J A P A NE S E

FAI RY WO LD R .

STO m ow TH E WONDE R— DORE O J RIES F APAN .

WI L L I AM E L L I OT R F F G I IS ,

“ ’

A U TH OR OF TH E M I K AD O S E M P I R E .

I L T Y F L U S W I . R A T E D B O Z A A , O T O K O

S H E Y C EN C TAD , N. Y .

H Y E . J A M E S H . B A R T

E PRE FAC .

- m The thirty four stor ies i n clud ed within this volu e d o not us e th e b oo r even efu or cen ou s ill trat l dy, g l li ti e emen s w whi ch Ja n ese o u a and uven e l t , ith pa p p l r, j il e a u Th ese h ve been c efu lit r t re i s saturated . a ar lly avo e id d . I t i s l h h a v ew to the s c h n to a so rat er wit i arti ti , t a th e e a o u c s Of th e ma n a on Of Ja n h a lit r ry, pr d t i gi ti pa , t t th e n n F om m fi ac u n sel ectio h as bee made . r y rst q ai t a ce we ve ear s a o w h J an ese ou h I b e n , t l y g , it ap y t , fir es e c ame an eager listen er to th eir folk l ore an d id s o n r enc e Of n e r es . Wh e e u n a es t ri lat r, d ri g id a ly four ea s amo n th e eo e m e es we e O en e y r g p pl , y y r p d to b ho h n r o f nven i on th e e ld t e w o drous fe tility i t , wea of e ar hi s or c an d c ass c a usi on Of lth lit r y, t i l i ll , un m h an d e of h e o c wond er an d e en p , yt riddl , r i , , l g d ar o e i n J an ese art I at on e set m self to fin d y l r ap , c y d or th e source Of th e id eas expressed i n bron z e an p cel ai n on ac u e e c ab e s fan s and even cr a e , l q r d in t , , p r n n me mes I i scover e pape apki s an d tidies . So ti d d ’ the o n a s of th e a s s fan c in b oo s some mes rigi l rti t y k , ti Only i n th e mouths Of th e p eopl e and pr ofession al s or - h o es I fi s ea t y teller s . Some Of t ese st ri r t r d on the tatto ed limbs and b o di es Of the n ative foot unn e o h er s I fi s s aw i n fl ow er — ab eaux at th e r rs, t r t t l e i i hin hi s bo o th e str et fl oral sh ows Of Tok O . W t t k i v PREFACE .

ea e w fi nd a s a o s co e s a on s o f wh o e r d r ill tr n l ti n , nd n ti l boo s of e m ab e o ma ces and a fe w s e ch es k , int r in l r n , k t b the u ho r emb o Ja a ese eas be efs and y a t dying p n id , li h a a e n mo su e s o s . I ve o e be I h p r titi n t k n r li rty, t ink , w h th e a ve o a s h a a mo er s o - e e it n ti rigin l , t n d n t ry t ll r o f To o wo u h mse f a e we e h e a i n an ki ld i l t k , r t lking Amer c a a o r s ea of at hi s b ambo o -cu r e i n p rl , in t d tain d s a i n Y a a C ho W o w S ee i n th e t nd n gi . ( ill tr t, ) ’ mik a do s c apital . Some o f the stor ies h a ve appear ed i n E ngli sh be f but mo s of h em a r e e for the fir s o e me . r , t t print d t ti A few r eappear fr om The I n d ep en d en t an d oth er perio dic als . The u s a o s an d c ove —s am hou e ave ill tr ti n r t p , t gh ngr d r H r T i n New Y o b M . e W. o we e w h rk y n y r y, r , it o ne exc e o r a wn es ec a fo r h s wo b m pti n , d p i lly t i rk , y y - Nan kok ar s f e Oz a wa u o f To o . The i c ti t ri nd , , ki p u e o f Y o r imasa th e A ch e was ma e for me b t r , r r, d y i n T o n e o f my stu dents okio . H o ping that th ese harml ess stories th at have tic kled th e ima gin atio n o f J ap an es e children during u nto ld e e a o s ma am use the bi and e fo s o f g n r ti n , y g littl lk Ame c a th e wr i er v es hi s ea e s i n th e l an ri , t in it r d r , g u age o f the n ative ho st as he p oints to th e c ho p s c s an d s ea ab e 0 a a r i n a sa i ti k pr d t l , g E W . G .

Y . Se . 2 8 h 1 SC H E NE C TA D Y N. t 880 . . , pt , O E C NT NTS .

The Me n o f th S a L eti g e t r o vers .

The Travels of Two Frogs .

The Child of th e Thu nd er.

Th - e To ngu e cut Sp arro w . ’ - Th e Fire fly s L o vers . h The B attle o f th e Ap e a n d t e Crab .

- The Wonderful Tea K ettl e .

- n h T ur e I P e ach P rinc e a d t e reas sland .

The F o x and the Badger.

The Seven P atro ns of H appin ess . Daiko ku and th e Oni

B enkei an d th e B ell . ’ h h l L ittle Silver s Dream of t e S OJ .

Th T u r h E es w L o N e e s o t e v oses . ng , l ith ng

Ki nta ro th e W B ab . , ild y

Ji r ai a o r th e M a c F o . y , gi r g

- H o w th e Jelly Fish L o st i ts Shell .

C - L ord uttl e Fish Gives a C o n c er t . Y r i h o mas a t e B ve A c e . , ra r h r ’ W u ff h atan abe c ts o t e Oni s Ar m .

'

Wat an abe Kllls th e Great Spid er . vi CONTENTS }

R XXII . aiko an d the Shi Ten D OJI .

! ! III . Th S z i e a ave and the Ta .

Sme s an d . XXIV . ll Jingles Th f h e a c ess XXV . e L ake o th e L ute an d t M t hl

Mou ntain .

. h XXVI T e E arthqu ak e Fish . Th I I‘ D am f GO O . XXVII . e re Story o J

- h f L o L o L e s . XXVIII . T e Pro cessio n o rd ng g

Ki him r h P o f o e . I . o e o t e ow e L v XX X y , r

- Th F h m n h o a e . XXX . e is er an a d t e Mo n M id n h I . T T XXX e ide Jewels . K i i f h II . a B n 0 o r th e D a on K o t e XXX , r g ing

r h Wo ld U nder t e Sea . f r h . XXXIII . The Creatio n o H e aven and E a t IV H o th e Sun Go w s E c e out of XXX . w ddess a nti d

h r e C ave . U L I ST OF ILL STRATION S .

Kaname holding do wn th e great E arthqu ak e

F h S ta m on cover is , p . H o w the Su n-go dd ess was entic ed out of h er

C ve Fr on ti s i ece a , p . The Star ~lover s Meeting on the Bridge of

B s F ac e e 6 . ird , s pag

The E W s and Mo ; gg, a p rtar at tack the Mo nk ey The Oni submitting to P each

P nc e ri ,

The Mo n e i n G ef k ys ri ,

Y or imasa and the Ni hta beast g ,

The F s S a i n To o i h t ll ki .

A J e for a Sniff ingl ,

’ The A scen of the D o n Ga e t rag s t ,

The Sor c e e Mel n the Be r ss ti g ll .

’ The Drago n King s Gift of the

Ti e Jewe d ls,

THE ME ETING OF THE STAR OVE R L S .

NE o f the greatest days in the cal

endar Of old Japa n was th e

h o f the sevent July ; or , as Jap

e h anese peopl put it , the sevent ” day of the seventh month . It

d a th e l a vermilion y in a manacs , to which every child looked fo rward with eyes

h o t sparkling , ands clapping , and fingers c un i n h h the g, as eac nig t rolled time nearer .

All manner of fru its and o ther eatable vege t e a n d ke d ables were pr pared , ca s bake , in

The bo vs the household . plucked bambo o s o n h talks , and strung their branc es bright c o e o t e s l lor d ribb ns, inklin g b ll , and ong 2 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD .

o f on h r was streamers paper , w ich poet y

O n for t . wri ten n this ight , mothers hoped

o l wealth , happiness , go d chi dren , and wis

Th e W dom . girls made a ish that they might become skilled i n needlework . Only d W e . one ish a year, however , could be ma

SO if t , any one wan ed several things

e o health , wealth , skill in needl work , wisd m , e tc — th ey _must wait many ye ars before

all all the favors could be granted . Above

t d I t things , rainy wea her was not esired . was a good sign when a spider spun hi s

e if web ov r a melon , or , put in a square box

o ow he sh uld weave a circular web . N , the cause of all this preparation was that on the seventh of July the Herd-boy star and the

Spinning Maiden star cross the Milky Way to me e o t each ther . The se are the stars

w e A which call Capricornus and lpha Lyra .

Thes e stars that s hine and glitter so far up - THE MEETING OF TIIE STAR LOVERS . 3

the the bo h O! in zenith , are y wit an and

the h girl with a shuttle , about w om the story runs as follows :

On the banks o f the Silver River o f Heaven (which we call the Milky Way)

wh o there lived a beautiful maiden , was the

f un wa s ho daughter o the s . Her name S

he fo r e . S kuj o did not care gam s or play ,

her h h like companions , and , t inking not ing

o f the s vain display , wore only simple t o f

d Y e t ress . she was very diligent , and

for mad e many garments others . Indeed

s o busy was s he that all called her the Weav P ing or Spinning rincess .

The sun -ki ng noticed the serious disposi

o a o f hi s tion and cl se h bits daughter , and tried in various way s to get her to be more

h e h h l . A as h e r ively t l t t oug t to marry .

As marriages in the s tar-land are us ually 4 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

e the l ! plann d by the parents , and not by foo

- h e ish love r boys and girls , arranged the

hi s unio n without consulting daughter . The

young man o n Whom the sun -king thus be

’ o e who st w d his daughter s hand was Kingin ,

k ept a herd of cows o n the banks o f the

a celestial stream . He had lways been a

a n d e good neighbor , , living on the same sid

of the river , the father thought he would

-i n - m get a nice son law , and at the same ti e

’ improve his daughter s habits and di sposi a

tion . No sooner did th e maiden become wife

than her habits and character utterly

h fo r th e had a c anged the worse , and father

’ ' “ very vexati ous case Of i na a snzfan s zzg zn f n ( too ” o hi s h Th e much f a good thing ) on ands .

e an d wife b came not only very merry lively ,

utter l v f o but orso k loom and needle . She gave up her nights and days to play and

6 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

The weeping wife a nd lover-husband stood

fo r a long time wistfully gazing at each

f f . other rom a ar Then they separated , the

On e to OK the h h lead his , ot er to ply her s ut tle during the long hours of the day with

i . diligent to l Thus they filled the hours , and th e sun -king again rejoiced in hi s d augh

’ ter s industry .

wh of But en night fell , and all the lamps h th e eaven were lighted , lovers would come

Of and stand by the banks the starry river , a nd o h gaze l ngingly at each ot er , waiting fo r the seventh night of the seventh month . A t last the time drew near , and only one fe the f E ar possessed loving wi e . very time she thought of it her heart played pit-a -pat f ! aster . What if it should rain For the

R of the iver Heaven is always full to brim , and on e extra drop of rain causes a flood

- which sweeps away even the bird bridge .

TH E BRI D GE OF BI RD . TH E ST AR-L O V ER S M EETI NG ON S

- 7 THE MEETING OF THE STAR LOVERS .

The o t . But n a drop fell seventh month ,

h the sevent night , came , and all heavens

The were clear . magpies flew joyfully in

o ne the myriads , making way for tiny feet b h f the . o little lady Trem ling wit joy , and with heart fluttering more than the bridge of R wings , she crossed the iver of Heaven ,

h e m h e h and was in t ar s of r husband . T is

The -h she did every year . lover usband

on hi s d o f th e th e staid si e river , and wife

hi m o n the came to magpie bridge , save on the n h sad occasio w en it rained . So every

th e h h year people ope for clear weat er , and the happy festival is celebrated alike by old and young . TH E A TR VELS OF TWO FROGS .

ORTY e s miles apart . as the cran

e o f Oz ak a fly , stand the great citi s

a n d Th th e Kioto . e one is city

e of canals and bridges . Its str ets

o f - are full bustling trade , and its h waterways are ever alive wit gondolas , shooting hither and thither like the wooden

The o h shuttles in a loom . t er is the sacred

’ o f city the Mikado s empire , girdled with

-f green hills and a nine old circle of flowers .

In its quiet , clean streets , laid out like a

the chessboard , walk shaven monks and f gowned scholars . And very beauti ul is

o h Ki to . wit p retty girls , and temple gardens ,

W 1 0 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . buckets that he resolved to travel abroad

’ the mi éa z and see the world , and especially

(the great ocean) . “ ’ F . h e I ll see for myself, said Mr rog , as

hi s packed his wallet and wiped spectacles , what this great ocean is that they talk 1 3 11 ’ h about . wager it isn t alf as deep or wide as my well where I can see the stars

even at daylight .

Now the truth was , a recent earthquake had greatly reduced the depth of th e well h and the water was getting very s allow .

F hi s i nten Mr . rog informed his family of

. . F tions Mrs rog wept a great deal but , drying h er eyes with h er paper h an dker

h she she h c ief, declared would count the ours on her fi h e ngers till came back , and at every morning and evening meal would set out hi s table with food on it , just as if he were home . She tied up a little lacq uered box full o f W THE TRAVELS OF T O FROGS . l l

boiled rice and snails for his journey , wrap

h a ped it around wit a silk n pkin , and , put

hi s a h i n a ting extr clot es bundle , swung it i hi o n h s . s he back Tying it over neck ,

hi s f o seized sta f and was ready to g . “ ” “ ” S a ona r a -b e y ( Good y ) cried he as ,

h t i n hi s h e . wit a ear eye , walked away

“ ’ ' “ on a Osé za z uénm - S ay m . ( Good bye

F the Walk slowly croaked Mrs . rog and

whole fa mi lv of young frogs in a chorus .

of the h Two froggies were still babies , t at

h ol wo s h h h is , t ey were yet p y g , wit a alf inc

o f on h of tail still t em ; and , course , were carried about by being strapped on the back h h Of t eir older brot ers .

. F o f Mr rog being now on land , out his

h the h n o t well , noticed t at ot er animals did

on h . A leap , but walked t eir legs nd , not

h to h e wis ing be eccentric , likewise began briskly walking upright on hi s hind legs or w addli n O‘ all on fours . W 1 2 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . Now it happened that about the same time the Oz ak a father frog had become rest le ss and dissatisfied with life on the edges

- ofhis lotus ditch . He had made up his mind

’ to cast the lion s cub into the valley

! i s Why that tall talk for a frog , I must

“ say , exclaims the reader . What did he mean I must tell you that the Oz ak a frog was

h R o f a p ilosopher . ight at the edge his

- h t lotus pond was a monastery , full of Budd is h monks , who every day studied t eir sacred f rolls and droned over the books of Con ucius ,

h O had to learn them by eart . ur frog heard ft them so o en that he could (in frog language , o f cour se) r epeat many of their wise sentences and in tone responses to their evening

the A prayers put up by great idol mida . h Indeed , our frog ad so often listened to their d ebates on texts from the classics that THE T L r TWO F RAVE S o ROG S. 1 3

he had himself become a sage and a philoso =~ “ h Y the h . t e p er et , as proverb says , sage ” is n ot h appy . Why not ! In spite o f a soft mud -b ank

o f . plenty green scum , stagnant water , and h s ady lotus leaves , a fat wife and a numer

o us i n h ever vthi n to family ; s ort, g make a

h hi s r h or h frog appy , fo e ead , rat er gullet , was wrinkled with care from long pondering

of u follo wm : knotty problems , s ch as the g The monks often come down to th e edge of th e pond to look at th e pink and white O lotus . ne summer day , as a little frog , h o ut h a ardly of his tadpole state , wit small

m Of Sat a frag ent tail still left, basking on

u d the h huge ro nd leaf, one monk sai to ot er “ Of what does that r emind you The babies o f frogs will become but

o n e h . frogs , said s aven pate , laughing

“ What think y ou AP ESE FAIR W RL D J AN Y O .

The white lotus flo wer springs out of the ” th e black mud , said other , solemnly , as both walked away .

f r The old rog , sitting near by , overhea d

“ them and began to philOSOphi z e : Humph f The babies of frogs will become but rogs ,

’ h e ! I f wh y mud becomes lotus , y shouldn t a fr og become a man ! Why n o t ! I f my pet son should travel abroad and see th e

’ — — -e o world g to Kioto , for instance why

’ shouldn t he be as wise as those shi n i nge headed men , I wonder I shall try it , any

’ e how . I ll s nd my son on a journey to Kioto . I ’ ll ‘ cast the lion ’ s cub into the valley ’ (send

r the the pet son ab oad in world , to see and

’ fo r study) at once . I ll deny myself the s o f f ake my o fspring . F ! h ! lump splas sounded the water , as a

“ ’ pair o f w ebby fee t disappeared . The lion s ” o l cub was so n ready , after much paterna r TW F 1 THE TRAVELS o O ROGS. 5

ad h of vice , and muc counsel to beware being

lon u le ed d gobbled up by g gg storks , and tro

on by impolite men , and struck at by bad

“ ' ’ “ ii n t a boys . K zo i no z a ( Even in the ” h F h Fr capital t ere are boors ) said at er og . Now I t so happened that the old frog from

“ ’ ” Kioto a nd the lion s cub fr om Oz ak a started each from hi s home at the same

of time . Nothing importance occurred to

h of h h eit er t em until , as luck would ave it,

h o n h h h h t ey met a ill near Has imoto , w ic

th e h is half way between two cities . Bot

w ebsor e were footsore , and , and very tired ,

o f the especially about the hips , on account

o f unfroglike manner of walking , instead

h h . opping , as t ey had been used to ” “ O/Z i o g oz a r i ma szr ( Good -morning “ ’ ” the to the old said lion s cub frog , as he fell on all fours and bowed hi s head to the

h hi s ground t ree times , squinting up over 1 6 JAPANESE FAIRY WoRLD.

to i f f le ft eye , see the other rog was paying equal deference in return . “ ’ ’ ” “ - H e éon n zr /z z a m Y r e s , ( es , good day plied the Kiotofrog .

“ ” “ 0 Lea h ( It is rather fine weather t ” “ ” day ) said the cub . “ / i Zezzlzi az ei zce Y V [f ed o g ( es , it is ery ” ld f fine ) replied the o ellow .

“ Gama tar o fr Oz a ka th e I am , om , oldest ” o f o Sen su i son Hiki D no , no Kami (Lord P D Bullfrog , rince of the Lotus itch) . “ Your Lordship must be weary with your

K of I d o mid z u journey . I am ayeru San

F the W K o e ( Sir rog of ell) in iot . I start d

‘ ’ out to see the great ocean from Oz ak a but I f declare , my hips are so dread ully tired

’ that I believe that I ll give up my plan an d ” m vself w h o h content it a look fr m t is hill .

The tr uth must be owned that the old

o n ot on e l fr g was only his hind l gs . but a so

W 1 8 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

e e at last Long and st adily th y gazed , until ,

e f o their toes being tir d , they ell d wn on all

fours .

” I declare ! said the Old y a w (daddy)

‘ Oz ak a lo ok s just like Kioto ; and as fo r the

’ u great ocean those stupid maids talked abo t ,

’ see e I don t any at all , unless they m an

that strip o f river that looks for all the

’ e world like the Yodo . I don t beli ve there

‘ ’ is any gr eat ocean

“ ” “ A fo r th e c ub s my part, said , I am

’ satisfied that it s all fo lly to go further ; for

Kioto i s as like Oz a ka as on e grain o f rice i s h like anot er . Then he said to himself

“ O Tots u San f f w ld (my ather) is a ool , ith ” a ll ho ilOSO h his p p y .

T hereup on bo th co ngratulated themselve s upon the happy labor -saving expedient by which th e y h ad spared the mselve s a lo ng 1 9 THE TRAVELS OF TWO FROGS .

h - j ourney , muc leg weariness , and some d n h d h a ger . T ey eparted , after exc anging m m l any co p iments ; and , dropping again

’ ho into a frog s p , they leaped back in half — the time the one to his well and the other

o o f to hi s pond . There each told the st ry both cities looking exactly alike ; thus d emonstrating the folly o f those fo o lish folks c AS the alled men . for Old gentleman in the - he so th e lotus pond , was glad to get “ cub ” back again that he never again tried to reason out the proble ms of philosophy And to this day the frog in th e well knows “ ” not and not believes in the great ocean .

S the o f e till do babies frogs b come but frogs .

Still is it vain to teach the reptiles philo so

“ phy ; for all such labor is like pouring

’ ” o u t o f th water in a frog s face. Still e black mud springs the glorious white lotus an c le r u s n e e stial pu ity , nfolding its tai l ss 2 RY W R D 0 JAPANESE FAI O L .

the h th e of petals to smiling eavens , emblem life and resurrection . THE CHILD OF THE THUNDER .

the h of E among ills chizen ,

within sight. o f the snowy moun

H ak u z an far tain called , lived a

mer named Bimbo . He was

very poor , but frugal and indus tr i us Of h o . He was very fond c ildren f though h e had none himsel . He longed to

hear hi s adopt a son to name , and Often

h e h hi s o ld talked t matter over wit dame . But being so dreadfully poor both th o ught

h had it best not to adopt , until t ey bettered their condition and increased the area of h F t eir land . or all the property Bimbo

owned was the earth in a little gully , which 2 2 J APANE SE FAIRY WORLD .

f e . A n he hims l was reclaiming ti y rivulet , flowing from a Spring in th e crevice Of the

e o o rocks abov , after trickling ver the b uld

e r s o to , r lled down the gully join a brook in

the larger valley below Bimbo had with

e great labor , aft r many years , made dams

o f e or terraces stone , insid which he had

o o thr wn s il , partly got from the mountain

sides , but mainly carried in baskets on the

o f f f th e backs himsel and his wife , rom

e o . vall y bel w By such weary toil , contin

o u t Of ued year in and year , small beds soil

e fo i e e wer rmed , in which r c could be plant d

and grown . The little rivulet supplied the

u for the f o f needf l water ; rice , daily ood laborer and farmer , must be planted and

i n cultivated soft mud under water . So the

’ little rivulet , which once leaped over the

th e e rock and cut its way singing to vall y , n o w sp read itself quietly over e ach terrace 2 3 THE CH I LD OF THE THUNDER . making more than a d o zen descents b e fore it reached th e fields below .

Y for o f e et after all his toil a score y ars , working every day from the first cr o ak Of the o u t raven , until the stars came , Bimbo and his wife owned o nly three ta n (3 acre)

f d o o terrace lan . S metimes a summer would l o r n o fa . pass , and litt e rain ll Then the m rivule t dried up and crops failed . It see ed a ll in vain that thei r backs wer e bent and their foreheads s e amed and wrinkled with

e car . Many a time did Bimbo have hard

o f to a hi s h work it even p y taxes , whic t f sometimes amoun ed to hal his crop . Many

h th e a time did he s ake his head , muttering discouraged farmer ’ s proverb A new field ” o o f gives a scant cr p, the words which

“ . f I S a mean also Human li e but fifty ye rs .

O d a f ne summer y a ter a long drought , w e the o s r o u ts u s t h n v ung rice p ,j transplanted W 24 JAPANES E FAIRY ORLD .

were turning yellow at the tips , the clouds

began to gather and roll , and soon a smart w sho er fell , the lightning glittered , and the hills echoed with claps o f thunder But

to Bimbo , hoe in hand , was so glad see the

a nd o o rain fall , the pattering drops felt so c l

On and refreshing , that he worked , strength

eni n g the terrace to resist the little flood

o o ab ut to c me .

Pretty soon the storm rattled ve ry n e ar

a im , and he thought he had better seek

e sh lter , lest the thunder should strike and F . o r n kill him Bimbo , like all his eigh

o t o f the b rs , had Of en heard stories Kaijin ,

o d Of - g the thunder drums , who lives in th e

o n skies and rides the storm , and sometimes

kills people by throwing out Of the b londs c h at them a terrible reature like a cat , wit

n- n d iro like claws a hairy body .

AP ANE SE W 26 J FAIRY ORLD .

SO the boy grew up and became a very H dutiful and l oving child . e was as kind and ob edient to his fo ster-parents as though he had been bo rn in their house H e neve r like d to play w ith other children but kept

the fi f e all day in elds with his ath r , sporting with the rivul e t and looking at the cloud s an d E sky . ven when the strolling players o f the Dai Kagura (the comedy which makes the gods laugh) and the Lion of Core a

e came into the villag , and every boy and girl a n d nurse and woman was sure to be

o f out in great glee , the child the thunder stayed up in the field , or climbed on the high rocks to watch the sailin g o f the birds and the flowing of the water and the river f r a away . Gre at prosperity se emed to come to the f e he th e arm r , and laid it all to sweet child

’ fc ll to m the o d that li i m fr o cl u s . It wa s H E 2 TH E CHILD OF T THUNDER . 7

’ very curio us that rain o ften fell OII Bimbo s

fi e ld when none fell el s ewhere ; SO that

Bimb o grew rich and change d his name t n hi H e e o Ka e mo c . beli ved that the boy

Ita i ta r o to o beckoned the cl uds , and they

d i fo r s he their ra n him .

A m e good any summ rs passed by , and

Rai tar o had grown to be a tall and hand

o t h e s me lad , almos a man and eig t en years ld h th ld f o . On his birt day e O armer and the go o d wife made a little feast fo r their f - oster child . They ate and drank and talked o f - o o f h Rai tar o the thunder st rm , out w ich was born .

Finally the young man said sole mnly

My e d ar parents , I thank you very m fo r u uch your kindness to me , but I m st n o w f hO e o u l say arewell . I p y wi l always ” be happy .

h e of T n , in a moment , all trace a human 28 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD .

form disappeared , and floating in the air

they saw a tiny white dragon , which hov h h ered for a moment above t em , and t en

old o f flew away . The couple went out

doors to watch it , when it grew bigger and h bigger , taking its course to the ills above ,

-u h h where the piled p white clouds , w ic form

’ on after n o on seemed a summer s , built up like

o f on e towers and castles sil ver . Towards

of h the i h t ese dragon moved , unt l , as t ey

f n o w h watched his orm , grown to a mig ty f size , it disappeared rom View .

Af Kan emo chi f wh o ter this and his wi e ,

- f were now old and white headed , ceased rom

e their toil and liv d in comfort all their days .

Wh en they died and their bodies were r e

d uced to a h e ap of white cinders in the stone

o f - h furnace the village cremation house , t eir

ashes were mixed , and being put into one

e e urn , w r laid away in the cemetery of the H CHI U N E T E LD OF THE TH D R . 29

h o Wa temple yard . T eir t mb s carved in th e o f h h h form a w ite dragoon , w ic to this

of he day , in spite mosses and lic ns , may still be seen among the anci ent monuments of the little hamlet . PHE TO NGU E -C U T SPARROW

HERE was once an o ld man who

had a wife with a very bad t e m e

per . She had never borne him

d no any chil ren , and would t

take th e trouble to adopt a so n !

r et fo little p he kept a tiny sparrow ,

r an d fe d it with great ca e . The old dame no t satisfie d with scolding her husband hated the sparrow .

’ No w the old wo man s temper w a s e specia b a d . lly bad on wash ays , when her old ack a nd knees we re well strain ed o ve r the low

tub w o n o u . , hich rested the gr nd

It h app e n ed o nce th at s h e had mad e s o m e

s d w s a n d e t i t i n a. r e d o o en to tarch, w bo l THE TON UE = cDT SPARR W G o . 31

l h her the -a coo . W ile back was turned , spar

h the e r o w opped down on edg Of the bowl ,

d eek ed o f the r h e an p at some sta c . In a rag the old hag sei z ed a pair o f scissors and c u t

’ the S o ut F n parrow s tongue . li ging the ” th e she o w off bird in air cried out , N be .

So the e poor sparrow , all bl eding , fl e w away . When the old man came back an d found

hi s . pet gone , he made a great ado He asked hi s she h ha d wife , and told him w at she ld done and why . The sorrowful o man

l f r hi s f grieved sar e y o pet , and a ter looking

e in every place and calling it by nam , gave it up as lost .

old man h L o ng after this , w ile wandering on the mountains met hi s o ld friend the “ O h ” ! sparrow . They both cried io (good

to a nd lo w morning , ) each other , bowing o ffered many mutual congr a ulati on s and i n E 32 JAPANES FAIRY WORLD .

ui r i e s . ar q as to health , etc Then the sp row b egge d the Old man to visit his humble f abode , promising to introduce his wi e and h tw o daug ters . The old man went in and fo und a nice l h litt e ouse with a bamboo garden , tiny

water fall ste i n ~ , pp g stone and everything com h . h plete . T en Mrs Sparrow broug t in slices

- o - of sugar jelly , r ck candy , sweet potato

o f ho t h custard , and a bowl starc sprinkled

h of o n wit sugar , and a pair chopsticks a

Su z umi tray . Miss , the elder daughter

h the - broug t tea caddy and tea pot , and in a snap of the fingers ha d a goo d cup Of tea

h ff a. k n ready , w ich she o ered on tray , neeli g . P h f lease take up and elp yoursel .

The e h r o hO e r fres ments are ve y po r , but I p ” e ou r h you will xcuse plainness , said Mot er

. old Sparrow The delighted man , wonder i n g in himself at su ch a polite family o f

3 4 R W R D JAPANESE FAI Y O L .

’ are used in traveling and ca rried on men s

fo e . P should rs lacing them be re their guest , th e S a P e p rrow said , lease acc pt a parting ” gift .

o ne V he the Now basket was ery avy , and ld e . o e other v ry light The man , not b ing th e h e o n e . greedy , said he would take lig t r

So with man v thanks and bows and good !

he set Off o wa byes , h me rds .

but o f He reached his safely , but instead a kind welcome the old hag began to scold

s him fo r being away o long . He begged h er to u o f to be q iet , and telling his Visit th e o e the b the sparr ws , op ned asket , while

o ld h o f scowling woman eld her tongue , out

Sheer curio sity .

O ! T r e h , what a splendid sight he e wer

coi n gold and silver , and gems , and coral ,

m r -fa -r and crystal , and a be , and the never il i n o f o e an d the i n e a a nd g bag m n y , visibl co t - THE TONGU E C U T SPARROW. 3 5

ha t o f o f , and rolls books , and all manner

‘ precious things .

A of so h the t the sight much wealt , old

’ hag s scowl changed to a smile o f greedy

’ h Off e j oy . I ll go rig t and get a pres nt

m the . fro sparrows , said she

SO on binding her straw sandals , and

u S s tucking p her kirt , and adjusting her

e girdle , tying the bow in front , she seiz d her s f ta f and set Off on the road . Arriving at

’ o b to t r the sparrow s h use she egan flat e Mr .

S w O c e parro by soft speeches . f ours the t p oli e sparrow invited her into his house ,

wa s f e but nothing but a cup of tea o fer d her , a n d f wi e and daughters kept away . Seeing s he n o t to - was going get any good bye gift , the brazen hussy asked fo r o n e . The spar r ow then bro ught o u t and set before her two

o e h o ne . baskets , heavy and the th r lig t

Taking the heavier on e without so much a s IR W RL D JAPANESE FA Y O ;

“ y h it b k sa ing t ank you , she carried ac

he e e h e r . s e e with Then Op n d it , xp ctin g

of all kinds riches .

o ff th e h a ho e She took lid , w en rribl

e -fish h a oni cuttl rus ed at her , and horned

n her e e s apped his tusks at , a sk leton pok d

s her an d a his bony finger in face , finally

o h ai r v w h and l ng , serpent , it a big head

t n n out o d lolling o gue , spra g and coiled ar un

and o ut her , cracking her bones , squeezing

h er . breath , till she died After the good old ma n had buried hi s

f h e o a so n to o f hi s old wi e , ad pted c m ort a e h all g , and wit his treasures lived at ease - ’ THE FIRE FLY S L OVERS .

JAPAN the night-fli es emit so brilliant a light and are so beau tiful that ladies go out in the evenings and catch th e insects

for amusement , as may be seen h i m represented on Japanese fans . T ey prison them i n tiny cages made o f bamb o o

h a nd h h t reads , hang t em up in t eir rooms

o r suspend them from the eaves o f their

A h the houses . t t eir picnic parties , people

on Au s h love to sit gust evening , fan in and ,

the S looking over lovely landscape , pangled by ten thousand brilliant spots of golden

light . Each flash seems like a tiny blaze of

harmless lightning . 3 8 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD .

O of e of -fli es the ne the speci s night , most

of e o f beautiful all , is a sourc much amuse

o f ment to the ladies . Hanging the cage

o n glittering insects their verandahs , they sit and watch the cro wd o f winged visitors

’ fir e-fl s h n attracted by the y lig t . What bri gs

’ fir e-fl s them there , and why the y parlor is

’ filled with suitors as a q ueen s court with

courtiers , let this love story tell .

On the southern and sunny side of the

o o f F l E castle m ats the ukui cast e , in chi

a o zen , the water had long g become shallow so h t at lotus lilies grew luxuriantly . Deep in the heart Of on e of the great flowers whose p etals were as pink as the lining of a - th e the F -fl i es sea shell , lived King of ire ,

Ri -O h e , w os only daughter was the lovely

- princess Hotaru hime. While still a child the himé (prince ss) was carefully kept at ’ - 3 9 THE FI RE FL Y s LOVERS .

h l home wit in the pink petals of the ily , never going even to the edges except to see her

she father fly Off on his jou rney . Dutifully

u o f h n th e waited ntil age , w e fire glowed in her own illumi n body , and shone , beautifully

n o h ati g the l tus , until its light at nig t was f like a lamp within a globe o coral . Every night he r light gr ew brighter and h brig ter , until at last it was as mellow as h gold . Then her fat er said

t n o w My daugh er is Of age , she may fly a h m th e broad wit me so etimes , and when proper suitor comes she may marry whom ” she will . SO Hotaru -himé flew forth in and out a th e o f mong lotus lilies the moat , then into

h Off to the i n ric rice fields , and at last far d igo meadows .

Whenever she went a crowd of suitors fol

for sh e the lowed her , had singular power W 40 JAPANES E FAI RY ORLD . o f attracting all the night-flyi n g insects to

fo r at herself. But she cared none Of their

h to tentions , and t ough she spoke politely

them all she gave encouragement to none . Yet some of th e sheeny-winged gallants

called her a coquette .

One sh e to o the night said her m ther , queen ’ b ut I I have met many admirers , - don t wish a husband from any o f them To

I if of night shall stay at home , and any them love me truly they will come and pay

h n i me court here . Then I s all lay a mpos

o n sible duty them . If they are wise they will not try to perform it ; and if they love

n ot their lives more than they love me , I do

o f want any them . Whoever succeeds may ” a for h ve me his bride . A s you will my child , said the queen

r wh o her h her mothe , arrayed daug ter in

her on her most resplendent robes , and set

the h L he throne m eart Ot t lotus .

42 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

Off h u flew the bug wit a b zz .

P n m the -fl retty soo ca e scarlet dragon y , expecting so to dazzle the princess by his gorge ous colors that she wo uld accept h i m

at once . “ e f I declin your o fer said the princess ,

’ be but if you bring me a flash of fire , I ll

com e your bride .

Swift was the flight o f the dragon-fly on hi s h errand , and in came the Beetle wit a tremendous buzz , and ardently plead his suit .

“ ’ ‘ ’ ” I ll say yes if you bring me fire said the glittering princess . Suitor after suitor appeared to woo the d aughter of the King of the Eire -fl i es un til

h One every petal was dotted wit them . h after another in a long troop t ey appeared .

E own ach in his way , proudly , humbly h h boldly , mildly , wit flattery , wit boasting,

h f hi s even with tears , eac pro fered love , told ’ - 43 THE FIRE ELY S LOVERS .

hi s r ank or expatiated on his fortune or

hi s hi s or vowed constancy , sang tune played

To o f her the his music . every one lovers princess in modest voice returned the same answer “ ’ Bring me fire and I ll be your bride .

SO h hi s h wit out telling rivals , eac one

thinking h e had the secret alone sped away

after fire . But none ever came back to wed the ' princess . Alas for the poor suitors The

beetle whizzed Off to a house n ear by through

of h h the paper windows w ic light glimmered . So full was he of hi s passion that thinking

o h of or he h hi s h n t ing wood iron , das ed ead

n l on the agai st a nail , and fe l dead ground . The black bug flew into a room where a

as poor student w reading . His lamp was o nly a dish of earthenware full of rape seed il h o with a wick made Of pit . Knowing 44 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . nothing of Oil the love-lorn bug crawled into the dish to reach the flame and in a few

e seconds was drowned in th Oil .

’ ! Nan jaro (What s that ) said a thrifty h f h ousewi e , sitting wit needle in hand , as her lamp flared up for a moment , smoking the h n Wh c im ey , and then cracking it ; ile picking ou t the scorched bits sh e found a

-fl h roasted dragon y , w ose scarlet wings were

off all burned .

h - h Mad wit love the brilliant hawk mot , afraid of the flame y et determined to win

fir e the h the for princess , overed round and

th e round candle flame , coming nearer and

h or the nearer eac time . Now never ,

he princess or death , buzzed , as he darted h S forward to snatch a flas of flame , but inge ing his wings , he fell helplessly down , and died in agony . ’ - L E TEE EIRE FLY S oV RS. 45

Wha h e to d t a fool was , be sure , sai

h n th the ugly clothes mot coming o e Spot .

’ fir e I u i n s i I ll get the . ll crawl p d e the

SO he u the h l a r candle . climbed p ol ow p pe w and Was r to the an d i n a ick , nea ly top ,

S th e ho of the fl m h n ide llow blue part a e , w e

‘ the man snuffin the w k h himto , g ic , crus ed death .

’ Sa d ind eed Wa s the fate o f the lo V er S Of

’ - d ht m h v r u Hi O S aug er . So e o ered a o nd the b On the h a d m d eacons e dlan , so e fluttere about the great Wax candles which stood eight feet hI gh in their brass sockets in Buddhist temples some burned their noses at the top of incense sticks; or Were nearly choked by the smoke ; so me danced all night aro und the lanterns in the Shr ines ; some sought the sepulchral lamps in the graveyard ; on e Visited the cr emation fur

e h t nace ; anoth r the kitc en . where a feas 46 J P ESE FAIRY W A AN oRLD. was go ing o n ; another chased th e Spar ks that flew out of the chimney ; but none

o fir e to or the br ught the princess , won ’ d l . e h a over s prize Many lost their feel rs , th ei r Shining bodies scorched Or their wings

s m a ! la singed , but mo t of the las y dead ,

n o black and cold ext m rning . As the prie sts trimmed the lamps i n the

S e the a hrin s , and serv nt maids the lanterns , each said alike

“ The Princess Hotaru must have had h ” many lovers last nig t .

A I ! S e r e to las alas poor suitors . om t i d

’ snatch a str eak of green fire fr o m the cat s

e e n u fo r h a . yes , and w re s apped p t eir p ins

’ On e attempted to get a mouthful of bird s

d e n breath , but Wa s swallowe aliv A carrio beetle (the ugly lover) crawl ed Off to the S m sea hore , and found so e fish scales that

The ta - e a e mitted light . s g beetl climbed ’ E- E 4 r m; FIR FLY S L OV RS. 7

m e un ountain , and in a rott n tree stump fo d

o f some bits glowing wood like fire , but the distance w as so great tha t long before they

r h th e h d eac ed castle moat it was daylig t , an

the fire h a d gone o ut : SO they threw their

old fish scales and wood away . The next day was one o f great mourning

h so On and t ere were many funerals going , — that Hi mar o the Prince of the Fireflies on

the north side o f th e castle moat i nquired

of hi s the servants cause . Then he learned

for of the the first time glittering princess .

U pon this th e prince who had just succeed -v

ed hi s fathe r upon the throne fe ll in love

’ with the princess and r e SOlV e d to marry he r hi s . He sent Chamberlain to ask o f her

h hi s h fat er daug ter in marriage a ccording to true etiquette . The father agreed to the ’ h prince s proposal , wit the con dition that

the h Prince s ould Ob ey he r behest in o n e 48 JAP NESE FAIRY W A oRLD.

h w h o br in a t ing , ich was to c me in person g

i n h r r e g e fi .

Then the Prince at the head of hi s glitter a i ng battalions came in person and filled the h h lotus palace wit a flood Of golden lig t .

But H o tar u s himé was SO beautiful that her charms paled not t heir fire even in the blaze h ’ o f t e Prince s glory . The visit ended in

and the W i O wooing , g in wedd ng . n ’ ooin th e o f night appointed , in a palanquin made

the w o u - the hite l t s petals , amid blazing

’ h o f the of torc es prince s battalions warriors .

’ Hotaru -himé was borne to the prince s palace

and there , prince and princess were joined

i n the wedlock , Many gen erations have passed Since

Hi a ma r O an d -h e r e Hotaru im were mar i d , a n d still it is the w him of all Fir e-fly prin cesses that their base-born lovers must bring fir e as their love -Offering or lose their

' e priz . Else would the glitte ring fair one s

as large a s apples and with seed s o ’ h bigger than a mel n s , t ere onc e

o f lived a land crab in the side a sand hill ,

One day an ape came along having a per-f

o h h e f S simm n seed , w ich O fered to wap with

’ f r - o . the crab a rice cake The crab agreed , and planting the seed in hi s garden went h out every day to watc it grow .

- - B b the the y and y ape came to visit crab , and seeing the fine tr ee laden with the yel lo w- f e e a , . c brown ruit b gg d few The rab , THE BATTLE OF THE APE AND THE CRAB 5 1

' ar d on of th e he no t asking p ape , said could

to ff him climb the tree O er any , but agreed

he he to give t ape half, if would mount the tree and pluck them .

th e the h th e SO monkey ran up tree , w ile

a to cr b waited below , expecting eat the ripe

the on fruit . But monkey sitting a limb

hi s h first filled pockets full , and t en picking o ff the the all best ones , greedily ate pulp ,

’ and threw the skin and sto nes in the crab s

E h h e face . very once in a w ile , would pull Off a green sour persimmon and hit the crab

hi s h a h . A ard , until s ell was nearly cr cked t last the crab thought he would get the best

o f e o th ape . S when his enemy had eaten

hi s h e out h e o ut fill until was bulged , cried , “ ow A ou to N Mister pe , I dare y come

’ ” d h - Y o u d . o own ead foremost can t it .

SO the to e ape began desc nd , head down

. h h th e ward T is was just w at crab wanted , 5 2 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . fo r all the finest persimmons rolled out of his p ockets on the ground . The crab quick l o y gath ered them up , and with b th arms

off o full ran to his h le . Then the ape w a s very angry . He kindled a fire , and blew

e o u wa s the smok down the h le , ntil the crab

t i nearly choked . The poor crab o save h s

f d u li e ha to crawl o t.

s an d Then the monkey beat him oundly ,

f f r d le t him o dea .

Th e a cr b had not been long thus , when

e - a thre travelers , a rice mortar , an egg , and

hi m the o wasp found lying on gr und . They

r r e o hi s ca i d him int the house , bound up wounds and while he lay in bed they planned

o how they might d e str y the ape . They all

e talked of the matter over th ir cups of tea , an d after the mortar had smoked several

Of b e . pipes to acco , a plan was agr ed on

o o f a nd o h e S taking t e crab al ng, sti f s re as BATTL E D 3 THE OF THE APE AN THE CRAB . 5

’ m h to the o e was , they arc ed m nk y s castle .

The d h wasp flew inside , and foun that t eir

enemy was away from h o me Then all hid h entered and t emselves . The egg cud

dled u th e h h h The p under as es in the eart . h wasp flew into t e closet . The mortar hid

h the h h be ind door . They t en waited for t e

t h The ape o come ome . crab sat beside the

fire .

Towards evening the monkey arrived , and throwing Off his coat (which was just

what the wasp wanted) he ligh ted a sulphur

h the match , and kindling a fire , ung on

b ut kettle for a cup of tea, and pulled his

he pipe for a smoke . Just as sat down by

h h to the the eart salute the crab , egg burst and the h ot yolk flew all over him and in him hi s . eye , neae blinding He rushed o u t to the bath-room to plunge in the tub of h th e cold water , w en wasp flew at him 4 W 5 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

hi s and stung nose . Slipping down he fell

on the h the on flat floor , w en mortar rolled

h him h Then Ath him and crus ed to deat . e whole party congratulated the crab on their

the Victory . Grateful for friendship thus

S the h a hown , w ole p rty , crab , mortar and h wasp lived in peace toget er . The crab married the daughter of a rich

h the h crab t at lived over ill , and a great feast Of persimmons was spread before th e

’ bride s relatives who came to see the cer e B - -b mony . y and y a little crab was born which became a great pet with the mortar h and wasp . Wit no more apes to plague h h t em , they lived very appily .

u hi s s s no e . he l and t ng Slipping down , fe l

o n the f or he the o r ar r led on flat lo , w n m t ol

m r u h him e h hen ~ hi and c s ed to d at . T th e whole par ty co ngr atulated the cr ab o n thei r

or r ate fo r the vict y . G ful fr iend ship thus sho wn th e wh ar a mor ta r , ole p ty , cr b , and ww i ved i n eac e th p l p toge er . The cr ab marri ed the d aughte r of a

a b tha l ed e er the h l a reat cr t iv v i l , and g

” feast of persimmons was spr ead befor e the

’ br id e s relatives who came to see th e cere which bw a me a gr ew pe t with the mor tar

E O ERF EA - E E TH W ND UL T K TTL .

L ONG TIME AGO there was an Old priest who lived in the temple Of Mor i nj i in the province h i of Hitac i . He cooked h s own

hi s own S rice , boiled tea , wept hi s own floor and lived frugally as an h onest d priest Should o .

One day he was sitting ne ar the square

fir e- the of the A place in middle floor . rope and ch ain to hold the pot and kettle hung down from the covered hole in the ceiling

h of which did duty as a c imney . A pair brass tongs was stuck in th e ashes and the

A the S of th e fir e fire blazed merrily . t ide W 56 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

o n h place , the floor , was a tray filled wit

- - tiny tea cups , a pewter tea caddy , a bamboo

- r e . tea stirre , and a little dipp r The priest having finished sweeping the ashes Off the edges o f the he arth with a little whisk of

’ hawk S f h o to on eat ers , was just ab ut put

“ 3 ) g; the h su z z su z z tea w en , , sang the tea ” ” kettle Spo ut ; and then pattar i pattar i

the fl a e d said lid , as it pp up and down , and the kettle swung backwards and forwards . “ ” What doe s this mean 7 said the Old

’ N a m /z a o h . o bonze , said he , wit a start a s the spout of the kettle turned into a ’ h bi h h badger s nose wit its g w iskers , w ile from the other side sprouted o ut a long h bus y tail .

’ Y o/z od o medz zz m r /z z h th e , s outed priest dropping the tea-caddy and spilling the gree n tea all over the matting as four hairy legs

e the the app ared under kettle , and strange W N - 57 THE O DERFUL TEA KETTLE .

h h compound , alf badger and alf kettle ,

off the jumped fire , and began running

’ o the To the h ar und room . priest s orror it

‘ on Sh f o u t leaped a elf, pu fed its belly and began to beat a tune with its fore -paws as if h ’ a . T e it were drum Old bonze s pupils , h the h earing racket rus ed in , and after a

h of lively c ase , upsetting piles books and

Of the - the breaking some tea cups , secured

an d him badger , squeezed in a keg used for

' the d h d a zféon storing pickle radis es called ,

or - h ( Japanese sauer kraut . ) T ey fastened h h down t e lid with a heavy stone . T ey were sure that the strong Odor o f the radishes

the fo r n o would kill beast , man could possi

h e n ot bly survive suc a sm ll , and it was

a likely badger could .

The next morning the tinker o f the V il lage called in and the priest told hi m about hi s h Sh him strange visitor . Wis ing to ow 58 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

he the the the animal , cautiously lifted lid Of

the m h cask , lest badger , ig t after all , be still

the h the alive , in spite of stenc Of sour

10 ! h h the mess , when t ere was not ing but

ld a - h O iron te kettle . Fearing t at the utensil

h the sa mig t play me prank again , the priest was glad to sell it to the tinker who bought t e for a h ar r I d h kettle few iron cas . He c e

to hi s S h h he h h it junk hop , t oug t oug t it felt h unusually eavy . The tinker went to bed a s usual that

h h hi s a nd on or Sh nig t wit , paper aded lamp ,

i s h of h . A just back ead bout midnight , hearing a strange noise like th e flapping up

of - he and down an iron pot lid , sat up in h bed , rubbed his eyes , and t ere was the iron

h o ut pot covered wit fur and sprouting legs .

Sh . In ort, it was turning into a hairy beast Going over to th e recess and taking a fan

the th e a o n th e from rack , b dger climbed up - THE WONDERFUL TEA KETTLE . 59

th e a to o n I ts frame Of l mp , and began dance on e h th e fan h ind leg , waving wit its fore

a h the paw . It pl yed many ot er tricks , until man a h the st rted up , and t en badger turned

- into a tea kettle again . ” the he I declare , said tinker as woke

the up next morning , and talked matter over

’ ’ h hi s ‘ wit wife . I ll just raise a mountain

a (e r n my fortune) on this kettle . It certain ly is a very highly accomplished tea-kettle

’ I ll call it th e Bumbuku Ohagama (The Tea Kettle accomplished in literature and mili

ar t a d h h l tary ) n ex ibit it to t e pub ic .

SO th e tinker hired a professional Show

for hi s man business agent , and built a little

h an d h h e an t eatre stage . T en gave order to a fr i end o f hi s to , an artist, paint scenery ,

h F a a the wit uji y ma and cr nes flying in air ,

’ an d a crimson sun shinning through the

the bamboo , and a red moon rising over 60 JAPANE SE FAIRY WORLD .

waves , and golden clouds and tortoises , and

’ h the the Sumiyos i couple . and grasshopper s

th e P - picnic , and rocession Of Lord Long legs ,

d h h he an suc like . T en stretched a tight

o f - the rope rice straw across the stage , and handbills being stuck up in all the barber Sh ops in town , and wooden tickets branded with “ Accomplished and Lucky Tea-Ket ” P A one the Sh tle erforman ce , dmit , ow

the was opened . The house was full and people came in ‘ parties bri nging their tea pots full Of tea and picnic boxes full Of rice and eggs , and dumplings , made of millet

- meal , sugared roast pea cakes , and other refreshments because thev came to stay all h h h day . Mot ers broug t their babies wit

h m the t e for children enjoyed it most of all .

n the hi s The tinker , dressed up in wide h h ceremonial clot es , wit a big fan in his h ou t th e hi s and , came on platform , made

PEA H -PRIN E AND THE T RE AS C C , RE A U ISL ND .

ERY O O A O h r L NG L NG G , t e e lived an old man and woman in

a Village near a mountain , from which flowed a stream Of purest h water . T is Old couple loved each other so dearly and lived together SO h h happily , t at the neig bors called them

’ ' ” - l a or z u z; os/z z f t/ (a love bird couple) , after the mandarin ducks which always dwell ff together in pairs , and are so a ectionate that they are said to pine and die if one be

The taken from the other . Old man was a

the h woodcutter , and Old woman kept ouse , EACH-PRIN E D THE R SUR IS AN P C AN T EA E L D . 63

but they were very lonely fo r they had n o

h h lo child , and often grieved Over t eir ard t .

One day while the man was o u t on the m h hi s old ountain cutting brus , crone took h er shallow tub and clothes down to the

She h a d to h . not brook was yet begun , when sh e saw a peach floating with its stem

‘ t he he and two leaves in stream . S picked up the fruit and set it aside to take home

h her h and Share it wit Old man . W en he

sh e him returned set it before , not dreaming

a what w as in it . He was just bout to cut

wh the h it open , en peach fell in alf, and

The h there lav a little baby boy . appy Old couple rejoiced over him and r eared him

h e h h tenderly . Because was t eir first c ild (taro) and born of a peach (momo) they

hi mMomotar o P h - called or eac darling .

The h the h d most wonderful t ing in c il , was hi s great strength ! Even when still a E 64 JAPANES FAIRY WORLD .

he h hi s - o her baby , would astonis foster m t

o n ft h er by standing the mats , and li ing

o r of he wash tub , kettle hot tea , which would balance above hi s head without spill-s

The f to ing a drop . little ellow grew be strong and brave and good . He was always kind to hi s parents and saved them many h t a step and muc oil . He practiced ar c her v W h the n , restling , and andling iro

he no t of Or club , until was afraid anybody

h on i ho a . H e w nything even laug ed at the , , were demons living in the clouds o r on lone

thr Mo motar o ly islands in sea . was also

to S t very kind birds and animals , O hat they

e a were v ry t me , and became his friends , him him n knew and called by ame . Now there w as an island far out in th e

e b h h ocean , inhabit d y onis with orns in t eir

an d h h h heads , big s arp tusks in t eir mout s ,

. wh o ravaged th e Sho res of Japan and ate -P IN N S I S N 65 PEACH R CE A D THE TREA URE LA D .

th e of the d up the people . In centre islan

’ the O was giant ni s castle , built inside a great cave which was full of all kinds Of

o ne tre asures such as every wants . These

ar e :

The h the who 1 . hat whic makes one puts it on invisible It looks just like a s hat h a s a fi ne o n traw , but tuft of grass

the to Of p, and a pink fringe like the lining h sh u t e . ells , aro nd brim

’ A a a - 2 . coat like a f rmer s gr ss rain cloak ,

the which makes wearer invisible .

The h h 3 . crystal jewels w ich flas fire , a nd h e o f the govern t ebb and flow tide .

“ ” 4 h o o r the w . S ipp , seven je els , namel y

l h Of a gold and si ver , branc red cor l , agate , e A merald , crystal and pearl . ll together

c {fl /Fa r e mono e alled , or precious treasur s . Mo mo tar o made up his mind to conquer

d h e o an . H e these dem ns , get t eir treasur s 6 66 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . prepared hi s weapons and asked the Old

to hi m woman make some millet dumplings . SO th e Old lady ground th e millet seeds into

the old a meal , man kne ded the dough , and both made the dumplings which the little hero carefully stuck on skewers and stowed - h h away in a bamb oo basket box . T is e

r wrapped in a silk napkin , and flung it ove hi s S e z hi s hould r . Sei ing iron club he stuck hi s hi s S o f The flag in back as the ign war .

h s two . flag was of w ite silk , cro sed by black

the to r h wa s bars at p , and unde neat these , embroidered the device of a peach with a stem and two l eaves floa ting on a r unning

' stre am This was hi s cr est or sa sézmozz o

T he e the Old s (banneret) . hen bad folk

- nd ff good bye a walked O briskly . He took hi s e d o h him littl g wit him , giving a millet h dumpling n ow and t en.

As he pass ed along h e met a m onkey P H - C ND S I S N D 6 7 EAC PRIN E A THE TREA URE LA .

an d S e The c hattering howing his te th . monkey said

- o u . P Da r l Where are y going , Mr each ing

’ I m going to the o n i s island to get hi s ” treasures . “ What have you got go od i n your pack

a ge “ m 7 Mille t d u plings . Have one

’ Y e me o ne a nd o es , giv , I ll g with you

s aid the monkey .

SO the m a nd monkey ate the du pling , boy

d o and m n all o n A g o key trudged toge ther . littl e further o n a pheasant met the m and s aid

Oh Mo mo tar b n io , , doko (Good mor ing ,

h - e Mr . P P a r o u eac rince , where y going

P h- him e eac prince told , and at the sam time

O r e ffe d him a dumpling. T his ma l e the f pheasant his riend . 68 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

Peach-prince and his little army Of three

retainers journeyed on until they reached

- f the sea Shore . There they ound a big boat in to which Peach -prince with the d og and

h h fl e w monkey embarked , w ile the p easant

over to the island to find a safe place to

l so to th e e . and , as take onis by surpris T hey quietly reached the door of the

h Mo motar o the cave , and t en beat in gate h w h c . R o it his iron lub us ing int the castle ,

he o to h put the small nis flight , and das ing

h e forward , the little hero would nearly av reached the roo m where the giant on i was

’ u h just waking p after a nig ts drunkenness . With a terrible roar he advanced to gobble

P - the d o up each prince , when g ran behind i th and bit the on in e leg . The monkey climbed up his b ack and blinded him with

th e hi s his p aws while pheasant flew in face . Then Peach -prince beat him with his iron

W 70 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

bade them rise up and carry the treasures to

th e h had to th e largest ship t ey , and point

h Momo tar o prow to the land . T is done , and

a ot his comp ny g on board , and the onis f bowed arewell . A stiff breeze sprang up and sent the ship

‘ h water s an d out plowing throug the , bent

r li k the g eat white sail e a bow . On the prow was a long bl ack tassel like the mane o f a h o t h rse , at at every lurch dipped in the

Off the waves , and as it rose flung spray . The old couple becoming anxious after

P - had to their each darling , traveled down

an d the sea shore , arrived just as the treas S h Oh ure ship hove in ig t . how beautiful it h looked wit its branches of red coral , and

of S the i h hining heaps gold and ilver , and

e the Sh of visibl coat and hat , dazzling een th e jewels of the ebbing and the flowing

the tide , glistening pearls , and piles of agate and crystal .

W 70 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

ba d e them r ise up and carr y the tr eas ur es to

' a bo wed f r ewell .

lo n thr h t e and be nt out p wi g oug h waters , w r ~ the a h sa like a bo . th e gre t w ite il On p ow ,

‘ hi fi ae t h a t at m l h d e the , y urc ipp d in ’ v d i - s o e a n s it New fl un fl the . wa s, s g spray

h r - d tz av d Pea c h r n ha r eled. n to t ei da li g, ow

a re s h I n S h Oh ho w b a i t hip ove ig t . e utiful l oc ked h its r hes ed cor and wit b anc of r al, s h n h a s an d s l e and the i h ini g e p Of gold i v r,

. ' Tg } hw stal y .

- I PEACH PRI NCE AND THE TREASURE SLAND . 71

Mo motar o came home laden with riches enough to keep th e Old couple in comfort all

he h their lives , and imself lived in great s h the th e d o tate . He knig ted monkey , g

th e h m h hi s and p easant, and ade t em body

h he guard . T en married a beautiful princess

h he and lived appily till died . E FO! A E A ER TH ND TH B DG .

HERE is a certain mountainous district in Shikoku in which a skillful hunter h ad trapped or Shot so many foxes and badgers h that only a few were left . T ese were an Old grey badger and a female fox h h h with on e cub . T oug ard pressed by h th to h unger , nei er dared touc a loose piece l h h Of food , est a trap mig t be idden under

h r out h r it . Indeed t ey scarcely sti red Of t ei

’ h at h the h oles except nig t , lest unter s arrow

h the t o Should strike t em . At last w ani mals held a council together to decide what to d o h h to or to a to , w et er emigrate ttempt

APANE SE I W 74 J FA RY ORLD .

h ad th e h badger got loose , for man to w om

he h him had no t was sold , t inking dead ,

watched him carefully . So scampering away

the he fo x who to mountains met the , con

him h e h gratulated , w il bot feasted merrily .

The next week the badger took human

to w th e fox who form , and going to n sold ,

the made believe to be dead . But badger

o ld -fli nt being an skin , and very greedy ,

n the m fo h wa ted all oney and od for imself.

’ So he whispered in th e man s ear to watch th e fox well as she was only feigning to be

So the a dead . man t king up a club gave the fox on the h h h a blow ead , w ic finished

The her . badger , buying a good dinner ,

h hi s h ate it all imself, and licked c ops ,

’ h the f never even t inking of ox s cub .

The cub after waiting a long time for its

h u mot er to come back , s spected foul play , and resolved on revenge . So going to the THE FO! AND THE BADGER . 75 badger he challenged him to a trial of skill

the o The in art f transformation . badger a h off for h e the cub ccepted rig t , despised

W h to f him and is ed be rid o . Well what do you want to d o first ! said

Sir Badger . I propose that yo u go and stand on the ” d to the d the Big Bri ge leading city , sai “ ub h c m n . , and wait for y appeara ce I s all h come in splendid garments , and wit many

I t ou followers i n my train . y recognize ’ ”

d ou . ou wi n an . me , y , I lose If y fail , I win So the b a dger went an d waited behind a

. a a a tree Soon a d imio riding in a p l nquin ,

th of wi a splendid retinue courtiers appeared , coming up the road Thinking this wa s the fox- h cub c anged into a nobleman , although wond ering at the skill o f the young

the ba d er went u the a a an d fox , g p to p l nquin told the person inside that he w a s re cognized

ha d the and lost game . W 76 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

” ’ h ! th e W at said daimio s followers , who a men th e were re l , and surrounding

h him to h badger , t ey beat deat .

The fox- who on cub , was looking from a h a h ill ne r by , laug ed in derision , and glad h h h t at treac ery was punis ed , scampered

a aw y .

78 J APAN SE F IRY WOR D E A L .

i r i s ho hi most des e hung up in uses . The s p i s coming into port and the passengers are the seven happy fairies who will make gifts to the people . These seven jewels are the same as th o se which Mo motar o brought

’ a the b ck from oni s island .

Fi r st there is (Fuko r uku J i n the patron o f

L f o r L o f D ong Li e ength ays . He has an enorm o usly high for ehead rounded at the top which make s hi s head look like a sugar f A loa . It is bald and shiny . few stray

hi h o u the w te airs s metimes sprout p , and barber to reach them has to prop a ladde r against his head to climb up and apply his

' head co me s f razor . This big rom thinking

r - so much . His eyeb ows are cotton white ,

and a long snowy b e ard falls d own over his breast . Once i n a whil e in a good humor he ties

a handkerchief o ver his high slipp ery crown PI E 9 THE SEVEN PATRONS or HAP N SS. 7

— a and allo ws little boys to climb up o n top that is if they are good and can write well . When he wants to show how strong and

he h h so lively is even t oug old , he lets

the o n to o f hi s h Daikoku fat fellow ride p ead , While he smokes hi s pipe and wades across

ha s to h on h a river . Daikoku old tig tly or he will slip down and get a ducking. Usually the old shiny head is a very

o n a and W l s lem gentlem n , alks s owly along with hi s staff in o n e hand while with the

h he hi s ot er strokes long eyebrows . The

and the r ar e h hi m tortoise c ane always wit , fo r h ar e hi s t ese pets . Sometimes a stag h h h h h him wit air w ite wit age , walks be ind . Every body likes Fuk or uku Jin because every one wants to get hi s favor and live

i a he long ; until , l ke lobster , t ir backs are h bent wit age . At a wedding you will always see a picture o f white -bearded a nd

h - uk r u ku J s iny pated F o in . J P NESE F IRY W R D A A A O L .

Daikok u is a short chubby fellow with

h h fun eyes alf sunk in fat but twinkling wit . He ha s a flat cap set on hi s head like th e

r kind which babies wear , a loose sack ove

hi s h hi s . s oulders , and big boots on feet h His t rone is two straw bags of rice , and

o f f o r h his badge o fice is a mallet ammer ,

h h k h he h k w ic ma es people rich w en s a es it .

T m o f h ~ he ham er is the symbol labor , s ow ing that people may expect to get rich only

O to by hard work . ne end of it is carved r epresent the jewel of the ebbing and the h flowing tides , because merchants get ric by commerce o n the sea and must watch the

e the ar i th a tid e s . He is Oft n seen holding

o n s metic frame which you can count , do ums ,

o r subtract , multiply , divide , by sliding balls

o f f up and down a row sticks set in a rame , instead o f writing figures . Beside him is a - k f ledger and day b oo . His avorite animal

82 I W R D JAPANESE FA RY O L .

is so tall that he has to ben d do wn to gr ip

who h h h Daikoku , is fat and s ort , and t us e -h h becomes top eavy . T en Daikoku gets ’ h hi s rival s long ead under hi s left arm ,

r hi s the an d seizes him ove back by belt , throws hi m ove r his sho ulder flat on th e

if F u Ji n can . ground . But ukurok only get

’ o f Daikok u s lo h to hold p ears , bot fall gether Then they la ugh heartily and try

it again .

E the o n o f food whi ch i s bisu is patr daily ,

fish and Old h rice and . in times was c iefly

a r but h . fi s He is ne ly as fat as Daikoku ,

’ wears a c ourt n o ble s high cap . He is always

o his fishing or enj ying game . When very

h e on a o th e h hi s happy , sits r ck by sea, wit

b r him right leg ent unde , and a big red fish ,

the hi s e ~ called tai , under l ft arm . He car ries a straw wallet o n hi s back to hold hi s

d n fish an keep it fresh . Ofte he is seem P THE SEV EN PATRONS OF HA PINESS . 83

a - th o st nding knee deep in e water , p le in

h h . h a and , watc ing for a nibble Some say t t E bis u is the same scamp that goes by the

o f o san oo other name S .

th e Hotei is patron of contentment , and o f the h of course is fat er happiness . He

h h for th does not wear muc clot ing , e truth

is that all his property consists of an old ,

ragged wrapper , a fan , and a wallet . He is as u round as a p dding , and as fat as if rolled h o ut o f . doug His body is like a lump o f . m c/t hi s li a i pastry, and mbs like da ng o dump lings . He has lop ears that han g down over h , h his s oulders a tremendous double c in , a nd a Th round belly . ough he will not let hi s the beard grow long , slovenly Old fellow

h h he h never has it s aven w en oug t to . He is a jolly vagabond , and never fit for com h pany ; but e is a great friend of the chil d who hi ren , romp over s knees an d shoul 84 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD

- hi s a v r hi s ders , pull e rs and climb up o e h shaven ead . He always keeps something

h hi s h good for t em in wallet . Sometimes e

and h h s Opens it wide , t en makes t em gues

h to ut what is in side . T ey try peep in b

o o h are not tall enough t look ver t e edge .

a s or for He m kes tops , paint pictures kites

’ the the c h r t boys , and is ild en s greates

h the e o to -f friend . W en s ven patr ns meet

h i s a t to r o e get er , Hotei p d ink m re win

f r him t han is good o .

To shi tok u i s almos t the on ly on e of the

who s d hi s d H e seven never lay asi e ignity .

a e n n ha s a very gr v counte a ce . He is the

f en t patron o tal ts . His pe animal is a spot

t ou a ted fawn . He ravels ab t good deal to

e d o o who find and r war g od b ys , are diligent

s and me n wh o ar e to in their studie , fitted

one ha he i a rule . In nd carr es crooked

ff of oo the to of hi h i s h sta bamb , at p w c ung

86 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD .

an d . snake , her servants are the dragons Once a year the jolly seven meet together

" o ld h to talk over times , relate t eir advent h h . ures , and have a supper toget er T en th to h to ey proceed business , w ich is arrange h all t e marriages for the coming year . They have a great many hanks of red and white

h h e o f of silk , w ic are the thr ads fate those to be married The white thre a ds are the

the A h men , red are the women . t first t ey

u and a select the threads very caref lly , tie great many pairs or couples neatly and

so h the h strongly together , t at matc es are f f per ect . All such marriages o threads m ake happy marriages among human beings .

b - -b h and But y and y t ey get tired , lazy , and

n of f i stead tying the knots care ully , they hurry up the work and then jumble them

e l an d carel ssly , and final y toss tangle up all t h e re st in a muss . E 87 THE SE VEN PATRONS OF HAPPIN SS .

This is th e reason why so many marriages are unhappy .

Then they begin to frolic like big boys .

the Bi sh amon Benten plays guitar , and lies down on the floor resting with hi s elbows to

out h hear it . Hotei drinks wine of a s allow red cup as wide as a dinner plate . Daikoku an d Fu J kuroku in begin to wrestle , and

h u hi s d he w en Daikok gets man own , pounds his big head with an empty gourd while

To shi tok u fish and E bisu begin to eat tai . h F k When t is fun is over , Benten and u uroku

J h h th e in play a game of c eckers , w ile others look o n and bet ; except Hotei the

l who ‘ h h fat fe low , is asleep . T en t ey get a h of h for s amed t emselves gambling , and after a few days the party breaks up and

a h one i e e c goes to h s regular busin ss again . A O A E O D IK KU ND TH NI .

O E A O h the L NG WHIL G , w en idols Of Buddha and hi s host of

disciples came to Japan , after traveling through China from h India , they were very muc vexed because the people still liked th e little h black fellow named Daikoku . Even w en they becam e Buddhists they still burned i n

to i he cense Da koku , because was the patron

h for Of wealt everybody then , as now ,

t o the h wanted o be rich . S Budd ist idols

to the determined get rid of little fat fellow .

t d the A How o o it was question . t last they

Y emma the the called , judge of lower regions , and gave hi m the power to destroy Dai k o ku .

9 0 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

the and l o - ceiling , fat p eared fellow was

to h accustomed sit eating daikon radis , and

h hi s the amuse himself wit favorite pets , A him rats . round was stored in straw bags hi s rice which he considered more precious than money

E the th e o ni ntering gate , peeped about

n o o ne cautiously but saw . He went further on till he came to a large store house standing alone and buil t in th e shape

- Not of a huge rice measure . a door or win d ow could be seen,but climbing up a n ar r ow plank set against the top edge he peeped h over , and t ere sat Daikoku .

ot the The o ni descended and g into room . Then h e thought it would be an easy thing to pounce upon Daikoku . He was already chuckling to himself ov ar the prospect of

h h hi s o wn h suc wealt being , w en Daikoku

ut to hi s h squeaked o c ief rat . DAl KOKU AND THE ONI . 9 1

' u Mr Rat N edz mz Fa n . , ( ) I feel some

o h strange creature must be near . G c ase ” off the him premises . Away scampered the rat to the garden and plucked a sprig of holly with leaves full

’ of h h thi s i n hi s t orns like needles . Wit

- he the oni h him , , forg e paw ran at w acked

him h th e soundly , and stuck all over wit h s arp prickles . The on i yelling with pain ran away as

he H e so h fast as could run . was frig tened that h e never stopped until he reached

’ Y emma s h he h palace , w en fell down breat

h hi s th a less . He t en told master e t le of

bu h his adventure , t begged that he mig t

e nev r agai n be sent against Daikoku . So the Buddhist idols finding they could

not sh k k - bani or ill Dai oku , agreed to recog z him h h hi m nize , and so t ey made peace wit

and to this d ay Buddhists and Shintoists h alike worship the fat little go d Of wealt . I W 9 2 JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

When people heard how the chief oni had been driven away by only a r at armed with h h h h hi to olly , t ey t oug t it a good t ng keep

i SO a to h Off on . all ever fterward , even t is

out the day , after driving all bad creatures

h h h of wit parc ed beans , t ey place sprigs

’ h l h - on Y a o ly at t eir door p osts New e r s eve , to the oni all keep away and evil spirits .

9 4 JAPANE E F IRY W R D S A O L .

O two the ver thousand years ago , say

b . h i h onzes , it ung n t e temple of Gihon Shoja

" h h h A hi s in India w ic Budd a built . fter death it got into the possession of th e Br agon

K of th e the ing World under Sea . When the hero Toda the Archer shot the enemy of the of the - she queen Under World , prea sented him with many treasures and among h h h h t em t is great bell , w ic she caused to be landed o n th e shores o f the lake . Toda h n o t to h e owever was able remove it, so h presented it to th e monks at Miid er a . Wit gr eat labor it was brought to the hill-top an d hung i n this belfry where it rung out

a the d ily matins and orisons , filling lake d an hill sides with sweet melody . Now it was one Of the rules of the Budda hists that n o woman Should be allowed to ascend th e hill or enter the monastery of

iid e r a The M . bonzes associated females N EI AN THE BE L BE K D L . 95

h H and wicked influences toget er . ence the h pro ibition . A noted beauty of Kioto hearing o f the

of the e e polished face b ll , resolved in spit of the law against her sex to a scend the hill to dress her hair and powder her face in the

-d k o f th e mirror i e surface bell . SO selecting an hour when she knew th e priests would be too busy at study of the s to her she the acred rolls notice , ascended h an d h ill entered t e belfry . Looking into the h she her o wn S -a smoot surface , saw park

her h h h -e ling eyes , c eeks , flus ed rosy wit ex er ci se her an d h her , dimples playing , t en whole form reflec ted as in her o wn silver

h h she mirror , before w ic daily sat . Charmed as much by th e vastness a s the

a of the she h brilli ncy reflection , stretc ed

h her ha h her fin er - fort nd , and touc ing g tips to the bell prayed -aloud th at She might 96 JAPA ESE F IRY W R D N A O L . possess just such a mirror of equal Size and b r ightness . But th e hell was outraged at th e impiety

’ f the h the o woman s touc , and cold metal h k h s rank bac , leaving a ollow place , and

the of e F spoiling even surface th bell . rom that time forth the bell gradu ally lost its h k polis , and became dull and finally dark li e other bells .

h k was a mon k he d W en Ben ei , waspossesse of a mI ghty d esire to steal this bell an d hang

i i sa So on e h n it up at H ye n . nig t he we t over to Mi i d er a hill and cautiously cre pt up to the belfr y and unhooked it from the great h h H ifon link whic eld it . ow to get it

th e Was n ow the down mountain question .

h e the Should let it roll down , monks at

Mii d er a would hear it bumping over the

he h s es. i ton Nor could carry it in s arms , for it was too big around ( 1 6 feet) for him

9 8 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

Then all th e fellow priests of Benkei got

to up , though at night , welcome him . They admired his bravery and strength and wished to strike th e bell at once to sho w their j oy .

“ ’ o f h or a N , I won t li t a ammer sound

u note till yo make me some soup . I am

" he terribly hungry , said Benkei , as sat down on a cross piece o f the belfry and wiped hi s forehead with his cowl . Then the pries ts got o ut the iron soup

o t i n and d fir e p , five feet diameter , kin ling a made a huge mess o f soup a nd served it to

The f Benkei . lusty monk sipped bowl a ter bowl Of the ste ami ng nourishm ent until the pot was empty . ” he ‘ ou Now , said , fy may sound the bell .

F o r o f o bon z es mountetfi ive six the y ung é th e platform and seiz ed the rope that held

lo u the heavy g s spended from the roof, BENKEI AND THE BELL . 9 9

The manner Of striking th e hell was to pull

the lo h o th e back g several feet , t en let g

h l th e r h t e o . ope , olding g after rebound At th e first stro ke the bell quivered and r olled o ut a most mournful a nd solemn sound which as it softened and died a way changed into th e distinct murmur

n to MI I d er a to I wa t go back to , I want go back to Miid er a I wan t to go-O back to o

------M i i de r a r a a a a .

“ u h th e Nar odo said priests . What a

s . o trange bell It wants to g back . It is not ” h ur s atisfied wit o ringing . “ Ah ! I know what is the matter said

the aged abbot . It must be sprinkled

h h w of H i ei san wit oly ater y . Then it will h h be appy wit us . H o ! page bring hither ” the sea h u deep s ell f ll of sacred water .

So the p ure white shell full of the con

s ecr ated a h w ter was broug t, together with 1 00 P I W JA ANESE FA RY ORLD .

’ the h a h oly m n s brus . Dipping it i n the

water the abbot sprinkled the bell inside

and out .

a h oh hell to H i ei s an I dedic te t ee , , y . ” he to belL Now strike , said , signalling the

pullers .

Again the you ng men mounted the plat-a

w the lo form , dre back g with a lusty pull

and let fly . M-m-m-mi-mi-de-de-r a-r a ye-e-e -e -kO-O

- -o Miid er a ko to o to o O ( ye , I want g back

o ut the h - Mii d er a) moa ned ome sick bell . This so enraged Benkei that he rushed to the rope waved the monks aside an d seizing the rope str ained every muscle to jerk the

e r e h h beam its nti lengt afield , and t en let

h to the F r fly with force enoug crack bell . o a moment th e dense volum e of sound fil led

o f lik e a But the the ears all storm , as vibra

the h out tions died way , bell w ined

LITTLE SILVER ’ S DREAM OF THE O SH JI .

GIN SAN (Miss Little Silver) was a young maid who did not

care fo r strange stories o f ani

so m h for mals , uc as those o f wonder-creature s in the form of human

E n o f h h b . eings ve t ese , owever , she did not

old like to dream , and when the foolish h h nurse would tell her g ost stories at nig t ,

she wa s terribly afraid they wo uld appear

he he r e to r in sl ep .

To o the e her to av id this , old nurs told

o f the w draw pictures a tapir , on sheet of hite

the paper , which , wrapped round tiny pil lo w k - , ma es the pillow case of every young ’ ] 0 3 LI TTLE SI LVER S DREAM OF THE SHOJI .

who h er h a o n o f lady , rests e d two inches a b olster in order to keep her well -dressed hair from being mussed or rumpled . Old grannies and country folks beli eve that if yo u have a picture of a tapir under th e o r o the i o - a ou bed h paper p ll w c se , y h will not ave unpleasant dreams , as the

e tapir is said to eat th m .

So st r o ngly do some people believe this that they sleep under quilt-s figured with the de

f h - I f i n vice o t is long snouted beast . spite o f this precaution on e should have a bad

awaki n dream , he must cry out on tapir ,

h the a come eat , tapir , come eat w en t pir w the s ill swallow dream , and no evil result

h the will appen to dreamer . Little Silver listened with both eyes and

h to hi Open mout t s account of the tapir , and then making the picture and wrapping it

her sh e around pillow , fell asleep . I sus 1 4 I W 0 JAPANESE FA RY ORLD . pe ot that the kowameshi (red rice) of which s he so u had eaten heartily at s pper time ,

h er h until waist strings tig tened , had some

h her - thing to do wit travels in dream land .

Oz ak a She thought she had gone down to , and there got on a junk and sailed far away

the h the . to sout west , through Inland sea One night the water seemed full of white

of t ghosts of men and women . Some hem

e the w re walking on , and in , water Some h were running about . Here and t ere groups a e to l h O ppear d be ta king toget er . nce in a while the junk would run against on e of them and when Little Silver looked to see i f sh e he were hurt or knocked over , could

the h e see nothing until junk passed by , w n th e gh o st w o uld appear standing in the same

e h u h the h h ad e h o plac , as t o g s ip gon t r ugh e mp tv air .

6 E I W 1 0 JAPANES FA RY ORLD .

A h the h great eart en jar stood on beac , and

a round it lay long-handled ladles holding a

ha - or lf gallon more , and piles of very large

h d u h h s allow red lacquere wine c ps , w ic

s f A the seemed a big as the ull moon . fter

had t h sun been risen some ime , t ere came down from over the hills a troop of the most

. h curious looking people Many were s ort ,

- a h little wizen f ced folks , t at looked very old or h old rather , t ey seemed before they

ought to be Some were very aged and

h - f h of crooked , with ickory nut aces , and air a reddish gray tint . All the others had long scarlet locks han ging loose over their h h eads , and streaming down t eir backs . Th eir faces were flushed as if by hard drink

e ing , and their pimpled noses resembled hug h red barnacles . No sooner did t ey arrive at the great earthen jar th an they ranged h themselves round it . T e old ones dipped ’ I SI S D S JI 1 L TTLE LVER REAM OF THE HO . 07

o ut of the ladles full , and drank wine till

The they reeled . younger ones poured the

d the liquor into cups and rank . Even little

infants guzzled quantities of the y ellow saké from the shallow cups of very thin red

lacquered wood .

h the and i T en began dance , w ld and furi

The h - ous it was . leat er faced old sots

tossed their long reddish -grey locks i n the

’ ai r the ~ , and pirouetted round big sake jar The younger ones of all ages clapped their

ha h h h nds , knotted t eir andkerc iefs over f h h their ore eads , waved t eir dippers or cups

or a i of fans , and pr cticed all k nds antics , while their scarlet hair streamed in the wind

or h was blown in t eir eyes .

The h h h dance over , t ey t rew down t eir cups and dippers , rested a few minutes and then took another heavy drink all around . No w to work shouted an old fellow 1 08 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD .

' whose face was redder than hi s half-bleached h who h h air , and aving only two teet like

’ tusks left looked just like an om (imp ) As fo r hi s her h h ad a o wife , teet long g fallen o u t and the skin o f her face seemed to have a dded a pucker fo r every year Sinc e a half

e h h century had roll d over er ead .

Then Little Silver looked and saw them

o e h scatter . S m gathered s ells and burned

he O t m to make lime . thers carried water

e o h h h h and mad m rtar, w ic t ey t ickened by a Of l pulp made paper , and a g ue made by

l the boi ing fish skin . Some dived under s ea h h h l for red coral , w ich t ey au ed up by means of straw ropes , in great sprigs as h th h t ick as e branches of a tree . T ey

k scafl old h o quic ly ran up a , and w ile s me of th e scarlet-headed plasterers smeared th e

h u the walls , ot ers below passed p tempered

1 1 0 JAP E FAIRY W R D ANES O L .

For h " pers . , at t ese picnics, many men get

so h so h drunk ; muc indeed , t at after a while the m aster o f the feast orders very p o or and

h to to the c eap wine be served guests . He also replaces the delicate wine cups o f egg:

- shell porcelain , with big thick tea cups or

for the h wooden bowls , guests w en drunk ,

th e ff d o not know di erence . She also n ow understood Why it was com

monl of . who had y said a Mr Matsu , once “ n h a oor sot bee very ric but was now p , His ” to the ho property h as all gone S ji .

J ust then the ship i n which She was sails

an d th e k ing struck a rock , sudden jerk wo e

who o ut up Little Silver , cried , Tapir , t ” eat ea . come ; tapir , come

No r he had r tapi came , but if I fea Little Silver would have been more frightened than sh e was by h er dr eam of the ghosts ; for next morning sh e laughed to think how ’ R M THE LITTLE SILVER S D EA OF SHOJI . 1 1 1 they had all their work a-dipping water for h her old for h not ing , and at nurse t ink ing a pict ure of a tapir could keep o ff dreams . THE TENGU S OR THE E V E WI TH , L S ’

L ONG NOSE S .

(After H ok usai . )

U RI OU S C REATU RES are the

e h the h o f t ngus , wit ead a

hawk and the body of a man

They h ave very hairy hands o r

a h two p ws wit fingers , and feet h h h with two toes . T ey are atc ed o ut o f

h h n eggs , and ave wings and feat ers , u til h h r . T full g own en t eir wings moult , and\ th e h h stumps are concealed be ind t eir dress ,

h of h whic is like that a man T ey walk ,

h e h h h w n grown up . on clogs a foot ig , whic

i h ne ar e l ke stilts , as t ey have but o support

I of two k the h h nstead , li e sort w ic men

1 1 4 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD

o f f hi s part his ace , and pulled nOSe down

’ s to o as make a beak like a crow s . He is

' the Dai Teng u s lictor . He carries the axe

o f t o e hi s f e to h au h rity ov r le t should r , c op

’ o ff bad people s heads . In his right fist

’ o f is his master s book wisdom , and roll o f

a h h tw o h e ut ority . Even t ese igh st in au

- th or ity in Teng u land are servants o f the

Kam i r a - a d great lord p , the long h ire patron

o f sailors and mo untaineers . The greatest o f the Dai Tengu lived in

Y o shi tsuné Kurama mountain and taught .

h the T is lad , while a pupil in monastery ,

’ l o ut the th wou d slip in evening , when e priests thought him asleep , and come to the

Ki n ‘ of him g the Tengus , who instructed in the military arts , in cunning , magic , and

E bo wisdom . very night the y would

of o him spread the roll wisd m before , and

the fe e o f ho ar v- sit at t the headed tengu , W 5 N U S L I N N S S . 1 1 THE TE G , OR THE E VES TH LO G O E and learn the strange letters in which tengu

h th e - wisdom is written , w ile long nosed

t o n h servant engus , propped up t eir stilt

h n o t d on . T e clogs , looked boy was afrai , but quickly learned th e knowledge which

h h how to birds , beasts and fis es ave , under

h u to and stand t eir lang age and fly , swim

leap like them .

When a tengu stumbles and falls down on

hi s to h nose , it takes a long while eal , and if

he the s breaks it , doctor p uts it in splint

a a h out like broken arm , until it str ig tens

and heals up again .

Some of the amusements in Tengu -land

are very curious . A pair of young tengus will fence with their noses as if they were f h oils . T eir faces are well protected by

“ a fo r on e h hi s m sks , if tengu s ould poke

” ’ nose into th e other s eye he might put it

o ut n ot , and a blind tengu could walk about , 1 1 6 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD . because he would be knocking hi s nose h a gainst everyt ing . Two old tengus with noses nearly two

the h o f feet long , sometimes try strengt

-ha their face ndles . One fellow has his beak

h the straig t up in air like a supporting post ,

While the other sits a yard o ff with hi s el a s h h - tic nose stretc ed across like a tig t rope , and tied with twine at the top o f the other ’ e O h - one s nos . n t is tight nose rope a little

bo h two s tengu y , wit a tiny pug only inche h a . a long , dances jig He olds an umbrell

hi s h n ow in and , dancing , and now standing

The - one . upon foot tengu daddy , whose

- hi s nose serves as a tent pole , waves fan

to the . and sings a song , keeping time dance

T here is another tengu who sometimes

h hi s h quarrels wit wife , and w en angry b o xes her ears with hi s nose .

A lady-tengu who is inclined to be liter~

1 1 8 A I W J PANESE FA RY ORLD . of these he slid e s on a rope like buttons o n

or o n a string , counters a wire . Then he

off f lifts them with the tip o his n ose . Some times his nose bends so much under th e

h h the ff h weig t t at coins slip o . W ichever tengu can pick off the greater num ber o f

an strings without letting y slip , wins the

O-h o f game , and is called ana (The King

o N ses) . Another balances hoops and poles on his nose and throws balls through the hoo ps ; o r he poises a saucer of water on the tip of

hi s n o se without spilling a drop . Another

the . fellow hangs a bell from ceiling Then , with a handkerchief tied loosely round hi s

hi s head , he pulls nose back like a snap

’ - th ping turtle s beak , and en suddenly lets

o th go . His n se then strikes ebell and rings

h h e e it . It urts very much , but do s not

mind it . W H 1 1 9 THE N S L I N N S S . TE GU , OR THE E VES T LO G O E

n e he The tengus have o e gr at fault . y f love liquor too much . They o ten get

h - drunk . T ey buy great casks of rice wine ,

ou t sling them round their necks , and drink

of e long cups shap d like their faces , using

the nose for a h a ndle A drunken tengu f h makes a unny sig t , as he staggers about with hi s big wings droopi n g an d flapping

him the t the around , and feathers railing in

hi s l e mud , and ong nose limp , p ndulous and groggy .

When th e master of th e tengus wishes to ” h to o see the flowers , w ich means g on a

h e h hi s d b picnic , punis es runken servant y swinging the box of e atables over the fel

’ th i s low s red nose . Putting e end over h

h th e sot to s oulders he compels come along .

the h It sobers the fellow , for weig t on his

the o n e d f nose and pulling it hurts dr a ully , and often makes him sq ueal . 1 20 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

O yama , a mountain near Tokio , is said to

f o f - be ull these long nosed elves , but many other mountains are inhabited by them , for they like lonely places away from men . Dancers often put on masks like the ten

’ gu s face and dance a curious dance which

’ the they call Tengu s quadrille .

The e f t ngus are very proud ellows , and think themselves above human beings .

h of h w T ey are afraid brave men , o ever , and h h never dare to urt them . T ey scare chil h e e . h dr n , esp cially bad boys T ey watc a h boy telling lies and catch him . T en the

ou t hi s b tengus pull tongue y the roots , and run away with it .

e hi s Wh n a tengu walks , he folds arms , throws back his head till his nose is far up

the he in air , and struts around as if were a daimio . When a man becomes vain an d h “ carries his nose too hig , the people say He

e has b come a tengu .

1 22 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

e O e h his arms around the n ck f the de r , w ich f d f hi were not a rai o m . He was prince o f

h th o ui r t e . e r s forest and rabbits , wild b a s , q

e h rels and mart ns , pheasants and awks were hi s servants and messengers .

A n o t lthough much more than a fat baby ,

Ki nta r o a h wielded big axe , and could c op a s nake to pieces before he had time to wriggle .

’ Ki n tar o s father had been a brave soldier

e who the o f in Ki to , through malice ene

had f mies at court, allen into disgrace . He

f h he had loved a beauti ul lady w om married . When her husband died she fled eastward A h to the shigara mountains , and t ere in the lo nely fo rests in which no human be

o w ing except p or oodcutters ever came , her boy was born .

She o l lived in a cave , n urishing herse f on

a n d h The roots erbs . woodcutters soon KI NTARO WI 1 23 , OR THE LD BABY . learned about the stran ge pair living wild

I n th e h h h but peacefully woods , t oug t ey

The did no t dream of her noble rank . “ boy was known among them as Little

e an d the m The Old Wond r , wo an as nurse o ” of the m untain .

a o e the l l Thus , all l n , ittle fel ow grew up , e h so h h h xercising imself daily , t at even t oug a child he could easily wrestle with a b e ar .

A the n h h mong his retainers were te gus , t oug they were often rebellious and disobedient n o t l o iking t be governed by a boy .

O old - w ho had ne day , an mother tengu , always laughed at the idea o f obeying a lit

u o f l o Ki n tar o tle d mpling a fe l w like , flew

to h er i n h Ki n tar o up nest a igh fir tree .

h ee watc ed to s where it was , and waited till she left it to go and seek for food Then

to he h o w h all hi s going up the tree , s o k it it

h nt the mig t , u il nest came tumbling down , 1 2 4 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD .

the o f ten u s th and two young squabs g wi it .

No w it happened that. just a t that time th e h - R o great ero and imp killer , aik , wa s marching through the mountains on

t e h the u his way o Ki to . Seeing t at r ddy l e n o chi ld he ittle f llow was ordinary , found

the h h her out mot er and eard story . He then asked for the chi ld and adopted hi m as his own . So Ki ntar o went off with Raiko and grew

a hi s up to be a brave soldier , and t king

’ h m h e k as fat er s na e , was nown Sakata ki h Ki n to . m His other , owever , remained

t i n in the moun a ns , and livi g to an extreme

“ old a e Th e g , was always known as old nurse o f the mountains .

To h d a Ki ntar o the h t is y , is ero of

a h h J panese boys , and on t eir uge kites will usually be seen a picture of th e little black

JlRAI YA OR HE MA FRO , T GIC G .

GATA was th e name of a castle-v lord who lived in the Island Of

th e e P e Ki u s hi u . Nin rovinc s , ( )

o n e f He had but son , an in ant ,

who mth e p e ople in admiration nicknam e d Ji r aiya (Yo ung Thunder Dur

of h e ing on e the civil wars , t is castl was O taken , and gata was slain but by the aid

who hid Ji r ai a hi s of a faithful retainer , y in

o h th e. bo bosom . y escaped and fled n rt ward

e ve h e to E chi go . Ther he li d until grew up

to manhood . At th at tim e E chigo was infes ted with

O h l e i of r obbers . ne day the fait fu r ta ner

d e Ji r aiya being attacked , ma e r sistance , and 1 27 RAI YA MAGI c . JI , OR THE FROG

i r a i a n o w l t was slain by th e robbers . J y ef

alone i n th e w o rld We nt out from E c higo

and led a Wa nd e ring life. in several pro v

‘ i l l C i S .

Al l this time he was consumed with the

e to the hi s f he desir revive name of at r , and

o o f hi s restore th e f rtunes family . Being

e e exceedingly brave , and an xp rt swords

he h o f o f man , became c ief a band robbers

e h and plundered many wealthy m rc ants , and in a short time he wa s rich in men

arms and booty . He was accustom e d to

h l the disguise imse f, and go in person into

h o f men h ouses and presence of wealt , and

h ea all h d t us l rn about t eir gates and guar s ,

h h e h o w ere t ey sl pt , and in w at r oms th ei r

e treasures w re stored , so that success was

easy .

Hearing of an old man who lived in

h he to him S inano , started rob , and for this 1 28 P I W R D JA ANESE FA RY O L .

on purpose put the disguise of a pilgrim .

h h h - of S inano is a very ig table land , full

the mountains , and snow lies deep in win

A w Ji r ai a ter . great sno storm coming on , y

a h ho th took refuge in umble use by e way .

E he m ntering , found a very beautiful wo an ,

ho hi m h w . h treated wit great kindness T is ,

’ h o w n o t h th e ever , did c ange robber s nature .

A h h e un sheath t midnight , w en all was still ,

hi s and e to her ed sword , going nois lessly

o he the r om , found lady absorbed in read ing .

hi s he Lifting sword , was about to strike at her h her neck , when , in a flas , body

d h of who change into t at a very old man , seized the heavy steel blade and broke it in h h h pieces as t oug it were a stick . Then e

the of tossed bits steel away , and thus spoke to Ji r ai a wh o e y , stood amazed but fearl ss

I am a man named Senso Dojin , and I

1 3 0 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

“ ing him h e said Henc e forth cease from i n a n wa r n the o . robbing , or y y inj u i g po r

the e a nd e who Take from wick d rich , thos

r mo i e bu t e the acqui e ney d shon stly , h lp

ff h n needy and the su ering . T us speaki g , the o ld man turned in to a huge fro g a nd hopped away . What this o ld mountai n spiri t bad e hi m

w a s u w Ji r ai a w to o do , j st hat y ished aec m

l h o n h a p i s . He set out his journey wit “ no w the t a nd light heart . I can make s orm

me a n d the the waters obey , all frogs are at

my command ; but alas ! the magic of the

h o f frog canno t co ntrol t at the ser pent . I ” Shall beware o f his poiso n . From that time forth the oppres sed poor

people rej o iced many a time as the avari

c iou s merchants and extortionate mo ney

u lenders lost their treas res . For wh e n

os f d a poor farmer , wh e crops ailed coul JI RAI YA M I , OR THE AG C FROG . 1 3 1 no t pay hi s rent o r loan on the date

h h -h promised , t ese ard earted money lenders

n him o ut hi s h would tur of ouse , seize his m - beds and ats and rice tub , and even the

h o n the o d - h s rine and images g s elf, to sell

h for to t em at auction a trifle , their minions , who e resold th m at a high price for the

- e who h , o t money lend r t us g a double benefit .

h m the W enever a iser was robbed , people The h ” , e h a s said young t und r struck , a nd h h t en t ey were glad , knowing that it was

i r ai a h J Y . y , ( oung T under ) In this manner his name soon grew to be the poor people ’ s

h o ho watc w rd in t se troublous times .

i r i a Yet J a y was always ready to help the

a nd h , h innocent onest even if t ey were rich .

One day a merchant named Fukutar o was s to h h h h entenced deat , t oug e was really

Ji r ai . a h o f not guilty y earing it, went to th e magistrate and said that he himself was 1 32 E I W JAPANES FA RY ORLD .

ma n r the very who committed the robbe y.

’ Ji r ai a w a s So the man s life was saved , and y

h o n anged a large oak tree . But d uri ng

the night , his dead body changed into a bull f o o f r g which hopped away out sight , and off n the o f o i to mountains Shinan .

A s t this time , there was living in thi f province , a young and beauti ul maiden d d name Tsun a é. Her character was very

he o h er lovely . S was always bedient to parents and kind to her fri ends . Her daily task was to go to th e mo untains and cut

- On e s brus h wood for fuel . day while thu

th e o ld busy singing at task , she met a very

w o h e r Sw hi s man , ith a l ng w it bea d eeping

w ho a her breast , s id to

“ v h s Do not fear me . I ha e lived in t i

n h mou tain many undred years , but my real bod v is that of a snail . I will teach y o u

o f can k the powers magic , so that you wal

1 4 E W 3 JAPAN SE FAIRY ORLD .

Tsun ad é her , and being charmed with beau tv h er of , and knowing power magic , sent a messenger with presents to her par

-s e d au h ent , asking them to give him th ir g t ’ o . d so ter wife The parents agree , and

the young and l oving couple were married .

Hith e rto when Ji r aiy a wished to cross a

river he changed himself into a frog a nd

o r a - swam across ; , he summoned bull frog

hi m as before , which increased in size until

large as an elephant . Then standing erect

o n hi s w h the arty back , even thoug wind

hi s Jir ai a h blew garments wildly , y reac ed

e e no w w the opposit shor in safety . But , ith

’ hi s the wife s powers , two , without any

the e delay , walked over as though surfac

o was a hard fl o r .

Soon after their marriage , war broke out i n Japan between the two famous clans of

k e To Ts uki ka gé and I n u ag . help them q

JI RAI Y A G C . , OR THE MA I FROG

h i t ca l o f fig t the r ba tles , and capture the st es

e the Tsu ki ka e th ir enemies , g family besought the o f Ji r ai a who to h aid y , agreed serve t em h and carried t eir banner in his back . Their

the I n uka é h the enemies , g , t en secured

o - services of Drag n coil .

Or ochi mar u or D - This , ragon coil , was a very wicked robber w hose fathe r was a man , and whose mother was a serpent that lived

he bot- in t tom of Lake Takura . He was

the o f the perfectly skilled in magic serpent ,

on e and by spurting venom his en mies ,

he could destroy t strongest warriors .

h d o f he Collecting t ousan s followers , made

of great ravages in all parts Japan , robbing m and urdering good and bad , rich and poor

he alike . Loving war and destruction joined

i s I uka l h forces with the n gé fami y .

Now that the magic o f the fro g and snail

i the a was jo ned to one army , and the m gic 1 36 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . of the the serpent aided the other , conflicts were bloody and terrible , and many men

n n h were slai o bot sides .

O o ne o n occasi n , after a hard faught bat

Ji r ai a tle , y fled and took refuge in a monas ter a to a h y , with a few trusty v ssals , rest s ort

I n l time . this retreat a love y princess

Sh e named Tagoto was dwelling . had fled

Or o chimar u who for from , wished her his

to th e o ff bride . She hated marry spring of hi a h m . serpent , and oped to escape She

a of O ch lived in fe r him continually . ro i maru hearing at o n e time that both Jir aiya an d h the princess were at this place , c anged h o imself int a serpent , and distilling a large

h of to mout ful poisonous venom , crawled up the ceiling i n the room where Ji r aiya and

fe a nd h his wi were sleeping , reac ing a spot

o the directly ver them , poured poisonous

o n the of h venom heads his rivals . T e fumes

1 38 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

. h the is a sure antidote If we could get t at ,

master would recover .

“ ” Alas ! alas ! and a chorus of groans

h ha d s owed that all hope fled , for the moun

e tain in India , wh re the elixir was made , lay five thousand miles from Japan .

u Ri kimatsu o n e Just then a yo th named , o f o i i f r a a to a . the pages J y , arose spe k He

e was but fourte n years old , and served

' i r ai a o ut had J y of gratitude , for he rescued hi s father from many dangers and saved hi s if to sa l e . He begged permission y a word

’ to the who e abbot , , s eing the lad s eager

hi o to him s t . face , motioned with fan speak

” H o w the long can our lord live , asked youth .

He will be dead in thirty hours , swer d h h e t e . abbot , with a sig

’ the and I ll go and procure medicine , if 1 3 9 JI RAI Y A M I . , OR THE AG C FROG our master is still living w hen I come b ack he will get well . Now Riki matsu ha d learned magic an d

f or - o sorcery rom the Tengus , long n sed

o f the d h h elves mountains , and coul fly ig l in the air with incredib e s wiftness . Speak

fe w of h e on ing a words incantation , put

of u h the wings a Teng , mounted a w ite

and on the to a cloud rode east wind Indi , b h th e the m i oug t elixir of ounta n spirits , an d returned to Japan in on e day and a night . On the first touch of the elixir on th e

’ sick man s face he drew a d e ep breath,

on hi s perspiration glistened forehead , and

he in a few moments more sat up .

Ji r ai a f y and his wi e both got well , and the war broke out again . In a great battle Dr agon -coil was killed and the princ e ss

e i rescued . For his prow ss and aid Ji r a y a

I d z u was made daimio o f . 0 1 4 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD .

Being now w e ary o f war and the hard

h of li fe Ji r ai a to s ips active , y was glad settle down to tranquil life in th e castle and rear hi s family in peace . He spent the remain der o f hi s days in . reading the books of th e

e the sages , in composing v rses , in admiring

w the n th e flo ers , moo and landscape , and

n or h occasionally goi g out hawking fis ing .

’ h hi s h h T ere , amid c ildren and c ildren s

h h e fi . c ildren , nished his days in peace

J N I W 1 42 APA ESE FA RY ORLD .

o and ten sh p had been upset in the ocean , thousand white dinn e r -p lates had broken

o o A the the l se , round bays and harbors Jap a nese boy s at play drive themwi th pad t k dles in o shoals , and sometimes they po e h h sticks throug them . T is they can d o

e -fish n o a easily , because the j lly has j cket

o r the nor of shell bone like lobster , any

ki e h a s to s n lik a fish , and so always swim

e to naked , xposed all kinds ofdanger . Some

e -fi sh e s two o r f times gr at jelly , three eet in h diameter , sail gaily along near the s ore , as proud a s the long -handled -umbrella of a

a daimio , and as brilliantly colored as a J p i anese parasol . Float ng all around their

of bodies , like the streamers a temple fes

’ tival o b ar e r , or a c urt lady s ri bons , thei long tentacles o r fe ele rs . No peacock stretching

i s o h bannered tail c uld make a finer sight, or look prouder than these floating sun l h o r . fis es , bladders of iving jelly - H I TS HOWTHE JELLY FI S LOST SHELL . 1 43

But alas for all things made of water !

L e of f o r a et but a wav unusual orce , sudden

o f gust wind come , and this lump of pride

d o n th e h lies collapse and stranded s ore , like a pancake upset into a turnover , in which batter and crust are hopelessly mixed h o h . n f n t get er W e found fresh , men o te come down to the shore and cutting huge

of slices blubber , as transparent as ice , they e at th e h h of solid water wit t eir rice , in lieu drink .

A -fi sh jelly as big as an umbrella , and h h weig ing as muc as a big boy , will , after lying a few hours i n the s un leave scarcely a trace on the spot fo r their b o dies are lit~

h m of tle more t an ani ated masses water .

A h h w -fish has t nig t , o ever where a jelly

the to stranded , ground seems crawl and emit a dull fire of phosp horescence which ’ h ” the Japanese c all dragon s lig t . 44 AIRY W R D 1 JAPANESE F O L .

But the e -fish h and j lly once had a s ell ,

wa s no t the . so defenceless , say fairy tales h H ow it lost it is t us told .

the d the -fish on e In ays of old , jelly was o f the retainers in waiting upon the Queen

Of th e the her World under Sea , at palace I h R On . n e in iu those days had a shell ,

h h n o to and as his ead was ard , one dared

n him or hi m h h r i sult , stick wit t ei horns , o r h a or h pinch him with t eir cl ws , scratc

h h u him wit t eir nails , or brush r dely by

im h I n h h fi sh i -f h . n wit their fins s ort, t is

of stead being a lump of jelly , as white and h a s n n ow elpless a puddi g , as we see him , was a lordly fello w that could get hi s back

it h h he h up and keep ig when wis ed to . He waited on the queen an d right proud was he

f H e of his o fice . was on good ter ms with

’ the i o h him K ng s drag n , whic often allowed

1 46 E I W JAPANES FA RY ORLD .

’ e o n e ders and skat s lay flat the oc an s floor ,

e f n he T never ven li ti g up t ir noses . he

i nk a nd the ~ squid wept a great deal of , jelly

fi sh nearly melted to pure water The tor toise was patient and offered to d o anything f r h f f o t e relie o the Queen .

h be o Th ~ But not ing could d ne . e cut tle

“ ” fi sh who to n o f professed be a ki d a doctor , offered the use Of all his cups to suck o ut th o if th e e . p ison , that were trouble

’ wa s t -f . h But it wasn t It in ernal , and not ing but medicine that co uld be swallo wed

e would re ach the disea s . At last some o ne suggested that the liver o f a monkey would be a Specific for the

e royal sickness , and it was resolv d to try it .

’ The r who the e e to toise , was Que n s messeng r,

h e because could live on both land and water ,

w as m . wa s swim or crawl , sum oned He

to o to e n u n told g upon earth a c rtai mo ntai , - HOWTHE JELLY FI SH LOST I TS SHELL 1 4 7 catch a monkey and bring hi m alive to the

- Un der wor ld . Off started the tortoise o n hi s journey to

h to u h th e eart , and going a mo ntain w ere

l n the the monkeys ived , squatted dow at

foot of a tree and pretended to be asle ep

hi s an d o u t though k ee ping claws tail . ll There h e waited patiently , we knowing

’ that curiosity and th e monkey s love of

tricks would bring one within reach of hi s

P n a o f h talons . retty soo , family c attering

monkeys came running along among the

h ea he n a branches over d , w n sudde ly young

5 m m(monkey) caught s ight of th e sleeping

e to rtois . ’ ! Na m izoa o (Is it possible ) said the

’ ’ -h d h fun t long ande fellow , ere s ; let s ickle

’ w an d s l th e old fello s back pull hi tai .

A r h h o ll ag eed , and fort wit a d zen mon

k h a a e eys, joining hand over and , m de lon 1 4 8 I W R JAPANESE FA RY O LD .

ladder of themselves until they just reached

’ ’ the tortoise s back . (They didn t use their

fo r ~ tails , Japanese monkeys have none , ex

two cept stumps inches long) . However, he

who was to be the tail end o f this living

rope , when all was ready , crawled along and

the e a s slipped over whol line , whispering he slid

’ ’ d o h o r e Sh n t c atter laugh , you ll wak ” th e old fellow up . No w the monkey exp ected to ho ld on the

o n e o h living pendulum by l ng and , and

o w h h to l th e swinging d n wit the ot er , pu l

’ o ho w he d to rt ise s tail , and see near coul c ome to hi s snout without being snapped

F o r e w h to r ~ up . a monk y well kne t at a toise could neither jump Off its legs n or

e climb a tre . O nce ' Twi ce l Th e monkey pendulum

o h h o h swung back and f rt wit out t uc ing .

1 50 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

“ th e Now , says tortoise , I want you

’ ’ to . go with me If you don t, I ll eat you up .

’ Get on my back and I ll carry you ; but I must hold your paw i n my mo nth so you

’ won t run away .

h e to h the Half frig ten d deat , monkey

o off the obeyed , and the t rtoise trotted to

’ to the o e s sea , swam sp t ov r the Queen

filli of the palace , and in a p finger was down

h o f u in t e gardens Riu O .

h to Here , let me say , t at according another version o f this story the monkeys assembled in force when they suspected

h a the o a w t tort ise had come after , and c tch ing him napping turned him over on hi s

h e back so that could not move or bite .

h o hi s n h off h Then t ey to k u der s ell , so t at h e had to travel back to Riu Ou and ge t

o w i s a no th er one . This last versi n ho ever unce rtai n an d it looks like a piece of i n ven

1 50 JAP ANE SB’ AIR WO L g F Y R D .

“ No w s s the r t e t , ay to ois , I wan you

’ ’ o h ou . t eat ou to g wit me If y don , I ll y up.

’ Get on my bac k and I ll ca rry you ; but I mus t hold your pa w i n my mo nth so you

’ a a won t run w y . h t l r en to a th , the Ha f f ig ed de monkey , obe r sal ad the or t s r d Off to the § , t oi e. t otte ~ y ’ Sea s wam to the s o o er the e , p t v Q ue n s

al ace and i n a fllli of the er wa s do w p , p fing n

rd u in the ga e ns o f Bill O .

let me a h t d to Here , s y, t a accor ing a nother versi on o f this sto r y the monkeys “ - assembled in far ce wh iza} they suspected

Wha the to r to me had ce nm afte ch t r , and cat

n the oo his undm‘ sha h eff so th The y t k , at

uns er ta in and i t loo ks like a piece of in ven

- 1 51 H OW THE JELLY FI SH LOST I TS SHELL . tion to suppos e that th e monkeys h a d a sufficient medic al knowledge to make t he m s uspicious o f the d e sign of the tortoise on

’ f e l the mon ke v s li ver . I pre r the regu ar account .

’ The Queen h e aring of the m o nkey s ar

the rival thanked tortoise , and commanded her cook and baker to feed him well and

for treat him kindly , the queen felt really

e hi s s o rry because h was to lose liver .

As fo r the monkey he enjoyed himsel f h very much . and ran around everyw ere

the -fish es and amusing star , clams , oysters

e th o oth r pulpy creatures at c uld not run , by his rapid climbing o f the ro cks and coral

’ h bus es , and by rolling over the sponge beds

all a n d cutting manner of antics . T hey had neve r b e fore seen anything like

’ i t f ! . . Poor ellow he didn t suspect what

was to com e . A 1 52 JAPANESE F I RY WORLD .

All this time however the jelly-fi sh pitied

hi s l him in heart, and could hard y keep

kn ew what he to himself. Seeing that the h monkey , lonely and omesick was standing

o of o -fi sh by the sh re a p nd , the jelly squeezed himself up near him and said : “ E m xcuse y addressing you , I feel very s orry fo r yo u because you are to be put to ” death . “ “ Why said the monkey What have I do ne “ O h l -fi sh h , not ing , said the jel y , only ou r queen is sick and she wants your liver ” for medicine .

Then if ever any on e saw a sick lo oking

e o n A monk y it was this e . s the Japanese “ say his liver was smashed . He felt dread

hi s h fully afraid . He put ands over hi s

to eyes , and immediately began plan ho w to

and sa ve both his liver his life .

1 54 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

So they dispatched th e tortoise to the e th e a- arth again , monkey sitting straddle

hi h th e of s back . T ey came to mountain

n th e o e agai , and tort ise being a littl lazy , waited at the foot while the monkey scam

Off pered , saying he would be back in an h o ur The two creatures h ad become so well acquainted that the old Hard Shell fullv

the l f trusted lively ittle ellow . But instead o f an hour the tortoise

No waited till evening . monkey came . So

th e finding himself fooled , and knowing all

k k the l a mon eys would ta e a arm , he w ddled b ack and told the Queen all about it . ” Then , said the Queen after reprimand

for hi s ing her messenger silly confidence , “ the monkey must have got wind of our i n h tention to use his liver , and w at is more , some one of my retainers or servants must have told him HOW THE JELLY-FISH LOST ITS SHELL 1 55

Then the Queen issued an order com mandn all h er subjects to appear before

- h e the Dragon King o f the Sea . W o ver did h h R O l t is wicked t ing , Kai iu wou d punish

him .

No w it happened that all th e fi sh and sea of h l animals all sorts , t at swam , craw ed ,

be rolled or moved in any way , appeared

R O the - hi s fore Kai iu , Dragon King , and

— th e -fish h th e Queen all except jelly . T en Queen kn e w the jelly -fish was th e guilty o n e to h . She ordered the culprit be broug t h into her presence . T en publicly , before

her e sh e all retainers and s rvants , cried out

Y ou - h leaky tongued wretc , for your crime o f betraying the confidence of your

h a sovereign , you s all no longer remain mong

h l -fi sh S e l . I condemn you to lose your h l s el .

’ h she off hi s sh ell and T en stripped , left 6 A I W 1 5 J PANESE FA RY ORLD . the poor jelly -fi sh entirely naked and ashamed .

ff - a o . Be , you tell t le Hereafter all your

h h e l c ildren s all be soft and d fence ess .

Th e -fis h poor jelly blushed crimson ,

h o ut off o ut of squeezed imself , and swam

S h -fi shes h had ight . Since t at time jelly ave n o shells .

E W 158 JAPANES FAIRY ORLD . o ut k or , and right merrily were they struc

' thrummed with the ivory fia s/z z (plectrum) .

The pretty maids of the Queen put on the ir

h e- a n ivory t imbl nails , and the Queen gai

to the th e éoto listened sweet melodies on ,

h the (flat harp) , w ile down among smaller fry of fishy retainers and the scullions of

the k h the h itc en , were heard constant t ump

’ o f the l s u ts u mz - r (shoulder d um) , the bang

of the the taiko (big drum) , and loud cries o f the dancers as they struck all sorts o f

a h e h ttitudes wit hands , fe t and ead .

No allusion was Openly made either to

o -fi h h m or s . onkeys , tort ises jelly T is would

t h e -fish i n n o ave b en polite . But the jelly ,

the h a distant pool in garden , could ear the

r The r h r un the efrain , ivers of C ina into ” i n S k the sea , and it in s rain . Now in the l angu age of the U n d er wvo rld ” the w for S people ords river , and kin , LE- E S A C N E T L ORD SE TT FISH GIV O C R . 1 59

“ o r v h h ( co ering , and C ina , and s ell , ” “ and ar e th e and rain , jelly , same . So h h h the chorus , w ic was not ing but a string

f The of -fish o puns , meant , skin the jelly k r to . uns the sea , and in it sin s the jelly

But none of these musical performances

’ were worthy of th e Queen s notice ; although

of the o h er h as evidences j y of subjects , t ey

m n enter tai m did ver y well . A great a y ments were g otten up to amuse the finny

th e people , but Queen was present at none

the on e to of them except about be described . How and why she became a spectator sha ll also be told . One night the queen was Sitting in the

’ a - ar r a ed i n her pink dr wing room , y queenly

for sh e -s robes , was quite recovered and ex

a o ut i n the E . pected to w lk evening . very

h the r n t ing in room , except a vase of g ee

- and and golden colored sponge plant , a plume 1 6 PANE E I Y W RLD 0 JA S FA R O .

f - h o f l T o . hen glass t read , was a pink co or

there was a pretty rockery made o f a pyra

mi d of of pumice , full embossed rosettes of

- of a living sea anemones sc rlet, orange , grey

l h h to f and black co ors , w ic were trained old

h l or t emselves up like an umbre la , blossom out l cr santh emums h s ike y , at certain our o f the or h day , when touc ed , behaving just

’ ' o cloc ks like four and sensitive plants .

All the furniture and hangings of the r The ooms were pink . floor was made o f

f of he - mats woven rom strips s ll nacre , bound at the Si des with an inch border of pink

w a s coral . The ceiling made of the rarest o f pink Shells wrought into flowers and

d the squares . The walls were ecorated with

e sea a scen w same mat rial , representing es , je els

. I n th wé . e onoma and tortoise shell patterns , o r S -w d raised pace , was a bouquet of sea ee o f h the k ric est dyes , and in noo s was an

1 62 J I W APANESE FA RY ORLD .

u h nor o d r It is neither g itar, nor and , sh ul e

r n m o no S . t drum , i ging It see s be a mixture ! if w h of all . Hear It sounds as a band it many instrume nts was playing to the ac ” i nment o f h co mpa a large c oir of voices . True enough ! It was the most curious

R On to music ever heard in iu , for tell the

the n ot f truth voices were in per ect accord ,

o Th e th o ugh all kept g od time . sound seem e d to issue fro m the mansion of Lord

’ -fish h c Th u . e C ttle , the palace p ysi ian queen s curiosity was roused .

h o and she I s all g see what it is , said , as

' o she rose up . Suddenly she rec llected , and exclaimed

“ O no o n ot be o e me to , , it w uld pr p r for

h of the be se en in public at this our evening ,

’ L -fi sh s and if it is in ord Cuttle mansion ,

e h N I co uld not nter wit out a retinue , o , it

’ ’ ” d o h i won t for me , it s beneat my d gnity , R U - IS I S N L O D C TTLE F H G VE A CO CERT . 163 s aid her majesty to herself as she went over

h h er a s her to touc nemone , while maids h fanned her , seeing their mistress flus ed

s with excitement , and fearing a relap e . Curiosity go t the better o f the queenly l off sh e h he r tw ady , and started wit only o

h her e the maids who eld aloft over h ad , long pearl-handled fans made o f white

’ s hark s fins .

e h She h s the B sides , thoug t , per ap con

i h the cert is outside , garden . If so , I can look down and see from the great green

k h and o roc t at overlooks it , my l rd Kai Bi n ” 0 nee d not know o f it .

The Queen wal ked over her pebbled

o the h garden walk , av iding great hig road h paved with w ite coral rock , and taking a

- t - by pa h trimmed with fan coral. The sound

o f the m an d dru s voices grew louder , until

a s Sh e reached the to p o f a green rock bac k ’ 1 64 F I W JAPANESE A RY ORLD .

’ of L ord Cuttle-fi sh s garden the whole per

for man ce to V i w was open her e .

so fuun the It was y , and queen was so

the h h she overcome at comical sig t , t at

a e o t the ne rly f ll down and g hysterics ,

laughing so heartily . She utterly forgot her n h s dig ity , and laug ed till the tear r an

She wa s she do wn her face . so afraid would

out h she h d scream , t at nearly c oke herself to h h her S he r deat wit leeve , while alarmed h h h h maids , t oug meaning not ing by t eir

s h her to act but friendly elp , slapped back

h r give e breath .

h tO o f h o all T ere , at the a igh green r ck , p ‘

h o f covered wit barnacles , on a huge tuft

sa t -fi sh sponge , Lord Cuttle , playing on

u three musical instr ments at once . His . S h h great warty peckled head , six feet ig , like a huge bag upside down , was bent for ward to read the notes of his music book by

I W 1 66 JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

e o f tor song , which was mad up puns on

’ ’ ’ ’ o -fish e s ‘ t ises , monkeys , jelly , livers ’ h and shell , t ough the real words made an ff entirely di erent sense .

A h o f -fi sh ll t is time , in front Lord Cuttle , sat o h the h the the l bster olding up lig t , like

éu mméa w ho , or black fello s who ld candles at th e e d of long-handled candle -sticks on the stage of the theatres so that th e people ma see the of th y faces e actors .

or h h a But the audience , rat er the orc estr

the i e o f h was funn st part all . T ey could h hardly be called listeners , for t ey were all

th ft as perfo rmers . On e le w the lusty red

mi fi sh faced with its gills wide open , sing

the to h the of ing at p , or rat er at bottom ,

a nd heati n hi s his throat , g time by flapping

” o f him wide fins . Just back was a little

o h h gudge n , silent and fanning imself wit a h blue flat fan , aving disgracefully broken - 1 6 LORD CUTTLE FI SH GI VES A CONCERT . 7

h o n . down a high note Next be ind , on the

h wa s - -fish S a rig t , a long nosed gar inging lto ,

of her th the and proud slender form , wi last

new thing in fo lding fans held in her fin . In the fore -ground squatted a great fat frog h S wit big bulging eyes , inging base , and leading the choir by flapping his webbed

fingers up and down with his frightful cavern

o f h the a mout wide open . Next, sat stately and dignified mackerel who was rather

the h ff scandalized at w ole a air , and kept

A the a to . very still , refusing join in t m ck

’ e r el s h out fl at rig t fin , squeaked the stupid

headed f zzg u fish with her big eye impolitely

winking at the servant -maid just bringing

h for th e h she in refres ments trut was , was

The thirsty after so much vocal exercise . f ug u was very vain and always played the

coquette around the hooks of the fishermen : I W 1 68 JAPANESE FA RY ORLD . who always liked to eat her b ecause she was h so w e t er . s eet , y flesh was poison How strange it is that men will angle

f h h h s he a ter t at ugly ussy , w en poisons

h the oft- o f th e t em , was repeated remark

- gar fish .

eh h one on Just b ind the herring , wit eye Lord Cuttle -fi sh and on e o n the coming f S e . The r reshments , was the kate truth must be told that the entire right wing of the orchestra was very much demoralized by the smell of the steaming tea and eatables just

to The su n . o about be served pp , (tortoise ’ h h with a snout like a bird s beak , ) t oug he i continued to sing , impol tely turned his

a -fish hi s head aw y from Lord Cuttle , and

to the h back frog t at acted as precentor .

The h sucker , though very omely , and bl oat

t the h ed with fat , kep on in c orus , and pre tended n ot to notice the waiter and her tray

1 70 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

h o on h T en all sat d wn t eir tails , propped h h uprig t on one fin , and produced t eir fans " t h ofl o cool t emselves . The lobster pulled off the candle stump and ate it up , wiped hi s feelers , and joined the party .

The liquid refreshments consisted of sweet a nd Ja ke tea clear (rice beer) , and cherry

The h blossom water . solids were t under

’ ’ - l a nzem cakes , egg cracknels , boi ed rice ,

h - ra m radis es and maccaroni , lotus root , - h h and side dis es piled up wit flies , worms , b ugs and all kinds of bait for th e small fry — th e finny brats that were to eat at the

The th e second table . tea was poured by

f -fi h servants o Lord Cuttle sh . T ese were the éa a s or funniest little green pp , creatures h a k alf way between mon ey and a tortoise , h h h wit yellow eyes , ands like an ape , air h h h clipped s ort on t eir eads , eyes like frogs, and a mouth that stretched from ear to ear - I I 1 71 LORD CUTTLE F SH G VES A CONCERT .

Poor creatures ! they were only too happy to know that though they looked like monkeys their livers would not d o fo r medi cine . The Queen did no t wait to see the end of the a h to feast , but l ughing eartily , returned her to palace and went sleep . After helping himself with all th e cups of hi s the arms out of tub of boiled rice , until Miss Mackerel made up her mind that he

' ’ omeséz zrr a z was an g , (rice glutton ,) and

k l h o f h drin ing ike a s oal fis es , Lord Cuttle

fi sh h h u went ome , coiled imself p into a l . h ad h ba l , and fell asleep He a eadache next morning . Y ORI MASA E RAVE AR ER , TH B CH .

ENZ AN Y ORI MASA was a brave warrior and a very useful man who lived more than eight thou

a sand moons go . On account o f hi s valor and skill in the use

he cal!ed to of the bo w was Kioto , and pro moted to be chief guard o f the imperial

A h the ar ahi to palace . t t at time emperor , N ,

l n ot h hi s cou d sleep at nig t, because rest wa s f h h disturbed by a rig tful beast , w ich scared away even the sentinels in armor

ho o o n w sto d guard . This dreadful beast had the wings of a

th e an d o f the h bird , body claws a tiger , ead o f k a the a mon ey , serpent tail , and crack

I 1 74 JAPANESE FA RY WORLD .

’ th e e l s ning , awful b ast sitting on the devi

th e of the - o n tile at tip ridge pole , the h - nort east end Of the roof. He bade hi s retainer have a torch of straw and twigs

’ to l n ready ight at a moment s notice , to loose hi s e — i n he blad , and wet its hilt p , while fitted the notch of hi s best arrow into the

i s bo w silk cord of h .

e n he n Keeping his ey s strai ed , pretty soo sa w the r of o n e e e gla e now y , now two eyes , as the beast with swaying head crept along the great ro o f to the place on the eaves

’ - directly under the mi d ad o s Sleeping room . d Th e re it stoppe .

’ t This was Y or imas a s opportuni y . Aim ing about a fo ot to the right o f where he saw

e he -l h f the eye glar , drew his yard ength s a t

h . A clear back to his s oulder , and let fly l f h f dul thud , a rig t ul howl , a heavy bump B A E YORI MASA H R V C R . 1 75 , T E E AR H

th e the h of On ground , and writ ing some

the creature among pebbles , told in a few h seconds time that the shaft ha d struck fles .

’ The n exti n stant Y o r i ma sa s retainer r ushed out with blazing torch and joined battle

n the with hi s dirk . Seizi g the beast by

he h hi m b neck , quickly despatc ed , y cutting h hi s h . t roat T en they flayed the monster , and the next morning the hide was shown to hi s majesty .

All congratulated Y o r imasa o n hi s valor

mar k a h m ns i . and p Many young men , sons of to nobles and warriors , begged become hi s h r The m pupils in arc e y . ikado ordered a noble o f very high rank to present to

Y or imasa a famo us w h h - -O s ord named S is i no ,

o f ar to (King Wild Bo s) , and give him a

a of honor a A ami to lovely m id n med y , wife .

A so the a the nd br ve and fair were married , W 1 76 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

and to this day th e fame of Y or imasa i s like ” - - the ume- e l e tak matsu , (p um blossom , bam b oo a an d o -n and pine) , fr grant , green ver during .

I A AND TH E NI GH T-BEA ST Y OR M SA ,

1 8 APANE SE W 7 J FAIRY ORLD .

It had come to pass that the blossom f capital had fallen in a dread ul condition ,

because th e guards at the other gates had

been neglected . Thieves were numerous

so and murders were frequent , that every one in the city was afraid to go o ut into the h ll . a e streets at nig t Worse than els , was the report that on i or imps were prowling

around in th e dark to seize people by the h hair o f the head . T en they would drag

h to th e sh t em away the mountains , tear fle t h off h e a . t eir bones , and t em up

The the to h h the worst place in city , w ic h the orned imps came oftenest , was at

h- R - sout western gate called the ajo mon .

To h o o f R t is p st danger , aiko sent Tsuna, h t e bravest of his guards .

on h It was a dark , rainy and dismal nig t ,

- d that Tsuna started , well armed , to stan

the t sentinel at gate . His trusty helme ’ N our s o n om s M WATA ABE THE AR . 1 79

h Wa s knotted over his c in , and all the pieces

l e d o f hi s armor were well ac up . His

h e a nd I n s andals were girt tig t to his f et ,

t was h the h his bel t rust trusty sword , fres ly

’ a a ground , until its edge was like r zor s , and with it the ow ner could cut a sunde r a hair

floating in the air .

A th e l o f the a e rriving at red pi lar g t , Tsuna paced up and down the stone way

- n i th eye s and ears wide Ope . The w ind

h the h was blowing frig tfully , storm owled a n d th e ra in fell in suc h torrents that soon

’ the cord s of Tsuna s armor a n d hi s dress were soaked through . The great bronze bell of the temples on the hills boomed o ut the hours one after a o h k n t er , until a single stro e told Tsuna it

h e the R h was t hour of at ( midnig t) .

Tw o h ho o f the ours p assed , and the ur

Bull s und ed 2 o ( A . still Tsuna was wid e 1 0 J N S I W 8 APA E E FA RY ORLD .

' tor m h ad a w . s was ake The lulled . but it

darker than ever .

’ The hour o f the Tiger (3 o clock) rung

o ut an d the of , soft mellow notes the temple bell d ied away like a lullaby wooing o n e to f o vow . sleep , spite will and

s Wi h The warrior , almo t t out knowing it,

an d o z gre w sleepy fell int a do e . He started h h an d . woke up He s ook imself, jingled hi s h armor , pinc ed himself, and even pulled out hi s little knife from the wood en scab

of and h bard his dirk , pricked his leg wit

of to a the point it keep awake , but all in v in .

o n sci ou slv he s U nc overcome , leaned again t

- a a . the g te post , and fell sleep h T his was just what t e imp wanted . All the time he had been squatting on th e cross piece at th e top of th e gate waiting hi s

o opportunity . He now slid d wn as softly

hi s - s as a monkey , and with iron like claw

1 I W 82 JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

’ No w it is said th a t if an oni s arm be cut

o ff it cannot be mad e to unite with the b o dy

if o . S R again , kept apart for a week aiko h i t warned Tsuna to lock it up , and watc

be f him night and day , lest it stolen rom . So Tsuna went to th e stone-cutters who

o f Buddha mor tar s fo r made idols , pounding

f n rice , and co fers for burying mo ey in to be

I n the o and hidden away gr und , bought a

o f th e stro ng box cut out solid stone . It

h ad h h a eavy lid on it , whic slid in a groove

a nd came out only by to uching a secret

h hi s b d spring . T en setting it in e cham

ber he , guarded it day and night , keeping

the gate and all hi s doors locked He

allowed no o n e who was a stranger to look

the at trophy .

b to Six days passed by , and Tsuna egan

think his prize was sure , for were not all 7 his doors tight shut So he set the box ou t ’ 1 83 WATANABE our s OFF THE ONI s ARM .

of th e in the middle room , and twisting some rice-straw fringe in token of sure victory

h e . and rejoicing , sat down in ease before it

He took off hi s armor and put o n hi s court

th e h robes . During evening , but rat er late , there was a fe eble knock like that of an old woman at the gate outside .

’ o ut h h Tsuna cried , W o s t ere

ofhi s Th e squeaky voice aunt (as it seemed) , “ w ho was a very old woman , replied Me

a to h to him for I w nt see my nep ew , praise

’ ” i u th e ff h s bravery in c tting oni s arm o .

So Tsu na let her in and carefully locking the h h er h o ld door be ind , elped the crone

the m h sh e sa t the into roo , w ere down on mats in front of th e box and V ery close to h h . s e w t a it T en gre very alk tive , and

’ a her h l a pr ised nep ew s exp oit , until Tsun felt very proud .

’ All the time the old woman s left shoul 1 84 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD . der was co vered with her dress while her

a s out h right hand w . T en she begged

a e a rnestly to be llowed to se e the limb .

e sh e Tsuna at first politely r fused , but

e af he urg d , until yielding fectionately slid

th e lid back stone just a little .

h the ha u T is is my arm cried old g, t rn

on i n o ut the ing into an , and draggi g arm .

the e She flew up to c iling , and was out of the smoke -slide through the roof in a twink

l o ut h to ing . Tsuna rushed of the ouse

h her h a h e s oot wit an rrow , but saw only a d emon far off in the clouds grinning borri

e h the bly . He noted carefully howev r t at

’ direction o f the imps flight was to the north

vvest.

’ A wa s h Raiko s council now eld by band , and it was decided tha t the lurking-place o f th e demons must be in the mountains of Oye

a o in the province o f T ng . It was resolved

o h o u th t unt t and destroy e imps .

1 86 I JAPANESE FA RY WORLD . down the lids of his eyes with hi s hairy h R fingers , until the sig t sickened aiko more and more .

R a ill a But iko , well or , lways slept with hi s w hi s w trusty s ord under pillo , and pre

d i to ten ng be greatly afraid , and to cower

the - h th e under bed clot es , kozo grew bolder

nd the im h bolder . When p was near t e

R a hi s the bed , iko drew blade , and cut oni

hi s h th e across uge double nose . This made

h a nd he a demon owl , ran way , leaving

o f l tracks b ood . When Tsuna and hi s band heard of their

’ b h to con rave master s exploit, t ey came

him ff to h the gratulate , and o ered unt out him demon and destroy . T hey follo wed the red dro ps until they c ame to a cavern in the mountains . Enter ing this they saw in the gloom a spider six

h h h fishi n - feet ig , wit legs as long as a g pole , 1 87 WATANABE KI LLS THE GREAT SPI DER .

- h Two and as thick as a dai kon radis . great l h yello w eyes glared at them like amps . T ey noticed a great gaping wound as if done by

- a sword cut on his snout .

wa s h h h n to It a orrible , nasty airy t i g

h h si n c e et h fig t wit swords , to g near enoug ,

’ th ey would be in danger of the creature s

o h claws . S Tsuna went and c opped down

’ e h a s the a tre as t ick a man s leg , leaving

on h hi s roots , w ile comrades prepared a rope to the tie up monster like a fly in a web . Then with a loud yell T suna rushed at the

l e him h h d him spider , fel d wit a blow , and el down with the tree and roots so h e could n ot or hi s h hi s bite use claws . Seeing t is ,

h th e comrades rus ed in , and bound mon

’ ster s legs tight to hi s body so that he could h i no t move . Drawing t e r swords they passed them through hi s body and finished

him . R h eturning in triump to the city , 1 88 J N S I W APA E E FA RY ORLD .

they found their dear captain recovered f m r o his illness . Raiko th anked hi s brave warriors for h h t eir exploits , made a feast for t em , and h A h t gave t em many presents . t t is feas Captain Raiko told them that he had r e

cei ve d orders from the mikado to march

’ the h against oni s den in Tango , slaug ter

h he h t em all , and rescue the prisoners s ould

h h h h h hi s com find t ere . T en e s owed t em

mission written in large letters , “ m ou R h the I co mand y , aiko , to c astise ” onis . He also allowed them to examine the

h h and gold brocade bag , in w ic it was kept , which one of the fair ladies of the court had made for him with her own tapering fingers . At this time many families in Kioto were

the h h grieving over loss of t eir c ildren , and

h had even w ile Tsuna been away , several

RA KO AND THE HI- E I S T N D0 51 .

UITE PATHLE SS were th e d eso e

o fo r late mountains of Tang , no o ne ever went into th e m except

o nce in a while a poor wo od “ cutter or charcoal -burner yet

hi s ou and men set t with stout hearts .

Ther e were no bridges over the stre ams h f l b O and frig t u precipices a ounded . nce the v h ad to stop and build a b r idge by fell -I

a d am ing a tree , and w lking across it over a

gerons chasm . Once they c ame to a steep

to h h rock , descend whic t ey must make a

n A h ladder of creepi g vines . t last t ey r h e e e to o f f eac d a dens grove at th p a cli f, HI - 1 RAIKO AND THE S TEN DOJI . 9 ]

to the h h e far up clouds , w ic se med as if it

’ might contain the demon s castle . A h pproac ing , they found a pretty maiden w ashing some clothes which had spots of

h h to her r blood on t em . T ey said , Siste ,

wh h h ou Miss , y are you ere , and w at are y doing

Ah she h h ou , said , wit a deep sig , y

o h th e h must not c me ere . This is aunt o f h h h demons . T ey eat uman fles and they ” h ” will eat yours . Look t ere said she h pointing to a pile of w ite bones of men , “ h Y o women and c ildren , ou must g down ” the a mountain as quickly as you c me . Saya

’ h h e ing t is S burst into tears . _

But inste ad of being frightened or sor -s r owful the b r ave fellows nearly danced for

h h for the j oy . We ave come ere purp o se

’ of destroying th e demons by the mikado s ” Raik o atti n hi s h e orders , said , p g breast , w er 192 ESE F JAPAN AIRY WoaLs .

inside hi s dress in the damask bag was the

imperial ord er . At this the maiden dried her te ars and

’ smiled so sweetly that Raik o s heart was

h her touc ed by beauty . But h ow came you to live among these ” a R c nnibal demons , asked aiko . She blushed deeply as she replied s adly

A h th old lt ough ey eat men and women , they keep th e young maidens to wait o n

them .

’ R but It s a great pity said aiko , we shall no w avenge our fellow subjects of the h m mikado , as well as your s a e and cruel

if ou Sh treatment , y will ow us the way up

" the cliff to the den . They began to climb the hill but they had n ot gone far before they met a young

’ oni who was a cook in the great d oj i s k hu n itchen . He was carrying a ma limb

1 9 4 J N S I W APA E E FA RY ORLD .

Inside the cave wa s a banqueting hall

a h to on e h l rge enoug seat undred p ersons .

o wa s v h The flo r neatly co ered wit new , clean m of - - t o n h ats sea green rice s raw , whic

a h ar me r e stS t bles , silken cus ions , , drinking

h of m cups , bottles and many ot er articles co a f a o o ort lay b ut . The st ne walls were richly deco rated with curtains and hangings of fine silken st uffs .

At the e nd o f the o ball o n l ng , a raised

o ur e o e a dais , hero s presently bserv d , as

- curtain was lifted , the chief demon , Shi ten

t H e e o f a e h . d ji , ugust , y frig tful appearance was seated o n a heap o f lux urio u s cushion s

of e and e ff d made blu crimson crap , stu e

’ S on . with wan s down . He was leaning a

- . o wa s golden arm rest His b dy quite red , and he wa s ro und an d fat like a ba by grown

had l a out up . He very b ack h ir like a small

’ a nd on to o f ee w boy s , the p his head , just p p I N S I- N JI RA KO A D THE H TE DO . 1 9 5

h h ing thro ugh t e air were two very shor t horns . Around him were a score o f l ovely

— maidens the fairest of Kioto— ou whose f f m th beauti ul aces was sta ped e misery they dared n o t fully sh o w, yet could not entirely

o conceal . Al ng the wall other demons sat or l a h o y at full length , eac n e with hi s hand maid seated beside him to wait on him and

hi s pour out wine . All of them were of h h orrible aspect, whic only made the be a uty o f ns o the maide m re conspicuous . Seeing o ur heroes walk in the hall led by the cook , h o f e ac one the demons w a s as happy as a s hi s pider , when in lurking hole he feels the j erk on hi s web-thread that tells him a fly

. of t is caught All hem at once p o ured o ut a f h o f é w res saucer sak and drank it do n .

R hi s e aiko and men separat d , and began talking freely with the demons until the

one as e partitions at corner were slid id , and J A N E S E I W PA FA RY ORLD . a tro op o f lit tle d emo n s who were waiter

o f boys e ntered . They brought in a host

es f to a te dish , and the onis ell and . The noise o f their jaws s o u nd e d lik e the p o und ing o f a rice mill . Our heroe s were n e arly sickened at the

o f h repast , for it consisted chiefly human fles , while the wi ne -cu ps We re mad e o f empty m w hu an skulls . Ho ever , they laughed and

lk e f ta ed and excused th mselves rom eating, h saving the v had just lunc ed . As the demons drank more and more they

r e e h g ew liv ly , laughed till the cave c oed ,

o E t and sang upr ario us s o ngs . very ime

h r t o w h b e t ey g inned , hey sh ed t eir terri l t a nd e h f A o f usks , t et like angs . ll them had

o ho o f e o o . h rns , t ugh m st th se were very sh rt

e e m e The d ji b ca e specially hilarious , and dran k the health o f every on e o f hi s fo ur gu e s ts in a sk ull full o f wine To supply

1 9 8 J N S I W APA E E FA RY ORLD .

to hi s o gave a sip each of l rds saying , This

a is the best liquor I ever t sted , you must ” the of drink health our friends in it . N R ow aiko had bought , at the most skill

’ a o wer ful ful druggists in the capital , p sleep

o and ing p tion , mixed it with the wine ,

e e which made it taste v ry swe t . In a few minutes all the demons had dropp ed off

e e h o e e asl p , and t eir sn r s sound d like the

o f the ro lling thunder mountains .

Th e n R a iko ro se up and gave the signal

o h to to hi s c mr ades . W ispering the maidens

to o o leave the r m quietly , they drew their swords and with as lI ttle noise as possible

No cut the throats o f the demons . sou nd was heard but the gurgling of blood t hat d ran o u t in floods on the floor . The Oj i lying like a lion on his cushions was still

hi s sleeping , the snores issuing out of nose

The f like th und er from a cloud . our war I 1 9 9 RAI KO AND THE S E P TEN DOJ . riors a pproached him and like loyal vass als

e h i as they w re , t ey first turned the r faces

o towards Kioto , reverenced the mikad , and prayed fo r the blessing of the gods who made

R mea sur Japan . aiko then drew near , and

’ I ng the width o f the d oji s neck with hi s

be sword found that it would short . Sud

d en l . y , the blade lengthened of itself Then he h lifting his weapon , smote wit all his might a nd cut the neck clean through .

the In an instant , bloody head flew up in the air gnashing its teeth and rolling its h yellow eyes , w ile the horns sprouted out to h h a orrible lengt , the jaws opening and shutting like the edges of an earthquake h th fissure . It flew up and w irled round e

e h h h room sev n times . T en wit a rus it flew

’ R e he h h the w at aik s ad , and bit t roug stra hat t s h and into he iron helmet I n I d e . But t is

ff h h smoti on s final e ort ex austed its strengt , it

e th ceased and it f ll heavily to e floor . J N S I W 200 APA E E FA RY ORL D .

Anxiously the comrades helped their

n to h falle leader rise , and examined his ead .

he h u —n o t o n But was un rt , a scratch was

he d him . Then the roes congratulate each other and after despatching the smaller

h t o ut t demons , broug all the reasure and

e h h the divided it qually . T en t ey set castle

on the e o f the fire and buried bon s victims ,

setting up a stone to mark the spot . All the maidens and captives were assembled

t and h ogether , in great state and pomp t ey

to o r e returned Ki to . The virgins were

to h i stored t e r parents , and many a desolate h ome was made joyful , and many mourning

k off R h o garments ta en . aiko was nored by the mikado in being made a kuge (court

h of noble , ) and was appointed C ief the entire

o f garrison Kioto . Then all the people

a f r were gr teful o hi s valor .

2 2 0 JAPANESE FAI RY WORLD .

o n the e h h But the other hand sazay , t oug a

S w to lo moving creature , is apt be too proud o f his defence and trust too much to his fancied security .

One day a Tai (red fi sh) and a Herring

the h the e were looking at strong s ell of sazay ,

b the and ecoming quite envious , Tai said Wh a t a mighty strong castle you d o live

Sa z a é. h . n in , Mr y W en you o ce shut up you r shell n o one need even try to touch ”

ou . Y o u to y are be envied sir .

Th e e k the Sazay was tic led at flattery ,

to h but pretending be very humble , s ook his head and said

n It is very ki d in you , my lords , to say

so hu t h s. , but my little is not ing but a ell ; yet I must say that when I lock my door I

d o not feel any anxiety , and I really pity ” y o u poor fellows who have no shell at all . 203 THE SAZ AYE AND TH E TAI .

He had hardly got the last word o ut of

h w a s his grisly throat , when suddenly t ere a

S h th e great plas , and away darted tai and

o r herring , never resting their fins tails a

. f moment till safe out o danger .

The Sazaye drew in hi s flap in the t wink

o f a n e e a s ling y , and keeping as quiet possi

ble o h the , w ndered w at noise was . Was it

or or fish- w o n a stone , a net , a hook He

d e h h er d if the tai and erring were caug t . h ” h h he . Surely t ey must be , t oug t

’ However I m safe , thanks to my castle ” h he s ell , muttered . So drawing hi s trap tighter he took a long h h . e u h e nap W en woke p , quite refreshed ,

hi s a nd cautiously loosened trap peeped out . “ H ow a e k str ng every thing loo s , am I ” i ! he of fi sh dream ng said he as saw piles ,

a n clams , pr w s and lobsters lying on a board all around him . N S I W 204 JAPA E E FA RY ORLD .

U h ! ” l g , what is that c apping himself shut as a great black -n o sed and long-whisk him ered dog poked his muzzle near .

Poor shell-fi sh ! There he la y in a fi sh

’ o o f m nger s shop , with a slip paper marked “ h 1 -1 0 o f A ten cas , ( a cent , ) on his back .

’ few h ours later , purchased by a laborer s wife for hi s dinner he was stewing alo ng

’ with several o f his relative s in his ow n

The of wh he so juice . castle , ich was proud ,

- serving first as a dinner pot , then as a sau

h n cer , after w ich it was throw away in a heap and burned into lime .

2 J Ar ESE FAARY W 04 AR ORLD.

” ‘ h Ywh t is t ! n h U g . a hat clappi g imself

- - sti n t as a great black no s ed and long Whi sks

e o h s n him er d dog p ked i muzzle ear .

Poor shell-fish ! The re he la y in a fish

’ s sh h o f a ar k d monger op , wit a slip p per m e

‘ 1 -1 0 of a c on hi s . ( ent , ) back A

“ ’ wi th W a t his r elative s in hi s own

r ” e s h he was so itte s . ts : t ti s O f h ud j i , w ic pro ,

vi n r s as - o t h n sau ser g fi t a dinner p , t e as a

aft h h h w cer , er w ic it was t rown a ay in a

heap and burned into lime . TH E FI SH STA L L I N TOKI O .

206 JAP N SE FAI Y W R D A E R O L .

’ at hi s h d r seat meal time close to neig bor s oo .

E n u ating his boiled rice , and s ffi ng in the

d of the o ors broiled ells , as they were wafted

h e o hi s e h he in , enj yed with nos , w at would

not to t h pay for put in his mou h . In t is

he h way , as flattered himself, he saved muc

o e bo x m n y , and his strong grew daily h eavi e r .

b -b o n n Kichi ei , the eel roiler , findi g this

o ut h he h e , thoug t would c arg his stingy f e for the o . n ighbor smell his eels So , mak

o ut he to Ki sabur o ing his bill presented it , d b who s eeme to e much pleased . He called to his wife to bring hi s iron-bound money

w as E the b ox w . , hich done mptying out

h o f xéoécms s ining mass (oval gold pieces ,

h fiV e ic/z zl ézz and mi d” wort or six dollars) ,

e h a (square silver pi ces , wort a qu rter and a half dollar respectively) he ji ngled the coins

r h th e eel s at a great ate , and t en touching

206 JAEANESE FAIRY W R D O L .

’ s a t me a to hi s h d r eat l time close neig bor s oo .

E his o l snu i ating b i ed rice , and fli ng n the

r the e h odo s of broil d ells , as t ey were wafted

he h hi s e h he in , enjoyed wit nos , w at would not for to hi s mo nth I n h pay put in . t is

a s he t h he a h way , fla tered imself, s ved muc mo e v an d his bo x r l n . strong g ew dai y r hea t r .

K hih i the ee l-b e e n n h s m e , roil r . fi ding t i o ut th h he h e hi s n , oug t would c arg sti gy

i s h for the o f h . neig bor smell eels So , mak

o ut hi s l be Ki sabur o ing bi l presented it to , b who seemed to e much plea sed . He called to hi s wife to br i ng hi s iron -bound money h box w h was . E t e , hic done mptying out sh c f eade m s ining mass (oval gold piece ,

' h or si x ( letter zc/z zl éu a nd n i —éu wort five s) ,

ec h a a a ( square silver pi es , wort qu rter and half do llar respecti ve ly) he ji ngled the coins

t r r e and h n h n the eel a a g eat at , t e touc i g

MEL S S S L AND JINGLE . 20 7

’ ma h hi s lo w n s bill wit fan , bowed , and said with a smile

A h e h h ll rig t , n ig bor Kic ibei , we are square now . ” ! th e - n ot What cried eel frier , are you going to pay me

h h ou Y o u haV e W . y yes , I ave paid y

for th e o f charged me smell your ells , and I h a o u h the o f ave p id y wit sound my money . THE L AKE OF THE LU TE AND THE A E O A M TCHL SS M UNT IN .

ALL th e beautiful objec ts in “ ” of the land the holy gods , as

J h o u the apanese call t eir c ntry , none are more beautiful than

Fuji Mou ntain and Lake Biwa .

o f w The o n e is a great cone white sno , the h - other i s a sheet of eaven blue water , in shape like a lute with four strings .

Swe e ping from twenty square leagues o f

Space out o f the plain and rising twelve

i n F o r F Y thousand feet air , uji , usi ama,

o ut the casts its sunset shadow far on ocean , and from fourte en provinces gleams the

s a spl e ndor of its snowy crest . It sit like

2 1 0 J N S I W APA E E FA RY ORLD .

’ F u e - e - a ji s cind r b ds and lava blocks , I am

ma n o f O Wh h h h r mi y , w en quenc ing t ei

thirst with the melted snow -wate r o f Fuji

d o he k f o crater , t y cry out I am drin ing r m ” Lake Bi wa ! Why d o the children clap

’ i h h r o w o r w s the r ands , as t ey sail over Bi a

f o n to of F blue sur ace , and say I am p uji Yama ”

To these questio ns the Japan ese legend

gives answer .

h . a n d r th e W en Heaven ea w re first created , there was neither L a ke of Biwa nor Mo a n

f F Sur u a Omi h tain o uji . g and were bot

E for f plains . ven long a ter men inhabited Japan a nd the Mikados had ruled for c en tur i e s the re was neither e arth so nigh to h e aven nor water so close to the under world as the peaks o f Fuji and the bo ttom of w Me n ed: Bi a . drove the plow and plant I THE MATCHLESS MOUNTA N . 2 1 1

the rice over the very spot where crater and

o w d eepest depth n are .

’ But o ne night in the ancient times there

was a terrible earthquake . All th e world

h k th e l th e h s oo , clouds owered to eart , floods o f water poured from the sky , and a sound like the fighting of a myriad of dragons filled

th e wa s the air . In morning all serene and Th l . e h c a m . The sky was blue eart was ” as bright and all was as white -faced as when the sun goddess first came out from

her hiding in the cave .

The o f O a people mi woke , scarce expect

to h or h h 1 ing find either eart eaven , w en 0 ! they looked on what had yeste r day been

or h tilled land barren moor , and t ere was a

h o f ! great s eet blue . Was it sky Had a s heet of the blue field o f he aven fallen down Was i t the ocean ! They came f h n as . ear it , t ted it It was res and sweet J N S I W APA E E FA RY ORLD .

- as a fo untain rill . They looke d at it from

- e the hill tops , and , s eing its outline , called

o f th e fo - it the lake ur stringed lute .

O t of hers , proud their new possession , named

of O it the Lake mi .

o f the Sur u Greater still was the suprise ga.

lo . r o ut b people The sai s , far at sea , ru bed

their eye s and wo ndered at the st range

h o f r l s ape the towe ing white c oud . Was i t

the the o o f e Iwakura , eternal thr ne Heav n ,

come d o wn to rest o n earth out o f the many

piled white clo uds o f heaven ! S om e

thbught they had lo st their recko ning ; but

were assured when they reco gnized familiar

o t landmarks o n shore . Many a c t ager w o ke

hi s o up to find h use , which lay in a valley

b f now fa r u o n the e the day e ore , was p slop ,

with the distan t villages a nd the sea visible ;

far o h 0 3 while far , ab ve shone the snowy ead

n t n s wn i n sk a mou ai , who e cro lay the blue y

N I W 2 1 4 JAPA ESE FA RY ORLD .

u the bl e and purple in the distance , just like

’ a s the o f fuji flow er . Various meanings the e e n the nam wer , they sou ded all alike to

h a n ear . So , wit out y quarreling , all agreed to call it Fuji and each to cho ose hi s o wn h meaning . To t is day , though many a learned dispute and the scratching of the written character on the sa nd with walking

t o n h or s ick , or paper wit pencil , on the

of the h h e palm and wit for finger takes place , all pronounce the name alike as they rave o n e e o f F Y the b auti s uji ama .

So went fo rth into the co untries bounding

the four se a s the belief that there was a

o f white mountain perfect form in Japan , and that whoeve r ascended it would live long and even attain i mmo r taility and that so mewhere o n the mountain was hidd e n the

o f h i f elixir immortality , w ich any one drank

No w o ne he wo uld live fore ver . in of the 2 1 5 THE MATC HLESS MO U NTAIN . kingdoms of fa r -off China there lived a rich o ld w ho a o f king , had bundance treasures ,

d id n t h h h . o ealt , and many c ildren But he

h to di v h wis , and , ence , spent his davs in

d th e o f h stu ving lore and arts the alc emists , wh o belie ved they would finally attain to

o the the transmutation of lead int gold , find

e h hil o so universal solv nt of all t ings , the p

’ h o o f l all the p ers st ne , the elixir ife , and wondrous secrets which men in Europe long

e to afterward labor d discover .

’ Among the king s sages was one o ld man o f m o who had h ighty wisd m , eard of the

a a n d immortal mountain of J pan , , learning of u the manner of its appearance , concl ded that the Japan Archipelago contained the

Fortunate Isles and in it w a s the true elixir of l h . i s to th e i life He divu ged secret k ng , and ad vised hi m to make the journey to the

of the R Land ising Sun . 2 1 6 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

Overjoyed a t th e good news and the faith f e o f the uln ss his loyal sage , king loaded hi m with gifts and honors . He selected

five h undred o f the most beauteous youth s

an d o f hi s virgins kingdom , and , fitting out

a a to the o f a fleet , sailed w y Happy Isles

the h the East . Coasting along s ore until th ey recognized the glorious form of the

the mountain , they landed and began

! f r the o . A o ascent las p or king . The

ro ugh sea and severe storms h a d wo rn on his aged frame and the fatigues o f the ascent

so a ef the to were great, th t b ore reaching p

a the he f inted away , and before the head of procession had set fo ot on the crater edge h the monarc was dead . Sadly they gave

the e a h fo r e up s rc the lixir of life , and , de

a sc e nding the mount in , buried their master

P . in the rovince of Kii Then , in their ex

u be r a nc e h a n d o k of yout j y , thin ing little

E A ERFA OF YORO OR E TH W T LL , TH FO A N O F YO UNT I UTH .

O O A O h old NG , L NG G , w en the

est was stork young , there liv ed

an aged w o odcutter and his s o n

on the o f th e slopes , mountain

the of Tagi , in province Mino . They gain e d a frugal live lihood by cutting

o n - a n d brushwood the hill side , carrying it in bundles o n th e ir back to sell in the near

est m a rk et to wn fo r they were too poor to

' mo e hu s o wn an ox . With the n y t received the v h bought rice and radis es , their daily

O o r nly once twice a year , at New

’ ’ Y o n a o - ear s and the mik d s birth day , could 2 1 9 THE FO U NTAIN OF YOU TH . they afford to tr eat themselves to a mess of

- the old bean c urd or fresh fish . Yet man wa s o - a nd e w k very f nd of rice wine , ev ry ee bought a gourd full to keep his old blood warm .

’ As the years rolle d on the aged father s limbs became so stifl that he was unable any th hi to e . s so n longer climb mountains So ,

to now grown be a sturdy man , cut nearly double the quantity of wood and thus kept

' o ld the family larder full . The man was so proud of hi s son that he daily stood at sun set i n front of hi s rustic gate to welcome

A the old him back . nd to see daddy and the young stripling remove their he adk er

bo w h n o n chiefs , and wit ha ds knees in

o a h t p lite f s ion , bending heir backs and suck

h o ut of to h ing in t eir breath , respect eac

to on e other , and hear them inquiring after ’ h h another s ealt , showering mutual compli W 220 JAPANESE FAI RY ORLD .

me t the o n e n s all time , would have thought

h ad n o t n o h fo r e a they see each t er eight y rs ,

e instead of ight hours .

On e e wint r the snow fell long and thick , until a ll the ground in field and forest was f covered several eet o ver . The bamboo

h h w h o f h branc es bent wit their eig t w ite ,

u e the pine houghs broke nder th ir load , and even the stone id ols along the wayside were

. A a covered up t first , even with the h rdest

o r w k , the young woodcutter could scarcely get a nd sell wood to b uy enough food to

e e hu n keep them both aliv . He often w nt

e so f h gry hims lf, that his ather might ave

hi s warm wine . One day he went by another path up one

of the mountain dells with hi s rope basket

e t strapp d to his back , and the emp y gourd bottle at his belt . While gloomily grieving f over his hard luck , the aint odor of rice

e wine seemed born on the breeze .

222 P ES F I Y W LD JA AN E A R OR .

me Of th e - piety , the na year period was

e to Y o u h O A chang d or , (No ris ing ld ge) .

l To this day , many peop e young and Old go out to enjoy picnic parti e s at the foot of th e h h n o w ho waterfall ; w ic , wever , runs h t h h e onest wa er only , w ic makes the che ks red ; and n o t the wonderful wine that once

’ tipped the old daddy s nose with perpetual vermilion . T E EAR H U AKE Fl SH H T Q .

A A UK SHI , MUK SHI (as most

J e apan se stories begin) , long,

o h the l ng ago , w en gods came down from heaven to subdue the

h for the m ci vi l a eart ikados , and

h e r ize th e country , t er were a g eat many

d to h e a n . earthquakes , nothing stop t m The

’ a n d h world continually rocked , men s ouses f and lives were never sa e .

Now the two gods who were char ged with the work Of subduing the northeastern part

h a o of the world were Kas ima and K t ri .

o and Having done their w rk well , quieted

e e of - h all th enemi s the Sun goddess , t ey

f . l i t hi n o ac . came to the provi ce Kashima , 224 J N F I W APA ESE A RY ORL D.

k hi s the stic ing sword into earth , ran it

h to e S n throug the oth r ide , leavi g the hilt a bove the gro und . In the course of c entu ries t his mighty sword shrunk and turned to

th e Of stone , and the people gave it name s a me o f (The rock Kaname) .

No w e n ean s Kanam the rivet in a fan ,

ha h h t t olds all the sticks together , and t ey

° ‘ the e - k gave nam rivet roc , because it is th e e t o r ive t that binds the ar h t gether . N 0 o ne could ever lift this rock except Kashima

set th the mighty on e who first it in e earth . Y et even Kashima never raises it , except

th o f to stop an ear quake unusual violence .

h h the W en the eart quivers , it is because great earthquake -fish o r j i g/z z i z — u wo is rest

’ ’

s h zsé z zz e zz w le s o r angry . T is j o is a gre at

so methi n like creature g a catfish . It is about

h e e h seven undr d mil s long , and olds the A i world on its back . Its tail is at wo mor

2 26 F I Y W R D JAPANESE A R O L . and when necessary lift up the great rock o f Kaname an d hold him dow n with i ts

he weight . Then becomes perfectly quiet ,

nd t h ~ a the ear hquake ceases . Hence t e peo ple sing this earthquake verse : N o monster can move the Kanamerock

h e Though tug at it never so hard ,

For e the ov r it stands , resisting shock , ” The Ka shima Kami o n guard . Another verse they sing as follo ws The se ar e things

An earthqua ke brings

f l th n s fo r tell At nine o the bel ey sick es ,

A s e t five and even b token rain , At fo ur the sky is clea red thereby

At six and eight comes wind again . Y GOJI R T HE DRE AM STOR OF O.

NL Y a fe w years ago t here was a

F who gentleman in ukui , Japan ,

h ad a son h l ad o f l , , a brig t twe ve

who was very di lligen t at school and had made astonishing prog r ess in his studies . He was especially quick

n o f h a t learning Chi ese characters , whic e very Japa nese gentleman who wishes to be p alled educated mu st kno w at least two

. Fo r u h the h a thousand , altho g C inese nd

J r difl er e nt e apanese are two ve y languag s ,

et the e e C or ean s a n d C y Japan s , hinese use the e h u E sam letters to write wit , j st as ng

i i h a F c h a nd a g , Germ ns , ren Spani rds all

o ne th e a a e e mploy and s me alph b t . ) CW . Al N8 I W JAPANESE FA RY ORLD .

’ Now GOj I r o s father had promised him that wh en he read thro ugh five vo lumes o f

th e o r A o f Nihongi , ncient History Japan ,

he would give him for a present a book o f

wonderful Chinese stories . Goj i r o per

e hi s form d his task , and his father kept

O o n e f promise . ne day his r turn rom a

o u to K o e t j rney i to , he pr sen ed his son with

t o u n - o six een v l mes , all eatly silk b und , well

t e - a n d illus rat d with wood cuts , printed

on e clearly thin , silky mulberry pap r , from

r the best wooden blo cks . It will be r eme m

bered that s e veral volume s o f Japanese li t e

er a tur e e bu t o ne r s ar e mak of ou , as they

r ne r o much lighte and thin than urs . Goji r o wa s so delighted with the wonder ~ ful of er oe s o s stories and warri rs , traveler

o s e f and sail rs , that he almo t felt hims l in

far n t . he China He read i to the night , with l amp inside o f his In us qui to curtain ; an d

2 80 F I R W JAPANESE A Y ORLD .

fish o f to , by way encouragement and keep

th e bird from the bad habit ‘ Of eati ng the d live fish whole . This the ravenous bir

m to d o h h would so etimes try , even t oug the ring was put around hi s neck fo r the ex press purpose of preventing him from gulp

i n h g down a w ole fi sh at once . m w It was springti e , and the buds ere just bursting into flower The river was

l o f fi sh of to ful , especially carp , ascending

the r o r the g eat rapids cascades . Here cur

n r a n of t re t at a prodigious rate swif ness , and the waters rippled and boiled and roared

h h o Y to , wit frig tful n ise . et, strange say

many of the fish w e re swimming up the

e o stream as if their lives dep nded n it .

T hey leaped and fl o un d e r ed about ; but e very o ne see med to be tossed back a nd left

e h e the h h x aust d in river , w ere t ey panted

and gasped fo r br eath in the eddies at the I 281 THE DREAM STORY OF GOJ RO.

so the side . Some were bruised against

h few h rocks t at , after a spasms , t ey floated

f o n the white and sti f, belly up , water , dead ,

th a and were swept down e stre m . Still the

S a hoal le ped and strained every fin , until their scales flashed i n the sun like a host of

Go i r o armored warriors in battle . j , enjoy i ing it as if it were a real conflict of wave

hi s h h h . and fishes , clapped ands wit delig t

h Go i r o i o f T en j nquired , by means writ

of h - a ing , an old w ite bearded s ge standing by and looking o n What is the name of this p art of the river !

We call it Lung Men said the sage .

Will y o u please write th e characters for

GO I r o hi s - it , said j , producing ink case and

h - h of . brus pen , wit a roll soft mulberry paper

The sage w rote the two C hinese charac ” n The th e ters , meani g Gate of Dragons , “ ” o r Dragons Gate , and turned away to W 23 2 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD . watch a car p that s e emed almost up into

e smooth wat r . “ O o i r ! G o to . h I see , said j himself

’ o R That s pron unced iu Mon in Japanese .

’ o n h I ll go further and see . T ere must be ” fi sh - l some meaning in this c imbing . He

a few the went forward rods , to where w f banks trended up ard into high blu fs ,

o the to crowned by t wering firs , through p branches of which fl eecy white clouds S S did sailed lowly along , O near the sky the

- th e tree tops seem . Down under cliffs the

f h o a river ran per ectly smoot , alm st like

o o ut to e mirr r , and broadened the Opposit S F . he hore ar back , along the current , Sh could still see the rapids elving down . It was crowded at th e botto m with leaping

o ut fish , whose numbers gradually thinned

h n toward the center ; w ile ear the top , close to e o f fish the edg level water , one solitary ,

234 E W JAPANES FAIRY ORLD .

of h h I r O flash w ite scales was all t at GOj saw .

h he k T en awo e .

H o w h strange t at a poor little carp , a

n fish h the commo t at lives in river , should

h u become a great w ite dragon , and soar p

the to h h Go i r o into sky , live t ere , t ought j ,

he hi s h hi s the next day , as told mot er of dream .

Y Sh e h fo r es , said ; and w at a lesson

h w the o u . o y See carp persevered , leaping o f ver all di ficulties . never giving up till it

son became a dragon . I hope my will

a ll a to h mount over obst cles , and rise onor ” and to high office under the government . ” Oh ! Oh ! no I r w I see l said GOj o . That is what my teacher me ans when he says the h “ ’ students in Tokio ave a saying , I m a

fish to day , but I hope to be a dragon to

h h o exami n morrow , w en t ey g to attend

’ ation ; and that s what Papa meant when

23 4 E E F W JAPAN S AIRY ORLD .

sh Of h c was h sa fla w ite s ales all t at GOj e w .

he he k T n awo e .

H ow s ha trange t t a poor little carp , a

fis h h th h common t at lives in e river , s ould

e a h a b come great w ite dragon , and so r up

n o the to e he h h Go i r o i t sky , liv t re , t oug t j ,

the a s he h is oth i s next day , told m er of h

Y es a d she h for , s i ; and w at a lesson

o u See ho w the l y . carp persevered , eaping

o e r l f v al di ficulties . never giving up till it

a l became a dr gon . I hope my son wil

m a ll s s to h r ount over ob tacle , and rise ono ” and to high Office und er the government .

Oh ! Oh ! ne w s e O i r h I e said G j O. T at

is what. my teach e r means when h e says the

“ ’ i o ha a students in Tok ve saying, I m a

fish o be to to day , but I h pe to a dragon

h n the o examin morrow , w e y g to attend

’ ation ; an d that s what Papa meant when

2 THE DREAM STORY OF GOJI RO . 35

’ h h son has he said T at fis s , Kofuku , h h become a w ite dragon , w ile I am yet only ” a carp .

th h of the h h SO on e t ird day t ird mont ,

the F o f F Go ir o h th e at east lags , j oisted

’ fi h of e noéor z . s It was a great , made pap r , fifteen feet long and hollow like a bag It h was yellow , wit black scales and streaks of

and a nd h h two gold , red gills mout , in whic f h strong strings were astened . It was oisted up by a rope to th e top of a high bamboo

on th e the h h the pole roof of ouse . T ere h breeze caug t it, swelled it out round and

The the full Of air . wind made fins work ,

and the and the h tail flap . ead tug, until it looked just like a carp trying\ to swim the rapids of the Yello w Riven — the symbol of

ambition and perseverance . THE PROCE SSION OF LORD LONG

LEGS .

OV E L Y AND BRIGHT in the

h o f at th e of mont May , time rice

the o n h planting , was day w ich

the m o o - dai i , Lord L ng legs , was

hi s h informed by c amberlain ,

’ H O -h o h on the hi s p p , t at morrow lordship s retinue would be in readiness to accompany th eir w c r shipful Lord Long - legs on his

h -l wa s journey . T is Lord Long egs a daimio who ruled over four acres of rice -field in E chizen , whose revenue was ten thousand

i - a k r ce st l s . His retainers , who were all h grasshoppers , numbered over six t ousand ,

W e o of hil his court consisted nly nobles ,

A N E J PA ES FAIRY WORLD; k - h h he ept spinning w eels in t eir heads . T y h ad h o f mu leaves an d a fas ion eating lberry ,

h h r a c anging t em into fine th e ds , called silk .

T the -5 he wasps made paper , and bees dis

e hOn e h w as h till d y . T ere anot er insect

h h h wa x on the w ic spread w ite trees . These were all r etainer s or fr iendly V essals o f Lord

- Long legs .

’ ’ N ow it Was Lord L onga legs d uty once a ye ar to go up to Yedo to pay hi s respects to the great Tycoon and to spend several week s l in th e Eastern metropolis . I shal n ot take the time nor tax the patience of my readers i n telling ab o ut all the hustle and prepa ra-s tion that went on in the yashiki (mansion)

- a o f Lord L o ng l egs for a. whole week previ

f e s o h s o us to starting. Su fic it to ay th at cl t e

h r h on were was ed and sta c ed , and dried a

h m h s board , to keep t em fro s rinking ; trunk a nd baskets were packe d ; banners a nd - R L ORD L ONE LEGS P OCESSION. umbrellas were put in order ; the lacquer on the b r ass ornaments Shields and sword s an d spears were all polished ; an d every li t h tle item Wa s perso . ally examined by t e

’ ‘ h r d aimio s chief inspector . T is functiona y

Wa s blac k a an d - h - who a w ite legged mosquito , , o n hi s o account Of long nose , could pry int a thing further and see it easier than a ny

’ o h of hi s ffi e an -4 t er lordship s o c rs ; and , if y

w he m e thing ent wrong , could ake more nois

h on e A the m a over it t an any else . s for tai n er s to th e and , down very last lackey

h one to h n the h r coolie , eac tried outs i e ot e i n cleanliness and spruce dress.

The Bumble-bee brushed Off the pollen

hi an d the h m l - from s legs ; u b er Honey bee ,

after allowing hi s children to suck hi s

a to e t the h to h p ws , g oney sticking t em ,

spruced up an d listened attentively to the

o to him tr ai n a lead er Si r rders read by the , 2 SE 40 JAPANE FAIRY Wo RL D.

Locust who p rided himself on being seven‘

e o ld o n all te n years , and looked the others

'

H e f o -s as children . read r m a piece o f wasp nes t paper No leaving the line to suck ” c halti n ‘ tim T s e . he flowers , ex ept at g Blue tailed Fly washed his hands and face over

The ‘ and over again . lady bugs wept many

o tears , because they c uld not go with the comp my ; the crickets chirped rather

o e e gl omily , becaus non with short limbs

could go o n the journey ; While D a ddy L o ng-l e gs almost turned a somersault forj oy when told he might carry a bundle in the

A b r o ces train . ll ei ng in readiness , the p

’ sion was to start at six O clock in the morna

i n t u o g. The exac min te was to be ann unced

- of F by the time keeper the mansion , lea

the san , whose house was on back of Neko ,

’ who the a great black cat , lived in porter s

of S . F an lodge the castle , near by lea was

2 42 W R D JAPANESE FAIRY O L .

of to o - an ant next kin Lord L ng legs , being

’ o n hi s h mot er s side .

The proce s sio n was cl o sed by Six Old

d er two two da dies (spid s) , marching by ,

' ’ who e t e r o h avi n w re a lit l stupid and g ggy, g

o e s t had a late supper , and a j lly f a t the nigh

- h r . before . W en the g eat gate slammed shut o n e o f them caught the end o f his foot in i t

tor the r of the and was lamed est journey .

o ld - This Daddy Long legs , hobbling along ,

’ w e o n was th e ith a bundl his back , only

h the o ma e funny t ing in processi n , and d

h b d e muc talk among ystan rs on the road .

h s o the h T i is the rder and way t ey looked .

F t h we nto ut fa r ' h l: irs t ere , a ead , a plump , tal

a r t ba n of Mantis , with g ea long to grass ,

t ‘ a nd fr o i m f m h h he u . o h w ic sw ng before , ro

’ f e a -m o right to le t , (lik drum aj r) , crying out : d o wn o n y o ur kn ee s 5 ” u ! a all the Ge t do wn with yo Where t ants , ’ - L ORD LONG LEGS PROCESSI ON . 243 b h ugs and lizards at once bent t eir forelegs , and h the toads , w ich were already squatting , h bobbed their n os es in t e dust . Even the mud -turtles poked their heads o ut o f the

h o n water to see w at was going . A11 the

Worms and grubs who lived up in trees or t l had to to the a l bushes come down ground . It was forbidden to any insect to remain on a h h o f s he h ig stalk gras , lest mig t look

e d own on His Highn ss . Eve n th e Inc h

Worm had to wind himself up a n d stop m hi s e the l easuring l ngth , while ine was

A I n o r passing. nd case of grubs moths in the o r o too to nest coc on , young crawl out , the law c ompelled their p arents to cover them over with a leaf. It would be an i n s to - to ult Lord Long legs look down on him .

N f t w o - h ext ollowed lantern bearers , olding

- for e g low worms lanterns in th ir forepaws .

T e s r e r e c s of e h e we w app d in a es made leav s , 244 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

h h o ff whic t ey took at night . Behind were six

fi r e -fli e s -a , well supplied with self cting lamps ,

which they kept hidd en somewhere under !

h e t eir wings . Next march d tour abreast

ba the nd Of little weevils , carrying the um

~ brellas o f state . which were mor ni n g glo r i e s

- e h . t some Op n , some s ut Behind hem

o h e e strutted f ur green grass opp rs , who wer

- e l o spear bear rs , carrying pink b ssoms . Just

l two before the pa anquin were tall dandies , high lords themselves and o f gigantic stat ure

e who h bo and imposing belli s , , wit arms akim

f far f and eelers up in the air , bore alo t high over all the insignia o f their Lord Long

A e fe o w s e o legs . ll thes ll s trutt d al ng on

h h s stifl t eir hind legs , t eir back as as a hemp

to the a nd stalk their noses pointing stars ,

k s i n their legs strid ing li e stilt . The priest

o b a who a his r es , praying beetle , was ch p

e o n o . lain , walk d s lemnly

246 J W APANESE FAIRY ORLD .

Yes ; and just behold that handy -legged

I o hopper , will you c uld walk better than ” d that my self, sai the other .

’ h o - t S said the m le cricke . h comes t e palanquin .

Everybody n o w cast a squint up unde r

b the their eye rows , and watched palanquin

of - go by . It was made delicately woven

e s w h h strip d gras , bound it bamboo t reads , l and h w u Of acquered , finis ed ith c rtains

Of -fl h gauze , made dragon y wings , t rough

h h - w ic Lord Long legs could peep . It was borne o n the Shoulders of fo ur stalwart hop

who - s pers , , carrying rest poles of gras ,

u l w a nd tr dged a ong , with much s eat fuss

w h o c and iping of t eir foreheads , stopping c a si na l h o l y to change shoulders . At t eir

S bo d v- r ide walked a gua d of eight hoppers ,

h - of armed wit pistils , and having side arms

- e e h swo rd grass . Th y w re also provided wit - 24 7 LORD LONG LEGS PROCESSION .

- h o f . O poison s oots , in case trouble ther

a bearers followed , keeping step and c rrying the of cr santhemum regalia , consisting y l h l sta ks and blossoms . T en fol owed , in d of a who ouble rank , a long string w sps , w h ere for s ow and nothing more . Between

h d ed an d t em , inside , carefully saddle , bridl ,

f u a h -fl in ull ho sing s , was orse y , led by a

to the snail , keep restive animal from going a t too a a r pid pace .

h -h l T ree big, gawky helmet eaded beet es

-S h next followed , bearing rice prouts , wit

h o f full eads rice .

” Oh o h ! look there ! cried a little grub at of the f ‘ the the side road . See little

’ ” grasshopper riding on hi s father s back ! ” h Hai , said Mot er Butterfly , putting one

’ on her for of paw baby s neck , fear being a for a i rrested m king a no se . W 24 8 JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

’ The o f wa s . It so little hopper , tired

’ w o n long alking , had climbed his father s

for o n back a ride , holding by the feelers and seeing everything .

’ F the the r o ce ssi o n inally , toward end of p ,

’ o f o h was a great crowd c mmon oppers ,

o f the beetles , and bugs all sorts , carrying

to Y the presents be given in edo , and

f fo r of clothing , ood and utensils the use

Lord Long-legs on the journey ; for the

hotels were so m e times very poor on the

Tok aid o h the hig road , and daimio liked

hi s comforts . Besides , it was necessary for Lord Long-legs to travel with pro per dig

n it s y , as became a daimio . His messenger always went before and engaged lodging

e a nd s plac s , as the fleas , spiders mosquitoe

f who rom other localities , traveled up and

o w h occu d n the great igh road , sometimes

pied the places first . The procession wound

KI Y OH I ME OR E PO ER OF , TH W

LOVE .

H IET AND SHADY was the Spot

in the midst of one of the love liest valley landscapes in the

the o f the empire , near banks

h the - Hidaka river , w ere stood tea house kept by o n e Kojima . It was surrounded on all sides by glorious mountains , ever robed h - h h wit deep forests , silver t readed wit

h - to h h the of flas ing water falls , w ic lovers

a a nd h h n ture paid many a visit , in w ic poets were inspired to write stanzas in praise of the white foam and the twinkling

th e n l streamlets . Here bo zes oved to muse and meditate , and anon merry picnic par 2 THE POWER OF LOVE . 51

h n ties spread their mats , looped t eir ca vas

and f o utof o f screens , easted nests lacquered

the sake boxes , drinking amber from cups

e nor - h no larg r thicker than an egg s ell , while the So und Of guitar a nd drum kept time to dance and song .

The garden of the tea-house was as lovely

’ a piece of art as the fl o r i st s cunning could

h wh o produc e . T ose emerged from the deep woods of the lofty hill called the

’ the -hOu se Dragon s Claw , could see in tea garden a living copy Of the landsc ape before

h e them . T er were mimic mountains , (ten

h h h a feet ig ) , and miniature ills veined by h h tiny , pat wit dwarfed pine groves , and

a atch of for tiny bamboo clumps , and p grass

th e meadow , and a valley just like great

of the gully mountains , only a thousand

. SO times smaller , and but twenty feet long

perfect was the imitation that even the 252 W JAPANESE FAIRY ORLD .

-field s each no miniature irrigated rice , larger h - f l than a c ecker board , were in u l s prout .

To make this littl e gem of nature in art

h e o n e complete , t ere f ll from over a rock at

fa two end a lovely little water ll feet high ,

h h f the w ic a ter an angry splash over stones ,

o n rolled over an absurdly small beech , all

- t white sanded and pebbled , hreading its s of ilver way beyond , until lost in fringes

o n e lilies and aquatic plants . In broad Space

a l l imitating a l ke , was a otus pond , ined

h h h the of fi sh wit iris , in w ic fins gold d h an silver carp flas ed in the sunbeams . Here and there th e nose Of a tortoise pr o tr ud ed h on old , w ile a rugged rock sat an grandfather surveying the scene with one or two of hi s grand -children asleep on hi s Shell h l and sunning t emse ves .

The the -h e l fame of tea ouse , its xcel ent

Of fare , and special delicacy its moun tain

254 JA N E F I PA ES A RY WORLD.

the spouts , was belfry , which stood on a

s f tone plat orm . Under its r oof hung th e

m e e h h h assive bronze b ll ten f et ig , w ich , when str uck with a s uspended log like a

- r th e trip hammer , boomed solemnly Ove Valley and floo ded three leagues Of space

with the melody which died away as s weet-i l f r y as an infant alling in slumbe . This mighty hell was six inches thick and weighed several tons . In descr ibing the tea-house acr oss the r the o f iver , story its sweetest charm , and o f its gar den the fairest flower must not be

’ l the Was f . t e t untold Kiyo , host s daugh er , a e l m h f lov y aiden Of but eig teen , as grace ul as the bamboo reed swaying in the breeze

’ o f . a s a s a moonlit summer s eve , and pretty

f - the bloss o ms o the cherry tr ee . Far and

W o th e a o f the ide fl ated f me Kiyo , like

Of o f k h n fragrance the white lilies Ibu i , w e L E TEE POWER or OV . 255 the wind s weeping do wn the mountain h - to the eights , comes perfume laden traveler .

he h As S busied erself about the garden , or as her white socks slipped over the mat l r o f r f aid floor , she was the pictu e g ace itsel .

h W h o wn h s he When at twilig t , it her ands , lighted the gay lanterns that hung in festoon s along the eaves Of the tea -house above the

h h her veranda , her brig t eyes sparkling , red petticoats half visible through her semi ;

a o transparent cr pe r be , she made many a

’ “ young man s heart glow with a strange n ew

bur n h Of feeling , or wit pangs jealous y . Among the priests that often passed by

—Aho u se o n h the tea t eir way to the monastery ,

Were some who were young a nd hand some

It was the r ule of the mon a stery th at n o n e

‘ Of the bonzes should drink saké (win e) eat

fi s h o r the - or meat , even stop at tea houses t o talk with women . But o ne young bonz e 2 6 JAP NE SE F IRY W R D 5 A A O L .

named Lift-the -Ke ttl e (after a passage in the Sanscrit classics) had rigidly kept the

F h ad e r ules . ish nev r passed his mouth ;

an d a s for é he n o t sak , did know even its

e and taste . He was v ry studious diligent . Every day he learned ten n e w Chinese

ha d e char acters . He alr ady rea d several o f th e e h ad e sacr d sutras , mad a good begin

k e e o f e ning in Sans rit , kn w the nam ev ry idol in the temple o f the images in

i r Sh Kioto , had tw c e visited the sac ed rine

had r o f the Capital , and uttered the praye ” “ “ ho é to Namu mio ren g kio , ( Glory be

th e sacred lotus o f the la w counting it on

h . hi s rosary , five undred thousand times

Fo r sanctity and learning he had no peer

._ h o among the yo ung u c op ytes of t e b nzerie .

A f - e O las for Li t the K ttle ne day , after returning from a visit to a famou s

the E he shrine in Kuanto , ( astern Japan) , as

2 58 J I W APANESE FA RY ORLD .

n e l So passed several mo ths , when sudd n y

r the a change come ove young bonze . His

' conscience began to trouble hi m for break~

hi s the ing vows . In terrible conflict be

and the o f tween principle passion , soul the priest was tossed to and fr o like the fe ath

‘ - of a e ered seed ball shuttl cock .

the s o a nd But conscience was tr nger ,

wo n .

He resolved to dro wn his love and break

h To i t o ff hi s connection wit the girl . do

l b a nd a sudden y , would ring grief to her scandal both on her family and the monas ~ ter d o l y . He must it gradua ly to succeed

a ll at .

Ah ! how quickly does the sensitive lo ve -f plant know the finger -tip touch of cooling passion ' How quickly falls the silver

e fir s t br e ath column in th crystal tube , at the

’ o f the heart s chill even though the word s! THE POWER OF LOVE . 259 on the lip are warm ! Kiyohimé marked th ’ e ebbing tide of her lover s regard , and then a terrible resolve o f evil took posses

o h of h er . F o h sion soul r m t at time f rt , she ceased to be a pure and innocent and gentle

h h i n virgin . T oug still maiden form and

she fo x to h guise , was at heart a , and as er n ature sh e might as well have worn the bushy tail of th e sly deceiver . She resolved

e to h er , h er win over lov r by importunities ,

h to hi m a nd , s failing in t is destroy by orcery ,

’ One night s he sat up until two o clock in the morning , and then , arrayed only in a

h ou t to e w ite robe , she went a s cluded part o f the mountain where in a lonely shri ne s tood a hideous scowling image of Pudo who holds the sword o f vengeance and sits h c lothed in fire . T ere she called upon the

’ go d to change her lover s he art or else d e i stroy h m. 26 I W D 0 JAPANESE FA RY ORL .

her h h s Thence , with ead s aking , and eye glittering with anger like the orbs of a

she h h serpent , astened to the s rine of Kam

h the - pira , w ose servants are long nosed

wh o the sprites , have power of magic and of teaching sorcery . Standing in front of the portal she saw it hung with votive tab

of h h s lets , locks air , teet , various token

and of vows , pledges marks of sacrifice ,

of the od had h which the devotees g ung up .

h the h she for T ere , in cold nig t air asked

of h she h the power sorcery , t at mig t be able at will to transform herself into the terrible

. a _the a - h e 7 , wful dragon serpent w ose engin

to h coils are able crack bones , crus rocks ,

o r an d h h ar e melt iron root up trees , w ic

o to a o long en ugh wind round m untain .

It w o uld be too long to tell how this once

n ow n pure and happy maiden , tur ed to an avenging d emon went o u t nightly on the

262 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD .

’ h maiden s eyes , and now terribly frig tened , hid himself under the great temple bell .

F h h Ki o hi mé the a u ort wit y , seeing wf l

had of moment come , pronounced the spell incantation taught her by the mountain

— T . spirit , and raised her shaped wand In

her f a moment air head and lovely face ,

h e o ut di s a body , limbs and feet lengt en d , p

ea r ed or - p , became demon like , and a fire

h - h e darting , issing tongued serpent , wit yes like moons trailed over the ground towards the e e th e t mpl , swam river , and scenting o ut the the e the track of fugitive , ntered

the belfry , cracking supporting columns mad e of whole tree -trunks into a mass of

h le. th e e to the h h ruins , w i b ll fell eart wit th e cowering victim inside .

Th e n b e gan the winding of th e terrible

o o th e Wi th h er c ils r und and round metal , as

o f o he r h she wand s rcery in ands , mounted

262 JAPANESE FAIRY WORLD .

’ e e no w l h e maiden s y s , and terrib y frig ten d , t hid hims elf under he great temple bell .

F h h Ki ohime e the u ort wit y , se ing awf l

h ad m the of moment co e , pronounced spell incantation taught her by the mountain — h i i i her T an . sp r t , and ra sed s aped w d In

m h a a nd e l a oment her fair e d lov y face ,

od li xrubs and fe t h e o ut di sa b y , e lengt en d , p

ea r ed or e e - i and fir e p ; b came d mon l ke , a d a t h s - W1th e r ing, i sing tongued serpent , yes like m oons trailed over the ground towards the e the t mple , swam river , and scenting o ut the a the the tr ck of fugitive , entered

“ a the s m belfry , cr cking upporting colu ns mad e o f whole tree -trunks into a mass o f ” h . the e l e l to the h th ruins , w ile b l f l eart wi the c owering victim inside .

The n be gan the Winding o f the ter ri ble

s o n o n the as w h her coil r u d and r u d metal , it wan d of sorcery in her hands; she mounted

263 THE POWER OF LOVE .

l n l h the be l . The glisteni g sca es , ard as

o o ff the u i n ir n , struck sp arks as press re h h h creased . Tig ter and tig ter t ey were

w th e h o f the dra n , till eat friction consumed th e timbers an d made the metal glow h ot like fire .

V the or of ain was prayer of priest , spell

as the o n e h rosary, b zes pit ously besoug t

o H o t grea t Buddha to d e stroy th e dem n .

a nd h t th e the ter ot er grew mass , until po nd e rous metal melted down into a hissing pool Of scintillating molten bronze ; a nd h h soon , man wit in and serpent wit out , tim ber and tiles and ropes were nought but a

h of h h few andfuls w ite as es . THE FIS H ERMAN AND THE MOON

MAI DE NP

EARLY and lustrous white like a

the -off cloud in far blue sky ,

seemed the floating figure of the

- sh e to moon maiden , as flew

h he on e the eart . S was of fifteen glistening virgins that wait attendent upon

r h amber s i n the moon in h e c the sky . Look

her h h h ing down from hig ome to the eart , she became enraptured with the glorious

’ o f Sur u a s h scenery g ocean s ore , and longed

a f the for a bath in the blue w ters o sea . So this fairy maid sped to the earth one

h the ha h e morning early , w en moon ving s on through the night was about to retire for

266 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R . n owned everywhere under the whole beav

th e h th e ens , but especially in land w ich d ’ h mika o s reign blesses wit peace .

F o f h the m ull appiness , fairy aiden played

f her the sweet music rom flute , until air was

l of to on fu l it , and it sounded the dweller earth like th e sweet falling of rain drops on h h t e thirsty ground . Her body s ed sweet

h the fragrance t rough air , and flowers fell

her o sh e e h h from r bes as pass d . T oug none sa w f o her orm , all w ndered . Arriving over a charming spot on the sea

sh e to the shore , descended strand , and

f She stood at the foot o a pine tree . laid

a her music l instrument on a rock near by ,

’ and taking ofl h er wings and feathered suit h hung them carefully on the pine tree boug . Then she strolled o ff along the shore to dip h her s ining feet in the curling waves .

P she h icking up some shells , wondered wit - 2 THE MOON MAIDEN . 67 i n e o h n oc nt j y at the rich tints , whic seemed more beautiful than any color in the m o on

h o ne h world Wit , a large smoot scallop ,

she was particularly please d ; for inside on e

w an d o n valve was a yello disc , its mate

was a white one .

h e the H o w s e . strange , said H re is h h the . sun , and t ere is moon I shall call t is

’ ’ ° the Ts zréz - fiz -éa z sun and moon and

sh e put them in h er girdle .

It chanced that near the edge of th e pine

not h l fi sh grove , far away , t ere dwe t a lone

who the erman , , coming down to shore ,

caught a whiff o f sweet perfume such as h ad

h hi s tr never before delig ted nos ils . What

7 Th e h n could it be spring zep yrs , blowi g

th e h the from west , seemed laden wit sweet

odor .

hi m to Curiosity prompted seek the c ause .

th e k He walked toward pine tree , and loo 268 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

h of the u ing up , caug t sight feathery s it of h . O ! hi s wings how eyes sparkled . He

a for o the d nced j y , and taking down robe

hi s h l carried it to neig bors . A l were de

h one old he lig ted , and man said that t fairy h must erself be near by . He advised th e man to he he seek until found r . So with feathered robe in hand the fish er

out the man went again to strand , and took

had his place near th e pine tree . He not

a lovel h waited long before y being , wit rose

h of a tinted w ite skin and perfect form , p pear ed . P t h lease good sir , give me back my eat ” she i n ered robe , said , a sad voice of liquid

h h she e h sweetness , t oug seem d greatly frig t ened . .

“ ' No a , I must keep it as sacred treasure , h a relic from a eavenly visitor , and dedicate it in th e shrine yonder as a memorial of an

’ ” the h angel s visit said fis erman .

2 70 J P E F Y WO RLD A AN SE AIR .

w ! Y e l ebbs and flo s at will may move al , bu t I r o f am prisone here , devoid motion ‘ O h i h , good sir ave p ty and give me back ” o - my wings , cried the m on maiden , pressing h h f her ands toget er in grie .

’ The fi sher s heart wa s touched by the pathos of her voice and the glittering o f her tears .

’ ’ I ll gi ve back your winged-robe if you ll

a d a e f r he dance n m k music o me said . O d h , yes , goo sir , I will dance and make

h s music , but first let me put on my feat er robe fo r without it I have no power of mo i tion . “ Oh the a , yes said suspicious mort l , If I give you back your wings you ’ ll fly straight to heaven .

What ! can you not believe th e word of

i h d o ! a heavenly being , w t out ubting Trust

’ me in go od faith and you ll lose nothing . ' - THE MooN MAIDEN . 271

Then with shamed face the fisherman ha nded to the moon -maiden her feathered r h h she to obe , w ic donned and began dance .

She poured ou t such sweet strains from her upright flut e that with eye and ear full of

h a h rapture , the fis erm n imagined imself in

e e sh e a h aven . Th n sang sweet song in which she described the delights of life in the moon and the pleasure of celestial resi dence . Th e fisherman was so o verjoyed that he

to her longed detain the fairy , He begged to h him o n a h dwell wit e rt , but in vain .

A he he sa w her A . h s looked , rising fres

the of the sea breeze , rippling face , now

‘ the sprang up , and wafted pearly maiden over the pine -clad hills and past Fuji moun

A th e tain . ll time sweet music rained

h the th e h t rough air until , as fis erman

- stra ined hi s eyes toward th e fresh fallen J FA Y W R D APANESE IR O L .

’ F i he n o di Sa snow on uj s crest , could longer ti ngui sh the moon -maiden from the fl eecy

s h the h cloud t at filled t in air . Pondering long upon the marvelous apa

ar iti o n the h r to the p , fis erman esolved mark

Wh the i s to h spot ere fa ry first de cended eart .

So h e prevailed upon the simple vi lli ager s to build a railing of ston e around the n ow

sacred pine .

Da ily they garlanded the old trunk with fes ‘ — toons o f tasseled and twisted rice straw .

a h the of Long fter , w en by storms centuries

the old pine , in spite of bandages and

h of h the crutc es , and tired wrestling wit

an old man to n o blast, fell down like , rise

a a the a more , gr teful posterity cleared sp ce

th e h of w h h and built s rine Mi o , w ic still dots with its sacred enclosure the strand of

S a ruga on which the fairy danced .

2 74 N Y WORLD JAPA ESE FAIR .

the of Si l s land in west, full gold , lver , jewe , silks and precious stones . The heavenly messenger to ld her if she would invade this

t and i coun ry she would succeed , all its spo l

u h e fo r h e f and wo ld be rs , rsel Japan .

o e the C nquer Cor a said radiant being , as she floated away on a purple cloud

In the morning t he empress told her h us-a

n h er him ba d of dream , and advised to Set

o h out t invade the ric land . But he paid

h er h sh e i n o . n attention of W en insisted ,

her he h h order to satisfy , climbed up a ig

u the mo ntain , and looking far away towards

no h h setting sun , saw land t it er , not even h h . SO v e mountain peaks , belie ing t at t er wa s n o country in t hat direction he descend

to out th e ed , and angrily refused set on h expedition . S ortly after . in a battle with th e rebels the mika d o was shot dead with an arrow . THE TI DE JEWELS . 2 75

The generals and captains of th e host then declared their loyalty to the empress

a as the . She n ow sole ruler of Jap n , hav

i n the to g power , resolved carry out her

of e darling plan invading Cor a . Sh e in

’ vok ed l the éa mz h a l or gods toget er , from

he t mountains , rivers and plains to get their h d h . A er a vice and elp ll came at call . The kami of th e mountains ga ve her tim ber and

iron for h er ships ; th e k ami o f the fields

presented rice and grain for provis io ns ; th e

kami of the grasses gave her hemp for cord a ge ; and the kami of the winds promised to open hi s bag and le t out hi s breezes to

fill her sails toward Corea. All came except

‘ the o f the sea h Isora , kami s ore . Again s h e called fo r him and sat up waiting all

h h o h nig t wit t rc es burning , invoking him to appear .

No w s a , I ora was a l zy fellow , always 2 76 S I O LD JAPANE E FA RY W R .

- h l slovenly and ill dressed , and w en at ast he

o f i n did come , instead appearing state in

h e o ut the splendid robes , rose right of sea m h botto , covered wit mud and slime , with shells sticking all over him and sea-weed

t hi s h r uffl clinging o air . He g y asked what

the empress wanted .

Go down to Riu Gu and beg hi s

R O the the maj esty Kai iu , Dragon King of

the to i the two World Under Sea , g ve me

we th e the j e ls of tides , said imperial lady .

No w among the treasures in the palace o f the Drago n King o f the World Under the Sea were two jewels having wondrous power

o ove r th e tides . They were ab ut as large

as apples , but shaped like apricots , with h three rings cut near th e top . T ey seemed

of to be crystal , and glistened and shot out

th a dazzling rays like fire . Indeed , ey p

' p ea r e d to seethe and glow li ke th e eye of a

2 78 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

h two were built and launc ed , and old Kami with long streaming gray hair and wrinkled l h faces , were made admira s . T eir names

u mio i n e were S wa Dai J (Gr at Illustrious ,

u a nd h Ji n Spirit of S wa) Sumiyos i , Daimio , the k ami who live s under th e old pine tree

at Takasago , and presides over nuptial cere

monies .

the h h T The fleet sailed in tent mont . he

hills of Hizen soon b egan to sink below the

no h o ut o f horizon , but sooner were t ey h sight of land t an a great storm arose . The

h a nd h s ips tossed about , began to butt eac h h h ot er like bulls , and it seemed as t oug ' the fleet would be driven back ; when 10

Kai Bi n 0 sent shoals o f huge sea-monsters and immense fishes that bore up the ships and pushed their sterns forward with their

t The shachi ho ko or grea snouts . , dragon

’ he the h i n h i r fis s , taking s ip s cables t e 9 THE TIDE JEWELS . 2 7

nths a the mo towed them forw rd , until storm h h cea sed and the ocean was calm . T en t ey plunged downwards into the sea and di sap

ar d pe e .

The mountains of Corea now rose in sight . Along the Shore were gathered th e Core an a h rmy . T eir triangular fringed banners ,

w h fl a e d th e inscribed it dragons , pp in breeze . As soon as their sentinels caught sight of the the w a s Japanese fleet , signal given , and the Corean lin e of war galleys moved gaily

to the J out attack apanese . The empress posted h er archers i n the bows of her ships and waited for th e enemy to h h h approac . W en t ey were within a

- few hundred sword lengths, s h e took from h er girdle the Jewel o f th e Ebbing Tide

the h th and cast flas ing gem into e sea . It

the for n o blazed in air a moment , but sooner

h th e h the did it touc water , t an instantly O LD 280 JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

r the ocean eceded from under Corean vessels ,

The and left them stranded on dry land .

C or ean s h , t inking it was a tidal wave , and

that the Japanese ships were likewise help

the of h i less in undertow , leaped out t e r

h th e o n to galleys and rus ed over sand , and h h the attack . Wit s outing and drawn

o l h sw rds their aspect was terrib e . W en

h of the th e wit in range arrows , Japanese

of -h bowmen Opened volleys double eaded ,

or - a on the Cor ean s triple pronged rrows , h and killed undreds .

on h h the But t ey rus ed , until near Japanese

h h the ou t the s ips , w en empress taking

- F the . a lood Tide Jewel , cast it in sea In

of the the snap finger , ocean rolled up into

a wave many tens of feet high and engulphed

th e a h to Corean rmy , drowning t em almost

of the a man . Only a few were left out ten thousand The warriors in their iron arm or

A R 0 E RA O OF K I IU , TH D G N KING E OR ER E EA TH W LD UND TH S .

OO AF ER her h N T arrival at ome , the empress Jingu gave birth to

son h o O i n a , w m she named j .

He was one of the fairest chil dren ever born of an imperial h w mot er , and was very wise and onderful even when an infant . He was a great favor

of e ch the of th e ite Tak nou i , prime minister

AS he o f empress he grew up , was full the

Y a ma i a D a me s/i ii or th e of u ncon , spirit quer able Japan . This Takenouchi was a very venerable

who to h h d old man , was said be t ree undre

S ld ha d the and ixty years o . He been coun OJI N AND THE DRAGON KING . 283

sellor of . five mikados He was very tall ,

h w h h old and as straig t as an arro , w en ot er

a w men were bent like bo . He served as a general in war and a civil o fficer in

a For th e pe ce . is reason he always k pt on a sui t of armor under hi s long satin and

the - k damask court robes . He wore bear s in shoes and th e tiger -skin scabbard which

’ the e o f were general s badg rank , and also the high cap and long fringed strap hanging

the h h the from belt, w ic marked court noble .

had h He moustac es , and a long beard fell

a over his breast like foaming waterfall , as white as the snows on the branches of the pine trees of Ibuki mountain .

Now the w as e h empress , as ell Tak nouc i ,

h the a O i n to wis ed imperi l infant j live long , w h be ise and powerful , become a mig ty

wa to rrior , be invulnerable in battle , and have control over the tides and the ocean 2 84 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

hi s h ad h as mother once . To do t is it was

to necessary get back th e Tide Jewels . SO T akenouchi took th e infant Oji n on his

h the - s oulders , mounted imperial war barge ,

h o f - k w ose sails were gold embroidered sil ,

hi s u and bade rowers put o t to sea . Then

on he on standing upright the deck , called Kai Riu O to come up out of the deep and

the to O i n give back Tide Jewels j . At first there was no Sign on th e waves

h R O h The sea l a t at Kai iu eard . green y

the h the glassy in sunlig t , and waves laughed and curled above the sides of th e

a e h bo t . Still Tak nouc i listened intently

not and waited reverently . He was long in

th e suspense . Looking down far under

th e h and sparkling waves , he saw ead fiery

I n eyes of a dragon mounting upward . sti n cti vely h e clutched hi s robe with hi s

h h and h O i n h on hi s rig t and , eld j tig tly

286 E FAIRY WORLD JAPAN SE .

h h l h h h on into view a uge a iotis s ell , in w ic , a the r bed of rare gems from deep sea floo ,

n h th e gliste ed , blazed and flas ed two Jewels

f th e o Tides .

he th e - k T n Dragon King spo e , saying

h to Quick , take t is casket , I deign not

l s r emain long in this upper world of morta . With these I endow the imperial prince of the He avenly line o f the mikados of the h Divine country . He s all be invulnerable h f T him H h . o in battle . e s all ave long li e

- d O h I e an . give power ov r sea land f t is , let

- these Tide Jewels be the token . Hardly were these words uttered when the Dragon -King disappeared with a h e tremendous splas . Tak nouchi standing erect but breathless amid the crowd of r owers

’ wh o h th e had , crouc ing at boat s bottom not so h l h r dared muc as to ift up t ei noses , IN AND THE DRAGO KING OJ N . 287

W i an d h a the c a ted a moment , t en g ve om h mand to turn t e prow to the shore .

O i n and a j grew up became great warrior ,

invincible in battle and powerful in peace . He lived to be o ne hundred and eleven

old the a years , and was next to l st of th e long lived mikados of Everl a sting Gr eat

Japan .

To this d ay Japanese soldier s honor him

r of to him the as the pat on war , and pray as r uler of battle . When the Buddhist priests came to Japan th ey changed hi s name to Hachi

“ Bo satsu or the ha man Dai , Great Budd

On of the Eight B anners . many a hill and in many a village o f Japan may

h to hi s h still be seen a s rine onor . Often

h a he w en soldier comes back from war ,

- ha a or - m o n will ng up a t blet picture fra e , 288 RY RL JAPANESE FAI WO D .

which is carved a painting or picture of the tWa dged short swo rd like that which Oj i n

of carried . Many the old soldiers who fought in ar mor wore a little silver sword of

O i n h r h a j set as a frontlet to t ei elmets , for

On crest of honor . gilded or lacquered h Japanese cabinets and s rines , and printed

on o o ld their curi us , and new greenback

e J of paper money , are se n the blazing ewels

On S th e Tides . their gold and ilver coins the coiled dragon clutches i n his claws th e Jewels o f the Ebbing and the Flowing

O o f the n - h of the Tide . ne iro clad war s ips h imperial Japanese navy , on whic floats proudly the red sun -banner of the Empire f R o E o the ising Sun , is named K go ( mpress) after the Amazo n empress who in the third century carried the arms of the Island

E th e a A mpire i nto main l nd of sia , and won victory by her mastery o ver the ebbing and the flo wing tid e s .

288 A E JAP N SE FAIRY WORLD .

w hich is carved a painting or pictur e of the twmedge d short sword like that which Ojin

a r n o f the ld c r ied . Ma y o s oldier s who fought in ar mor wore a little silver sword of

' G set a f to h r h for a jin s a rontlet t ei elmets , l crest of honor . On gilded or acquered

Ja a c abi s and sh ne and r n p nese net ri s , p i ted

on h r c ar ous o ld a nd new e a t ei i , gr enb ck

a e mone are se e the az J ls of p p r y. n bl ing ewe

s On h and s the Tide . t eir gold ilver coins

the coiled dragon cl utches in his claws th e Jewels of the Ebbing and the Flowing

d O o f the n- la war h of the Ti e . ne iro c d s ips

a v on h h a s impe rial Jap nese na y, w ic flo t proudly the r ed sun-ban ner o f the Empi re

f t i si Sun i s na o o E r o he R ng , med K g ( mp ess) after the Ama z on empress Svho i n the thir d cen tury carrie d the ar ms of the I sland

E the i n o f A an d won mpire i nto ma land sia, victor y by her mastery ove r the ebbing and the flowing tide s . ’ TH E D R A G O N N S G I FT F TH T E \ K I G O E I D J E V E L S.

29 0 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R . a d h n eart . Out o f this cam e forth three beings The Being of the Middle of

e The h A The Heav n , Hig ugust Being , and

‘ “ h e r Majestic Being. T es three hid thei ” bodie s .

Out o f the warm mould of the earth so me

h a h o r t ing like rus spr uted up . It was clea F h h and bright like crystal . rom t is rus sprout came fo rth a being whose title i s

“ The Delightful an d Honorable Rush

t n h o ut Sprout . Nex appeared a ot er being o f the buds o f the rush-sprout whos e name

“ ” Th - h e is e Honorable Heaven born . T es “ ” r alled th e h a five beings a e c e venly gods . Next came into existenc e four pairs o f

1 The u the beings viz . ( ) Being Spr ng from

F the S irst Mud , and The Being of and and Mud (2) The Being with Ha nds and Feet

the h 8 Growing , and Being Having Breat ( )

n and the F a c t The Male Bei g , em le Being HEAV EN AND EARTH . 29 1 the Great Place (the earth) ; (4) The Being

P the o f Complete erfection , and Being who c ried o ut Strange and Awful to her mate .

T hus the last pair that came into ex i s tence were the first man an d woman called l zanagi and Izanami .

It is said that th e other pairs o f b e ings before l zanagi and Izanami were only their imperfect forms or the p rocesses through which they passed befo re a rriving a t per

fec ti o n .

h two e the T ese beings liv d in Heavens .

The no t d the world was yet well forme , and s o a the il floated bout like a fish in water , but near the surfac e and was called The

i The h F R e . loating g on sun , eart and moon were still attached to each other like a h e ad

the c to the to . h ne k , or arms body T ey

t e were li tle by little s parating , the parts

o h j oining them gr wing t inner and thinner . 2 9 2 F R ORL D JAPANESE AI Y W .

h w as l d This part, like an ist mus , cal e

’ ’ 9 i e Heaven s Floating Br dg . It was on this bridge that l zanagi and Izanami were

standing when they saw a pair of wagta il s

o co ing and billing sweetly together . The

heavenly couple were so delighted with th e

b to e the sight that they egan imitat birds .

h b the ar t o f s T us egan love , which mortal

have practiced to this day .

While talking togeth e r on this Bridge o f

he e to e w as Heaven , t y b gan wonder if ther

he o a world beneath them . T y l o ked fa r

o w the ee but o se e d n upon gr n seas , c uld

nothing The n Iza nagi too k hi s long jew-f c led spear and plunged it into the turbid h u r u a n d o . A e mass , t rning it o nd r und s

f h h e f m li ted it up , the drops w ic trickl d ro it hard e ned into earth o f their o wn accord

I z an a r and thus dry land was fo rmed . As g was cle ansing his spear the lumps o f muc k.

29 A O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

m . me t h r exa ine it This done , they toget e .

o Izanami cried out , What a l vely man !

e fo r But Izanagi rebuk d her speaking first , and said they must try it again . Then they w s h alked round the i land once more . W en m wh they met , Izana i held her tongue ile

“ o ! Izanagi said , What a lovely w man

bOth h be Being now in good umor , they

o f gan the work creating Japan . The first island brought up o ut of the water was d th Awaji ; an then e main island . After that , eight large islands were created , wh o ne o f the of ence comes names Japan , h " The Empire o f the Eig t Great Islands .

ma a e o The Six s ller isl nds wer als produced . several thousand islets whi ch make up the archipelago of Everlasting Great Japan were formed by the spontaneous consolidation o f m f th the foa o e sea . After the country was thus formed the 2 9 5 HE AVEN AND EARTH . d ivine pair cre ated eight millions of earthly

o r the f gods Kami , and ten thousand di ferent

n h V n things o the eart . egetation spra g up

e all h h e ov r the land , w ic was howev r still

So h covered with mist . Izanagi created wit hi s e h th e two of br at gods , male and female

A h d th e h the wind . ll t ese islan s are c ildren of a h e Iz nagi and Izanami , and w n first born were small and feeble , but gradually grew a l rger and larger , attaining their present size h h like human beings , w ic are at first tiny infants . As the gradual separation of the land and s ea on went , foreign countries were formed

the n of the of th e by co gealing foam sea .

od o f was h b of The g fire t en orn Izanami , hi s h h f mot er . T is god o ten got very angry at a n one who a y used uncle n fire . Izanami

h a h the of l t en cre ted by erself gods meta s , o f of clay and fresh water . This latter was 29 6 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

to o d Of fir e told always keep the g quiet , and put him o u t when he began to d o mis h f c ie .

an d Izanagi Izanami , though married but

l fo r a short time , began to quarre , Izanami h ad once to ld her husband not to lo ok at h her when she hid erself. But Izanagi did n o t d o h t Sh e u w a req ested , but intruded on

he r w a s unw ell a nd privacy when she , stared

r h sh d o a at he w en e wishe to be al ne . Izan mi

h n o t the t e g very angry , and went down to

o f . lower world darkness , and disappeared

In th e dark wo rld under the earth Izanami

stayed a long time , and after long waiting ,

h r I n the Izanagi went after e . darkness of the under -wo rld he was h o rrified at what h e

sa w to , and leaving his consort below , tried e scap e to the earth again .

In his struggles several gods were created ,

h o o ut hi f o n e o f t e m c ming of s sta f. When

29 8 O LD JAPANESE FAIRY W R .

h said I ave begotten child upon child , and

of h at the end my begetting , I ave begotten ” two - h me jewel children . Now t e bright ness of the person of the maid en Ama Tera su

f h h o h was beauti ul , and s one t r ug Heaven

E h . and art Izanagi , well pleased , said “ h e n Though my c ildr are many , none of

h - h She t em is like this wonder c ild . must ” be o off not kept in this region . S taking the necklace of precious stones from his

he to her neck and rattling it , gave it , say “ R h the P — of ing , ule t ou over High lain ” Heaven . At that time the distance between Heaven

E h h e and art was not very great, and sent h er up to the blue sky by th e Heaven-uniting

P on h h th e a illar , w ic Heavens rested like

She l prop . easi y mounted it , and lived in

l th e h n the sun , i luminating w ole Heave s and the E a The rth . Sun now gradually sepa HEAVEN AND EARTH . 29 9 r f E h far ated rom the art , and both moved the r and farther apart until they re sted where they n o w are . Izanagi next spoke to Susa n o O the “ R of the R uler Moon , and said , ule thou over the new -born Earth a nd the bl ue Waste of the w h Sea , it its Multitudinous Salt

Waters .

[So then the Heavens and th e E a rth a n d

a h a Moo n were cre ted and in abited . And s Japan lay directly opposite th e sun when

th e E h h it separated from art , it is plain t at

o n the t th e Japan lies summi of globe . It is easily seen that all other countries were formed by the spontaneous consolidation of

the a the l ocean fo m , and co lection of mud

i n th e h various seas . T e stars were made to guide warriors from foreign countries to

the who th e on the court of Mikado , is true S

of Heaven]. H OW THE SUN GODDE SS WAS E E O OF ER AVE NTIC D UT H C .

E E far - h H N TH s ining goddess ,

o n account of the e vil pranks

of h O the her brot er , Susa no ,

R of hid h uler the Moon , erself

h no in a cave , t ere was more

h h h n lig t , and eaven and eart were plu ged into darkness .

A council o f all the gods was held in th e dry bed o f one of th e rivers [which we call the o Milky Way] in the fields f Heaven .

Th e question o f how to appease the anger of th e A e godd ss was discussed . long headed and very wise god was ordered to

302 JAPA E E F IRY WO LD N S A R .

h l wit a creeper vine , and made for herse f a o f of b o h h baton twigs ambo grass , by w ic

- sh e could direct the motions Of the I I I U SI S

‘ ci an s ‘ I hi s . she held in on e hand while i n the other was a spear wound round with

on h h a grass , w ic sm ll bells tinkled . Great

e h f of bonfires wer lig ted in ront the cave , so that the audie nce of gods could see th e

e r e r o a danc . A la g circula b x which r esou nd

a h t o n Wa s fo r ed like drum w en rod , set up

mé to e The r U z u danc upon . ow of cocks now began to crow in concert

A b the -h o d ll eing ready , Strong anded g wh o w a s too pull the sun -goddess out of the

o o her cave , as s on as vercome by curiosity

ee h hi d f e she should p p fort , himsel b side

f e U z umé the stone door o the cav . mounted

t the ms the box and began o dance . As dru bo x e e the o f ll r sound d , spirit fo y seized her , and she b e gan to chant a song . S THE SEN GODDES . 303

h Becoming still more foolis , U z umé

her her Waved wand wildly , loosened dress , an d danced till she had no t a stitch of cloth

h r The r ing left o n e . gods we e so amused

her f l n h h all la u hed un til at oo ish ess t at t ey g ,

h c k h of h the heavens s o as wit claps t under . The Sun -goddess within the cave heard all these strange n o ises ; the crowing of the

h o n the the h cocks , the ammering anvil c op

o f the o f the the ping wood , music koto ,

o f the h the o f clappering ard wood , tinkling th e s h of U z umé the bell , the s outing and

s a h of the boisterou l ug ter gods . Wondering h h a s e . w t it all meant , peeped out As she did so the Doubly Beautiful h th goddess eld up e mirror . .

The Far-Shining o ne seeing h e r o wn face i n wa s o h o it greatly ast nis ed . Curiosity g t the of h k f r better fear . S e loo ed a out . Instantly the strong -handed god pulled the 304 JAPANESE u mr W RLD O .

n and h nd rocky door ope , seizing her a ,

dragged her forth . Then all the heavens

th h e and ear were lig t ned , the trees and

e the grass becam green again , and goddess o f colors resumed her work of tinting the T f w . flo ers he gloom fled rom all eyes , and

- human beings again became white faced . Thus the calamity which had befalle n h e e th su n~ o dd e ss h eav n and ar , by the g iding in the cave became a means o f much benefit

Fo r h th to mortals . by t eir necessity e gods

were compelle d to inve n t the arts of metal-a

car enter working , weaving , p y , jeweling and m any other useful appliances fo r the human race . They also on this occasion first made use o f music , dancing , the Dai Kagura (The comedy which makes the gods laugh) and many of the games which the children play at the pre sent time .