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BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
AND

OTHER FAIRY STORIES

YEI (>ZAK1
Author of " The Japanese Fairy Book

TOKYO
Printed bv Kvobunkwax
PUBI.ISHKI)

RY KkT.I.Y
I90S

& WaLSII

THE NEW
PU3
I

YC.'RK

l^.RARY

ASTCn LENOX
,.

'

ND

....

Copy right igo8 by

Y. T.

Ozaki

Ail Ttghis reseri'ea.

^ ^^-D

The
Book

kind

reception

given to
in

"The Japanese

Fairy

the East has encouraged me to send forth another small collection of stories from They are I have invented none of these stories. Japan. taken from Mr. Hideo Iwaya's modern version of the oldfolk-lore tales of
in clothing

" both in the

West and

Japan and some of his new stories, and them with an English, dress my work has been

that of adapter rather than translator. In picturesqueness of conception Japanese stories yield the palm to none. And they are rich in quaint expressions and dainty

But they are apt to be written in a style too This defect the professional story-teller remedies by In the same way 1 have colouring his story as he tells it. tried to brighten the rather bare structure of a story, where it seemed to need such treatment, with touches of local colour so as to make the story more attractive to the foreign reader. Whether I have succeeded or not the reader must judge for himself. "Buddha's Crystal" first appeared in the Ladys Realm and is here^ i'epnjir,ed 'by/ the kind consent of the " publishers as is also "The 'iTea' Kettle of Good Fortune and "The Mouse Bnide '':^whic5i* 'first appeared in the Girl's Reahn in 1899 wheh'th^t' magazine belonged to the same firm.* My th^n^g%^/-9','_a4sc/ due to the present ownersf of the GirVs Realm io'x allowing me to add
conceits.

bold.

(1900) to this collection. Tile " and " The Fallen Comet " are re- written from a translation given me by a friend who permitted me to make what use I liked of them. These two stories and the " Crysanthemum Crest" are, I believe, newly invented by Mr. Iwaya.
**

" Issunboshi "

The Demon

The illustrations have been drawn by Mr. Tosen Toda and Mr. Shusui Okakura. To both of whom grateful acknowledgemxent is due for painstaking collaboration.
ToKio, 1908.

Y. T. O.
* Hutchinson

&

Co.

t<-'assell

&

Co.

Buddha's Crystal
I.

T ONG,
from the

long ago there lived in Japan a great State

Minister

named Kamatari Ko.

Fujiwara
Uji,

He was

descended

illustrious

and was the ancestor of

the five great noble families from

brides of the

whose

circle

only the

Emperors could be chosen.

Kamatari was

known throughout
and

the land, not only as a knight of the

most noble descent, but also as a wise and able minister

and a

loyal

faithful subject,

devoted to

his master, the

Emperor, Tenshii Tenno, to

service
in

whom

he had rendered signal

quelling the
in

insurrection raised

by the

rebel

Soga-no-Iruka, and
land.

restoring peace

and unity

to the

Now

Kamatari, besides being rich and prosperous and

of illustrious fame,
beautiful daughter,

was

thrice

happy

in the possession of

one

named Kohaku

Jo.

She was the

light
life,

of his eye, the joy of his heart, and the pride of his

and he vowed, each time he saw her growing

loveliness, like

in youthful

a peach-blossom

in the

sunshine of spring,

that none but a king should be her mate.

But of

his

ambition he spoke to none, and people wondered why,

when one
by

after another of the noble youths

were offered

their families, according to

Eastern custom, as suitors to

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
made
to all
it

her hand, ceremoniously worded excuses were

but so

was.

And Kohaku
that she
seen.

Jo grew

in

grace and beauty as the years

all

went by, and at sixteen years of age

who saw

her said

was the most

beautiful

princess they

had ever
lily-stalk
;

Though

small, she

was as slender as a

her face was a small oval, delicately pale, with cheeks of

the soft cherry bloom, and her eyebrows like the outline of the crescent moon.

Fair indeed

was she

to behold.

Her

mouth was

like

a tiny bud of the peach-blossom, and her

hands and feet rivalled the snowy petals of the white

lotus.

But far outshining her loveliness of form was her

loveliness

of

character

and

disposition,

and

far

more

precious, too, in the sight of all her friends.

Never had
anyone or to

she been

known

to speak a harsh

word
life.

to

disobey her parents in her whole

Except to go at

appointed festivals and family anniversaries to the great

temple hard by, whose massive roof she could see daily

looming through the great pine and cryptomeria trees of

her home, she never
left

the precincts of the palace.

At

such times she might be seen arranging flowers and pouring

water over the monumental gravestones of the

in the beautiful

family,

or

solemn temple

itself

burning incense before

of her ancestors,
or

the tablets set up to the

memory

clapping her hands and bowing her dusky head before the
holy shrine.

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
Her days
and

thus passed quietly and peacefully in the

unbroken seclusion and retirement of an Eastern princess,

little

recked she of the future that her father dreamed

of her.
it

But her fate was drawing near, though she knew

not.

Kamatari was

certainly
his

favoured of the gods.

His ambitious hopes for

realised.

daughter were soon to be

One day
and the
find out

there

was a great

stir in

the palace courtyard,

fro to

officers of

ceremony were rushing to and

what was the reason of the unusual commotion

there.

The big gates were thrown

procession of

open, and in

came a

stately

men

carrying a banner with the

strange device of a dragon on a yellow background.

They

were envoys from the Court of China, and they came with
a message from the Emperor Koso.
the beauty, the grace,

He had

heard of

and the wit of Kohaku

Jo,

and he

sent to offer her his hand and the half of his kingdom.

Should her father consent to give her to the Emperor of

China,

Kohaku Jo might choose

temples.
received

out of the vast treasures

of her adopted country to enrich the land of her birth

and

its

The envoys were

with

great

pomp and

ceremony, a whole wing of the palace was placed at their

disposal,

and Kamatari begged them to give him a few

which to consider the matter.
final

days

in

He would
spoken
with

give
his

them

answer when he
little

had

dauo-hter.

She was but a

maid

still,

and she must

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
With many
prostrations
sides, his

be told without undue haste.

on both
But
in

Kamatari, the gratified

father,

withdrew.

heart there

was no

hesitation though

much
and

ceremony.

On
when

reaching his

own room he clapped

summons

his hands,

in

answer

to his

his confidential

servant
hie to

appeared, he sent him to bid the Lady

Kohaku Jo

he father's presence.

The messenger found her

seated

before the koto (harp) with her attendants around her, and

when
obey,

told that her father called for her, she hastened to

wondering what made him wish to see her so

suddenly.

She reached her

father's room, and, pushing aside the

sliding screens, she slipped inside

on to the creamy white

"
!

mats, and
"

bowed

to the
father,
I

ground before him.

Honourable

you sent

for

me

am

here

" Yes,

Kohaku,

sent for you to

tell

you a great

piece of news.
father's

The

time has come for you to leave your

home.

You must marry now.

As your mother
husband
for

and

have often told you, you must marry some day,

fitting

someone whom we should deem a

you.

This day have

chosen for you,

my

daughter.

The

Emperor of China has

and
in six

sent for you to

become

his bride,

weeks you must depart with the ambassadors*

who

will

conduct you to your future home."

I

" Honourable father, must

leave you and

my

mother

so soon

"

and the maiden's

face

grew pale and her eyes

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
filled

5
the seas to "
?

with tears;
I

"and must

go away across
?

a land which
**

have never seen

Is this

your wish
is

Yes, Kohaku,

my

daughter, such

my

wish.

All
in

women must marry sooner or later, it is your new home you will soon be happy
have ever been before.

their duty,

and

happier than
will

you

You

will

be a Queen, and the

his

Emperor
kingdom
do
for

places

all

the riches

and the treasures of

at your feet.

Think what you

be able to

your beloved Temple of Kofukuji, where you were

carried to be blessed

when but a babe of one hundred

daughter, do

days

old.
!

Come,

my

not look so grave

and sad

Are you not happy

?

at the thought of the

splendid prospect before you

for

Have

not chosen well

you

"
?

Kohaku had been brought up

will

to consider her father's

as law, and she never even thought of doing anything

but obeying him.

So she clasped her

tioor,

tiny white

hands
:

together on the matted

" I

and bowing over them said

obey you,

my

father,

now

as always.

am
it

only

sad at the idea of leaving

my home and my
it

mother and
must

going so very

far

away

but since

is

your wish

be good for me."

So

little

Kohaku calmly accepted her

tell

fate,

and went

back to her companions to

them of what should happen.

in

When

they heard the news they hid their pretty faces

sleeves,

their long

and wept with grief at the thought

of parting with Kohaku,

who

also

wept

in

sympathy.

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
While
they

were thus sorrowfully

into the room,

sitting-

together,

Kohaku's mother came

dry their
tears, for

and

told

them

to

some of them were

to be chosen to

go

with Kohaku, and fitting arrangements would be

for their return to

made

Japan

after the marriage.

little

Then they

smiled again, and one or two of the

leant forward

ladies-in-waiting
mistress's hand,
in

and stroked

their

young

and vowed that they would stay with her always, even
China, for their love for her

was as high as

the mountains

and as deep as the

sea.

Thus

it

was

that the beautiful daughter of

Kamatari

Ko

sailed

away

across the seas to China and became the

bride of the Chinese Emperor.

But before she went she made a pilgrimage to the

great Temple Kofukuji.
the

She had grown up almost under

roof,

shadow of the great sloping

its

and the sound

ol

the deep-toned bell rolling out

still

voluminous note on the

air at the hours of sunrise

and sunset had marked her

day's-rising

and

night's resting as long as ever she could

remember.

So when

the

wonder and

the

fear

of the

unknown swelled her young heart

the
first

to restlessness

and

to

questionings of fate and of the future, she arose,

and

calling her favourite nurse, told her to follow her to

the temple, for she

was going

to pray.

At night she

went,
for
it

walking barefoot to the shrine through the snow,

was
if
it

winter, to

ask for protection, and she vowed

in

that

were granted to her to arrive safely

the

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
would search
for three inestimable treasures,

strange land to which she was being sent as a bride, she

which she

would send

to the temple as

a thank-offering.

II.

And Kohaku's
accomplished in

prayer

was

heard.

Her journey was

all safety,

and she was married with great

magnificence to the Emperor

Koso of China.

And

at last

she stood before the Emperor, her bridegroom, after the

long ceremony and the many Court

festivities

were

over.

She had great courage and

trembling a
fear than of
"
little,

pride, but she could not help

for her heart

was more

full

of doubt and

hope and

joy.

What would
"Would

this

new husband be

like ? " she

asked

herself.

her father's last comforting words come

true that she should be happy, and that in the Emperor's love and care she should find more than all she had left
behind

country,
all,

parents, home,
to

and

friends?

And

how,

above

was she

know what were

the duties of the

wife of an
this o-reat

Emperor ?

Would

it

be

in

her power to please

man ?

If

only she might return to her father

quiet "
life

and mother again to her old

Before she could think again the Emperor was by her

side.

He

took her hand

in his, raising

it

to his cheek

and

forehead in tender deference, while

his voice

sounded low

and sweet

in

her ear.

Fear

fled

now, and she found

courage to look up into

his face for the first time,

and then


she
ly,

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
saw
that his dark eyes rested on her kindly and loving-

as he said
" Little cherry flower of Japan, they lied not

when they

told

me
will

that you

were

beautiful.

The

artist did not paint

I

your portrait half fair enough.

Do

not fear, for

love you

and

make you happy.

I
I

After long, long days of weary

waiting,

have gathered the 'azalea of the distant moiintain'

plant
"
!

and now
of

it

in

my

garden, and great

is

the gladness

my

heart

The Emperor
should.

fulfilled

his

promise as an Emperor

Happy
to

indeed was

Kohaku.

Sudden summer
life

seemed

kindle all her ways,

and her

thrilled to the

new joy
palace,

of her husband's love.

all

He

led her from palace to

and showed her

the wonders of his

kingdom and

the splendour of his houses.

At

last

they came to one

restful

in

the summertime, cool

hills,

and and

shady and

in the

shadow of the green

being weary of much travelling and sight-seeing she beg-

ged the Emperor

to let her stay there for a

little

while.
halls

Hand

in

hand they wandered through the spacious

lofty trees, or

and under the long avenues of

were rowed

out in the cool of the evenings on the lake, from

whence

they glanced back at the illuminated palace and thousands

of coloured lanterns which festooned the gardens, rivalling
in brilliancy the starlit

heavens over

their heads.

As

the breath of spring

warms

the chill earth, barren

so long in the cold clutch of winter, to a sudden burst of

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
the faces

wealth and beauty, so happiness sometimes transforms

and forms of those

to

whom

it

comes.

Kohaku

grew more
Emperor

beautiful, unfolding like

a rosebud to maturer

loveliness in the

warmth

of the sunshine of love, and the

said to himself that he

to be

would cause her name

for ever.

and her beauty

remembered

So he

called together his goldsmiths

to fashion

and gardeners,
for the

and commanded them

a path

Empress

such as had never before been heard ot

in

the wide world.

The

stepping-stones of this path were to be lotus-flowers,

carved out of silver and gold, for her to walk on whenever

she strolled forth under the trees or by the lake, so that
it

might be said that her beautiful

touching the earth
;

feet

were never

soiled

by

and ever

since then, in

China

aind in

Japan, poet-lovers and lover-poets in song and sonnet and

sweet conversation have called the feet

loved "lotus-feet."

of the

women

they

But for
life

all

the great change from the simple

maiden

to the regal splendour which surrounded her as wife of

the Chinese Emperor,

birth,

Kohaku

forgot not the land of her

nor the

vow which
in the

she had

vowed
in

in

the

Temple

of

Kofukuji,

and

happy days spent

the Palace of the

Lotus Path she found confidence to

tell

her husband with

life,

what great

timidity she

had ventured on her new

and

of her intention to send thank-offerings to the temple in

Japan

in grateful

recognition of answered prayer and the

in

happiness she had found

married

life.

lo
"

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
Help me, august
lord,

to choose

something that

is

worthy of the chosen wife

value be
in

of

your Majesty, and

let its

proportion to the degree of

all

my

prosperity,

which

is

great beyond

words."

The Emperor was

ed
his

pleased at her request.

to

He

order-

treasure-houses
to

be opened and the best of

their

contents

be brought to him.
his

Day
that

after

day

the at at

happy Emperor and

the
their

bride sat together looking

things

quantities
feet,

of

wonderful
at

were

laid

surprised

the immensity
it

of their
if

own
had

possessions.

To Kohaku
to

seemed
so

as

she

been

transported

fairyland,

many

and
the

varied

were the treasures that were brought to

daily*

palace
to send
It

Each store-house

that

was opened seemed

last.

forth something
difficult to

more wonderful than the

was

choose under these circumstances, but finally

virtues

three

extraordinary rarities possessed of magic

to them,

were brought

and they decided on these without

more ado.

The

first

was
if

called

Kwagenkei.

It

was a musical

instrument, and

once the chords were struck the notes

for ever.

would never die away, but would ring on

The second
for the

treasure, Skmhtnseki,
ink.

was an inkstone box

of this treasure

making of Indian

The owner

on

lifting

the lid found ink always rubbed ready for use,

inexhaustible.

and the supply was

The

third treasure, MenkoftUiai^

was a

beautiful crystal,

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
in

ii

whose

clear depths

was

to be seen, from whichever side

riding-

you

looked,

an image of Buddha

on a

white

elephant.
like

The jewel was

of transcendent glory, and shone

into
its

star,

and whoever gazed

liquid

depths and

saw

the blessed vision of Buddha, had peace of heart for

evermore.

Kohaku's rapture knew no bounds when these

treasures were laid before her, for she
the

priceless

knew how happy

old priest of her

own

temple,

far

away

in

Japan,

would be when he saw them, and with what exalted

pleasure and pride, and with what burning of incense, he

would place them

in

the

temple.

In

an ecstasy

of

gratitude she knelt at her husband's feet thanking him in

thousand pretty speeches for the

gifts.

Then they both

the
him,

sent for the Admiral Banko,

and gave
to

Kwangenkei the Shinkinseki, and the Menkofuhai

commanding him

to take his best ship

and

to sail with

them speedily

to Japan,

and then

to deliver

them

safely to

the chief priest at the

"

Temple

of Kofukuji.

Hold these three marvels of China dearer than your

life,

own

Banko," said the Empress, "and quickly bring

the

me word from
with your
life."

high priest there.

Especially

do

charge you with the Sacred Crystal of Buddha

guard

it

And

the Admiral took the precious

life

gifts,

and vowed

that with his

he would answer for their safety.

We

must now take leave of Kohaku, leaving her a

12

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL

happy wife and queen, and follow Banko and the Sacred
Crystal across the Chinese Sea.

III.

The Admiral

put the treasures on board one of his largest

ships with great care,

and having chosen the most ex-

perienced sailors he could find in the whole of China, he

set sail.

Fair winds and weather favoured him

till

he was

within sight of the shores of Japan, when, just as he

was
and

congratulating himself and his

men on

their

good

luck,

even as he was sailing into the bay of Shido-no-ura, of the

province of Sanuki, a fierce tempest arose.

Admiral Banko feared exceedingly

his ship

lest

he should lose
In that

with

all

hands and her valuable

freight.

anxious hour he turned his whole attention to the navigation of the vessel, for the coast he

was approaching
and great was

was wholly unknown

the storm

to

him and

his sailors,

and

their danger.

Never had they encountered

rolled mountains high, the

such a sea before.

The waves

thunder roared, and the ship was tossed to and fro like a
shuttlecock.

There was one moment when the ship

it

rolled

over to such an extent that

seemed impossible that

all

she should ever right herself, and

for lost.

gave themselves up

Then
came a

suddenly,

when
his

the storm

was

at

its

worst, and

Banko had made up

lull

mind

to

a watery grave, there

cleared,

in the

tempest.

The weather

and

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
that they were in the harbour itself
realising his safety his first thought

13

the Admiral on looking- round found to his relief and joy

and near

to land.

On
at

was

to

go and look
in

the treasures, wondering

if

they had been harmed

any

way

during the storm and consequent rolling of the ship.

On

going below he found the Kwangenkei and the Shin-

hinseki quite safe, but, to his utter dismay, the most sacred

and most valuable of

all

the three,

Menkofiihai, or the

Buddha-reflecting Crystal, had entirely disappeared.

He

stood transfixed with horror, and a cold sweat broke out

on

his

forehead when he saw that the remarkable jewel

its

was gone from

"

place.
it

How

and where has

gone

"

was the question

Being a

that
it

he asked himself over and over again.

ball,

might have rolled out during the tossing of the

ship,

and

was

either in

some corner near

at

hand or at the bottom

But that was

of the sea.
impossible,

Or had someone
men, he hunted
it

stolen it?

and he put away the thought as preposterous.

in

Calling

all his

every nook and cranny

of the ship, but

was nowhere

to be found.

Then

the Admiral's face

grew white as
kill

death,

and he
it

felt for his

short sword wherewith to

the

himself, for
lost,

was
re-

certain

that

Sacred Crystal was

and he

membered how

the

Empress had

especially charged him

its

with the responsibility of the safety of the jewel and

delivery at the

Temple of

Kofukuji.

He was

disgraced
life.

indeed

but no

this

was not the time

to take his

T4

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
must
;

He

first
if

do

all

that lay in his

power
its

to find the lost

treasure

that failed, his knife must do

work.

There
and

was only one

thing to be done

now

that

was

to land,

then to hasten to inform Kamatari Ko, the father of the

Empress, of the disappearance of the crystal.

This he did with
the
all

speed.

No

words can express

to
his

consternation

of

Kamatari

as he listened

daughter's envoy, but he was quick to guess the cause of

the loss of Buddha's Crystal.

The Dragon King

of the Sea had stolen

it

This was

the solution of the mystery.

Riu O, the Sea King, had

heard of the wonderful crystal being sent to Japan, and

had coveted

it

for himself.
for

Master of the
raise

sea,

it

had been

au easy matter

him to

up a storm so as to

distract everyone's attention

from the treasures on board,

lives.
its

to the

imminent danger of the ship and of their own

This he had done, and when the storm was at

height he had slipped on board and stolen the crystal.

Having obtained possession

the

of the jewel, he

had

stilled

sea and sent the ship quietly into

for the

harbour.

The

agency of the Sea King accounted

suddenness of

the storm and of the calm afterwards.

Kamatari

Ko

did not

tell

the Admiral of his suspicions,

but promised to do his utmost to find the jewel, which was

probably lying somewhere at the bottom of the sea, and

to set about having the waters searched

where the

loss

had occurred,

for well

he

knew

the vagaries of the

King

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
much-coveted crystal, he had thrown
the floor of his kingdom, the sea. So,

15

of the Sea, and that, doubtless, as soon as he had got the

it

down and

left

it

on

ordering some of his vassals to attend him he

to the port of Shidono-ura, in the

went down from Nara

provinc of Sanuki, with the determination to recover from

the sea the Buddha-reflecting Crystal.

At

last

he arrived

on the beach, and the

smiling, treacherous, wonderful sea

was before

him,

burnt and kissed to liquid jewels by

the morning sun.

There also he saw, riding at anchor on the now smooth

bosom of
fitted out

the waters, the big ship that his daughter had

and sent laden with valuable treasures

for her

fatherland.

He

smiled with pride and satisfaction to think

satisfied.

how

his

ambition for her had been

She was

indeed the wife of a king now.

find the crystal.

But to work

he

must

Numbers
just as

of sun- bronzed fishermen were on the beach,

in their nets,

you may see them nowadays hauling

or pulling up their boats and mending them.

Kamatari,

followed by his attendants, went up to one group, and

told

them that a

crystal

had been

lost

in

those
into

very

waters, and that to anyone

who would go

the sea

and bring
enough
to

it

to

him he would give a large reward

the finder rich for the rest of his

large

make
all,

life.

One and

the fishermen voluteered to do his errand.

their nets

Eagerly they threw down

and ropes and dived

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
waters to hunt for the lost treasure.

into the
full
if it

They were

of hope and confidence that they would find the stone,

were

there, for they

in those

knew themselves
fish

to

be as much

at

home

waters as the very

which they caught

all

in their nets daily.

But

in

little

while they

came up

to the surface panting

and blowing and shaking the water

their

from

their bodies,

and made

way

to the great

man

who was

waiting for them.

They

held out their

empty

hands, and told him that they had searched the bottom of the sea in vain

nowhere

could the crystal be seen.

Kamatari was disappointed.

shore with folded arms, while his

He
ser\'

sat
u,

down on
The

the

kneeling, held
ripples

up a big umbrella, or canopy, over

his head.

rolled in at his feet over the shining sand, seeming in their

ebbing, flowing dalliance to n-^ck him, as he sat there

thinking what he should

All around him his

now do

to find the lost jewel.

men were

silent

and abstracted,

for

they

saw how worried

their chief was.

Suddenly, as he sat here, his thoughts worlds away, he

was aware of a poor woman kneeling before him.

How

long she had been there Kamatari did not know, for he

had been

lost in thought.

He

looked at her wonderingly

seeking to

know what

she wanted.

He saw

that she

was

a very poor ama, one

who earns her

livelihood

by picking

up the

shell-fish
;

on the beach.

In her

arms she carried a

tiny infant

and,

when she saw

that she

was

noticed,

spoke

" Great Lord, pardon

me

that

presume to address

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
you, but
it

17

may be

that
I

can help you to find what you so

this

anxiously seek.

For

have lived on
it

shore

all
I

my

life,

and know every inch of

you, bid

above and below.

beseech

me

seek for the crystal at the bottom of the sea."

a:yain at the

Kamatari looked

woman

before him

he

saw

that she
child,

was

thin

and

ill,

and that she carried a

it

nursing-

and he thought

a strange thing

her
infant

request. "
in

Do

you," he asked, " a

weak woman with an

all

your arms, think that you can do what

"
?

those strong

fishermen have failed to do

" Yes," answered the

woman.

'*

I
if

am
and
in

a poor weak
will listen to

woman, as you see

but nevertheless,

you

me

will dive to the

bottom of the
lost

sea,

will

bring you
I

back most surely the

jewel
I

but
?

return

have

something to ask of you.

May

speak

"

Kamatari decided to

listen to the petition

:

of the shell-

gatherer, and, nodding his assent, said

" "

What
It is
I

is it

you want of me

"
?

not for myself," answered the carry in

woman,

"

it is

for

the child

mother,
it is

the

my arms that I ask a favour. I am its and though I am so poor and of such low estate, one wish, the one prayer of my life, that my little
;

son

may be a samurai one day

that he

may be

properly

educated, and that he

may have a

chance of being some-

thing better than a poor fisherman.

Alas

cannot teach
live

him to read or

write,

and unless you help me, he must

i8

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
die

and

a poor fisherman as
I

his

father

and grandfather
child,

have done before him.

beseech you take the

and

when he

is

old enough train him in your service as a

samuyai, so that he
birth.

may
ask
If
;

escape the utter poverty of his

surely
it is
it,

This

is

all I

a small boon from a

I

great

man
That

like you.

you grant
I

will fetch

the jewel

from the sea, even though

'

lose

my

life in

doing so."
great

is

an easy

matter,"

said

the

man,

consenting to the wretched mother's

petition.

" If you

get
child

me

the crystal,
knight,

will

most assuredly bring up your

your mother's ambition,
I

as a
I

and

satisfy

which

fully

understand, and with which

sympathize."
for

And
**

as he spoke he remembered his

own ambition
lenient.,

his daughter,

and the

recollection

made him

Will you indeed take

?

my

child

and bring him up

as a

even as your son

Will you give

if

me your word

samurai?

"

asked the woman, as

unable to believe what

he said and wishing to

*'

make

sure of his promise.

If

will

indeed,

my good woman.
I

you

fulfil

your

part of the contract,

will

fulfil

mine, as surely as
of

my

name

is

Kamatari, the Grand Vizier

Japan."

smile illumined the poor shell-gatherer's face for an

instant.

She bowed and withdrew

to a

little

distance to

prepare herself for the task.

the

Giving the child to one of

she slipped
off

fishermen standing near,

her upper

garments, then tied a long rope round her waist, and into
this

rough belt stuck a short sharp

knife,

wherewith to

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
defend herself against any monster ol the deep
attack her.

19

who might
woman.

By

this

time several fishermen had gathered

at the daring of the

round

her, lost in

amazement

Many
in

tried to deter her, telling her that they

had hunted

vain for the crystal, and that she

fool's

was only undertaking

errand

in

going,

and that she might possibly be

drowned, and what then would become of her fatherless

child
?

To them
gave
it

all

she answered not a word, but walking out

to the rocks she took

into the

up the end of the long rope and

his

hands of Kamatari, who with

attendants

had followed
"

her. find the crystal,

When

honourable Lord,

I will

pull

the rope, and your attendants must haul

me up

as soon

as they can."

She then plunged from the rocks

gone.

into the sea

and was

Kamatari,

his attendants,

and the fishermen stood

where the

speechlessly watching the place

woman had
It

dived into the sea.

They

all

feared for her.

was a

thousand chances to one that she whould never come up

again
hurt

she
among

might be seized with cramp, or be seriously

the great rocks, or be eaten by

some

sea-

monster.

So

the fishermen spoke

among

themselves.

But Kamatari heard them not.

He

sat silent, looking

over the rocks into the ever- whispering but uncommunicative

sea,

holding the rope

in his

hand, wondering

if

the

poor

woman would

ever come back with the crystal, and

20

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
make
the wild waters
tell

wishing that he could

to

tame enough

answer

his

questions and to

him the secret of

the treasure up from

Buddha's Jewel, tame enough to

its

roll

depths and
not,

in at his feet

but tney were wild and heeded

him

and he sat there waiting, waiting, waiting.

IV.

Meanwhile
sea,
until

the

woman

dived deeper and deeper into the

at last she touched the bottom.

strength, for she

She marvelled

at her

own

seemed

to be unconscious of
all

any exertion.
stretched rocks

As

far as

she could see

in

around her

and seaweed and sand

if

the wild waters.

outside

On and
herselt,

on she went, as

drawn by some power

never thinking of the danger to which she M^as

exposed, for her heart was aflame with the desire to find
the ciystal and to earn the promised blessing for her
son.
little

And something
her.
last, rising

told her that her heart's desire

would

be granted

At

up through the watery world she saw the

her.

roofs of

an extensive palace before

that she

Then

the brave
of the

woman knew
As

had come

to

the palace

Dragon King of

the Sea, of which she had so often heard.

she stood and looked at the coral roofs and portals of

the great fantastic building, the thought

this

came

to her that

was

the end of her her journey,

and that the sacred She swam nearer

crystal

was hidden there somewhere.

and nearer the palace.

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
As
she scanned
it

21

with devouring curiosity from end to

end and from top to bottom, she saw that a large pagoda
of white coral rose in the centre.
tier to tier

Her eye

travelled from

of the rising tower

till it

rested on the pinnacle

all,

which crowned the highest roof of

pinnacle,

and on that very

gathering to

itself all

the lights of the watery

world and flashing them forth

shining ball.

like vivified

moonrays, lay a

Her

heart leaped into her throat, for in that

glistening point of light she recognised the lost treasure

Buddha's Crystal.

She could scarcely believe her

looked again.

eyes,

and looked and

so

So

intense

was her excitement and

its

eagerly did she gaze at the crystal on

she did not notice that the palace
ferocious- looking dragons.

lofty

perch that

was surrounded by
the guardians of

They were

the

Sea King's Palace, but so seldom was the place

all

disturbed by anyone that they

in

lay blinking

and dozing

blissful

and unsuspecting

security.

But the

woman

knew, directly she saw them, that small indeed would be

her chance of getting possession of the jewel or ot carrying
it off,

were the monsters

to catch sight of her.

do.

She stopped

to

think

what she should

The

fear of pursuit from

those horrible dragons

made her

tremble, but to turn back

to

now was

impossible.

She could not return

far

Kamatari

empty-handed.

She had come thus

through the sea

within

to the gates of the

Sea King's Palace, and was now

;

very sight of the lost crystal

she must get

it

or die in the

22

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
And if she could
!

attempt.
oh,

reach that crystal and take

it

happy thought

her

child

would be saved from hopefor

less abject poverty,

and she would win

him the noble

laid

career of a samurai.

With

this inspiring

knowledge she
it

her hand on the knife in her belt and drew

ready for use-

Then up she sprang through

the sea to the top of the

lay.

white coral tower, where the crystal

Up, up, up

what an

eternity

it

seemed before she

it

laid her

hand on the
!

shimmering jewel and caught

to her

bosom

Would
till

those dragons with gleaming scales only sleep on

she

was

well
;

away and

safe with the jewel

beyond

their reach ?

No

the very

moment
seemed

that she snatched the crystal from

to

the tower they

awake from

their sleep

and to

see her

they opened their fiery eyes, raised their great

front claws,

and with lashing

thief.
felt

tails

rushed through the

water after the

She poor woman,

that all

was

lost

but with the

courage of desperation she turned to defend

her drawn knife upon her fierce pursuers.

herself, flashing

But the seaafter her

dragons were not afraid of a

fast

knife,
little

and they came

through the water.

her,

more and they would be

claws would tear the

upon

and

their great talon-like

hardly found crystal from her hands.

No, she vowed that

they should never do that, and with a fierce

the knife she gashed her
into the bleeding
left

movement

of

breast,
it

and forcing the jewel

hand

wound, hid

there, clasping her

over the torn

flesh.

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
Though
the

23

ama knew

it

not, these

sea-dragons had a

horror of anything like death or blood, for the Sea King's

realm

is

a
is

fairy world, nothing

can ever die or be hurt

there, all

perpetual

life

and peace, and when they saw

bleeding they stopped

that the
in their

woman was wounded and

fear
it

headlong rush after her and turned back.

She saw that she need

bering the rope, pulled at

them no more, and rememall

with

her might.

V.

The

watchers waiting on the rocks above were roused to

the
it

sudden action by

rope being pulled

violently,

so

violently, indeed, that

tari's

was nearly jerked out of Kamawork

hand.

They had almost given up hope of ever

seeing her again, but

now

they set to

to haul the

poor

woman

up.

As

length after length of the rope

came

up they noticed that the water was tinged with blood, and
thinking this very strange, they
last the
all

pulled the faster.

At

poor shell-gatherer appeared,

lost to all conscious-

ness and bleeding profusely from the big

breast.

wound

in

her

She lay on the beach

like

one dead, and Kamatari's

heart sank, for although in one hand she clutched the knife,
the other

was empty and was caught

to her breast,

and he
find

came

to the conclusion that she

it

had not been able to

let
it

the crystal, or having found

once had But

go,

when she

had

fainted

in
in

the depths.

what was that great

bleeding gash

her breast

24
**

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
Brave woman," he thought,
" she has

done her best

I

to

do

my

errand, and even

if

she has lost the jewel,

will

do

for her

son what she besought o

me

to do."

Restoratives had in the meantime been brought, and

the

woman

slowly

came back

to
its

life.

She opened her

eyes,
it

and taking the

in the

crystal from

hiding-place she placed

:

astonished Kamatari's hand and said

"

have
to

fulfilled

promised
'*

do

for

my word do you my son."

' '

not forget what you

Brave woman," said the great man, and

fear not.

his

eyes grew

deep and dark with emotion,

Your son shall be as

my son and shall

enter

my

service as a sanmrai.
I

On

Budthis."

dha's Crystal, which you have restored to me,

swear

And as he spoke
his

he raised the crystal with both hands to

forehead

in

an act of reverence.

But the streneth of the

to

woman had gone.

She was unable

speak her thanks.

A
She

fleeting smile ofcontentment passed over her face,

and showed

that she understood

and was grateful and

satisfied.

sank back to the sand and the rocks with a groan and

died.

Kamatari Ko, the great state minister

looking

of Japan, stood

down

at

the poor
it

shell-gatherer's

corpse.

He

was much moved, and

was some minutes

betore he spoke.

Then he
"

said to his attendants

This day have

we seen a worthy example

of

self-

sacrifice
lies

and of

faithfulness to purpose.
life

The woman
sake of her

that

dead before us gave her

cannot
tell

for the

child.

We

what happened

to her

down

in the sea,

but

BUDDHA'S CRYSTAL
it

27

is

evident that rather than run the risk of losing the

(jf

crystal, she cut herself regardless

the pain

and buried
All this

the jewel

in

the wound, thus vohint irily made.

she did so that she might win a hopeful future for her son.

We

may

all

learn

much

to-day.

This

woman had

the true

spirit of the

samurai, and her son shall surely be one."

He

then ordered the

for
it

body

to be taken

up reverently,

and he gave money

temples on the
Kaniatari
hills

to be buried in one of the great

overlooking the sea.

to

now returned
Crystal,

Nara carrying
with
the

with joy the

Buddha-retlecting
treasures, he

which,

other

two

and the Chinese Admiral took

to the

Temple

of Kofukuji and delivered to the high priest there

his

daughter's name.

The Admiral Banko

then returned to

China to
to relate

tell

Kohaku
that

that he had fulfilled his mission

and

all

had befallen the Sacred Crystal.

the motherless infant to his
child.

And Kamatari took

and reared
it

home

as

his

own

In

due time, when the boy

grew

to

manhood, the great man made him a samurai, and

his

adopted him as

son even as he had promised the boy's

mother, the finder of Buddha's Cr)stal.

At

last the

young man succeeded Kamatari

learnir
life

in office

as
his

a state minister, and on

the sad story of

how

mother had

sacrificed her

to

buy him the heritage of a

in

samurai, to her noble n.emory he raised a temple

the

harbour of Shido-no-ura.

This temple
this

is

known

as Shidoji

and

is

visited

by pilgrims to

day.

"THEN HB PADDLED HIMSELF UP THE RIVER

IN HIS TINY

LACQUER BOWL."

Issunbo^hi
TV/TANY, many
years ago there lived
oi
in

the province of

Setsu and the town

Naniwa, now called Osaka,

an old man and an old woman.

They were a sad and

disappointed old couple, for the great wish of their lives

was

to

have a son to carry on their name and to pray

for

30
their souls

ISSUNBOSHI
when they were dead, and
this

was never granted

if

them.

They

said to themselves that even

they had a

child as small as

one

ot their little fingers

they would be fain

content, but the years had passed

by and had not brought

them even

this

meagre wish born of a vanishing hope.

the gods
for

At

last

they determined to ask

cotta^i-e,

help.

They
thing

shut up their
in

the old

woman

putting everyhis last

order

in

the house,

and the old man giving

sweep

to the tiny garden.

Not a speck of dust was

to be

seen on the mats, nor a stray leaf on the irregular-stoned,

pathway, as the old couple turned

little

for

last

look at their

home,

first

at the porch

and then at the bamboo gate,

before they pattered " katta, katta" on their "geta" (clogs)

down

the road,

and were

lost to their

neighbour's sight.

Thus they departed on

of the deified

their pilgrimage to the shrine

Empress Jingo Kogo,

at Sumiyoshi.

Having

reached the place, they

made

their

way

at

once to the

temple, and, kneelmg before the altar, prayed her to send

them a

child,

even though

it

should be no bigger than one

ol their fingers.

With

all their

souls they lifted up their hearts

and

their

clasped hands,

praying for that which had been denied

deified

them ho

long,

and the

Empress had compassion on

pitiable

them

in

their

sorrow and
in

old

age.

As

they

prostrated themselves

silence,

quite

spent after the

fervency ot their supplication, they heard a voice trom

behind the

bamboo

curtain say

ISSUNBOSHI
" Since
shall

31

you wish so earnestly

I

for

child,

your prayer

be granted.

will

send you one to gladden your

old age."

Then

the old
if

man and woman

rejoiced greatly,

and

it

seemed as

they would

go on bowing and murmuring At

last,

speeches of gratitude for ever before the altar.

however, they rose from their knees and turned their steps

homeward.
'

What a joyful home-coming it was

in

Even the crows'

croaking chorus

*'

Ka, ka "

the morning,

and the

frogs'

at night

seemed a new song

in their ears.

The

old

woman

put red beans in the rice she cooked for the

the old
to

first

meal, and

man went

out and bought five sens' worth of sake

the promise they

make merry over

Ten moons

had wrested from

fate.
little

passed,

and then sure and enough a

babe was born to the old woman.

infant

Strange to say the

was no bigger than

people
in

the wee,

wee

dolls that are put

to

represent

the

miniature

toy-gardens that
table.

ornament the corner of a Japanese writing

The
and
for

old couple threw up their hands in astonishment,

some minutes could only gaze

at the morsel ot
their prayer,
if

humanity before them.

Then they remembered

and how they had said that they would be content

child

the

they longed for so ardently were no bigger than

finger.
"

What
it

fools

we

were,"

they

said

to

each other.

'*

Surely

would have been as easy

for Jingo

Kogo

to give

32

ISSUNBOSHI
little stick,

us an ordinary-sized infant as this

but

'

shikata

ga
up

nai

'

" (there

is

no help for

it',

and they smilingly made

alter.

their

minds to endure what they could not

called the tiny fellow

They

" Issunboshi "

(one inch

priest), and, in spite of his ridiculous size,

they reared him

with

much care and

love,

hoping

all

the time that one

day

he would shoot up into a son of whom they could be proud.

But alas
!

Issunboshi never

grew

larger,

and when he

reached his thirteenth year he was as small as when he

first

saw day

just
all

the size of his parent's

little

finger.

The disappointment was

who had
centred

so great to the poor old couple,

the hope
it

and love of a

lifetime

on

this

child of their old age, that

feeling.

now outbalanced every

other

They began

to hate the sight of the child,

and

one day the old

"

man

said,

grumblingly

Though

in

deep humility and the desolation of

for

child-

lessness

we begged

child,

no bigger than a

finger, yet
this

we had no
son really

wish to be the parents of a deformity, as "

is
!

And
But

they both thought that the deified Empress had

ver}''

served them
it

badly.
the neighbours which finally
for

was the mockery of

lose all

made them

patience,

when

the child

went
:

beyond the bamboo fence of his home, the people would cry
**

Look a
!

erain of corn

is

takin^r

a walk abroad!

"

and
say.

when they heard him

cry they would laugh aloud

and
on.

Why,

there

is

Little

Finger crying

"
!

and so

ISSUNBOSHI
Thus the unfortunate parents could not send him out

33
to

play because of the neighbours' laughter, and they could

not bear to see him at
their misfortune.

home because he reminded them

to

of

So they consulted each other as

what

they should do, and they decided to rid themslves of their

strange

child.

Calling Issunboshi to
" Issunboshi,

them the father spoke

it

how
till

is

that though

we have taken
all,

the

utmost care of you

to-day,

you never grow at

but
?

remain just as ridiculously small as when you were born

You

are our son so

we cannot say
both

that

we

cease to love

you, but
house.

we

are ashamed of keeping you always in our

I

Your mother and

feel

the disgrace of being

obliged to
Issunboshi,

own

such a dwarf for our son.

So please

my

son,

you must go

off

somewhere, and take

care of yourself from to day.

don't trouble us any more."

Go anywhere
as

you

like,

only

The
took
his

little

fellow,

who was

good as he was

small,

parent's unkind dismissal quietly, and with all

submission.
" All right, father," he said, "
will certainly
if

you

tell

me

to go,

obey you and leave home

this

very day, but,

as a parting present, please give

needles that
"

me a

needle, one of the

may mother

uses in sewing."
for
?

Whatever do you want a needle

"

asked

his

mother.
"
I

shall use

it

as a sword," said Issunboshi.

34

ISSUNBOSHI
"Ah," exclaimed
his

mother,

"a

needle
one,

will

be

just

the right size for you,"

and she got him

Issunboshi then took a piece of straw and sheathing

his

sword with
"

it,

stuck

it

into his belt.

Okkasan

"

(mother), said the tiny fellow,

"

want

to ask for one thing more.

Will you please give

"
?

me

small soup-bowl and a chop-stick

"
stick

And what
?

will

you do with a soup-bowl and a chop-

" asked his mother.

I

"
will

The bowl

shall use as

a boat, and the chop-stick

serve
"

me

as an oar," answered Issunboshi.

They

will

be just the things for you," said

his

mother,

getting them.
Issunboshi seemed quite

happy having got the souphis father

bowl and the chop-stick, and bidding

and mother

good-bye he went forth into the world.

He made
getting into
oar.
it,

his

way

to the river Avith

his

bowl, and

paddled away, with

left

his chop-stick

as an

In this

way he
shall
I

the

town of Naniwa behind him.

the question which

"Where
into his little

go?" was now

Then

occupied his thoughts.

the capital of

Kyoto flashed

mind as a place that would be worth while

going to
talk

see.

He

had often heard

town,
of

his father

and mother

of the

wonderful

its

great temples and

theatres, of the Palace,

and the houses of the great Court

nobles.

Surely there was much that was beautiful and

to be seen in the chief city of the land.

grand

ISSUNBOSHI
But how was he to find the way
"
I
?

35

must ask someone

first,"

said Little Finger, very

wisely.

So he
come

called out to the next

if

boatman

that passed by,

and was told that

he kept on up the river he would soon

to Kyoto, the capital of the

West.

Then he paddled

himself up the river in his tiny lacquer

It

bowl, just as you see him in the picture.

was hard

work, indeed, for Issunboshi, for he and

small,

his

boat were very

its

and the

river

was wide and deep, and

all

current so

strong- that

sometimes he was
is

but washed away.

But, as

often the case with small people, his heart

his

and

will

were larger than

its

mite of a body.
in the

Like the

pine-tree which keeps

greenness even

depth of

winter, in the midst of difficulties he never lost courage,

but day after day patiently worked at his chop-stick oar.

It

took him a long, long time.

Sometimes he stopped
his

under a bridge to sleep, another time he stayed

in

bowl

the
in

shadow of the bank of the

river or

a large stone,

and

one month from the time he started he arrived at

Kyoto.
In those days
lived

Kyoto was the

capital of Japan.

There
he

the Emperor,

surrounded by
Little

his Court, just as

lives in

Tokio now.

Finder was

lost in astonish-

ment, for he had never seen anything like this great town
in

the whole of his lifetime.

the

The

streets

were gay and

it

crowded,

houses large and

fine,

and

seemed

to

36
Issunboshi as
attire,
\i

ISSUNBOSHI
all

the people

were dressed

in

holiday

so beautiful were the robes they wore, for he did

that

not

know

Kyoto was the Paris of Japan.

He

walked

on and
saw.

on, forgetting- everything in the novelty of all he

different

How

was

this city,

with
its

its

clean, regular

streets, its
little

parks and temples, and

gay people,

to the

town of Naniwa,

his birthplace.

He

told himself that

he was glad he had come.

Wandering
roofed gate.

along,

he came at last before a large,

Issunboshi did not

know
With

it,

but he had

come

to the residence of one

nobles,

of the greatest "

Kuge

"

or Court

that of Prince Sanjo.

the simplicity

and

fearlessness of ignorance, attracted by the magnificence of

the place, he,

who ought

to have

been afraid of setting

into the
:

his

foot inside the gate,

marched right

grounds and

up to the large porch, and called out

"

tanomi moshimasu

" (I

beg

to

make an honourable

enquiry).

At
"

that

moment

it

chanced that the "

Kuge "

himself

was just
looked

inside the entrance.

What a
out.

queer voice

"
!

said the great

man, and he

But as he was not expecting anything so

first

small as Issunboshi, he could at

this

see no one.

Thinking

very strange,

as he

had certainly heard someone

last,

speak, he looked and looked again, and, at

on the

step before the entrance, by the side of a pair of clogs, he

saw what looked

like

a tiny

doll, alive.

ISSUNBOSHI

"

uN IHK

STKl'S Uli

SAW WHAT

1-OOKEI)

LIKED A TINY

IK)1,1.

AI.IVE.

Oh, oh
thing
I

said the
!

Kuge,

" look here,

what a

straiig-e

have found

Come,

servants,

come and look

"
!

Then he spoke
"

to the midget.

Did you

call just

now ?

"

Issunboshi
" Yes,
it

bowed and
"
I
!

said

was

'Indeed?

And what may you want

"what a

"

asked the

Kuge
I

Sanjo, and, he continued,

in

tiny mite

you are
Tell

never

my
?

life

saw anything so small as

you.

me

who you

are

"

38
'

ISSUNBOSHI
I

have just come from the town

*

of"

Naniwa, and

my

name
'*

is

Issunboshi.'
!

"
is

What
"

Issunboshi

your name

It

must be because
has brought

of your size that you are so called.

What

you here ?
"
I

have been turned away from home by

my

father

because of
take

my

size,

and, as

have nowhere to go, please

so
"
?

me

into

your house.
Sanjo

Can you do
reflected

The
answered

Kuge
:

moment

and

then

"Truly

am

sorry for you, poor

little

man.

You

are
is

certainly of interest to all

who

see you, for surely there

in

not such another boy as small as you

the whole world.

Yes,

will let
in this

you stay."

And
the

way

Issunboshi entered the noble house of

In spite of his absurd size,
little fellow,

Kuge
Avithal

Sanjo.

Issunboshi
his wits

was

a clever

and always had

about him.
told,

He

never forgot anything that he was once

sn.l

never did a careless thing.

cfrew to
love
!

Everyone

in

the

i/reat

household

him,
"

and someone was and

his

always calling
(juaint little

for

" Issunboshi

" Issunboshi "

sayings and doings endeared him to the hearts

of all.

But more than anyone else the young Princess Sanjo

liked the midget,

and she made him her page.

Wherever

she went Issunboshi followed her.

Soon

after his instalment into the princely family, the

ISSUNBOSHI
Princess had to

39

make a

visit

to the

Temple
went

of

Kwannon,

the Goddess of Mercy.

She
all

often

to this shrine to
evil

pray

for

the aversion of
to place her

sickness
life

and

from her

family,

and

own

under the protection of

feet are the
It

the Heavenly Mother, under

whose

dragons
far,

of the elements and the lotuses of Purity.

was not

'SHE SET FORTH, ATTENDED ONLY BY HER TINY PAGE, 'ISSUNBOSHI.'"

40
and, the

ISSUNBOSHI
way
lay mostly through her father's estates, so

she set forth, attended only by her tiny page, Issunboshi.

They both reached

and chanted

the temple without any mishap, and

the Princess said her prayers, while the priest rang- the
bells
litanies.

All

was soon

finished,

and the

lady and her page had got half-way

down

the long flight

of wide stone steps which led to the temple,

when two

great " oni " (goblins), hiding

at them.

in the

shadow, rushed out

The

Princess

was very

frightened, as well she might

be, at the ugly apparitions,

and ran as

last as she could,

but one of the " oni " outstripped her, and

lay hold of her,

was about
him.
it

to

when

Issunboshi

came up with
his belt,

He

whipped out
its

his needle
in

sword from

drew
it

out of

straw sheath

a second, and flourished

:

in front of

the goblin, crying with all his strength

"

You

blind
is

and ignorant
you dare

fool

that lady

that

to lay

Do you not know who a hand on her ? I am

Kuge
his

Issunboshi, in the service of the illustrious

Sanjo, and

the noble lady

whom

humbly follow

is

honourable

daughter.
if

Let go, you ignoramus of the manner of princes

to lay

you dare

a finger on the

Princess,

will

make

holes through your rude body with

my

sword."
little

The
him,

goblin laughed aloud at the

his

fellow before

and the sound of

laughter

was

like the

banging

of

a brass bowl.
"

You bean-seed

of a

mortal

will

swallow you

ISSUNBOSHI
you brag
like that

41

whole before the Princess, as the cormorants swallow the

trout in the river,
"
!

if

And, without more ado, the goblin seized Issunboshi,

clapped him into his mouth and swallowed him whole, just
as he had said.
boshi, tiny as

Now, as

the "oni"

was very

large, Issun-

he was, was not put to any inconvenience,

Still
till

as might have been supposed.

clutching his sword,

in the

he slipped down, down, down

monster's stomach.
out,

he found himself

Then he

set to

work

to bore his

way

working
" Aita
!

his

needle sword round and round.

!

Aita

" cried out the gDblin, in his

agony.

He

gave a great cough, and Issunboshi was tossed

into the

world again as quickly as he had been swallowed up. But the second goblin, seeing
his

companion wounded

and groaning
screamed out
"

in

pain,

was

furious with Issunboshi,

and

You

are not going to escape

Issunboshi,

me

"

and with these

swallow

words he caught hold of

him.

and

tried to

But Issunboshi preferred the light of day to the dark

inside,

depths of a goblin's

and determined not

to slip

down
nose.

this time.

He managed to climb up into the monster's

in reality the
**

He

then walked out through what seemed to him a

oni's " nostril,
effort,

long tunnel, but which was

on
his

to his cheek,

and

then, with

a mighty

plunged

sword

into first

one and then the other of

his

enemy's

eyes.

Smarting with pain, and quite

blind, the goblin felt sure

42
that Issunboshi

ISSUNBOSHI
was a wizard or some
evil spirit,

for

no

ordinary mortal of his size could do what he had done.

He and
were

his

brother goblin had better run

away

before they

killed outright, and.

yelling to the other monster to

life.

follow him, he took to his heels and ran for his

Both goblins were soon

in full flight.

"What cowards you

after

great things are! " cried Issunboshi

tne,

them

"

you run away from

oya

oya

oya

"
!

and

he laughed aloud.

The young

Princess meanwhile had hidden herself in

fear,

a corner, trembling with

fought her battles for her.

while her favourite midget

Issunboshi watched the goblins

out of sight, and then went up to her and Cold her there

was
"

nothing:

more

to fear.
?

Do

you think you can walk home now

" he said.

"

It is o-ettino- late,

and we must not waste more time."

safe
life,

"What
"

joy to be

again!"

said

the

Princess.

You have saved my

shall tell

Issunboshi,

for surely those

ugly monsters would soon have killed me.

back,
I

When we

get
I

my

father of all

you have done, and

know

that he will

handsomely reward you."

Presently,

as they went along, they

came across a

wooden mallet
was the
"
first
!

lying in the road before them.

it.

The

Princess

to see
"

Look

she said, " there

is

a small mallet lying

it

in

the road.
\\'

The

goblins must have dropped

in their flight.
it

hat a treasure

we have found

"
!

and she picked

up.

ISSUNBOSHI
Issunboshi thought
it

43

strange that his lady should show

so

much joy over

finding such a seemingly valueless thing

as this piece of shaped wood, which she had just taken out
of the
dirt,

and he said

Princess,

may

ask you a question

?

What

is

the

thing called that you have just picked up

"

The
**

Princess laughed sweetly.

still

O, Issunboshi, you have

this is,"

something to learn,

if

you don't know what

"It
is

and she held the mallet

up.
is

indeed a valuable possession.

Whoever has

it

quite rich.

You have
that

only to wish for anything you

may

want, and knock this mallet on the ground, and whatever

it

may be

you wish

for,

drops out.

Have you never

really true

heard of the magic mallet

"
?

" Princess," said Issunboshi, eagerly, "

that this mallet has the

is it

power of giving one whatever one

may

wish for?"
it is

" Yes,

quite true.
little
it

My
all

grandmother used to

tell

me when

was a

girl

about the wooden mallet

it.

and how very lucky

was

to find

Whoever has
for.

the
is

mallet can have at once anything they wish

Now

your chance, Issunboshi

tell

if
it

there

is

anything you wish

for,

me and

I will

knock

out for you."

Issunboshi walked along, deep in thought.

His eyes
lifted his

were fixed on the ground.

small head, and the princess

All of

a sudden he

saw

that his face

was

lighted

up as with some sudden hope.

44

ISSUNBOSHI
" Princess," he said, slowly,
I

have a great wish

want
"

to be as big as other people."

Why,

of course," said the kind Princess.

that.
It

"

ought
for

to

have thought of
to

must be very inconvenient

in this

you
it

have so small a body

to doing things

world, especially
*

when

comes

and fighting

oni.'

The magic
size."

mallet shall give you what you long for

height and
it

Then,

lifting

up the

mallet,
:

she knocked

on the

ground, with these words

"

height

come out so

that Issunboshi
out,

may be

as
!

tall

as ordinary mortals.

Come

come

out,

height

"

And

as the Princess knocked the mallet she looked at

Issunboshi,

and as she looked he seemed

till

to

grow

visibly,

shooting up

he was as large as a full-grown man.

silent,

Astonishment made her

but
:

Issunboshi

felt

the

change, and cried aloud in his joy

'*

What

thankfulness

what thankfulness,
this
'

to be at last

like

other men.
'

From
Finger

day

forth

shall

no longer

be called

Little

or Issunboshi.'
see.
in

"

His delight was a pleasure to

forgetting that he

Issunboshi, quite

was out walking

attendance on a

great lady, began to dance

in his exultation,

pacing here
his

and there

in

a slow measure with one hand on

his fan

sword

and the other holding

on

high.

The

Princess did

not reprove him, for she

crisis in his life,

knew

that this

was a momentous
and

and

in

a second he

recollected himself,

bowed an apology.

ISSUNBOSHI
It

45

seemed

to the lady

and her page that they reached

for the

home very

quickly after that,

way, however
is

long-,

seems to have no length when one

Princess

happy,
in

and the
the

was as happy as

\i^x

protege rejoicing

good

fortune that

had befallen him.

all in

She related to
saved her
life

the big house

evil

how

Issunboshi had

and dispersed the

goblins.

Then she

presented Issunboshi, no longer Issunboshi, to her family,

and told them of the magic treasure they had found on the

way home, and how, The astonishment

was congratulated on

through

its

means,

Issunboshi's

transformation had taken place.

of everyone
all

was

great.

Issunboshi

sides with bated breath.

The

Kuge Sanjo ordered him a

from the best
court,
silks

splendid outfit to be

made
to

and crapes, and when next he went

he told the Emperor the strange story.

"I

am

curious to see this Issunboshi," said the Emperor,

to
his

and he summoned the transformed lad

presence.

august

In those days the

Emperor was considered a sacred

is

being

the

Son

of

Heaven

his

name

to this

day

and
a

the greatest honour and happiness

loyal Japanese subject

that

could befall

was

to set eyes

on him.

This was

the summit of earthly ambition, and this great joy

came

unexpectedly to our

little

hero.

The Emperor was commanded him

to

so pleased with Issunboshi that he

be presented with

many

gifts

as a

46

ISSUNBOSHI
of royal favour,
official.

mark

and then he bestowed on him the

rank of a high
Thus, after

many

troubles and

difficulties,

did our

little

Issunboshi win through to bright days of prosperity.

In

time he rose to be a great lord, with his retinue of vassals,

honoured and respected throughout the land, and when

his

kind friend the Princess was married by her family to

a neighbouring Prince, the most beautiful and the most

costly

wedding presents she received were those sent by

Issunboshi.

And
to take

the

Kuge

Sanjo,

when

Issunboshi

was

old enough

wife,

gave him

his

youngest daughter

in

marriage,

and they

lived happily ever afterward.

The Kettle
TV/TANY, many years
bayashi,
there
in

of

Good

Tortune
ago, in the place called Tatethe

Province of

Kodzuke of Japan,
Morinji.

stood a

Buddhist
temple,
big,
it

Temple
stood
in

called

Like

many another
trees,

the shade of lofty pine

first

where the

black crows held parliament the

thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

48

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

The
chief priest of the

temple was an old man.

Every

day found him solemnly

serving- in the

temple and burning

in his

the incense before the great Buddha, dressed

flowing

robes and big rosary of crystal beads.

Many
to

pupils
in

had

he under him

young bonzes

whom
it

he trained

the faith

of the Lord Buddha, whose duty

lifting

was

walk
his

after him,

his

long vestments, and to move

chair

from
the

place to place while he

different altars.

recited the prayers before

When

his duties

in

the temple were finished, the

Sho Sama, or Mr. Master

of his time
in

Priest, spent the greater part

studying and

performing the elaborate

formalities of the ancient tea-ceremony,

yu.

known

as Cha-no-

This was

his only

amusement.
for

Whenever he went

little

walk, he pottered round

to the curio shops, hunting for rare

his

and antique vessels

for

hobby, and he soon became

known

as the " Cha-no-yu

Priest."

Well, one day, as he stood before one of these

it

old shops wondering whether

the
"
if

was worth while

to

to stop,

owner came out and, bowing

Priest,
I

the

ground,

said

Master

have something to show you to-day

of

you can spare a minnte

;

your honourable precious

time "

and going

to

the

back of the shop, the man

it

brought out a strange-looking kettle and set

before the priest.

down

As soon
*A

as the old priest set eyes on the kettle,*

is

Cha-no-yu kettle

of a different shape to an crdinary kettle.

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

he knew that he had come upon a treasure ceremony.
It

49

for his pet

was

very, very old and, therefore, valuable,

and besides
"
I

that, its

shape was

in perfect taste.

shall

never find another kettle like

this,"

he said

to himself; and,
it

overjoyed

at

his

fortune,

he bought
it

and carried

it

home

to

the temple,

and put

away

in

the cabinet with the

other utensils used in the tea-

ceremony.

For a few days he was very busy, and had not time
to think of his

new

acquisition.

Then came a
stroll,

quiet after-

noon

he was too tired to care for a

the mats with a

and he

sat

down upon
smiled,

weary

sigh.

Suddenly he
his

and the winter was driven from

face

by the
kettle.

sunshine of that smile, for he had

remembered the
and

So he went
it

to the cabinet, took out the kettle,

it

setting

on

its

box, he looked at

with ever-increasing satis-

faction.

Then from

the

drawer

of his writing table he took out

a crape duster and a hawk's feather and sat rubbing and

dusting his kettle with great care and pride
to
till

he began

grow

sleepy,

and

his

shaven head went bobbing and

nodding
last

" kokkuri,

kokkuri," over the low table, and at

he was

fast asleep.

Now
now,

a wonderful thing came to pass.

the
to
all

The

kettle,
till

which had stood on

suddenly began
to give a

box before the old man

move of
over
;

its
it

own

accord.

It

seemed

shake

then

put forth a furry

50

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

feet,

head, then four

and

last of all

a bushy

tail,

jumped

down from
the room.

the top of the box and

be^an

to

walk round

The

priest

slept on,

all

unconscious of the strange

transformation, while the walking teakettle pattered round

the room,

and whacked, as

if

in

anger,

its

long

tail

against

the screens and mats.

Some young bonzes were

sitting studying in the

next

room, and hearing strange unaccountable noises

in their

master's apartment, peeped in from the " fusuma " (sliding

paper screens which divide one room from another).

of

Some
sight

them leapt backwards with astonishment at the

which met their gaze.

They saw a

tea-kettle walking about on the legs of

in front
!

a badger, with a head

they
all cried
!

and a

tail

behind.
"
!

Then

out "Taihen da
!

Taihen da
is

" Oh, look,

!

look
shall

how

dreadful
"
?

The

tea-kettle

bewitched

What

we do
'

Hearing
them.

their excited talk,

another bonze ran to join

We

must be either dreaming or out of our

senses," said the new-comer, " to see

what we are
on
!

seeing.

There

is

the tea-kettle walking about

!

feet

"
!

" Look, look

It is

most uncanny
*'

The

creature
I

is

coming
like the

this

way," exclaimed one.

"
!

Take

care,

don't

look of the thing

all

Then

the

young

priests entered their master's

room

and called him.

"

HOW DREADFUL

THE TEA KETTLE

IS

BEWITCHED

"
!

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

"

53
;

Master

Priest,

Master

Priest,

wake

up, please

some-

thing strange has happened."

The
"

old
is

priest

opened
?

his

eyes,

saying
all

drowsily,

What
'*

the matter
is

How
"

noisy you

are

"
!

This

not

the

time to ask questions," said the

boldest of his puipils.

Look

there

feet

have grown

out of the kettle, and

it is

walking about the room now,

side of the

look

"
!

and the speaker pointed to the other

room.
"

What do you
the old

say

"

said the bewildered old

!

man.
"
?

"

Feet have grown from the kettle

Where?

Where

Then
him
it

man rubbed

his

eyes and looked about

lo

for the

walking tea-kettle, when,

its

and behold

there

was

quietly sitting in
its

old place on the box before

believe

him, in

usual form.

So he would not

what the

young
*'

priests

had told him.

boys you are," he said to the bewilder"

What

foolish

ed young men.

" Isn't the kettle here before

priests looking at

me ?

The young

the kettle

and hardly
:

able to believe their

"
is

own
was

eyes, exclaimed in a breath

!)

Oya, oya, oya

(Oh
It

dear, oh dear, oh dear

certainly

This

most strange
"
'

walking just now,

but

But

"

said the priest,

" there is

nothing to be

said.

Here

it is

as before.

They say a

pestle sometimes

puts forth feathers, but in what country do feet of kettles

?

come out

You have

told

me

a false story, and

my

nice

"

54

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

is

afternoon nap

spoilt.

Fools that you are

"
!

Go away
all

Be

off

with you

Quick

Being thus scolded for their kind intentions,

the

young men were obliged

as they went.

to retire to their room, grumbling

positively sure that they

They were

had

seen the kettle walking about on the legs of a badger, and

they hoped ere long to show the old priest the miracle

and

to convince

him of the truth

of

what they had told him.

That very evening, while they were thus ruminating,

the old priest, wishing to
kettle with water,

make

tea,

filled

his

precious

and put

it

on the charcoal

fire

to boil. " hibachi

Without warning, the kettle jumped

(brazier)

off the
It
:

and screamed

"

It

burns

me

burns

me

"
!

The

priest quite terrified, cried out

is

"

How
!

dreadful

My

tea-kettle

bewitched into a badger

"
?

Who
in at

will

come and help me

Hearing
but,
its

his cry, all the

neophytes rushed

once

strange to relate, when they had caught the kettle,

hairy feet and head and
tail

vanished as before, and

they held but an ordinary iron kettle.

They knocked

it

with their knuckles, but the only r^ply was " kan, kan,"
the sound of metal.

Their

master

apologised

for

having

doubted

their

word

earlier in the day,

and they

left

him alone once more

with his kettle, glad that their honour was vindicated so

soon.

Now

the old priest sat thinking

the uncanny incident

"

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

had greatly upset him, and when anything was on

55
his

mind he always talked aloud.

"

What
? I

have

I I

done

What

sort

of thing have

bought

While

was

congratulating

myself on the

treasure

had found, such an unforeseen transformation

It
is

takes place.

evidently under

some
shall

spell
I

and

will this

cause
kettle

me no end
?

of trouble.

What

do with

He
try

sat rubbing his bald pate, thinking very hard to

find

and

some way out of

his

dilemma.

There was

silence in the room,

and only the charcoal

in the brazier

crackled suddenly and sent flying

some bright

sparks.

At

last the old priest started to his feet

as a thought flashed

through
**

his

mind.
it
!

have

shall sell the kettle as

soon as possible,

that

is

the best way.

I

Such a peculiar
it

utensil is useless to
it

me.

Yes, yes,

shall sell

and then

won't bother

me

more."

The next morning, a

The

" kuzuya "

(a

man who goes

and as soon

about buying up old clothes and rubbish) came round to

the temple.
priest

knew

the

man

well,

as he saw him, brought out the kettle of which he wanted

to rid himself.

The buyer

of rubbish

was an honest man, and

after

looking at the piece of antique iron, and never dreaming

of anything unusual in what lay before him, said
"
:

Sho Sama,

this is

a kettle

in excellent condition,

56

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

Oi

and
it ?

some

value,

why

in the

world do you want to

? I

sell
it

Have you
for

not

made a mistake
it."

assure you that

is

a pity

you to part with

is

" Yes, that part with

kettle,
it,

true," said the priest.

I

"

don't

want

to

but the other day

will

bought a better-shaped
way,
I

and as two

be

in

my

shall sell

this

one."
"
I

Oh,

is

that so

"

said

the simple
this

kuzuya.

Then
will

shall

have the honour of buying

sell
it.

one

if

you

condescend to

He

took out a purse from his girdle and put

down

four hundred moii (a

mon

is

little

coin with a hole in the

forty cents

middle, and four hundred

in

mon would be about

and carried the

modern Japanese
in the city.

coin),

kettle to his

house

The
and
felt

priest

rubbed

his

rosary thankfully that night

off

as

it

a mountain of anxiety had rolled

his

back.

The kuzuya was very happy over

was a splendid
one, for he

his bargain,

which

knew

that he could sell the

for
it.

kettle for ten times

what he had given

The more
a long

he looked at the kettle the more delighted he was.

"
I
!

have not made such a good bargain

*'

for

time

" he said to himself.

for
I

And

it

was

quite

an honest

one

too,

told the priest that he

was parting with

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

something uncommon.
send out for a Httle
*'

59
I

Buddha

is

good

to me,

and

will

sake " (rice-wine).

ot

This he did and slept soundly and dreamed

Fuji-

yama and a hawk

the

most fortunate of

all

dreams.

In the middle of the night he

calling his

was roused by someone

!

name very
!)

shrilly

**

Kuzuya San

Kuzuya

"
1

(Mr. Kuzuya

He
little

sat up quickly, in his fright catching hold oi

pillow,

his

wooden

and looked about him.

that the kettle which he

To

his utter

amazement he found
that
tail

had bought
head and

morning was standing on four

of a badger.

legs, with the

No

words can express the poor man's

sight,

fright.

He

looked and looked at the curious

and the more he

looked the more bewildered did he become.

Then he

spoke to the kettle

"

Ya ya
!

(here, here

1)

Are you the

"
?

kettle which

brought home a few hours ago

Without the least fear or embarrassment the extraoradinary kettle came towards him,
mars,
"

walking over the

express
the

hiyoku-hiyoku "

(as

the

Japanese

sound of walking).
"

Are you

surprised,

Mr. Kuzuya

"

asked the
in its eye.

kettle-

badger, or badger-kettle, with a twinkle

"

Ought
"
I I

not to be surprised

" said the astounded

all

man.
time,

thought that you were a metal kettle

this

and

awake

in the

middle of the night and find you

6o

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

my room
will tell

walking about
feet
!

with a head, a

tail,

and hairy

Who
I

would not be surprised at such a sight as

you

beg you

me what you
and said
:

are

"
?

The
**

kettle smiled blandly

am

called

Bunbuku Chagama, the Tea Kettle of

I

Good
*'

Fortune, and

am

a transformed badger."

Oh," said the kuzuya, " then you are not a true

tea-kettle after all?"

" No," answered the animal, "

am

not a true kettle,

"
?

but

shall

be of more service to you than a real kettle

"

"

What do you mean ?

"
?

asked the kuzuya, "

What do

you mean
"
I

am

quite different to

any ordinary tea-kettle," said

the queer badger,

"so

if

the one

who owns me

treats

me
;

kindly and with respect, he will certainly be fortunate

but

if

anyone should use

me
all

as that irreverent priest of

Morinji did, he will lose

and gain nothing.

Do

you

know how
and even

the priest served

me

He

actually

poured
fire,

cold water into me, and then set

after
I

me on

the charcoal

had put out

my

beautiful tail (the

badger

switched the proud

others to catch

member from
to strike

side to side), he called

me and

my

sides

Why, how
"
?

can

I,

a respectable badger, put up with such usage

And
nation.
'*

the badger puffed out his sides with great indig-

You

are most reasonable,"

if

said the

man.
in

"

But

would you be happy

you were always placed

your

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

box and put
into

6i

a cupboard?
?

What
me."

is

your idea of

comfort and happiness

Please

tell

"Ah!"
man.

said the badger,

course,
I

"you are

certainly a wise

Of

if

am

shut up in a

box,

cannot
I

breathe freely.

am

a living creature, you know, and

sometimes wish to go out and to have some nice food to

eat."
"

Why,

certainly," said the

man.

"

sympathise with

you.
"

When
I

was

living in

the temple,"

continued the
I

badger, "

could hardly endure

my

hunger, and

some-

times crept out to look for food, but in one unlucky hour
I

was seen by

the

young

priests,

and scarcely escaped

being beaten.
to find out

They knocked my
I

sides with their knuckles

what

was made

of!

Fancy that
I

Now

you

have behaved

in

a superior manner, and

is

cannot help

thinking that there

some mysterious

affinity

between you
I

and me,
if I

since

have come to you

"
?

in this
I

way.

wonder
to

can trust myself to you and whether

may ask you

"

feed
"

me

hence-forward

Why,

certainly," said his attentive friend.

I

Even

I
I

am

a human being, and when

am
if

trusted by

anyone

never dream of drawing back.

with what
rice
I

So

you

will

be content

can give you,

will see

that you have

enough

every day."
" If

you

will

be so kind,
I

.shall

be immensely grateful

to you.

In return

shall

show you my accomplishments,

62

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

I

and perhaps you can do something- with them.

certainly

do not wish to receive your bounty without doing something for

"
it,"

said the educated badger.

I

What do

hear

Can you do anything ?

But what
is

This

is

hopeful and interesting.

the kuzuya.
" Anything

your

line ? "

asked

and everything," replied the accomplished

"
I

badger-kettle.
tight-rope."
"

can turn acrobat, and

can dance the

That

is

wonderful," exclaimed the more and more

"

astonished man.

Then

shall give

up

my

business of

rag- col lector, open a show, and ask you to perform as

a dancer and an acrobat

"

"
!

That
*'
;

is

a good plan, a very good plan," said the

if I

badger

and

act with all

my power

the whole land

it

will turn out,

and your gain

will

be much greater than

you remained a humble kuzuya."

'

If

you are as good as your word, Mr. Badger,

shall

feast

you royally every day."

contract being completed thus, the kuzuya decided

The
to

open the show at once.

He
make

lost

no time, and the very next day he began to

First of all he built

preparations for the venture.

hall

himself a proper

for

the

performance.

Then he
he hung a

engaged musicians
and the drum, and

skilled in playing the sa?nisen (guitar),

in the front of the building

large picture of the performing badger.

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

When
all

6^

was ready he dressed himself

in

the kamiof

shimo costume (the winged dress, so called on account

the standing

shoulder

pieces),

a style of dress always

exhibitions.

worn by

lecturers at

shows and

Then he took

his

stand in front of the building and

called to all that passed by, flourishing his fan towards the

sign-board.
" Sa,

Sa

"

(Look

Look

!)

here

is

to

be seen the
of

accomplished
recent times.
bird acrobats

Badger Actor,
If

the

greatest discovery
to the

you compare him

dog actors or
is

you make a great mistake.

tail

This
It

a kettle

with the head and legs and

of a badger.

can dance

and turn somersaults on a

tricks.

rope, besides other wonderful

Where

in

the whole wide world could you find

such an extraordinary actor, either in ancient or modern

times.

Come and
for ever.

see the performance,

and you
will

will

be

amused
losers.

Turn away, and you

be great
!

Come

in,

come

in

Hasten, good people, hasten

Never mind

the fee

till

afterwards.
I

You may pay me

when you have seen what

have to show you."

This was the speech with which the kuzuya invited

the spectators to enter.
hall,

When

they had come into the

to

there

was another speaker

:

welcome them, and

this is

what he said

"

Ladies and Gentlemen, what

special

am

going to show

you are the

actor,

accomplishments and antics of the

Mr. Bunbuku Chagama, a genius, about to show

64

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

first

himself for the

all

time to a wondering world

tight- rope
;

First ot

he

will

perform a dance on the

afterwards

he

will

show you various dances

that

you have never seen

before, one after the other."

Then

the speaker clapped

two pieces

of

wood

together,

" chon, chon, chon."

Now
his

the actor,

Bunbuku Chagama
to

solemnly came on the stage,

visitors,

made a low bow

the

and began

dance on the rope.

at

All the people

were breathless with astonishment

still
it

the sight of the strange actor, and his

stranger antics.
before,

They had never seen anything

clamations and ejaculations
"
filled

like

and ex-

the

air.
!

How

strange

How

amusing

How
?

marvellous

Was
Oh
!

ever such a curious creature seen before

badger
!

with the body oi a kettle dancing on the tight-rope

Oh

Oh

"
!

And

the reputation of this

city
in
;

show spread

like lightning

round the
each other

all

the people from far

to see the

and near
first.

rivalled

coming

wonder

So great

was

the

rush that the authorities were afraid that the

built

house would break down, and scaffolding was

the building to support
it.

round

In less than twenty days the

befitting

kuzuya had made a fortune

the

name

of the

Badger Bunbuku Chagama.

But the kuzuya was
he began to think that
it

far

from being a greedy man, and

the badger to keep

was hard on
for

him working so strenuously

much

longer.

So one

BUNBUKU CHAMAGA BEGAN HIS DANCE ON THE ROPK

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

after a
kettle
:

6^

day, as they were sitting together drinking a cup of tea,

good day's performance, he

said to the badger-

" Listen to

me, Mr. Bunbuku.

It is in

your honourable

shadow
I

that

have made such an exceptional fortune, and

am

very grateful to you.

I

Now

have enough to

retire

on,

and

think that you must be tired with these endless

performances.
business
**

What do you
taking a rest
the

think
"
?

of giving

up the

now and
make
said

Yes,"

answered
to

badger-kettle,

"

have

no

objection to

your proposal."
kuzuya,

"Then,"

the

"I have your consent."

And

he immediately closed the show, much to the disap-

pointment of the whole neighbourhood.

The kuzuya and Mr. Bunbuku Chagama now took a

week's rest together, enjoying themselves grandly and
feasting

on the best

rice

and

fish that

they could get for

money.

Then they both went

kuzuya told the
'*

to the temple of Morinji,

and the

priest all that

to

had happened, adding

It

is

owing

your having sold

I

me

this

wonderful

and lucky
I

kettle, that

have made such a big fortune, so

offer

have come to thank you and to

one half of what

will stay

have made to the temple, and the kettle

if

with you

you

will treat

it

as such an important thing ought to be

consideration and kindness."

treated

with
priest

all respect,

The

bowed

his

thanks and took the present of

68

THE KETTLE OF GOOD FORTUNE

all tied

money,
the

up

in

a box with red and white

string,

and
as

kuzuya departed, promising- to come

as often

possible to see his faithful friend,

Bunbuku Chagama.
happened
to

After

this

nothing

unusual

the

kettle,
all

which

is

preserved on a gold and lacquer stand, with

relic, in

honour as a valuable
day.

the temple of Morinji to this

The Mouse Bride

/^NCE
in

upon a time there

lived

the wall of a large Japanrich

ese house a

and prosperous

gentleman and lady mouse.

They had

been

married

for

many

years,

and
fish

Hved
in

together

as happily as
pride of their
little

water.

The

life

was

their beautiful

daughter,

"O

Chu

San,"

or

the

honorable Miss

Chu, just

growing up to be a lovely maiden

mouse.

Her
long
in

skin

was white as snow, and her eyes were

shape and of a beautiful pink colour, and when

it

she squeaked

was

like the

sound of the wind saying

"chu, chu, chu," and thus she was called

Chu San.

She was so clever that her parents sought out the best
of masters in
in "

Mousedom

for her,

and she was soon versed

Higher Learning of Mice," and the poetry and history

of her country.
in

She could read

fluently
of

and write

letters

good

style,

a most necessary part

a Japanese lady-

mouse's education.
All the other accomplishments had not been neglected.

70

THE MOUSE BRIDE

little

and

Miss Chu could play the Koto (Japanese harp),

in

and perform the tea ceremonies and arrange flowers

exquisite taste.

In her

little

hole next to her parent's in the wall of the

house was to be found a set of well selected books and

several musical instruments, and at the time of which this

story

is

written there could not be found a

more

perfect

young mouse than

Chu San.
have done

Mr. and Mrs. Mouse, of course spent a great deal

more than they ought

to

in

buying the best

that,

crape kimono for their daughter.

toilet-boxes

Not only
lacquer,

but her

were made of beautiful

in itself.

and her metal

mirror was an heirloom

The
a

neighbour-mice, willing as they were to admit the

charms of the Belle of Mousedom, laughed and squeaked

little

over the absurdities of the fond parents, and said

that they

must be excused
for,

for

going a

little

mad
the

over

Chu

San,

contrary to the general rule of mouse-

couples,

they had had only one child.

Then

sage

neighbours twirled and wiped their whiskers and switched

their
tails

from side to

side,

as they thought

how very

much wiser they were

little

in the

way

they brought up their

mice.
little

But no one could deny that

the

Miss Chu was

now

in

bloom of her

youth,

and her father and mother,

uncles,

cousins

and aunts held a family

council as to the advisability

of choosing a suitable husband for their lovely young ward.

THE MOUSE BRIDE

No younor man in Mousedom was good
daughter
arrived
;

71

enough

for their

that

was

the conclusion that Mr.

all

and Mrs, Mouse

at,

and they squeaked away

the suggestions of
to give their

the interested relatives.

They were not going

precious

Chu's hand to a vulgar young fellow of the

common

herd.

Oh dear,

no

Only the most distinguished

fittino-

man
was

in

the whole world

was a

mate

for

one who

so well educated, so accomplished, so great a musician,

beautiful as their

and so

daughter

Chu.

Then

the father-mouse retired to his

own

hole to think

out what course he should take in finding a proper and

suitable son-in-law.
"
in
I

wonder," he
I

said, at last, "

who

is

the greatest

man
he
is

the world.

must

find

him

for

my

daughter.

Now

must be Lord Sun or Lord Moon,

Lord Sun, however,

so dazzling that no one can go near him, but Lord

Moon
I

seems gentle, and

will

his

light

is

as soft as
if

it

is

bright.

go and ask

the

Lord Moon

he will become

my

daughter's bridegroom."

The
the

father- mouse,

whose name was Chubei,

set out for

Moon, and having arrived at the

said
:

softly shining orb,

he

made a low bow and

" Hail,

my Lord Moon
Will you not

You
"
!

are

still

a bachelor, are

you not

wed my daughter

Chu

She

would make you a perfect wife

The Moon

sent forth a dazzling ray of astonishment, he

surprise that night,

was so taken by

and the astronomers

72

THE MOUSE BRIDE

brightness.
is
it

watching- the sky on earth tried to account for the great

momentary
"
*

What

you

say,

Mouse

"

asked the Moon.

In all these ages you are the only one

I

who has dared

I

to

propose that

should become his son in-law.

offer,
all

thank you
it,

very much for your kind

but

cannot accept

for the

Cloud separates

me

from

things terrestial and would be

an insuperable obstacle

to

my

union with your daughter.

The Chubei went

The Cloud stood
Then he answered
" It
is

to

the Cloud

and made the same

proposition to him as he had done to the Lord

still

Moon.
reflection.

for
:

a few minutes'

the visitor
I

true that

often hide the

Moon
and

from the Earth

and

am

the only obstacle between his union with your

I

daughter, but

also

am

fettered,

my enemy

is is

the

Wind.
free

No,

regret to say that even the Cloud

not

enough

to accept

your proposal."
in

Now

our poor mouse was nearly

all his

despair,

but he
to the
his

summoned

courage to the

fore,
if

and hastened

Wind, and quickly asked him

daughter.

he

would marry

But the

Wind

only blew out his huge bags

and
"

said:

No,

am

very sorry, but the IVall stands between

for

your daughter and myself,

adversary."

the

Wall

is

my

great

Our Mouse
was

at last thought that he had found

what he

looking- for.

There could be

nothing-

stronoer or

THE MOUSE BRIDE

more renowned than
Wind, and he
would be
felt

75
to resist the

the

Wall who was able

sure as he went along- that the

Wall

his son-in-law. his

visit

But when he paid

to

the

celebrated Wall,

Mouse Chubei

received a long answer which effectually

damped
grew

his

adventurous ardour, and his long whiskers

:

quite limp as he listened to the Wall's reply

I

"Have
I

need to

tell

you,

Mouse Chubei,

that although

am strong enough to resist the Wind, before your kind I am as nothing. Where would be the wisdom oi marrying Is it not the into a people who would cause my death ? pastime of your people to gnaw me into holes ? Your play is my death. Great, indeed, would be my fall were I
to

marry

Chu San."
"
all

" Ah," said the crestfallen mouse,

quite true.
It is

that

you say

is

time that

returned

home

to think,"

and

so saying he

bowed
his

himself out of the presence of the

Wall, and took

way towards home.

ever on the watch for his return, ran
their little

His
to

faithful

wife,

meet him on the threshold of

hole-home,

eager to welcome her mousey-husband and to

result of his search.

know

the

As soon

as the

bows of meeting were over Mouse

Chubei sat down, and unwilling to give any sign of the

discouragement he had
felt,

pricked

up

his
:

ears,

and

makinof his whiskers stand out

"

straiQrht, said

Ah,

my

dear wife be proud and happy and contented

76
that you

THE MOUSE BRIDE

and
I

are mice

Do

you know that mice are the

Masters of Creation.
is

Listen,

and

will tell
I

you how
felt

this

true.

When

set out

a few days ago

in

sure that

Lord Moon was the greatest fellow

to everything, but

the world, superior

do you know that the Cloud can master

obscured when the Cloud
face.

him and that

his light is quite

chooses to pass before his glorious

And
its foe,

again, the

Cloud

is

not master of

itself.

It

may be

driven about
the

from one end of the sky to the other by

which can blow
also
is
it

Wind,

whithersover
turn
aside

it

will.

And

the

Wind
the

obliged to

when confronted by

Wall.

Now,

perhaps, mousey-wife, you will be thinking

that the Wall,

being able to oppose the Wind,

will
fall

is

lord

of

all.

What
it

you say when

tell

you that we mice

can cause the

of the greatest Wall ever

made by
are

gnawing

into

holes.
!

Thus

it

is

that
fit

we mice

superior to everything
to us.

Nothing

is

to

be compared

Therefore,

we cannot do

better than

marry our

dear and precious daughter to some young fellow of our

own

kind."
listened

The mouse-wife had

was

attentively

to

all

this

long speech, and she was convinced that her husband's

final

decision

the right one,

his opinion.

and she told him that

she was quite of

Now
among

both the anxious parents of

Chu turned

their

thoughts to the choosing of their future son-in-law from

the
circle

of their

near

acquaintances.

Ever^--

THE MOUSE BRIDE

eligible

^^

young mouse that they knew was talked over as

the possible or impossible bridegroom.

"

What do you

think of Mr.

Chumaru, who

lives in

the roof? " said the father.

"
" but
I

He

is

nice tellow, certainly,"

is

answered the mother,

living

you forget that there

a cat

near
life

his house.

could not bear the thought o.

cat."

Chu's

being

in

danger of a
*

How
is

stupid of

me

to

have forgotten

that.
?

Well,
"

there
'*

Chukuro of the cupboard, how would he do

"
!

Oh, dear no, that would never do, the dog sleeps

there every night

What a
right

difficult

thing

it

was

to

be sure to

find just the

mouse

for their daughter,

and how troubled they

a few minutes and Mrs.

both were.

There was

silence for

Mouse

rose and

their cups of tea

made some tea, and they both sipped hoping that some inspiration would strike

them.

As

they were both sitting there, looking out across

the garden, very puzzled over the difficult problem,

who
They

should come up to the house on some business but their

own

clerk,

a charming and clever young mouse.

for

had known him

a long time, and had often remarked

the thought of

what a praiseworthy fellow he was, though

his

marrying

Chu had never

said Mrs.

yet entered their heads.

of going

"Look, Chubei,"
so far

Mouse "instead
marry

away

to find a son-in-law let us

Chu

to

78

THE MOUSE BRIDE

He
we
is

our Clerk Chusuke.

o-oes
!

the very one,

and there he

saw him and

that
find

made me

think of him, and,

?

indeed, where could

a more suitable young- fellow

He
he

is

steady and hard-working, and everybody says that

will

do well
is

besides that his heart

is in

the right place,

and he
infancy,

handsome.

He

has known our child from her

and they are

friends

and understand each

think
"
?

others'

characters pretty well.

What do you
delighted
!

Mr.
'

Mouse was

with his wife's

is

thought.

What a, splendid He is certainly a

best of husbands,

idea

Chusuke

just the very fellow.

will

rising
I

young mouse and

sure.

make

the

am

Why
?

in the

name

of rice-

cakes did

we

not think of him before

the clerk,

"

So Chusuke,
which

was informed of
himx,

the

happy

fate

his superior

planned for
to

and
for

for

a whole day

and night he ceased not

news.

squeak

joy at the good

He

called himself the happiest of mice, as indeed

he was.

O Chu, on

hearing of her parent's wish, seemed happily

in

content with their choice, and she rejoiced that

marrying
her

Chusuke she would not have

to

go

far

away from

parents' home, since he lived hard by,

and so the matter

was

settled.

Now
for her

all

were busy

in

the mouse- hole arranging the

presents for her bridegToom and getting the bride ready

new home.
few days later a grand wedding was celebrated
in

TRYING ON THE WEDDING DRESS.

THE MOUSE
Mousedom.

Bf^IDE

gj

The

bride

was

carried ^^ ^ closed palanquin

to Chusuke's residence at the other ?^de of the house,

and a
of her
the

long procession of bearers carrying large boxes

possessions went before her and
rafters of the house.
wc^'J^'^ its

full

way along

The mouse- bfi'^^g^^oorn met her on

new home and conducted her
to the

the threshold of her

room where

the ceremony of drinking" the three cups of

wine was to take place, and there tF^ happy young couple

were united

in the

presence of their fespective parents.

The

bride's father
his

was

exceptio^^-^^y

merry over the

to give

marriage of

daughter, and

was heard

some

worthy advice to some of

'*

his young pachelor friends.

in goit^S to

How

wasted

my

time

see those
all,

whom
were

thought great and powerful, and '^ho, after

unable to accept

my good
I

offer.

fecund out, though, that

in the

we mice

are quite equal to everything ^^se

world,

if

not better.

And

learned to be content with what was

near at hand and to

thing to
boys,

know its value. It is by far the best marry among your own k^ind. You, my dear
likewise,

go and do
farther

and

rerr^^^^ber

the proverb,

'Go

and fare worse,' and paikoku, the God of

Happiness,

will bless you.

And do

^ot forget to thank

him always."

The GhrysantheEmum
Grest
/^NCE
bush.
It

upon a
in

time,

long,

long ago

in

Japan, there

grew

a large meadow,
the lovely season of

a wild chrysanthemum

was

autumn and under blue

star-like flowers

skies of sparkling softness

two

little

had

blossomed among the green leaves.

Sister-flowers
:

were

they, so alike that they resembled twins

they both had

of

exactly the

same shape and

;

the

same number

dainty

petals in their corollas

the only difference between

them

was

their colour,

for

one was white and the other was

yellow, so they
field,

were named by the other flowers of the

of them, the

who were very proud

Lady White, and

day long the sun

the

Lady Yellow.

They were happy

little

flowers

all

shone on them and they opened their petals wider and

wider to
his

warm

rays,

and when night came they drank

together of the same refreshing dew.

full

Soon they were

in

bloom, and no more perfect

little

chr}^santhemum could

be found anywhere.

One day an
corner.

old

man came

to the field

and found the

in

yellow and white chrysanthemum blossoms

their

sunny

He

looked at them carefully for some minutes and

:

then he spoke to the yellow flower

84
**

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

You
are very pretty
said.
!

Won't you come

to

my
help

garden?" he

"I

am
if

a chrysanthemum gardener,"

he went on smiling, "and

you come with me,

will

you

to

grow

into

a much larger and more beautiful flower

if

than ever you can be

**

you stay here."

if I
it

Shall

really

grow up as you say,

" Is

come with you ? "

what you
tell

asked Lady Yellow wondering.

true

me ?
I will

can hardly believe

it

"
it
!

" Oh, yes,

is

quite true, "

answered the old man.

give you

good food

to eat

and

beautiful clothes to
in this

wear, such as you have never even dreamed of

field,

wild

and you

will

then become a larger and lovelier flower!"

her,

As
things,
sister,

the old

man coaxed

promising
quite

all

these nice

the yellow chrysanthemum,

forgetting her

wished to go with the old gardener, for she was

vain

and ambitious, and longed

for

an opportunity

to

show

herself in the great world beyond, of which she

in that quiet spot.

had

sometimes heard even

"Oh,
like to
**

" she exclaimed breathlessly,

"

should so much

go with you

"
!

Will you come

!

Yes

Then

will

take you with

me

at once

" said the old

man delighted.

He

then began
roots,

to dig

up the yellow chrysanthemum by the

this,

and

having done
All
this

turned back to go home.

time the white

chrysanthemum

had

been

listening to

everything that was said.

sister to

When
felt

she heard

him ask her

go with him she

vQry anxious,

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

When however
she

85

but being of a timid and retiring nature she said nothing.

saw

that he

was going
it

to

take her

sister-flower forever she could bear

no longer.

With

the aid of the friendly wind, passing by just then, she put

out one of her branches and touched his dress, saying

" Oh,

Oh
no,

do not leave

me
Jii
!

sister please

take
I

me
in

also

San
"

behind "*
!

If

you take iny

"

Oh

can't

do that

the old

man answered
his

crossly, for he

was

a hurry to get home with

newly

found treasure, and did not like being hindered.

**

But

Jii

San, don't you

know
side

that

we

are

sisters,

and that we have grown up

can remember?
quite alone
!

by side ever since we

I

If

you take her away

shall

be

left

Oh, please, take

me

too

"
!

pleaded the
her snowy

white chrysanthemum with tears running

petals.

down

" No, no," said the gardener, "

you are only a white

chrysanthemum.
repay

know by

experience that you will not

my

trouble half as well as your sister.

You had

better stay

and play with the grasses and wild flowers

are of no use to

here

You

me

"

and with these words

he went away.

The nursery garden

wended
his

to
by,

which the old

man

slowly

way was near

and the yellow chrysanthe-

mum

soon found herself

in

her

new home.

The

Jii

San

* Honourable Mr. Grandfather, a term by which old men are popularly

addressed.

86

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

kept his word and treated her with the greatest care and
kindness.

He
cottag-e,

set

her

down

opposite the verandah of his tiny

after his

and while he rested

walk and took two

pipe,
his

or three whiffs from his small

wife

bamboo-stemmed
for him,

came out with a cup of tea

his new- ac({u'"sition.

and he bade her

admire

"What

a lovely flower!" she exclaimed.

it ?

"Where
"
!

did you find

Oh

What a

pretty flower

Then

she slipped her bare feet into her clogs and pattered up to
the plant to get a nearer view, her

brown

face wrinkled all

over

like

a withered apple
the old

lit

up with smiles.

Then
water
in

man
pail

set

to work.

He

brought some

wooden

and washed the le.ves and petals

of the yellow chr\'santhemum very carefully, picking off as

he did so every leaf he thought unnecessary, and every

bud on the stem, so that

all

the nourishment from the roots

should go to the crowning blossom.

When
in

this

was done

he dressed her
to eat
;

in beautiful

crepe robes and gave her food

and then he placed her

a sunny flower bed,

sheltered irom the rain

and the wind by a roof made

of reeds.
In a

few dajs so changed was the yellow chrysanthat she hardly

themum

knew

herself.

Day by day under

to be a large fine
full

the clever gardener's care she

flower,
till

grew

at last her petals

became so long and

and

her head so heavy that she had to be propped up by a

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

^7

"DAY BY DAY UNDER THE CLKVKR GARDENER'S CARE SHE'GREW TO BE A LARGE

Stick.

FINE FLOWER."

In

this

stately
little

flower no

one would now have

field.

recognized the

wild flower of the

for her
field

She was very

happy and content

dreams of
had been

reaching" the fine

realized, yet in the

world beyond her native

midst of her
.

new happiness and grandeur, she could not

meadow, and when she
parting and her last
she
life.

help thinking sometimes of the sister-flower she had so

willingly left behind in the lonely

remembered her
entreaties

sister's
left

tears at

not to be

behind,

felt

guilty

in

the

enjoyment of her pleasant, easy

At such times she

88

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

distract her thoughts

would try to

by

looking- at the

gay

flowers near her and by watching the visitors as they

came

and went round the garden.

science
fate,

She would soothe her conwere allotted by

tempted by the

by saying that
in

their different lives

but

her heart, she

knew

that,

glamour of the old man's promises she had done a heartless

thing,

and that nothing could excuse her conduct, yet she

could not
life,

make up

her mind to go back to the old hard

left

which was the only path of repentance

so time went by.
there

to her.

And

One day
the old

was great excitement

in the

garden and

man

ran out to the gate, for the chief of the village

his friends

and two or three of

were seen approaching.

The

old

woman smoothed

her hair hastily with a tiny

comb

which, pushed just under her queue of hair,

was always

kept on the top of her head, and then slipping on a silken

haori,* got tea ready

and brought

it

out to the verandah

with cushions for the distinguished guests.

"

Look

here, old

man," said the village chief as he

sauntered up the path between the flower beds looking to

the right

and
I

to the left at the bright array of chrysan-

themums, "

want

to

know

if

you have some true chiysan-

themums ?

"

" Welcome,

my

lord

" replied the

wondering old man

in his

bowing down

to the

ground and drawing

breath as

a token of respect, " but what do you mean by a true

*

A kind

of jacket worn over the kimono and the

obi.

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

chrysanthemum
?
I

$9
for

have cultivated chrysanthemums

I

many years from

false
" Is that so?

the wild plants, but

"
!

have never made a

chrysanthemum yet
Well,

will tell

you what

mean," said

the chief of the village.

to find

The Lord

of this Province wants

for
all

a perfect chrysanthemum to use as a design

But the so called
fine

his crest.

chrysanthemums are
of

too fantastic for his taste

petals, others

some
petals,

them have too many

again have petals too long or too irregular

or too curling.

My

Lord wants a simple natural white

and
this

chrysanthemum of sixteen
so
far,

we

cannot find

though we have searched

diligently,

asking every

gardener

we came

across, but
tell

none of them had what we

it.

wanted, nor could they

at last that you
in this

us where to find

Hearing

were the best chrysanthemum gardener

province

I I

came

to you.

Have you by any chance

but

such a flower as
" No,

have described.'*"
I

my
I

Lord,

have

not,

pray you to come

this

way, and

will

show you a

really beautiful flower,"

and

with great pride he led his visitors to where the yellow

chrysanthemum was blooming

"

in all

her glory.
finer

Look

at this flower
will find

"

went on the old man, a

in the

blossom you
I

nowhere, no, not

"
?

whole world,

am

sure

will

not this suit you

But greatly to the disappointment of the old gardener,

the chief of the village only shook his "

head and said

;

Oh

no, I

want a ^me chrysanthemum

that

is

a very

90
fine

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

flower,

but

it

is

too

unnatural
I

for

my

purpose
!

Thank you
and he
left

for

your trouble, but

must look elsewhere

the place.
village
chief

As

the

was returning homewards he

field.

happened

to cross

a wide

Passing by a clump of

chrysanthemum bushes
sound of weeping.

his attention

was arrested by the

He

stopped at once and looking about

him he saw a white chrysanthemum blossom crying.

"Oh, poor chrysanthemum," he

is

said kindly,

"What
time ago
the

the matter with you

*'

"
?

My name

is

White Chrysanthemum.

Some

an old gardener came and carried away

yellow chrysanthemum.
her, but
I

my

sister

begged him

to take

me

with

he refused, saying that he had no use for white

flowers like myself,

that
too.
is

and now

am

left

quite alone,

and
night

why
and

cannot help weeping

I

all

day and
!

all

Oh, oh,

cannot bear the loneliness

!

wish only

to die

to leave this sad world

pray the sun to

scorch me, the wind to break

pour heavily enough to crush

never heed
existence.

my me

stem and the rain to

to the earth, but they

me and
Oh,

am obliged to drag on a weary why did my sister go away and leave

I

me

here

Why

doesn't she

come back remembering

burst into

the

love of our

budhood?" and she

tears again
till it

and her pretty head drooped lower and lower

almost hidden by the green leaves.

was

The kind man looked

at the flower carefully

and he

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

saw
that she

91

was as round as

the

full

moon

with sixteen
:

perfect petals all

growing simply and naturally

had been looking
wistful face

indeed

she

was

the very flower he

for so

long

and the tears dropping from her

looked

like

jewels of dew, and reminded him of the poet's beautiful

simile,

which likens the cherry flower

in

the rain to a

beautiful

woman

in

g-rief

Ten

times
to

more charminof
in

did the white

chrysanthemum appear
loveliness than

him

her modesty

and unconscious

any of the proud and much

he

trimmed flowers of the

of late.

many gardens

had

visited

"

This must be the very flower for which

in

my

lord has

sought

vain for years," he said to himself

Then going

up

to the white
"

chrysanthemum he
!

said:

Don't cry
feel

You

are a beautiful flower and need

the old gardener said
is
I

never

ashamed.

What
one has

all

nonsense.
thankful

Every
to

not

the

same
only

taste,

am

say.

Even

if

he

cares

for
I

yellow

chrysanthemums you are very precious to me.

your
you.
sister

have seen

and

do not consider her half as

little

beautiful as

Now, weep no more,

shall

lady

Come

with me,

and you
great

lead a

life

of usefulness

and honour and

reserved
!

happiness

too

You have been

for

somethincr better than to bloom in a

common earden

As he went on
asked him eagerly

talking the white flower had lifted her

head and hardly able to believe the good man's words she
:

92
"

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

Oh, can
I

really be of use to
I

you ?

Is

it

true

what

you

tell

me?

Or am
fell

dreaming?

"

The
her

sunshine
face

upon her now and the man saw that

sweet

glowed with hope,

making her more

beautiful than ever.

**

Of

course,

you can be of great use

My

lord will

be delighted when he sees you, for you are just what he

wants.

He

has been looking for a chrysanthemum like

time.

you

for

a long, long
last,

After neglect your fate has

it
is,

come at

and a wonderful one

as you will

soon learn.
"

Oh,

tell

me what you mean ? "

will certainly
**

said

the

white

chrysanthemum pleadingly.

"Well you
chief smilingly,

never guess," said the village

as
well
tell

so

may

you at once.
!

You

are to serve as

my

Lord's family crest

And

as a

famous crest your form and beauty and memory

forever in the heraldry of your country.

will live

Just think

what

an honour

fate

has kept

in store for you.

Rejoice that you

were not carried away with your

sister

and planted

in the

old gardener's flower bed, like hundreds of other flowers.

You

will see

what wonderful days there are

for

you

in

the

future

"
!

So

the village chief carried the white chrysanthemum

him,

home with
her
toilet,

and

his wife

and servants helped her with

in

and dressed her

all

lovely robes of silk and

crepe.

When

was ready and she had been regaled

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

with a delicious meal, she

93

was bidden

to

enter a fine

palanquin and carried like a lady of noble rank to the

Daimio's palace.

" SHE WAS BIDDEN TO ENTER A FINE PALANQUIN."

When
v/hat he

the

Daimio saw White Chrysanthemum he was

all

pleased beyond

words and said that she was exactly

his

wanted

for

crest.

Everyone

in

the

great

household,

down

to the

innumerable retainers, praised her

beauty and perfection.

in

She was placed on a flower stand

lord's

the

garden opposite the great

room

''vvhere

he

could see her at sunrise, noon and sunset.

Artists

were

94

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

come and draw
for
his

sent for from all parts of the countr}' to

designs
family

of the
crest.

sixteen-petalled

chrysanthemum

Day

after

day the hitherto despised and

neglected flower found herself surrounded by a group of

admiring

artists,

whose one idea was

to

draw her as

artistically

as possible.

Her

different aspects

were studied under every mood

of the day and of nature, on bright or cloudy or rainy

days.

They watched her

in the soft light of the

morning

sunshine, in the dazzling brilliance of

the noon,

and again

when

the

shadows of the evening

fell

athwart her delicate

thankful and joyful

face, uplifted to the

heavens above
fortune, which

in

surprise at the

good

had so suddenly ami

his
\\ife,

unexpectedly come upon her.

the
"

The Daimio and

beams of

Honourable Lady behind the Screen," would

the

rise

before

dawn

to

watch the

first

the

sun

awaken

the pretty tiower from the languor of the night

to the energy of the day.

The

noble

pair

both took pleasure

in

in

bringing her

fresh clear spring

water to drink and

fell

wiping off every

invited
their

speck of dust that

friends to

upon

her.

They

come and see her and the gracious and modest

beauty of the simple blossom gave joy to everyone.

At

last the

design of the sixteen-petalled chrysthemuni

for the family crest

it

was

finished,

and the Daimio ordered

his precious

to be painted

and

inlaid

on

all

belongings,
in

and the shape of the flower was fashioned

gold

on

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

all

95

his beautiful

lacquer

treasures,

on

his

armour,

and

embroidered on silken

quilts

and cushions which take the

;

place of chairs in a Japanese house

rich silk,

it

was dyed upon the

looms on the cr^pe

and woven

at the household

destined for the ceremonial robes of the Daimio and his

family,

and

in the

whole of Japan to

this

day there

is

no

more

artistic

and

beautiful crest than that of the sixteen-

petalled chrysanthemum.

The

crest being- finished the

Daimio more and more

pleased with the beauty of the design, for Japanese taste

invariably chooses the simple in preference to the ornate,

gave the word that

of his house
outlined
;

it

was

to be used in the ornamentation

so

the

form of the favourite flower was

in

and silhouetted

black and

in
;

gold and

in silver
in

on the paper and

the

friezes of the
of

rooms

she was carved

;

handsome woodwork

panels and portals

on screens

she

was painted

floating

down

the undulations of a stream

;

or wafted by the wind across a cloud

the alcoves of the best rooms she

and

in pictures for

was depicted growing

wild as she
in

was

found, or trained against a

bamboo

fence

fact in

every imaginable

way and

artistic

combination
of the white

that Japanese fancy could devise.

The fame
crest

chrysanthemum and of the unique

fashioned from her, spread abroad

that

had been

till

at last there

was no
did not

one

in

the aristocratic circles of the capital

it

who

acknowledge that
that

was one

of the most beautiful crests

had ever been designed

in

Japan.

96

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM CREST

Thus was patience and goodness and modest
waiting*
last

rewarded at

as true worth always

to

is.

And what happened

Well, she bloomed
in

the

yellow chrysanthemum

the gardener's flower bed for several

frost

autumns,

till

a severe

one year
for

killed her,

and the

old gardener very reluctantly,

she was his favourite

and chosen

flower, pulled her

up by the roots and threw

In the height of her pride

her out upon a rubbish heap.

and much vaunted beauty thus died the yellow chrysanthenium, and she
left

nothing behind her by which she

could he remembered in the world, not even the

of a
single

memory

good or

useful

deed,

while

her long-time

neglected
crest

sister,

as the

sixteen-petalled
will

chrysanthemum
in

was perpetuated and

hold her place

forever.

the art

and picturesque heraldry of Japan

So
good

life

often teaches mortals as well as flowers that

things

come round

to those

who

while doing their

best in their allotted sphere, quietly wait

and

trust.

The Tallen Gomet

AT
night you can see thousands of pretty stars twinkling-

and sparkling

in the silent

heavens " with crystalline

delight," but in the daytime entirely disappearing

from

the sight of man, they hide themselves behind the clouds

and sleep away the hours

until

the sun sets and the night

light.
I

comes and the earth has need of their

On
stars

the particular day about which

all

am

telling

you the

had

composed themselves

for their daily sleep

and

snugly tucked up

in their quilts of nice soft fleecy cloud,

were dreaming happily of the dark velvety night when

they would come forth attendant on their Queen, the
in all

Moon

her glory,

when they would give

light to the sleeping

artist,

world and inspiration to many a poet and

when they

would sparkle
lighting

in the still

waters of

river,

lake and ocean,

many a wanderer home and

by the
stars,

guiding the sailors,

who

set their courses

across the wide deep

lonely seas.

As

they lay

in

peaceful slumber dreaming

dreams

of

future usefulness

and beauty, they were awakened by the

soft

sound of chirping voices, and peeping from under the

clouds,

saw two or

three

little

birds chattering together in

a most excited manner.

Feeling somewhat annoyed at

98

THE FALLEN COMET

first

being disturbed from their

stars

sweet dreams, one of the

said.
!

gave an angry sparkle and

"

How

tiresome you birds are

What

are you, and

why do you come

us in this
'

here making such a noise and disturbing

way

Then

the birds chirruped

"We
twitter

are larks.

Can't you see that?

Being larks

we

and warble.

Because

we

twitter

and warble we

are noisy."

The answer

of the birds

was so

cool

and impudent that

:

the star fairly lost his temper and shouted

'

'

You may be

larks or
If

any other kind of birds, but you

you want
to chirp

have no business here.

in this noisy

and

twitter

way, why can't you go down to the earth and

is

do

it

This

the sky

and belongs

to us, as

you ought

very well to know.

But the larks were not sent away so

easily,

and they

began

to

argue the
don't

point, saying

"We

know what

other birds do, but

in

its

the

usual custom for larks to warble

therefore our
*

a high altitude and

name
the

is

written in Chinese characters as

'
!

sparrows

of

clouds

You grumble about

conduct,

our

singing,

but

how about your own

you sleepy
all
it

creatures

idling

away your time and

like

sleeping

day

long

If

you don't

what we say and

makes
and

your cross why don't you get up and sparkle a

little

show

that you are stars and can really shine as you boast

THE VENERABLE OLD COMET AT LENGTH AROSE

THE FALLEN COMET

you can?

loi
that

You might be
"
!

bits

of dull lead for all

we can

see

This impertinent speech so infuriated the star that

he began
brilliant

to

twinkle fiercely and emit

little

flashes

of

light,

but the larks were not at

all

frightened
retaliated

at

the

stellar

rage

on

the

contrary,

they

by

flying round,
:

twittering

more

vociferously than ever

and said
"

Pooh

who's afraid of what the stars say ?

How can

the stars hurt us

when they

daren't even go out in the

daytime

So the naughty mischievous

and round

larks

went on

flying

round

just as they pleased, delighted at the idea of

stars,

tormenting the

who they knew were powerless by

grew
louder,
all

day, and the noise of their singing only

and

the stars behind the clouds began to give up

rest that day.

hope of

In the meanwhile,

an

influential

and venerthe stars,

said

able old Comet,

who was much

all

respected
that

among

had been quietly watching

to himself:
'*

was going on and

Oh

those mischievous larks

in

The
it

sly birds
is

come

to

worry us

our resting place, because

daylight,

and
;

are bold and impudent because they think

I'll

we

are helpless

frighten

them a
in

little

and

then, we'll see

"
!

whether they

cannot leave us

peace for a while

So

saying, the venerable old fellow unable to put up

with the lark's naughty behaviour any longer at length

I02
arose,

THE FALLEN COMET

and wagging
:

his long,

broom-like hair and beard,

exclaimed
"

You

good-for-nothing impudent
?

larks.

How

dare
I'll

you behave so rudely

If

you don't

fly

away

at once
tor all

sweep you out

of existence

and so

finish

you once

"
!

Then

the

Comet began

lashing his hair and beard

all

round just as one does those long white-haired brushes

used
that
in the
it

East for driving away

flies

but the larks

knew

was daytime and

that therefore the old

Comet could
in

not shine enough to frighten a mouse, so they were not

the least alarmed,

but only amused at his frantic and

useless efforts.
"

Look at
!

the old
!

Comet

What

a stupid old fellow

long, trilling
join

he

is

ha, ha, ha,

"

and the larks laughed a

laugh,

and

called loudly for their friends to

come and

the fun.

The number

of larks

who responded

to the call

was

very great and they flew hither and thither chirping and
twittering until the noise

became unbearable.

Exasperated
his

beyond

all

endurance, the old

all

Comet waved
until his

long hair

and beard round with

like

his

might

head looked

a windmill
to the

in

motion, but his efforts were of no avail

owing

overpowing numbers of the enemy, and at

dizzy,

length he
larks,

grew

and instead
fell
off"

ol

driving

away

the

missed

his footing,

the cloud, and tumbled

in

headlong to the earth with an awful crash, where he lay

a dead swoon upon the ground.

"THE COMET

FELL OFF THE CLOUD AND FELL HEADLONG TO THE EARTH

THE FALLEN COMET

When
tion

log
to their old

the stars

saw what had happened

"

leader they were

terrifled,

and there was a great commoAlas

!

up above the clouds.

alas " said all the stars

!

" the venerable old

Comet has

fallen

down.

What an
their elder.

unfortunate end to such a brilliant

"
life
!

But they were unable to do anything to help

All they could
tears
fell

do was

to

weep behind
like rain,

the clouds,

and

their

upon the earth

and people wondered

what had come

skies

to pass as they looked upwards, for the

were

clear.

"The

larks,

on the contrary,

all

began

to laugh

and

sneer, saying

" Aha, look at him

there
?
?

Doesn't he look foolish

down

Who
"

would have thought to see the Comet lying

in

so low
flew

and chanting a song of victory

to earth aofain.

chorus they

down
it

Now

happened that

in

a certain country house out-

side the capital there lived

an old farmer, a simple man,

who was never

so happy as
in the

when he was

tidying up his
for the

garden after breakfast

first

morning and looking

in

plum blossom

to

appear

January or the

first

cherry

flower in April.

On
fields

this particular

day as he was walking through

rice,

his

growing emerald green with the young

he

found what looked like a small birch-broom lying right

across his path and picking
"
it

up, he said to himself

left

Oh

Oh

wonder who can have

this

here

io6

THE FALLEN COMET

it's
it

Why
take

quite

new

Well, as
it

it

is

of no use here,
It

I'll

home and

use

in

the house.

will just

do

for

sweeping up

my

garden every morning."

As he was

thus talking to himself he noticed that the

it,

handle had a beautiful gloss upon

and shone as

if it

had

been made of gold or

silver,

and on the top of the handle

star.
this
is

was what looked

like

a large
old

"Oh, "said
broom.
silver

the

farmer,"
like

indeed a

fine

The handle looks

it

gold and the end

like

cannot be an ordinary broom

is

it

cannot.

have

heard that

among
and

the

treasures of the

Demon's Island
a magic rain-coat
if

brought to Japan by Momotaro* there

and magic
proved
to

hat,

shouldn't be surprised

this
it

broom
looks

be some kind of similar wonder

for

mysterious.

Well

will

use

it

and see how

it

it

works."

With these words

to

the old

man took
it.

home and began

his

sweep up the garden with

He

found that

new
as

found treasure was splendid for the purpose, much better

than any other broom, he had ever used.
the old
tree,

As soon

man became
down
for

tired he sat

down

in the

shade under a
sitting

and

pulling out his pipe, lighted

up and was

himself

a nice quiet smoke, but by accident when

match,
it fell

he flung away

his

upon the broom and then a

hitherlight

wondrous thing happened.

to

The broom, which had

one, suddenly

seemed but an ordinary

glowed with

* See in the Story of Momotaro or the I'eachling in the Japanese Fairy

Book, Constable

&

Co. Loudon.

-^

^^/S^

"^

"THS SEEMING BROOM SPRANG RIGHT UV

INTO THE HEAVENS

THE FALLEN COMET

and threw out a wonderful radiance
to hiss
like

109

a halo and began

fire-cracker.

and sparkle and crack

just like

The

unexpected sight almost frightened the old farmer out of

his wits,

and he began

to run

away from

the spot as fast

as his trembling limbs could carry him.

In the

meantime the seeming broom shook

itself,

throw-

ing out a shower of sparks and then sprang right up into

the heavens,

leaving a broad

trail

of fiery light behind to

mark

its

path.
to the
in

For a long while the old man stood rooted

ground with fear
utter
;

gazing up into the sky open-mouthed

amazement

at the unexpected thing that had happenlast

ed to him, but at
neighbours

he was recalled to

his

senses by
little

some

who came running

out from their

houses

near by to ask what was the matter and what was the

reason of his looking so frightened.

It

was some time before

the

old

man
his

could speak
neighbours'

clearly

all

he could say

in

answer to

anxious inquiries was "oh, oh," or

"who would have

exclamations
of

thought of such a thing

astonishment.
old

"

and

like

At

last

one of the neighbours took the

man

gently by the hand, for he

was
led

still

shaking

from the shock he

had

received,
sat

and

him home.
the

Once

inside

his

little

room he

down on

mats

and lighted
in

his

pipe once more.

sips

His old wife brought

daily

tea

and a few

of his

beverage seemed

to restore the old

man.

He now

looked round on the

no

THE FALLEN COMET

assembled neighbours and bowed to them apologising

for his rudeness.

Now the
pipe.

old farmer

began

his

marvellous story pausing

often to wipe his

brow and

sip his tea

in

and smoke

his little

He

told

how walking

the fields he had found

what looked
it

like

a shining broom

how
fire,

he had carried
the garden

home
it

with him and of

how he had swept

had caught

with

how

suddenly

it

sparkling and

crackling and

then had shot up to

the heavens like

it till it

rocket trailing a cloud of glory behind

had

utterly

vanished into the blue and could no more be seen.

You may imagine how

astonished the neighbours were

air

on hearing the strange story and the

exclamations of surprise from
all

was

full

of

his

friends

when

the old

man

finished

and

for

many a long day

the wonderful story

in

was a constant theme of conversation

near provinces.
Visitors from far

the villao-e o

and

and near came

to see

the farmer, curious to

know

the truth

of the tale

and

anxious to take back some

lucky neighbours

new

incident to tell their less

who had
man.

not the time or the means to

go

to see the old

The
one.
in

explanation of the phenomenon

is

a very simple
fell

The strange broom was indeed

a comet
by^ nature of

the

Comet who

anger from the skies when trying to drive away the

;

larks

is

fiery

composition and the

tlame of the match tossed

heedlessl}^

away by

the old

farmer when he lighted

his

pipe acted as a tonic on the

THE FALLEN COMET

Comet and
revivified

m
it

the poor fellow.

Was
to

not for-

tunate that the old

that

man was walking

away a

in the

fields just at

moment, and should have then wanted

he happened to throw

smoke and
for

that

lighted match,

otherwise the

Comet would
evening.

not have been able to get

home
stars

until the

How

happy the

little
.

twinkling

were

to see their venerable elder

back safe again

and they never laughed so much as when he related how

the farmer had mistaken him for a broom.
still

They were

twinkling and dimpling with laughter at the fun of the

idea,

when

the sun set

and the darkness called them

forth

to shine,

and give

light to the earth

once more, and so

happy were they

brilliance

that

they

never

shone with greater

than on that night.

The Demon
T ONG, long
ago
in

Tile

old Japan on the outskirts of a large

village there stood

a magnificent Buddhist temple

with long sloping roofs and large courtyards where the

gnarled and knotted branches of the weird old pine trees

threw heavy shadows on the grey and peaceful gravestones

and the stone

flags of the
still

pathway leading from the huge

gate to the big

porch.
like

The temple looked

different story, for high

many another temple

to the

ordinary passer by, but the people of the

district told

up on the gabled roof

lived a large

Demon

Tile.

This Tile could transform himself whenever

frightful

he willed into a

monster with horns on each side

of its forehead and gleaming eyes which rolled from side to

side

and glinted

like cold

metal mirrors
to frown

in

the sunlight.
the villagers
girls

In his angry

moods he used

down on
little

with a grin so terribly wicked that the

boys and
to school

who passed

the sacred fane on their

way

were

glad to hurry by the building to escape from

presence and malicious glare.

his dreadful

One fine the Demon

commanding
began

winter's

day when there was no wind blowing,

to

Tile

began

gaze around him from

his

position

on the temple roof and forthwith

to talk to himself

114
"

THE DEMON TILE

Oh, what a
that
I

fine

day

it is

"
!

he said.

The

air

is

so

clear

can see for miles around and disting-uish

in

every object
that

the neighbouring town.

is
I

wonder what
is

big pillar

over there from which the smoke

see

curling up.

Oh,

now!

It's

a chimney!

Quite a

new

thing in these parts, brought by the foreigners from

I

over the seas,

suppose.

Now

what can that be over

It

there in the opposite direction?

looks like a ladder

standing on end and has a small hanging bell attached to

it.

Oh,

know

It

must be a

fire-bell,

which

if

fire

happened to break

out,

would begin to make a dinning

call

clang to warn the people and to

If

them

to the rescue.

we

did

have a
I

fire

it

would be a magnificent sight

I

from here and

don't want
in
it

should like to see the spectacle, but

to

come too

near, for the temple

its tiles

would be

danger and especially the roof with

and myself

amongst them."

Thus

the

Demon

Tile talked to himself about

his

many

things he saw,

and then craning

neck farther up he

glanced over the whole stretch of country before him, but

owing

to his exalted position

on the temple

roof,

every

thing on which his eyes rested appeared far beneath him,

and small and

he began to
folly

insignificant in

comparison to himself.

Then

feel

elated at his position and in his arrogant

to think that he

and pride began

was superior

to

everything and everybody around him and he consequently said to

himself:

THE DEMON TILE

"

117

Who

can be compared to

me

in all this

wide world
all

Ip

my

place here,

am
?

not the most exalted of

things
I
;

and beings on earth

between
to climb
feel that

There

is

nothing higher than

me and

the sky nothing inter\'enes,

is

am and for me
Indeed,
I

up to the heavens
I

an easy

task.

am

a most remarkable person."

his

While he was thus pondering over

rank and dignity

and making these

ridiculous

and conceited remarks some-

thing struck his face, inflicting a stinging siensation, and at

the

same time the

tip

of his nose

grew

cold

and

icy.

This

was caused by
and driving

the biting north wind suddenly springing up

grit

and sand
his

in the
in

Demon

Tile's direction,

making him blink

eyes

an attempt
filled.

to

remove the
the

dust with which they had been

Then

Demon

Tile complained loudly about the coldness of the wind and

its

rudeness

in

attacking such a sacred edifice as a temple

its

of Buddha, and
the

stupidity in not distinguishing

between
tile

common

tiles

of the roof and himself, the chief

of

the temple.

But the wind-god was quite

indifferent to the

Demon
the

Tile's

grumbling and growling, and calmly opened

his

mouth of

wind-bag

still

wider, letting out furious

blasts of piercingly cold winter wind, which blustered

and

roared

in the face of the

Demon

Tile until the latter

grew

wild with rage and shouted out in a terrible voice like

thunder

"Look

here,

you wind-god!
all,

Why

do you want

to

come out here

at

upsetting everybody and spoiling

ii8
this fine

THE DEMON TILE

weather
?

Don't you see that you are making

?

everything- cold

and miserable
"
!

If

you want

to blow,

go

out to the mountains and the wide ocean but keep

away

from the town

Then

the

Wind-god blew out

whistled

his

huge wind bags and

and
shouted

shrieked and
angrily in the

round the
Tile's ear
;

temple

Demon

" Well, the fine weather cannot last forever, and you

cannot expect the wind to be always lazy.

have
it

my

work

to

do

in the

world and must do

rate, it's

it

whether

pleases

you or

not.

At any
I

my
If

business and not yours

as to whether

blow or

not.

you are cold why don't

sitting

you get down under the verandah instead of

there on the roof.

up

You have chosen

I

the most exposed

fault if

place you could find.

am

sure

it's

your own

you

are cold."

This rough unceremonious answer,

exasperated the
:

Demon Tile beyond endurance and he retorted " What do you mean by insulting me, you rude ignorant fellow. Do you take me for a low foundation
stone
?

Did anyone ever hear

of

a respectable

tile

and

especially a
" Suit

Demon

Tile living under a verandah

"
?
I

yourself,

and do any thing you

going to blow

like

only

warn you
ever
!

that

am

my bags

harder than

With these words the Wind-god

bag
to its widest extent,

maliciously opened his

and the poor Demon Tile became

"

THE WIND GOD OPENED HIS BAG TO

ITS

WIDEST EXTENT.

THE DEMON TILE

so cold that "he shivered all over

121
that he

and

felt

would

be frozen to death.
the

At

the

same time
Tile

his

enemy being
to

Wind-god, the

Demon

was powerless

do

any thing but frown angrily and maintain a

sullen silence.

He now
his foe.

realized that he

had made a mistake to anger

For some time the wind continued

hurricane, but after a while he

to

blow a perfect and

seemed

to get tired

gradually drew off in another direction.

This pleased the

Demon

Tile very much, but

when

at length he thought

himself safe

he raised

his

head and gazed around, he

noticed suspicious looking clouds floating about in the sky.

These clouds had been gathered together and driven on by

the wind,

and gradually, as they formed together, the sky

to
spoil

grew dark, threatening

the beautiful day,

and

making everything gloomy and

" Oh,

sad.

how

tiresome,

" said the

Demon

Tile,

"

now

the

wind has ceased, those banks of clouds have formed shutting out the sunshine

and

shall

be drenched through and

fall."

through as soon as the rain begins to

Hardly had he ceased

to

speak when
;

soft white flakes

began

to flutter down,

and he muttered

dear

dear

Now
shall
his
in

it's
I

started to snow.
"

This

is

most provoking

What
in

do now?

Then he drew
silent misery.

head and kept himself

still

in

He was

despair for there he

was perched

high on the topmost gable of the proof, exposed to the

122
full

THE DEMON TILE

fury of the elements, and curl himself up as he mio-ht

he could not avoid being- snowed up.

The snow
which
lies

fell

fast

and

thickly, fine

powder-like snow
it falls,

thicker

and

thicker, layer

on layer as

and

gradually the whole of the

with white flakes.

Demon Tile's head was

its

covered

Now, when

the wind ceases to blow,

disagreeable

effects stop at once, but

thing-,

when snow has

collected on

any

there

it

stays and freezes

the object.

The poor

Demon
over.

Tile therefore caught a fearful cold in the head, his

teeth chattered, his horns shook and he began to shiver all

At

last

he

felt

so miserable that he could endure

the torment to longer.

said to himself
:

Then he thought out a plan as he

I

"

Am

not a

Demon

Tile

There

is

nothing above

me

but the heavens.

Both the

\\q'nd
I

and the

snow came from heaven

up there
I

in the first place, so if

only went

should be in the same place as those detestable

creatures,

and then
Yes,

should not be exposed to such bad

treatment.

it is

a splendid idea
I

At
it

last

have

hit

on a good plan.
I

think

will

try
it

how

works at once.

am

so high up already that

cannot require any very

great exertion to get up to heaven from here

just

one

good jump

will

do

"
it
!

Then

the proud

and stupid

Demon

Tile picked himself

up and steadying himself

for the

jump, faced towards the

sky and counting, "one, two, three," sprang upwards.

well did he

So

jump

that he rose high above the temple roof

THE DEMON TILE

and
soon
thoiio;ht

123y
;

he \vas well on his

way sky-wards

but he

lost his balance,

and

fallinor

headlong- to the earth

with a dull tliud

was smashed

into small pieces.

Under

the verandah the foundation stone of the temple

had been sleeping peacefully but the noise of the Demon

Tile's fall

awoke

him,

and

lazily

glancing around, he ex-

claimed

"What was

that noise,

wonder?"
to

Then he saw

what had happened and began

addressing the fallen Tile said,
" Well,
roof,

laugh right merrily and

well
}^ou,

so

you have tumbled down from the

Tile
?
I

have
all

Mr.

Demon

am

really astonished

beyond
as you

measure that such a high and mighty persona^^e

wish to associate with
really

should show a
!

common

foundation stones

Have you

come here of your

and you have
!

own

accord or

is

the priest repairing the roof

?

been thrown down

nice

Wonders

will
!

never cease

How

you look down here

1

ha,

ha
"
!

You might have been

and the foundation stone

born on the spot

ha,

ha,

ha

laughed again and again.

You
estate
if

see that even a

Demon

Tile

may

lose his high

he becomes too

arrogant and conceited and

I

defies the laws of nature, so

hope

my

readers will take

"

warning by
o^oeth before

this

little

story,

and rejiiember that

Pride

a fall

CENTRAL CIRCULATION
CHILDREN'S ROOM

THE JAPAINBSB FAIRY BOOK

BY YBI OZAKI
Messrs. Constables, London

The
"

Ladies' Pield says:

We

must confess an enthusiastic appreciation of this collection of

fairy stories, the most fascinating, surely

which have been written since the

days of Andersen himself."

The Morning Leader says:

"

really

delightful book

which will be an uncommonly desirable

loses its

Christmas present is admirably illustrated and should be a popular addition to a branch of literature

which never

charm."

The Sphere says:

"

There

is

plenty of novelty in the Japanese tales that are contained in

the volume of

Madame Ozaki

of Tokio.

The

stories are

very

human

but

very novel to our Western minds."

Review of Reviews says:

"

The Japanese Fairy Book

it

is

so well written

and

illustrated that I

am

not surprised

should already have been reprinted several times."

South China Morning Post says:

1

"

The

present author has not contented herself with mere literal trans-

ation; she has brought to bear

upon them the dainty touches of her own

is

fancy and imagination with the result that her book

as all fairy

books

should be: a thing of gossamer and a delight.

stories unconsciously

Many
There

of
is

Madame
the same

Ozaki's

remind one of Andersen.

dreamy

melancholy running through them, the same gentle love for the weak and
lowly.

The only

great di&erence

i'*

that the old figliting

;

and chivalrous

spirit of the ancient

Samurai

is

introduced

thus giving the Stories a virility

and strength that

is

distinctly bracing."

What
"

Mrs.

Hugh Fraser says:

The

lover of good literature must rejoice in the exquisitely delicate

and lucid style of the writer, who has clothed these old Japanese legends with a glow and picturesqueness, which places her work in the very fin*
rank of folklore collections. Andersen comes involuntarily
In reading
to one's
it

the revered

name

of

Hans

mind."

CENTRAL CIRCULATION
CHILDREN'S ROOM

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ORIENTALIA