu, to help her against the rebel wizard and to lead +her army against him. + +Now Shikuyu, the Fire King, lived at the South Pole. It was the only +safe place for him to be in, for he burnt up everything around him +anywhere else, but it was impossible to burn up ice and snow. To +look at he was a giant, and stood thirty feet high. His face was +just like marble, and his hair and beard long and as white as snow. +His strength was stupendous, and he was master of all fire just as +Kokai was of water. + +"Surely," thought the Empress, "Shikuyu can conquer Kokai." So she +sent Eiko to the South Pole to beg Shikuyu to take the war against +Kokai into his own hands and conquer him once for all. + +The Fire King, on hearing the Empress's request, smiled and said: + +"That is an easy matter, to be sure! It was none other than I who +came to your rescue when you and your companion were drowning in the +flood raised by Kokai!" + +Eiko was surprised at learning this. He thanked the Fire King for +coming to the rescue in their dire need, and then besought him to +return with him and lead the war and defeat the wicked Kokai. + +Shikuyu did as he was asked, and returned with Eiko to the Empress. +She welcomed the Fire King cordially, and at once told him why she +had sent for him--to ask him to be the Generalissimo of her army. +His reply was very reassuring: + +"Do not have any anxiety. I will certainly kill Kokai." + +Shikuyu then placed himself at the head of thirty thousand soldiers, +and with Hako and Eiko showing him the way, marched to the enemy's +castle. The Fire King knew the secret of Kokai's power, and he now +told all the soldiers to gather a certain kind of shrub. This they +burned in large quantities, and each soldier was then ordered to +fill a bag full of the ashes thus obtained. + +Kokai, on the other hand, in his own conceit, thought that Shikuyu +was of inferior power to himself, and he murmured angrily: + +"Even though you are the Fire King, I can soon extinguish you." + +Then he repeated an incantation, and the water-floods rose and +welled as high as mountains. Shikuyu, not in the least frightened, +ordered his soldiers to scatter the ashes which he had caused them +to make. Every man did as he was bid, and such was the power of the +plant that they had burned, that as soon as the ashes mingled with +the water a stiff mud was formed, and they were all safe from +drowning. + +Now Kokai the wizard was dismayed when he saw that the Fire King was +superior in wisdom to himself, and his anger was so great that he +rushed headlong towards the enemy. + +Eiko rode to meet him, and the two fought together for some time. +They were well matched in a hand-to-hand combat. Hako, who was +carefully watching the fray, saw that Eiko began to tire, and +fearing that his companion would be killed, he took his place. + +But Kokai had tired as well, and feeling him self unable to hold out +against Hako, he said artfully: + +"You are too magnanimous, thus to fight for your friend and run the +risk of being killed. I will not hurt such a good man." + +And he pretended to retreat, turning away the head of his horse. His +intention was to throw Hako off his guard and then to wheel round +and take him by surprise. + +But Shikuyu understood the wily wizard, and he spoke at once: + +"You are a coward! You cannot deceive me!" + +Saying this, the Fire King made a sign to the unwary Hako to attack +him. Kokai now turned upon Shikuyu furiously, but he was tired and +unable to fight well, and he soon received a wound in his shoulder. +He now broke from the fray and tried to escape in earnest. + +While the fight between their leaders had been going on the two +armies had stood waiting for the issue. Shikuyu now turned and bade +Jokwa's soldiers charge the enemy's forces. This they did, and +routed them with great slaughter, and the wizard barely escaped with +his life. + +It was in vain that Kokai called upon the Water Devil to help him, +for Shikuyu knew the counter-charm. The wizard found that the battle +was against him. Mad with pain, for his wound began to trouble him, +and frenzied with disappointment and fear, he dashed his head +against the rocks of Mount Shu and died on the spot. + +There was an end of the wicked Kokai, but not of trouble in the +Empress Jokwa's Kingdom, as you shall see. The force with which the +wizard fell against the rocks was so great that the mountain burst, +and fire rushed out from the earth, and one of the pillars upholding +the Heavens was broken so that one corner of the sky dropped till it +touched the earth. + +Shikuyu, the Fire King, took up the body of the wizard and carried +it to the Empress Jokwa, who rejoiced greatly that her enemy was +vanquished, and her generals victorious. She showered all manner of +gifts and honors upon Shikuyu. + +But all this time fire was bursting from the mountain broken by the +fall of Kokai. Whole villages were destroyed, rice-fields burnt up, +river beds filled with the burning lava, and the homeless people +were in great distress. So the Empress left the capital as soon as +she had rewarded the victor Shikuyu, and journeyed with all speed to +the scene of disaster. She found that both Heaven and earth had +sustained damage, and the place was so dark that she had to light +her lamp to find out the extent of the havoc that had been wrought. + +Having ascertained this, she set to work at repairs. To this end she +ordered her subjects to collect stones of five colors--blue, yellow, +red, white and black. When she had obtained these, she boiled them +with a kind of porcelain in a large caldron, and the mixture became +a beautiful paste, and with this she knew that she could mend the +sky. Now all was ready. + +Summoning the clouds that were sailing ever so high above her head, +she mounted them, and rode heavenwards, carrying in her hands the +vase containing the paste made from the stones of five colors. She +soon reached the corner of the sky that was broken, and applied the +paste and mended it. Having done this, she turned her attention to +the broken pillar, and with the legs of a very large tortoise she +mended it. When this was finished she mounted the clouds and +descended to the earth, hoping to find that all was now right, but +to her dismay she found that it was still quite dark. Neither the +sun shone by day nor the moon by night. + +Greatly perplexed, she at last called a meeting of all the wise men +of the Kingdom, and asked their advice as to what she should do in +this dilemma. + +Two of the wisest said: + +"The roads of Heaven have been damaged by the late accident, and the +Sun and Moon have been obliged to stay at home. Neither the Sun +could make his daily journey nor the Moon her nightly one because of +the bad roads. The Sun and Moon do not yet know that your Majesty +has mended all that was damaged, so we will go and inform them that +since you have repaired them the roads are safe." + +The Empress approved of what the wise men suggested, and ordered +them to set out on their mission. But this was not easy, for the +Palace of the Sun and Moon was many, many hundreds of thousands of +miles distant into the East. If they traveled on foot they might +never reach the place, they would die of old age on the road. But +Jokwa had recourse to magic. She gave her two ambassadors wonderful +chariots which could whirl through the air by magic power a thousand +miles per minute. They set out in good spirits, riding above the +clouds, and after many days they reached the country where the Sun +and the Moon were living happily together. + +The two ambassadors were granted an interview with their Majesties +of Light and asked them why they had for so many days secluded +themselves from the Universe? Did they not know that by doing so +they plunged the world and all its people into uttermost darkness +both day and night? + +Replied the Sun and the Moon: + +"Surely you know that Mount Shu has suddenly burst forth with fire, +and the roads of Heaven have been greatly damaged! I, the Sun, found +it impossible to make my daily journey along such rough roads--and +certainly the Moon could not issue forth at night! so we both +retired into private life for a time." + +Then the two wise men bowed themselves to the ground and said: + +"Our Empress Jokwa has already repaired the roads with the wonderful +stones of five colors, so we beg to assure your Majesties that the +roads are just as they were before the eruption took place." + +But the Sun and the Moon still hesitated, saying that they had heard +that one of the pillars of Heaven had been broken as well, and they +feared that, even if the roads had been remade, it would still be +dangerous for them to sally forth on their usual journeys. + +"You need have no anxiety about the broken pillar," said the two +ambassadors. "Our Empress restored it with the legs of a great +tortoise, and it is as firm as ever it was." + +Then the Sun and Moon appeared satisfied, and they both set out to +try the roads. They found that what the Empress's deputies had told +them was correct. + +After the examination of the heavenly roads, the Sun and Moon again +gave light to the earth. All the people rejoiced greatly, and peace +and prosperity were secured in China for a long time under the reign +of the wise Empress Jokwa. + +THE END. + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki + diff --git a/old/jpnft10.zip b/old/jpnft10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea8b266 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/jpnft10.zip |