kwaidan-第7部分

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the　mountain…folk　who　died　used　to　be　brought　here；　sometimes　from　great

distances；　in　order　that　I　might　repeat　over　them　the　holy　service。　But　I

repeated　the　service　and　performed　the　rites　only　as　a　matter　of　business；

　I　thought　only　of　the　food　and　the　clothes　that　my　sacred　profession

enabled　me　to　gain。　And　because　of　this　selfish　impiety　I　was　reborn；

immediately　after　my　death；　into　the　state　of　a　jikininki。　Since　then　I

have　been　obliged　to　feed　upon　the　corpses　of　the　people　who　die　in　this

district：　every　one　of　them　I　must　devour　in　the　way　that　you　saw　last

night。。。　Now；　reverend　Sir；　let　me　beseech　you　to　perform　a　Segaki…service

＇2＇　for　me：　help　me　by　your　prayers；　I　entreat　you；　so　that　I　may　be　soon

able　to　escape　from　this　horrible　state　of　existence〃。。。





No　sooner　had　the　hermit　uttered　this　petition　than　he　disappeared；　and

the　hermitage　also　disappeared　at　the　same　instant。　And　Muso　Kokushi　found

himself　kneeling　alone　in　the　high　grass；　beside　an　ancient　and　moss…grown

tomb　of　the　form　called　go…rin…ishi；　＇3＇　which　seemed　to　be　the　tomb　of　a

priest。





MUJINA







On　the　Akasaka　Road；　in　Tokyo；　there　is　a　slope　called　Kii…no…kuni…zaka；

which　means　the　Slope　of　the　Province　of　Kii。　I　do　not　know　why　it　is

called　the　Slope　of　the　Province　of　Kii。　On　one　side　of　this　slope　you　see

an　ancient　moat；　deep　and　very　wide；　with　high　green　banks　rising　up　to

some　place　of　gardens；　　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　extend　the　long

and　lofty　walls　of　an　imperial　palace。　Before　the　era　of　street…lamps　and

jinrikishas；　this　neighborhood　was　very　lonesome　after　dark；　and　belated

pedestrians　would　go　miles　out　of　their　way　rather　than　mount　the

Kii…no…kuni…zaka；　alone；　after　sunset。





All　because　of　a　Mujina　that　used　to　walk　there。　（1）







The　last　man　who　saw　the　Mujina　was　an　old　merchant　of　the　Kyobashi

quarter；　who　died　about　thirty　years　ago。　This　is　the　story；　as　he　told

it：





One　night；　at　a　late　hour；　he　was　hurrying　up　the　Kii…no…kuni…zaka；　when

he　perceived　a　woman　crouching　by　the　moat；　all　alone；　and　weeping

bitterly。　Fearing　that　she　intended　to　drown　herself；　he　stopped　to　offer

her　any　assistance　or　consolation　in　his　power。　She　appeared　to　be　a　slight

and　graceful　person；　handsomely　dressed；　and　her　hair　was　arranged　like

that　of　a　young　girl　of　good　family。　〃O…jochu；〃　＇1＇　he　exclaimed；

approaching　her；　〃O…jochu；　do　not　cry　like　that！。。。　Tell　me　what　the

trouble　is；　and　if　there　be　any　way　to　help　you；　I　shall　be　glad　to　help

you。〃　（He　really　meant　what　he　said；　for　he　was　a　very　kind　man。）　But　she

continued　to　weep；　hiding　her　face　from　him　with　one　of　her　long　sleeves。

〃O…jochu；〃　he　said　again；　as　gently　as　he　could；　〃please；　please　listen

to　me！。。。　This　is　no　place　for　a　young　lady　at　night！　Do　not　cry；　I　implore

you！　　only　tell　me　how　I　may　be　of　some　help　to　you！〃　Slowly　she　rose　up；

but　turned　her　back　to　him；　and　continued　to　moan　and　sob　behind　her

sleeve。　He　laid　his　hand　lightly　upon　her　shoulder；　and　pleaded：

〃O…jochu！　　O…jochu！　　O…jochu！。。。　Listen　to　me；　just　for　one　little

moment！。。。　O…jochu！　　O…jochu！〃。。。　Then　that　O…jochu　turned　around；　and

dropped　her　sleeve；　and　stroked　her　face　with　her　hand；　　and　the　man　saw

that　she　had　no　eyes　or　nose　or　mouth；　and　he　screamed　and　ran　away。　（2）





Up　Kii…no…kuni…zaka　he　ran　and　ran；　and　all　was　black　and　empty　before

him。　On　and　on　he　ran；　never　daring　to　look　back；　and　at　last　he　saw　a

lantern；　so　far　away　that　it　looked　like　the　gleam　of　a　firefly；　and　he

made　for　it。　It　proved　to　be　only　the　lantern　of　an　itinerant　soba…seller；

＇2＇　who　had　set　down　his　stand　by　the　road…side；　but　any　light　and　any

human　companionship　was　good　after　that　experience；　and　he　flung　himself

down　at　the　feet　of　the　soba…seller；　crying　out；　〃Ah！　　aa！！　　aa！！！〃。。。





〃Kore！　kore！〃　（3）　roughly　exclaimed　the　soba…man。　〃Here！　what　is　the

matter　with　you？　Anybody　hurt　you？〃





〃No　　nobody　hurt　me；〃　panted　the　other；　〃only。。。　Ah！　　aa！〃





〃　Only　scared　you？〃　queried　the　peddler；　unsympathetically。　〃Robbers？〃





〃Not　robbers；　not　robbers；〃　gasped　the　terrified　man。。。　〃I　saw。。。　I　saw

a　woman　　by　the　moat；　　and　she　showed　me。。。　Ah！　I　cannot　tell　you　what

she　showed　me！〃。。。





〃He！　（4）　Was　it　anything　like　THIS　that　she　showed　you？〃　cried　the

soba…man；　stroking　his　own　face　which　therewith　became　like　unto　an

Egg。。。　And；　simultaneously；　the　light　went　out。









ROKURO…KUBI





Nearly　five　hundred　years　ago　there　was　a　samurai；　named　Isogai

Heidazaemon　Taketsura；　in　the　service　of　the　Lord　Kikuji；　of　Kyushu。　This

Isogai　had　inherited；　from　many　warlike　ancestors；　a　natural　aptitude　for

military　exercises；　and　extraordinary　strength。　While　yet　a　boy　he　had

surpassed　his　teachers　in　the　art　of　swordsmanship；　in　archery；　and　in　the

use　of　the　spear；　and　had　displayed　all　the　capacities　of　a　daring　and

skillful　soldier。　Afterwards；　in　the　time　of　the　Eikyo　＇1＇　war；　he　so

distinguished　himself　that　high　honors　were　bestowed　upon　him。　But　when　the

house　of　Kikuji　came　to　ruin；　Isogai　found　himself　without　a　master。　He

might　then　easily　have　obtained　service　under　another　daimyo；　but　as　he　had

never　sought　distinction　for　his　own　sake　alone；　and　as　his　heart　remained

true　to　his　former　lord；　he　preferred　to　give　up　the　world。　so　he　cut　off

his　hair；　and　became　a　traveling　priest；　taking　the　Buddhist　name　of

Kwairyo。





But　always；　under　the　koromo　＇2＇　of　the　priest；　Kwairyo　kept　warm　within

him　the　heart　of　the　samurai。　As　in　other　years　he　had　laughed　at　peril；　so

now　also　he　scorned　danger；　and　in　all　weathers　and　all　seasons　he

journeyed　to　preach　the　good　Law　in　places　where　no　other　priest　would　have

dared　to　go。　For　that　age　was　an　age　of　violence　and　disorder；　and　upon　the

highways　there　was　no　security　for　the　solitary　traveler；　even　if　he

happened　to　be　a　priest。







In　the　course　of　his　first　long　journey；　Kwairyo　had　occasion　to　visit　the

province　of　Kai。　（1）　One　evening；　as　he　was　traveling　through　the　mountains

of　that　province；　darkness　overcame　him　in　a　very　lonesome　district；

leagues　away　from　any　village。　So　he　resigned　himself　to　pass　the　night

under　the　stars；　and　having　found　a　suitable　grassy　spot；　by　the　roadside；

he　lay　down　there；　and　prepared　to　sleep。　He　had　always　welcomed

discomfort；　and　even　a　bare　rock　was　for　him　a　good　bed；　when　nothing

better　could　be　found；　and　the　root　of　a　pine…tree　an　excellent　pillow。　His

body　was　iron；　and　he　never　troubled　himself　about　dews　or　rain　or　frost　or

snow。





Scarcely　had　he　lain　down　when　a　man　came　along　the　road；　carrying　an　axe

and　a　great　bundle　of　chopped　wood。　This　woodcutter　halted　on　seeing

Kwairyo　lying　down；　and；　after　a　moment　of　silent　observation；　said　to　him

in　a　tone　of　great　surprise：





〃What　kind　of　a　man　can　you　be；　good　Sir；　that　you　dare　to　lie　down　alone

in　such　a　place　as　this？。。。　There　are　haunters　about　here；　many　of　them。

are　you　not　afraid　of　Hairy　Things？〃





〃My　friend；〃　cheerfully　answered　Kwairyo；　〃I　am　only　a　wandering　priest；

a　'Cloud…and…Water…Guest；'　as　folks　call　it：　Unsui…no…ryokaku。　（2）　And　I　am

not　in　the　least　afraid　of　Hairy　Things；　if　you　mean　goblin…foxes；　or

goblin…badgers；　or　any　creatures　of　that　kind。　　As　for　lonesome　places；　I

like　them：　they　are　suitable　for　meditation。　I　am　accustomed　to　sleeping　in

the　open　air：　and　I　have　learned　never　to　be　anxious　aboutmy　life。〃





〃You　must　be　indeed　a　brave　man；　Sir　Priest；〃　the　peasant　responded；　〃to

lie　down　here！　This　place　has　a　bad　name；　a　very　bad　name。　But；　as　the

proverb　has　it；　Kunshi　ayayuki　ni　chikayorazu　＇'The　superior　man　does　not

needlessly　expose　himself　to　peril'＇；　and　I　must　assure　you；　Sir；　that　it

is　very　dangerous　to　sleep　here。　Therefore；　although　my　house　is　only　a

wretched　thatched　hut；　let　me　beg　of　you　to　come　home　with　me　at　once。　In

the　way　of　food；　I　have　nothing　to　offer　you；　but　there　is　a　roof　at　least；

and　you　can　sleep　under　it　without　risk。〃





He　spoke　earnestly；　and　Kwairyo；　liking　the　kindly　tone　of　the　man；

accepted　this　modest　offer。　The　woodcutter　guided　him　along　a　narrow　path；

leading　up　from　the　main　road　through　mountain…forest。　　It　was　a　rough　and

dangerous　path；　sometimes　skirting　precipices；　sometimes　offering

nothing　but　a　network　of　slippery　roots　for　the　foot　to　rest　upon；

sometimes　winding　over　or　between　masses　of　jagged　rock。　But　at　last

Kwairyo　found　himself　upon　a　cleared　space　at　the　top　of　a　hill；　with　a

full　moon　shining　overhead；　and　he　saw　before　him　a　small　thatched　cottage；

cheerfully　lighted　from　within。　The　woodcutter　led　him　to　a　shed　at　the

back　of　the　house；　whither　water　had　been　conducted；　through　bamboo…pipes；

from　some　neighboring　stream；　and　the　two　men　washed　their　feet。　Beyond　the

shed　was　a　vegetable　garden；　and　a　grove　of　cedars　and　bamboos；　and　beyond

the　trees　appeared　the　glimmer　of　a　cascade；　pouring　from　some　loftier

height；　and　swaying　in　the　moonshine　like　a　long　white　robe。







As　Kwairyo　entered　the　cottage　with　his　guide；　he　perceived　four　persons

　men　and　women　　warming　their　hands　at　a　little　fire　kindled　in　the　ro

＇1＇　of　the　principle　apartment。　They　bowed　low　to　the　priest；　and　greeted

him　in　the　most　respectful　manner。　Kwairyo　wondered　that　persons　so　poor；

and　dwelling　in　such　a　solitude；　should　be　aware　of　the　polite　forms　of

greeting。　〃These　are　good　people；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃and　they　must

have　been　taught　by　some　one　well　acquainted　with　the　rules　of　propriety。〃

Then　turning　to　his　host；　the　aruji；　or　house…master；　as　the　others

called　him；　Kwairyo　said：





〃From　the　kindness　of　your　speech；　and　from　the　very　polite　welcome　given

me　by　your　household；　I　imagine　that　you　have　not　always　been　a　woodcutter。

Perhaps　you　formerly　belonged　to　one　of　the　upper　classes？〃





Smiling；　the　wo