kwaidan- 第6部分

hundred　ryo　（3）　in　gold。　　Afterwards　a　song　was　made　about　Umegae's　basin

of　bronze；　and　that　song　is　sung　by　dancing　girls　even　to　this　day：



　　　　　Umegae　no　chozubachi　tataite

　　　　　O…kane　ga　deru　naraba

　　　　　Mina　San　mi…uke　wo

　　　　　Sore　tanomimasu



＇〃If；　by　striking　upon　the　wash…basin　of　Umegae；　I　could　make　honorable

money　come　to　me；　then　would　I　negotiate　for　the　freedom　of　all　my

girl…comrades。〃＇







After　this　happening；　the　fame　of　the　Mugen…Kane　became　great；　and　many

people　followed　the　example　of　Umegae；　thereby　hoping　to　emulate　her

luck。　Among　these　folk　was　a　dissolute　farmer　who　lived　near　Mugenyama；　on　t

he　bank　of　the　Oigawa。　Having　wasted　his　substance　in　riotous　living；　this

farmer　made　for　himself；　out　of　the　mud　in　his　garden；　a　clay…model　of　the

Mugen…Kane；　and　he　beat　the　clay…bell；　and　broke　it；　crying　out　the　while

for　great　wealth。





〃Then；　out　of　the　ground　before　him；　rose　up　the　figure　of　a　white…robed

woman；　with　long　loose…flowing　hair；　holding　a　covered　jar。　And　the　woman

said：　〃I　have　come　to　answer　your　fervent　prayer　as　it　deserves　to　be

answered。　Take；　therefore；　this　jar。〃　So　saying；　she　put　the　jar　into　his

hands；　and　disappeared。





Into　his　house　the　happy　man　rushed；　to　tell　his　wife　the　good　news。　He

set　down　in　front　of　her　the　covered　jar；　which　was　heavy；　and　they

opened　it　together。　And　they　found　that　it　was　filled；　up　to　the　very　brim；

with。。。





But　no！　　I　really　cannot　tell　you　with　what　it　was　filled。





JIKININKI







Once；　when　Muso　Kokushi；　a　priest　of　the　Zen　sect；　was　journeying　alone

through　the　province　of　Mino　（1）；　he　lost　his　way　in　a　mountain…district

where　there　was　nobody　to　direct　him。　For　a　long　time　he　wandered　about

helplessly；　and　he　was　beginning　to　despair　of　finding　shelter　for　the

night；　when　he　perceived；　on　the　top　of　a　hill　lighted　by　the　last　rays　of

the　sun；　one　of　those　little　hermitages；　called　anjitsu；　which　are　built

for　solitary　priests。　It　seemed　to　be　in　ruinous　condition；　but　he　hastened

to　it　eagerly；　and　found　that　it　was　inhabited　by　an　aged　priest；　from　whom

he　begged　the　favor　of　a　night's　lodging。　This　the　old　man　harshly　refused；

but　he　directed　Muso　to　a　certain　hamlet；　in　the　valley　adjoining　where

lodging　and　food　could　be　obtained。





Muso　found　his　way　to　the　hamlet；　which　consisted　of　less　than　a　dozen

farm…cottages；　and　he　was　kindly　received　at　the　dwelling　of　the　headman。

Forty　or　fifty　persons　were　assembled　in　the　principal　apartment；　at　the

moment　of　Muso's　arrival；　but　he　was　shown　into　a　small　separate　room；

where　he　was　promptly　supplied　with　food　and　bedding。　Being　very　tired；　he

lay　down　to　rest　at　an　early　hour；　but　a　little　before　midnight　he　was

roused　from　sleep　by　a　sound　of　loud　weeping　in　the　next　apartment。

Presently　the　sliding…screens　were　gently　pushed　apart；　and　a　young　man；

carrying　a　lighted　lantern；　entered　the　room；　respectfully　saluted　him；　and

said：





〃Reverend　Sir；　it　is　my　painful　duty　to　tell　you　that　I　am　now　the

responsible　head　of　this　house。　Yesterday　I　was　only　the　eldest　son。　But

when　you　came　here；　tired　as　you　were；　we　did　not　wish　that　you　should　feel

embarrassed　in　any　way：　therefore　we　did　not　tell　you　that　father　had　died

only　a　few　hours　before。　The　people　whom　you　saw　in　the　next　room　are　the

inhabitants　of　this　village：　they　all　assembled　here　to　pay　their　last

respects　to　the　dead；　and　now　they　are　going　to　another　village；　about

three　miles　off；　for　by　our　custom；　no　one　of　us　may　remain　in　this

village　during　the　night　after　a　death　has　taken　place。　We　make　the　proper

offerings　and　prayers；　　then　we　go　away；　leaving　the　corpse　alone。

Strange　things　always　happen　in　the　house　where　a　corpse　has　thus　been

left：　so　we　think　that　it　will　be　better　for　you　to　come　away　with　us。　We

can　find　you　good　lodging　in　the　other　village。　But　perhaps；　as　you　are　a

priest；　you　have　no　fear　of　demons　or　evil　spirits；　and；　if　you　are　not

afraid　of　being　left　alone　with　the　body；　you　will　be　very　welcome　to　the

use　of　this　poor　house。　However；　I　must　tell　you　that　nobody；　except　a

priest；　would　dare　to　remain　here　tonight。〃





Muso　made　answer：





〃For　your　kind　intention　and　your　generous　hospitality　and　am　deeply

grateful。　But　I　am　sorry　that　you　did　not　tell　me　of　your　father's　death

when　I　came；　　for；　though　I　was　a　little　tired；　I　certainly　was　not　so

tired　that　I　should　have　found　difficulty　in　doing　my　duty　as　a　priest。　Had

you　told　me；　I　could　have　performed　the　service　before　your　departure。　As

it　is；　I　shall　perform　the　service　after　you　have　gone　away；　and　I　shall

stay　by　the　body　until　morning。　I　do　not　know　what　you　mean　by　your　words

about　the　danger　of　staying　here　alone；　but　I　am　not　afraid　ofghosts　or

demons：　therefore　please　to　feel　no　anxiety　on　my　account。〃





The　young　man　appeared　to　be　rejoiced　by　these　assurances；　and　expressed

his　gratitude　in　fitting　words。　Then　the　other　members　of　the　family；　and

the　folk　assembled　in　the　adjoining　room；　having　been　told　of　the　priest's

kind　promises；　came　to　thank　him；　after　which　the　master　of　the　house

said：





〃Now；　reverend　Sir；　much　as　we　regret　to　leave　you　alone；　we　must　bid　you

farewell。　By　the　rule　of　our　village；　none　of　us　can　stay　here　after

midnight。　We　beg；　kind　Sir；　that　you　will　take　every　care　of　your　honorable

body；　while　we　are　unable　to　attend　upon　you。　And　if　you　happen　to　hear　or

see　anything　strange　during　our　absence；　please　tell　us　of　the　matter　when

we　return　in　the　morning。〃







All　then　left　the　house；　except　the　priest；　who　went　to　the　room　where　the

dead　body　was　lying。　The　usual　offerings　had　been　set　before　the　corpse；

and　a　small　Buddhist　lamp　　tomyo　　was　burning。　The　priest　recited　the

service；　and　performed　the　funeral　ceremonies；　after　which　he　entered

into　meditation。　So　meditating　he　remained　through　several　silent　hours；

and　there　was　no　sound　in　the　deserted　village。　But；　when　the　hush　of　the

night　was　at　its　deepest；　there　noiselessly　entered　a　Shape；　vague　and

vast；　and　in　the　same　moment　Muso　found　himself　without　power　to　move　or

speak。　He　saw　that　Shape　lift　the　corpse；　as　with　hands；　devour　it；　more

quickly　than　a　cat　devours　a　rat；　beginning　at　the　head；　and　eating

everything：　the　hair　and　the　bones　and　even　the　shroud。　And　the　monstrous

Thing；　having　thus　consumed　the　body；　turned　to　the　offerings；　and　ate　them

also。　Then　it　went　away；　as　mysteriously　as　it　had　come。







When　the　villagers　returned　next　morning；　they　found　the　priest　awaiting

them　at　the　door　of　the　headman's　dwelling。　All　in　turn　saluted　him；　and

when　they　had　entered；　and　looked　about　the　room；　no　one　expressed　any

surprise　at　the　disappearance　of　the　dead　body　and　the　offerings。　But　the

master　of　the　house　said　to　Muso：





〃Reverent　Sir；　you　have　probably　seen　unpleasant　things　during　the　night：

all　of　us　were　anxious　about　you。　But　now　we　are　very　happy　to　find　you

alive　and　unharmed。　Gladly　we　would　have　stayed　with　you；　if　it　had　been

possible。　But　the　law　of　our　village；　as　I　told　you　last　evening；　obliges

us　to　quit　our　houses　after　a　death　has　taken　place；　and　to　leave　the

corpse　alone。　Whenever　this　law　has　been　broken；　heretofore；　some　great

misfortune　has　followed。　Whenever　it　is　obeyed；　we　find　that　the　corpse　and

the　offerings　disappear　during　our　absence。　Perhaps　you　have　seen　the

cause。〃





Then　Muso　told　of　the　dim　and　awful　Shape　that　had　entered　the

death…chamber　to　devour　the　body　and　the　offerings。　No　person　seemed　to　be

surprised　by　his　narration；　and　the　master　of　the　house　observed：





〃What　you　have　told　us；　reverend　Sir；　agrees　with　what　has　been　said　about

this　matter　from　ancient　time。〃





Muso　then　inquired：





〃Does　not　the　priest　on　the　hill　sometimes　perform　the　funeral　service　for

your　dead？〃





〃What　priest？〃　the　young　man　asked。





〃The　priest　who　yesterday　evening　directed　me　to　this　village；〃　answered

Muso。　〃I　called　at　his　anjitsu　on　the　hill　yonder。　He　refused　me　lodging；

but　told　me　the　way　here。〃





The　listeners　looked　at　each　other；　as　in　astonishment；　and；　after　a

moment　of　silence；　the　master　of　the　house　said：





〃Reverend　Sir；　there　is　no　priest　and　there　is　no　anjitsu　on　the　hill。　For

the　time　of　many　generations　there　has　not　been　any　resident…priest　in　this

neighborhood。〃





Muso　said　nothing　more　on　the　subject；　for　it　was　evident　that　his　kind

hosts　supposed　him　to　have　been　deluded　by　some　goblin。　But　after　having

bidden　them　farewell；　and　obtained　all　necessary　information　as　to　his

road；　he　determined　to　look　again　for　the　hermitage　on　the　hill；　and　so　to

ascertain　whether　he　had　really　been　deceived。　He　found　the　anjitsu　without

any　difficulty；　and；　this　time；　its　aged　occupant　invited　him　to　enter。

When　he　had　done　so；　the　hermit　humbly　bowed　down　before　him；　exclaiming：

〃Ah！　I　am　ashamed　！　　I　amvery　much　ashamed！　　I　am　exceedingly

ashamed！〃





〃You　need　not　be　ashamed　for　having　refused　me　shelter；〃　said　Muso。　〃you

directed　me　to　the　village　yonder；　where　I　was　very　kindly　treated；　and　I

thank　you　for　that　favor。





〃I　can　give　no　man　shelter；〃　the　recluse　made　answer；　　and　it　is　not　for

the　refusal　that　I　am　ashamed。　I　am　ashamed　only　that　you　should　have　seen

me　in　my　real　shape；　for　it　was　I　who　devoured　the　corpse　and　the

offerings　last　night　before　your　eyes。。。　Know；　reverend　Sir；　that　I　am　a

jikininki；　＇1＇　　an　eater　of　human　flesh。　Have　pity　upon　me；　and　suffer　me

to　confess　the　secret　fault　by　which　I　became　reduced　to　this　condition。





〃A　long；　long　time　ago；　I　was　a　priest　in　this　desolate　region。　There　was

no　other　priest　for　many　leagues　around。　So；　in　that　time；　the　bodies　of

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

distances；　in　order　that　I