TRANSACTIONS “THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN. VOL. Ill. PART II. (From 18th January, 1875, to 80th June, 1878.) ‘REPRINT OF THE FIRST EDITION, PUBLISHED IN 1875, EDITED BY THE SECRETARIES, 103 KELLY & Co, SLowoon: Tannen & Co,CONTENTS. ‘Mawar ot Tro Rosen Yond Mig, By Calls Dhara, Chasooure Asa, ted Construstve Art in Japen. iy. H, Brunton, Hey.sscsssccsssscsssccss 8 44n Excursion into tho Interior Parts of Yamato Province, By Captain St, John, BN, HAAS.“ fyhla.”, fo sess (on some Japanese Legends. By C. W. Goodwin, Eeq...... 4 Obsorrations on the Climate at Nagnsaki during the yeas 1872, By De. Gears, 63 Notes of w Journey from Avomori to Niigata, and of a visi to the Mines of Sada. By JH. Gubbing, Bag. EG = " Notes Colosted in the Okitama Ken, with an Hinerny of the Hoad leading foil, My Charles H. Dallas, Bay... “ Ey ‘An Ancient Japaneco Classe. By W.G. Aston, Haq... 109 ‘The Legacy of Iyeyasu. By W.E. Grigsby, Wan. B.A... ne The Yonezawa Dialect. By Chasles H. Dallas, Eeguyesss sess 129 Aeteorotogicel Observations, relating to artisle on pege, 6ON SOME JAPANESE LEGENDS. By C. W, Goopwar, Ese, (Read before the Asiatic Society of Japan, on the 17th March, 1876} {60} Tt is more than sixty yours ago since the publication by the brothors Grimm of « collection of popular and nursery tales which they tad gathered fom tho lips of the German peasantry, Inid the foundation of a new study which has ever since been pursued with intorest and ardour. ‘The legends of nearly every country and provinca in the world Ive been assiduously sought for aud recorded, and a comparison of ‘hem has led to many curious results, Some of these old_wives tales, sow only related for the amusement of ebildren, fe found to bo dsga forms of old mythologies, others ate the remains of poems or roman oF perhaps even of veritable bistorieal narratives, Stories which ean be ‘Wieed fo Contal Asia are fonnd localized in emule corners of Europe, 4 though they had grown there spontaneously, Such a ove i the story of th fathfal hound Gelert, whose tomb ix shown in Wales to tho present day, at the village named Bedd-Gelort, although procioly the same legend is found in the ancient collection of Persian tales Known onder fhe name of Syntipas, of which we possess a Greek translation, The weston how and when t one of sane Tnferest, Some of thom may have been eared by the Aryan fcibes [51] their first emigration from their Aslan homes, Others tay bave Doon imported by wandering minatels ai laar periods, Tho process of commusication must have gone on fiom » very Tams antiquity. Quite recently Bgyptian romances have boon discovered ‘manuscripts of the 19:h or 14th centuries before Christ, which have all the childish naiveté aud the stock incidents oF the modern fury tale. ‘he intercourse which early exist bobwoon Kgyps, the Western past of46 (GooDWH : OX ROME JAPANESE LEGENDS. tho Asin Continent end Borope explains sufintly the diasion of his ausientFerstare over tbat portion of tho earth's sarin which we are teocrlomed to cll the West. Bat wo should be les prepaed & priors to nd Eoropean founds making their appeeranco in coury Tike Jepan no islated and emote, and wbib, so far as it bas borrowed, bas done 20 chiety from Chia, ise « country of which the literature is Fatigenou, and whose legends have not mach afiity with those of Westar Asin Some instanse, however, of Jopanese legends busing anit to those of the far West do oeenr, end one at Teast eo remarkable tat it bn apponeed to me worth making the sabjet of enquiy. ‘The object of the present papers simply to open tho mater and io faite to it the statin of Sapam sir, who af moe quid ina my to ato a comparison betwean tho whole cyte of Japanese legends and those orrent in diferent comnts of the West “Atha story insaded amoog those given in Mind's “Taos of O14 Jopan” slack me when 1 Srot read ian havilg wremnFEable Tess “Vlunce to one with which I had been familiar from my ehildhood—an Tesh sory fest poblished by Crofton Croker about she year 1824 or 1825—and called ad tho agent of ‘Knockgrafton. As I have unfortan- stely no copy of Crofton CraKats Work By me Tus ell his tla a well aT ean from memory. “Tam Luoexp oF Kxooxonarrox. Tn come remote district in Ireland, but whereabouts I forget, is ‘illago called Knockgrafton, noar whieh are the (62) ruins of an ancient castle surrounded by a moat, known in ancient timos as the haunt of fairies or elves, “Tn the village of Knockgrafion lived a good-natured little hump- becked man named Lusmore, He was a general favorite from his cheerful and plessant humour, and nature had endowed him with a good ‘pair of langs and a taste for music. “One sunny day Lusmore lay down on the bank of the moat and ‘had a nap, from whieh be was awakened by the sweet sound of voices ‘apparently proceeding from beneath tho wator. Te knew at once that song was of a very simpleG0ODWIS ON HOME JAPANESE LRGEXDS. rg character for it was nothing, when translated into English (the fairiog of Knoekgrafton of course sang in the Isish or Erso Inngoage) but— Monday, Tuesday, Monday, Tuesday, and so on ad ivinitim, -Lasmore Tistened for some time, and of Length got rather tired of this perpotual ‘epottion, aud seizing a moment when thro was a slight pause he sung at the top of his voice, but in musical tone—and Wednesday too.” Searcely hud ho done this, when he found himself eaught up and whirled down to the bottom of the mott, whero was a spacious ball full of elves dancing ana singing. They took up Tusinore's words and went on singing lastly “Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday too." After this 4nd continued for somo time Losmore was condacted to a placa of honour, and two of the strongest elves eato and with a auw mado of batter they cutoff his hump,—and then they all samg— Larmor, Laem, Weep not nor deplore ‘he hump that you tore (On your bak i no mor: Leck down on the floor ‘And vow it Lomore, Tulle Lamore now found to his asonshment that ho was no longer bent doublo as bo used tobe, but athe could lit himelf upright sod ‘as fall mon, and Sa doing’ this he nearly knocked his heed gait the cellng, After much rejoicing and festng it beeame tine for the elves (58) to give up their festivities, Lasmore fell asleep sad when he awoke he found himself aguin on the bank outside the moat. He got ‘w, raed his eyes, and fl his baak, and found thet sure enough he waeridofbishomp. He wont back rejoeing and tld all he neighbours how he ed danced and sang with the elves, and how they had taken aff is hamp. The story soon got wind and all tho neighbourhood came to fee Lusmore and congratuato hima upon his good fortune, Now there wt suother humpback st Knockgraton knowa by the name of Jack Madden, an ilkconditioued young scamp whom nobody liked, Mie saother was an envioas ld orone who did nothing Dat murmur at Lasmore's luck and wondered why the samo did not happen to her son ck. By hor avico Jack Madden wout and lad himself ono day down by the mont, and there sure enough be heard the fis singing thes48 (Q00DWIN: ON SOMR JAPANESE LEOEKDS, song with Lusmore's elegant addition—‘Monday, Tuosday and Wednes- day too." Now Jack Madden, who was as deficient in taste as he was in voice, thought to himself if Lusmore pleased tho fairies by adding another day to their song, why should not I do better still by adding all tho rest of the week,—so without waiting fora panse, or paying any regard to time or measure, he began in a harsh loud voice shouting out Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Now the fairies have not only fan exquisite ear for rhythm snd timo, but thoy have also a peculiar aversion to hesr the Lord's day named. No sooner therefore bad Sack ‘Madden commenced this tasteless uproar then he found himself whirled into the moat and surrounded by fiorce-looking fairies. ‘Two of the strongest of theeo, by orders from the ebief, took up Lusmore’s hump, ‘which was till lying about, and clapped it on Jack Madden's back, ‘where it instantly stuck es tight as wax. ‘Then they all sang— Jaa Madde, Jack Madden! ‘Your word ere bad in ho tne wo feel gad in— ‘hie cao youre bad in "That your lif we may adden; ere’ tye humps for Jak Madden [4] Tmmediatoly ator this they kicked him out ofthe oat, and be was found on the ground next morning by tho old erone his mother, ‘when she ean to look ater him, with two humapsinsteed of one, Such ‘was the reward of envy and bad faste.” ‘This is the Ieish story picked up from the mouths of the potsantzy more than fifty years ago, Tam not sble to say whether it hhas been found in any form in soy other part of Europe, but my impression is that it is not known out of Ireland, ‘The Japanese tale ‘which resembles it x told very brioly by Mr. Mitford, and as he doos not give any reforaneo to the source from whonce he obtained it, T made enquiries upon the eubjost, and my friond Mr. J. C. Hall, of H. M, Con- sular Servio, kindly ascertained for me where it was to be found. Tt is given in the second volume of the Japanese work entitled “Uji Shui monogatari" ie, Stories omittod from the Uji colletion. This book ‘was first printed in 1664, bat is supposed to havo been written in the 18th oentayy, the author being unknown.cooDwDs : ON sou JAPANESE L2ncEXDE, 49 Mr, Hall kindly transliterated the Japanose text and has also sup- plied me with the following translation, “Te Srony oy ram Max worm mmx Wa. “The following also happened now along time ago. ‘There was 0 old man who had s big won on the right sido of his face. Ho wont | to (eut-wood on) moust ‘Teiko, Tt camo on to rain and blow without | stopping, £0 that he could not get back, and much ogainat hie will stopped the night on tho fills, ‘Thore was not oven a wood-utt’s (cabin) near, He was in ¢ drendfal plight and did not know what to do, So ho crop into the hollow of tre that was there, and whit he was crouching inside, unable to close his eyes, thoro camo ftom the distance a somné as of men harrying along tnd tang loudly the while, Sure enough, as he was all slone therein the midst of tho Dill, ho ft his spirits somowbat revive within him et the indiation of people spprosching, and he lookod out and beheld beings ofall eors of shapon and appearances, (55] some of them of red colour wearing blae elothes snd others ofa black ealoar westing red clothes. Rumning_ well fn font of the rest wero some with only one eye and some withoat a south, and such lke, and altogether, indeed, a quite indescribable kind of beings, The whole throng, to the number of shout « hundred, camo together with « whiesing sort of sound, and ater lighting w great fire as bright as tho eyo of heaven, they spread themeelves about it in front of the hollow too in which tho old man was, who thereupon lost the power of his senses moro and more, Ono elf who seemed to be their chit st on a sent sot thwart-wise, while tho elves ranged themselves on each Side of him in two rows. I don't know how many there ware of them, nd time would fail mo if I wero to attempt to doseribo the appearanes af them one by one. They enjoyed themselves drinking ato just ike people of this world, and after passing the bow! round repeatedly tho chit elf somed to get uncommonly drank, ‘Then one young ef rose at he farther end, snd clapping a dsh-tray om his hond begged for some- thing or other, Utiering witty sayings he marched up slowly to tho front of the olf on the thwart sest and seemed to be importaning bmn the liter romained seated holding the drinking eup in bie loft hand and sing good humoaredly, just lke a person of thie world. ‘Then beled Toe mi FP60 ‘O0oDWRY : ON SOME APANREE LEGENDS, off into a dance and the rest joined in order all down the line: some danced wll, others badly. When at length they seemed to have had enough of it the elf of the thwart seet spoke and ‘anid: ‘Wo have prolonged the fan to-night much beyond our usual time; no wonde however; the jig was a sight to see.’ Hereapon tho old man, whether it was that something hed bowitched him, or that some god or saint put it into his mind to do so—at any rale ho felt a desire to start out and dance, Then all st once ho changed his mind, but the elves hereupon without more ado struck up & tune of so pleasing a sound that he made ‘up his mind, ‘So be it” said he, ‘T will run out and have my dance; I ‘must, oven if I die for it’ and with his cap cocked over his nose and [66] hie woodman's hatshet stuck in bis girdle, forth he came dancing up in front of whero tho clf on the thwart seat was. Up sprang the ‘elves, bounding and buzzing about bim, to know what this meant, ‘The old man, now stretching himself out, now drawing himself together, with quips and cranks and every gesture he was master of, went circling round tho entire area, singing in a dranken voieo the while. All the clves thero assembled, and he on the thwart-seat amongst the foremost, Jooked on applauding and amused, ‘Thon the ef of the thwart-seat ssid : “For many years we bave indulged in this amusement, but never yob hhave we come xeross anything like this. Henceforth this old man must positively come and join in tho amusement with us.’ ‘The old man replied: ‘No need to order me; come I will. ‘This being an impromptu fort T forgot to keep time to the musio, but if you aro so good as to be ‘pleased with it I will endeavour to perform more cleverly next time.” ‘The elf of the thwart soat affably rejoined, “You must really come, you know.’ Thon an elf who was sitting threo seats back said: « Although ‘his old man speaks in this way, it is possible he may not come at al ‘wo had better take some likely pledge or other from him.’ ‘Just s just 0," aid the elf on the thwart seat; ‘what ought we to take: ‘Then some suggested one thing, some another, but the elf on the thwart oat said: ‘We should take the won which the old man bas on his fago: a won is a lacky thing and ho will hardly be willing to part with it’ Then the old man said: ‘You may take my nose or my eye if you like, but please do allow me to keep this wen: it would be unfair of you fo take away from me without cause a thing that I have had for so‘GoonwIN : ON SOME JAPANESE LAOERDS. 8 many yoars.’ ‘Oh! you are so unwilling to part with it as all that, then ?" suid tho elf of the thwart seat; ‘that's just the thing to take,” ‘Whereupon up come an elf, and ‘off it goes," says he, and twisted it of causing hardly any pain. ‘So you must come and play next time, now,’ suid they, ond as it was now dawn end the birds were beginning to sing, the elves went (57) away. ‘Tho old man felt his faco and, lol ‘the wen he had for yours was elena gone, not even n truce of it being perceptible on the smooth even surface, He went back to his home forgetting even to eut the wood he had come for. When the old woman his wife askod him what wonderful thing bad happened him, be told her it wns 60 and so, ‘What a vexatious affair,” suid she, “Next door lived a certain old man who had a big wen on the left side of his face. This old man observing that the other baa lost hi wen, thought it very queer and asked him about it, eaying:—*How aid you come to got rid of your wen? What doctortook it of for you? Kindly tell me, for T want to heve this won of mine taken off!” ‘Tt ‘wasn't taken off by a doetor at all,’ exid the other; ‘it happened on this ‘wise,’ and he told him how it had beon taken eway by the elves, «Til hhave mine token off in the seme way,’ thought he, and he questioned ‘he first old man closely, who told him the whole cizcumstances. Fol- lowing out what he bad heard, be went and waited inside the hollow tree, and true enough, just a8 ho had been told, the elves came, and spreading themselves all about begun to amuse themselves drivking sake, ‘Thon they sxid, ‘Has tho old man come who was here?” ‘The other old man swang himself ost, though very much afraid he was, ‘Then tho elves snid, ‘Yes, the old man has come; here he is." “Come hhere, dance, quick,’ said the elf on the thwart seat, Now this old man ‘was not 6 to be compared to the former one, and after making an awkward atlempt at a dance the elf on the thwart cost suid to him, ‘You dance very badly this time; ever so many times woree than you anced before, Let him have back tho wen we took from him as lodge.’ Hereupon an olf from the far end eame forward, saying, ‘Hore, you may have your plodge, the wen, back again,” and with thet ho threw it at him and it stuck on his other ehesk, so that he now had ‘8 wen on both sides of his fa “Moral : People ought not to feel envious,”82 ooDWI : OR SOME APANRER LEGENDS. 68] ‘Theso stories are unmistakenbly identical. Can ite supposed that tho same leading idea that of the taking off tho hump or wen of fone man, by the ageney of elves, and clapping it on another in reward for his cavy and want of skill came into the heads of two different story-tellers, one & Calt and the other « Japanese, independently? Ts it ‘oredibl that ono of those storie is not borrowed from the other? But, if'so, then ab whet age of the world aid tho loan take place, and which country was the borrower and which tho lender ? ‘As we know of no racent epoch at which the communication from cone country to the other is likely to have taken place, wo aro led to think that this story may bo one of the most ancient traditions of the Ihumoan rave, and thet it may dato from e time far anterior to history, ‘when a Taranian tribe may have occupied Toeland, precoding the Celtic teibes who are now the oldest stratam of humanity remaining in the far west Jn the remarkable Dutch novel, eatited “ Max Havelaar,” of which ‘in English translation by Baron Alphonse Nabnijs appeared in 1808, » Tepauese logend is introduced, professedly taken from a periodical paper called “Dateh India,” aud allsibuted to a writer named Jerome. ‘This story, entitled “The Japanese Stono-cntter,” is told nesrly as follows -— ‘There was a man who out stones out of e rock, His labour was ‘hoary and he laboured mach, Dut bis wages were small, and he was not content, He sighed because his Inbour was heavy, and he cried, ‘0 that I were rich, in ordor to rest on a couch, with curtains.” “And there came an angel out of heaven, who suid, «Be it as you have said.’ And he was rich. And ho rested on a ooneh, and the cariain was of red silk, And the king of the country passed with Thorsemen beforo his earringo, and likewise behind the earringe there ‘were horsemen, and the golden ambralla was beld over the head of the King. “And as soon as the rich man heard thie he was sad, because they hheld no golden umbrella over Ait head, and [59] ho was not content, Ho sighed and cried, *T should like to be « king. “And there came an angel out of heaven and said *Be it as you Davo anid”GoopWIN: ON SOME JAPANESE LEGENDS. 58 “And he became a king, And before his carriage wore many hhorsomen, and behind were also horsemen, and over his head they held ‘the goldon umbrella, “ And the sun shone with hot beams, and burned the earth in such @ manner that tho grase was driod up. “And the king complained that the sun burnod his face, and had more power than he; and he was not satisfied, He sighed and eried, ‘Lshould like to be the sun.” And thero camo an angel out of heaven who said, “Be it as you avo said,’ And he bocame the sun, “And he sent up his beams on [high, and down to the carth ; to the right and to the left—everywhere, “And he burned up the grass on the earth and the faces of the ‘princes who wore on the earth “And a cloud came between bim and the earth and the beams of the ‘oun mere turned back. “ And he was angry thet his power was resisted; and he complained ‘hat this clond bad more power than ho; and he was dissatisfied. “+ He desired to be the cloud that was #0 mighty. And there came an angel from heaven who said, ‘Be Ihave said “And he became a cloud, and placed himself between the san and the earth, and intercepted the beams, so that the grass became green And the cloud rained in large drops on the earth and mado the rivers wall, and the floods carried away the herds, “And the clond devastated the field with mach water, “And it fll on a rock which did not move, and rattled in large streams, but the rook did not yield. And the cload was angry because the rock would not yield, and Decause the strength of its streams was vain, and it was not contented. “Ib cried, “This rock haa more power than I have, I wish to be this rook.” [60] ‘And there came an angel out of heaven who suid, “Be this as you have said,’ and it became a rock, and moved neither when the fun shone mor when it rained, and there camo a man with pick- ssxo and sharp chisel and heary hammer, who cut stones out of the as you rook,oa ‘Q00DNIN: ON SOME ZAPANESE LECENDS. “+ And the rock said, What is this, that the man has power over me ‘and eats stones out of my bosom? And it was discontented. It eriod, ‘Tam weaker than bo, I should like to be that man, “And there came an angol out of heaven who said, ‘Be this as you bave ssid" and he beoame a stone-outter. And he cut stones out of the rock with heavy labour, and he laboured hard for small wages, and was contented.” ‘Whon I first came aorose this story, it reminded me of one which is to be found in Grimm's Popalar tales, thot entitled “The Fisherman and his wife,” the moral of which is, “Be content with your ste- fon." ‘The book which contai ‘Dutch one, and the tale evidently containing many touches of colouring ‘which are not Japanese, it was necessary bofore drawing auy inference from ils resemblance to the well-known Gorman tale, to make some ‘enguity as to its authenticity and its real origin. ‘The result of the enquiry has been that no such tale is to be found ‘at present in any Japanese book, but that one in the main similar is ‘eurrent in the mouths of the people, and that in a great variety of forms, One version has been obtained for mo by Mr. J. C. Hall from a ‘Japanese teacher, who wrole it down from recollection. Mr. Hall has Kindly transeribed the Tepanese text into English characters, and farnished me with a translation, which is as follows “the Jepanese stone-cntter”” being a ‘tan Sront or x Axasztous Mion. “Tn certain place there lived pair of mice, and a dangbler was born oto them, The patent mice were ansommonly fond of bar nd wished to marry their danghler to whatever was most powerful in the ‘whole word, oo they set aboat choosing a eoninaw. A neighbour mouse (61) sui, ‘Tho most powerfl thing in the worl, i, beyond omptrton, the un, Ifyou marry your danghtr o the aun there wil ho nobody in all tho world to equal you.’ When the parent mico Dear this they were gresly delighted and went slrsightway to tho sua apd old him of ther desire that he should. ake thir danghter to wie. ‘The sun repliod—!T am extremely cbliged to you for eoming such « Jong jouruey and for your kind intention of alowing me to wed oircooDWnt: On SOM JARANRAE LEGENDS, 6 lew?" ‘The mioe suid, * We wish to marry our daughter to ‘whatever is most powerfol in the world, and aa you ate, beyond rivalry, the most powerful personage in the world, that is why we desire to give you our daughter in marriage.’ ‘The Sua rejoined :—' You are certainly not without reason in considering me the most powerful thing in tho world; but there is one still more powerful than I am, for whose “strength Lam inno way a match. It is to that you ought to mary your danghter.’ ‘Can there bo eught more powerful than you ?* ssid the mice, ‘The Sun rejoined :—‘Ofitines when I waut to illamine the world a floating cloud comes out and covers me so that T am rendered powerless. My power is no match for that of the cloud, If it is a powerful thing you want there is nought like the cloud.’ Tho mice snewored, ‘ What you say is certainly the truth.’ After that they went to the cloud, and expressed to it their wish to have it for their son-in-law. ‘The cload said, “True, I havo tho atrength to cover over the Sun, but begins to blow I am at once seattered to pieces and 1s soon as the ean do nothing. Tam no match for the power of the wind,’ ‘Then the mice went their way and coming'to the wind, made their proposal of marriage. ‘The wind said : “True, Thavo the strength to blow the cloud to pioces, but when a wall is put up to keop mo off, I eannot blow through ‘that wall. Iam no mateb for the power of the wall.’ ‘Then the mico ‘wont their way and coming to the wall told their story as before, "The wall said: ‘True, Ihave the strength [62] to keep off the wind, but ‘hero is the mouse who sometimes gnews my body, opens a hole through me and hurts me, I eannot withstend the power of the mouse. Far Dotter for you to make the mouse your son-in-law than me.” The mice ‘were convineod by this reasoning and returned home, and afterall, i ix seid, they marriod their daughter fo one of their own kind.” Although the stories of the stone-cutter and the ambitious mice ‘havo evidently & common basis, there are, it will be seen, many important points of dissimilarity, and it is possible that these may be principally due to the Dutch author who may have had tho Gorman tale im his mind. ‘This is a point which Lam unsble now to determine, Tohould be mach obliged to any Japanoso scholar who would supply other genuine Japanese varictios of the tale,66 ‘GOODWIN : OX SOMtR JAPANESE LEGENDS. ‘The German story in Grimm to which I have lluded is substantially as follows: — Tam Fisuzmax axp xis Wore, “Affigherman once lived contontedly with his wife in a little but near & Take, and he went every day to throw his line into the water. One day after angling for a long time without even a Lite, the line suddenly sunk to the bottom, end when he pulled it up agein there was ” f large flounder banging to the end of it, “Oh des," exclaimed the fish, * good fishermen let me go, T pray you; Tam not areal fish, but a prineo in disguise, I abell be of no use to you, for Iam not good to eat; pat mo back into the water, and Jet me awim away." “Ab, said the man, ‘you need not make such « disturbance, I ‘would rather let « flounder who can speak swim awey, than koop iw “With these words he placed the fish back again in the water and it sunk to the botlom, leaving a long streak of blood bebind it. ‘Thon the fisherman rose up and went homo to his wife in the hut. “ Husband," esid the wife, ‘have you caught anything to-day ?° [88] “Teaught « flounder,’ he replied, ‘who suid he was an enchanted prinee, and I threw him back into the water, and let him wim away.’ «Did you not wish? she asked. \6No,' he enid ; * what should I wish for?” ‘Why, atleast fora better but than this dirty place; how unlucky ‘of it, He would have promised you whatever you asked for. However, go and call him now, perhaps be will answer you.’ “The husband did not like this task at all; he though it was nonsense, However, to please his wife he went and stood by the sea, ‘When ho saw how green and dark it looked he felt much discourages Dut mado up a rhyme and xid,— “Mlounder, louder, in the sea (Come I pray and talk to me, ‘For my wil, dame Isabel, ‘ent me here tale to tll."‘OOOD WIN: ON SOME JAPANESE LEGENDS. 7 “Thon the fish came swimming up to the surface and said, « What do you want with mo? “'*Ab,’ said the man, ‘T caught you and let you go again to-day, withoat wishing, and my wife says I ought to have wished, for she ‘cannot live any longer in such # miserable hut as ours and she wants a Dotter one.” “Go home, man," the fish ; ‘your wife bee all she wants.” 80 tho husband went home and there was his wife no longer in her dirty hovel, but sitting at the door of a neat little cottage, looking very happy. She took her husband by the hand and ssid, ‘Come in and see how much better it is than the other old bat,” So he followed her in and found a beautiful parlour, and a bright stove in it, a soft bed in the bed-room, and a kiteben fall of eartbonwaro, sand tin and copper vessels for eooking, looking oo bright and clean, and sllof the very best. Outside was a little farmyard, with hens and chickens ronning about, end beyond, a garden containing plesty of fevit and vegetables. ‘Seo,’ suid tho wifo, ‘ie it not delightful 2° * Ab yes! replied her husband, ‘as long as [64] it is new you will bo quite eontented; but after that wo sball see,” “Yes, wo shall se," said the wife, “A fortnight passed and the husband felt quite happy, till ono day his wife startled him by saying, ‘Husband, after all, this is only eottago, very much too small for us, and the yard and the garden cover very littie groand. If the fish is really a prince in disguise, he could ‘ory well give us a latger house, I should like above all things to live jin a lenge esatle built of stone, Go to the fsb, and ask him to build us castle. “Ah, wifey" he said, ‘this cottage is good enough for us; what do ‘we want with a castle ?" “Go slong,’ she replied, ‘ the founder will b sure to give what you “Nay, wife’ snid he, ‘tho fish gave us the eottage at first, but if T go again ho may be angry.’ ““Nover mind,’ she replied; ‘he ean do what T Thave no doubt he will; go go and try.’ you m2 1-8 easily, and68 ‘G0ODWrS : ON SOM JAPANESE LEGENDS. “The husband rose to go with a heavy heart, He said to himself, “This is not right)’ and when ho rerched the son ho noticed that the water wes nowa dark blue yet very calm, so ho begen bis old song “Flounder, founder in the cou Come I pray and talk to me— For my wie, ame Tasbl, ‘Wiahee what I fon to tll” “Now thon, what do you want ? said the fi tho water. “Oh denn,’ said tho fisherman, in a frightened tone, ‘my wife ‘wants to live in a great stone castl “«¢Go home, man, and you will find her there," was tho reply. «The husband hastened home, and where the cottage had been there stood a fresh stone castle, and his wife tripped down the steps saying, “Come in to me, and I will show you what a beautiful dwelling we now have.” “The Gsherman’s wife soon becomes discontented in the s castle, and her next wish is to be queen. [65] “Her bushand reluctantly complies with ber desires and once more addressed himself to the fish, with their new request, which is granted and he returns to find his wife invested with all the splendours of royalty. “Sho now desires to bo empress and this wish is also granted. “Not satisfied with being empress she next requires to bo the Pope, ia conceded, and when the husband comes back he finds hhor in a Targe cathedral, «Wall wifo,’ says the husband, ‘ and you are Pope?” * Yi aid, ‘Tam? “Ho stood still for a time watebing her, and st length be remarked, “You cannot be higher than the Pope, so I suppose you sre now content.’ “+ Tam not quite sure,’ she ssid. But when evening eeme, and they rotired to rest, sho could not sleep for thinking of whet next she should ‘wish for, “« Hor husband slept soundly, for he had tired himself the day before; ‘but she rose even before the day broke, and stood at the window to ifing his head sbove londiad‘GooDWim : ON SOME JAPANESE LEGENDS, 7) watch the san rise, Tk was a benulifal sight, and she exclaimed as she watched it, Ob, if only hed the powor to make the sun riso! Hasband, vwake up,’ she added, pushing him in tho ribs with her elbows ; « wake ‘up nd go and tell the enchanted prince that I wish to be equal to the Creator, and make the sum rise" “he husband was so frightened at this that he tumbled out of bed, snd excleimed, * Al wife, what did't thou say ? “Bho reponted tho word ‘Hor husband fell on bis kneos before her, Don'taak me todo this Teaunot,’ he cried ; bat she low into erage and drove him from the hou ‘he poor fisherman wont down Lo the shore in terror, fora drendfil storm ed arisen, and he eould scarcely stand on his fect. Ships were ‘wrecked, bouts tossed to and fro, and rocks rolled into the aes, “In his tarror end confusion’ be heard a voice from amidet the storm— Your wife wishes to be equa to the Creator, (66) Go home, vann, and find her again in er dirty hut by the aaa “He went home, to find tho gloriee, the viohes, and the palaces vanished, and bis wifo siting in tho old but, an example ofthe couse- ‘quences of impious ambition." Notwithstanding the general resemblance between the German story of the fisherman and the Japanese one of the ambitious mico, the diferences in troatment are so great that it may fairly be questioned whether they have a common origin, ‘Tho story ofthe Japanese stoue- cutter, a8 told in the Dateh nove, forms a kind of link between the two, bat until we aro sure that the peculiar features contaived in it which bring it nearer to tho German logend, have not heen added by the thor of the novel, wo ean form no satisfactory conclusion on tho eubject, The three legends, however, together faruish an instructive example of tho ‘manner in whieh one lending idea may be varied and decorated, ‘Tho last story I hevo to refer to is one whieh was printed in the Japan Mait of November 28th, 1874, and whieh T am informed current amongst the old-wives of Japan at the present day. “A Barone me Kino, “ Kisabaro, @ man of a careful and saving disposition, abandoned his old lodgings and took small awelling next door to a famous eel-60 ‘GOODWIN : OM SOME SAPANEGE LEGENDS, house, Now aa every one knows that the tiillating odour of fied | im soy may be perceived far and near, Kisabaro found this change of quarter vastly t hia advantago, and eat his simple meal of ice to the accompaniment of the delicious smell, dispensing with the usual adjuncts of fish or vegetables. “Tbe eelman was not slow to discover this, and determining at length to ask his frugal-minded neigbbour for payment, took him an account for the ‘smell’ of his ole, Kisnbaro oyed him astutely, and araming fiom bis pooket-book the amount claimed from him, Isid the money on the Will and begun lo onverse with his visitor, The letter {67} at length rose to depart, when Kisuburo quell replaced the money in hia pockst-book. ‘Hey 1” quoth the eel-man, *T thought thet money vwas for me ; why don't you give it to mo 2? + Not oo," was the rep * you have charged me for the smell of your oele;—T pay you back wit the sight of my nioney.” twas pointed out by a writer in the Japan Daily Herald of the Sth December, 1674, that the counterpart of this story is to be found greatly elaborated in Rabelais in tho 87th chapter of tho 8rd Book, ‘The Tabelaisian version in a fllows:— “At Paris, inthe roast-meat cookery of the Petit-Chastelet before tho cook shop of one of the rosst-meat-sollars of that lane, » certain hhangry porter was eating his bread, sftor he had by parcels kept it » while above the rock and steam of a fat goose on tho spit, taming at a great fire, and found itso beamoked with the vapour, to be savoury s ‘which the cook observing, took notico, til after having ravined his penny loaf, whereof no morte had eon ansmokifed, he was about decamping and going away. But, by your leave, as the fellow thought to: have departed thense set-feeo, tbe master-cook laid hold upon him by the ‘gorget, and demanded payment for the smoke of his ronst-ment. ‘Tho porter answered, That he bad sustained no loss at all,—that by that he had doue there was.n0 dimination made of the fesh,—that he had taken nothing of his, and that therefore he was not indebted to him in any- thing. As for the smoke in question, thet, although he bad not been ‘there, it would howsoever have been evaporeted : besides, that before ‘hat time it bad never beau seen nor heard, that roast-meat-smoke was fold upon the stzeta of Paris, ‘Tho cook hereto replied, Thst he was‘000DWN': OW SOME ZAPANESR LEGENDS, a hot obliged nor any way bound to feed and nourish for nought a porter whom he bad never seen before, with the emoke of his roast-meat, and thereupon swore, that if he woald not forthwith eontent end satisfy him with prosent payment for the repast which he had thereby got, that he ‘would take his crooked staves from off his back; which instead of hav- jing loads thereafter Inid upon (68] them, should serve for fuel to his Kitchen fires. Whilst he was going about so to do, and to have pulled them to him by one of the bottom rungs, whieh he hed esught in his luand, the sturdy porter got out of his grip, drew forth the knotty eudgel, sand stood to his own defence. The altereation waxed hot in words, Which moved the gaping hoidens of the sottish Parisians to ran from all parts thereaboats, to see what the issue would be of thet babbling strife fand contention, In the interim of this dispute, to very good parpose, Seyny John, the fool and citizen of Paris, happened to be theto, whom the cook perceiving, said to the porter, ‘Wilt thou refer and submit unto {he noble Seyny Jobn, the decision of tho difference and controversy which is betwixt us”? * Yee, by the blood of a goose,’ answored the porter, ‘Tam content.’ Seyny John the fool, finding that the cook and porter hhad compromised the determination of their varianes and debato to the diseretion of his award and arbitrament, after that the reason on either sie, wherexpon was grounded the mutual fieroeness of their brawling Jar, had boon to the full displayed and laid open before him, commanded the portor to draw out of money, if he had it. Whereupon the porter immedistely without delay, in revereneo to the authority of such a judicious umpire, put the tenth part of a silver Philip into his hand, This little Philip Seyny John took, then set it on his left shoulder, to tty by fooling if it was of w suficiont weight, After that, laying it on the palm of his band, he made it ring and tingle, to understand by the car ifit was of & good alloy in the metal whereof it was composed, ‘Thereafter be put it to the ball or applo of his left eye, to explore by the sight, if t was well stamped and marked; all which being done, in a profound silence of the whole doltish people, who were there spectators of the pageantry, to the great hope of the eook’s, and despair of the potter's provaleney in the suit that was in agitation, finally caused the Porter to make it sound several times upon the stall of the eook's shop. ‘Then with a presidential majesty holding his bawble, sceptze-ike, in his62 (00D: ON SOM JAPANESE LEGENDS. band, mufling his [69] head with bood of marten skins, each side whereof hadthe resemblance ofan apes fase, spracifid up with ears of pasted paper, and having sboat his nook & bucked raf raised, furrowed, and sidged, with pointing sticks of the shapeand fashion of small organ pipes, he Gist with all the foreo of his lungs coughed two or thre times, and then with an audible voice pronounced this following sentence. ‘The Court declareth, that tho porter, who ate his bretd at tho smoke of the roast, bath civilly ‘pid the cook with sound of his money. And the sxid Court ordaineth, ‘that every one return to his own home, and attond his proper basiness, ‘without costs and charges, and for a cause, ‘This verdict, award, and arbitrament of the Parisian Fool did appear #0 equitable, yes, so admir- ble to the aforessid Doctors, that they very much doubted if the matter hind boon brought bofore the Sessions for Fastice of the suid place, or that the judges of the Rota at Rome had been umpires therein, ar yet that the Areopagites themselves bad been the dosiders thereof, by any one part, o all of them together, had beon so judicially sententi- Aled and awarded, Therefore edvise if you will be counselled by a fool.” I have no means at present of tracing this story in its migration, It in one likely enough to have gone all over the world. But the question erises here, asin the case of the story of the man with the wen, have the Japanese received it in comparatively receut times, ‘whether by way of China or from Arubign or Indian merebasts, or later from Portaguese or Dutch missionaries or merchants, or does it belong to the most ancient eycle of Taranian legend, which may bave existed all over Asia and Borope in times long antecedent to the dawn of history ? Recent disco and others which bad pre hhave tended to show that the story of the Deluge asly paaced for Shemitic or Aryan are really ession of Turanian tribes of Taraniau origin, or at least were in the p before they wero current among Sbemites or Aryans. tis possible that farther enquiries into the Japanese legends may throw some farther light upon this strange but very interesting subject. ‘Would not a complete translation of the Uji stories, and of the supple- mentary collestion from which tho * Man with the Wen” is taken, bo ‘worth the trouble of making ?