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The Project Gutenberg Etext of Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki

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Title: Japanese Fairy Tales

Author: Yei Theodora Ozaki

Release Date: May, 2003  [Etext #4018]
[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule]
[The actual date this file first posted = 10/11/01]

Edition: 10

Language: English

The Project Gutenberg Etext of Japanese Fairy Tales, by Yei Theodora Ozaki
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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 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