The Chaos of the Ghost Cat of Arima (Arima no neko sd, )

http://77422158.at.webry.info/200906/article_7.html
The title of the play was originally prefaced with Arimatsuzome Sum Yukata'
(), Arimatsu Dyed Smo Yukata. Arimatsu tie
dyed yukata are popular with Japanese Sum wrestlers and the title suggests that it
was used to advertise this fact or perhaps that the play had originally been
sponsored by the tie dying industry of Arimatsu.
The play is set in Kurume Domain in Kyshus Chikugo Province (now modern day
Fukuoka Prefecture).
The eighth Lord of the 21 mangoku* Kurume Domain is Matsudaira Dewa no Kami.
His daughter, Princess Chiyo, lives in a mansion in an 18 mangoku neighbourhood in
the Unsh District of Matsue. Sekiya, one of the ladies in waiting at the Lords
Palace, has a maid called Otaki who is a niece of Takao Jzaemon. It is hoped by
Otakis family that she will be able to find a dependable husband to marry.
It is the private quarters of the Matsudairas Palace where a banquet is taking place.
A dog runs in chasing a kitten. The kitten tries to hide behind the Lord. As the
frenzied dog tries to reach the kitten it snaps at the Lord. Sekiya, who is nearby,
picks up an iron ladle from a chzubachi wash basin and strikes the dog on the
forehead, killing it. The dogs corpse is quickly taken away. Sekiya is told by the
Matsudaira that he is impressed with her speed and agility and that he would like to
reward her with a gift of some sort, something that she desires perhaps. He thanks
her for her compassion towards the kitten which, its life having been saved runs
away. He is attracted to her cleverness, selflessness and the tender compassion
which she showed to the kitten that she saved. He lavishes affection on her and
shows appreciation towards her maid Otaki.
The other ladies in waiting at the Palace and other members of the Kurume Clan
burn with jealousy and bully Otaki. She is particularly badly bullied by the most
senior lady in waiting Iwanami. As the bullying becomes more severe Otaki turns to
her mother for support.

Rumours abound that Otaki is disillusioned about finding a husband and that as a
result of the bulling she has set off for Edo. It is also rumoured that as a kind and
gentle hearted person she is feeling like committing suicide to end the pain and
anguish she is suffering. Otaki has in fact found new employment as a samurais
maid called Onaka.
When her master mysteriously dies she is furious and pursues the senior lady in
waiting Iwanami. Otaki is determined to murder Iwanami and attacks her. However,
Iwanami is an expert with the naginata halberd and in the twinkling of an eye she
kills Otaki, the would be avenger. After Otaki is killed a monster called Asuka
appears and launches at attack on Iwanami, seizes her by the throat, tears out her
windpipe and eats her. The monster is, in fact, the cat that Otaki had helped and
shown affection to. Because she had slain Otaki the cat had violently killed Iwanami.
Inside the Arima Clans Edo style house there is uproar and all the people who had
caused trouble are systematically slain.
At Otakis parents house there is 30 ryo which Otaki had left there along with another
50 ryo in a small box. In total 80 ryo which she had secretly entrusted for
safekeeping to her brother Yokichi, the birth son of their mother. Blocking out the
death of his sister and unable to mourn Yokichi leaves and at the Palace gates
accidentally drops the money but picks it up and puts it in his breast pocket.
Narusawa Osuke, an ashigaru foot soldier sees this, and follows Yokichi towards
Edo. On the way he tricks Yokichi and kills him betraying Yokichis mother and takes
the 80 ryo and puts it in his neck wallet. Narusawas comrade suspects him and is
murdered and the crime is concealed.
The monster cat that Otaki had loved appears again, attacks Narusawa and tries to
retrieve the neck wallet which he has put in his breast pocket. The first attack fails
and the cat dashes around running amok. It attacks Narusawa again and tears out
his throat. Kills and eats him. Then it climbs the fire observation tower where it kills
and eats two more people. A blood rage sets in and it begins to wreak revenge on
the Arima Clan. There is complete chaos as the people of the Arima Clan are killed
by the cat.
Matsudaira is out in his beloved garden with Yamamura Tenzen when a strange
animal appears. Yamamura Tenzen, without telegraphing his actions, strikes at the
beast with his sword several times.
Later the cat, intent on avenging Otaki, hurls itself at Matsudaira and his favourite
mistress who is pregnant and kills and eats them.
In the meantime, unbeknownst to Yamamura Tenzen, the cat kills and eats his ailing
mother and transforms itself into her image.
When he returns home his aged mother has a wound on her forehead. Yamamura
Tenzen considers this very strange and he starts to notice the inappropriate
behaviour of his mother and the strange way she speaks. He realizes that the
mysterious magical cat that escaped from him and which he had failed to catch and
kill is disguised as his mother.

At the same time the okakae** retainer the riskishi Sum wrestler Onogawa Kisabur
is at the Arima Clan house. He has been defeated by another Sum wrestler, Raiden
Tameemon. The defeated Onogawa is due to meet Raiden on Kudanzaka Hill so that
they can settle their differences and end their grudge.
At Kudanzaka Hill they meet and just as they are both about to draw their swords
and let loose a tide of blood the Kurume warrior and jujitsu master, Inukami Gunbei,
who has been appointed to control the situation and arbitrate between the two
wrestlers, arrives. As a result of his failure, Onogawa, who had hoped to distinguish
himself, intends to request that he be dismissed by his Lord and apologises. They all
join swords with Yamamura Tenzen. Stealthily climbing the fire observation tower at
the Akabane Daimy residence they kill the monster cat and then the okakae forces
return to the Arima Clan house.
Translated from the article at the Digital Library from the Meiji Era, Ritsumeikan
University
http://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/artwiki/index.php/
by Trevor Skingle
Notes:
* Japanese measure of value by the Shgunate during the Edo period man 10,000
koku barrel of rice
** A retainer traditionally hired for one generation
See also http://77422158.at.webry.info/200906/article_7.html (Japanese)