Child-Life in Japan and Japanese Child Stories Part 2

The pocket referred to means the bottom of the long sleeve, which is apt to trail and get wet when a child stoops at play. Kiyomadzu may mean a famous temple that bears that name. Sometimes they would simply count the turns and make a sort of game of forfeiting and returning the number of rebounds kept up by each.

Yos.h.i.+-san had begun to think battledore and b.a.l.l.s too girlish an amus.e.m.e.nt. He preferred flying his eagle or mask-like kite, or playing at cards, verses, or lotteries. Sometimes he played a lively game with his father, in which the board is divided into squares and diagonals. On these move sixteen men held by one player and one large piece held by the second player. The point of the game is either that the holder of the sixteen pieces hedges the large piece so it that can make no move, or that the big piece takes all its adversaries. A take can only be made by the large piece when it finds a piece immediately on each side of it and a blank point beyond. Or he watched a party of several, with the pictured sheet of j.a.panese backgammon before them, write their names on slips of paper or wood, and throw in turn a die. The slips are placed on the pictures whose numbers correspond with the throw. At the next round, if the number thrown by the particular player is written on the picture, he finds directions as to which picture to move his slip backward or forward to. He may, however, find his throw a blank and have to remain at his place. The winning consists in reaching a certain picture. When tired of these quieter games, the strolling woman player on a guitar-like instrument, would be called in. Or, a party of Kangura boy performers afforded pastime by the quaint animal-like movements of the draped figure. He wears a huge grotesque scarlet mask on his head, and at times makes this monster appear to stretch out and draw in its neck by an unseen change in position of the mask from the head to the gradually extended and draped hand of the actor. The beat of a drum and the whistle of a bamboo flute formed the accompaniment to the dumb-show acting.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Firemen's Gymnastics at New Year's Time.]

Yos.h.i.+-san thought the 4th and 5th days of January great fun, because loud shoutings were heard. Running in the direction of the sound, he found the men of a fire-brigade who had formed a procession to carry their new paper standard, bamboo ladders, paper lanterns, etc. This procession paused at intervals. Then the men steadied the ladder with their long fire-hooks, whilst an agile member of the band mounted the erect ladder and performed gymnastics at the top. His performance concluded, he dismounted, and the march continued, the men as before yelling joyously, at the highest pitch of their voices.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Street Tumblers playing Kangura in Tokio.]

After about a week of fun, life at the villa, gradually resumed its usual course, the father returned to his office, the mother to her domestic employments, and the children to school, all having said for that new year their last joy-wis.h.i.+ng greeting--omedeto (congratulations).

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW.

Yos.h.i.+-san and his Grandmother go to visit the great temple at s.h.i.+ba.

They walk up its steep stairs, and arrive at the lacquered threshold.

Here they place aside their wooden clogs, throw a few coins into a huge box standing on the floor. It is covered with a wooden grating so constructed as to prevent pilfering hands afterward removing the coin.

Then they pull a thick rope attached to a big bra.s.s bell like an exaggerated sheep-bell, hanging from the ceiling, but which gives forth but a feeble, tinkling sound. To insure the G.o.d's attention, this is supplemented with three distinct claps of the hands, which are afterward clasped in prayer for a short interval; two more claps mark the conclusion. Then, resuming their clogs, they clatter down the steep, copper-bound temple steps into the grounds. Here are stalls innumerable of toys, fruit, fish-cakes, birds, tobacco-pipes, ironmongery, and rice, and scattered amidst the stalls are tea-houses, peep-shows, and other places of amus.e.m.e.nt. Of these the greatest attraction is a newly-opened chrysanthemum show.

The chrysanthemums are trained to represent figures. Here is a celebrated warrior, Kato Kiyomasa by name, who lived about the year 1600, when the eminent Has.h.i.+ba (Hideyos.h.i.+) ruled j.a.pan. Near the end of his reign Has.h.i.+ba, wis.h.i.+ng to invade China, but being himself unable to command the expedition, intrusted the leaders.h.i.+p of the fleet and army to Kiyomasa. They embarked, reached Korea, where a fierce battle was fought and victory gained by Kiyomasa. When, however, he returned to j.a.pan, he found Hideyos.h.i.+ had died, and the expedition was therefore recalled. Tales of the liberality and generosity of the Chief, and how he, single-handed, had slain a large and wild tiger with the spear that he is represented as holding, led to his being at length addressed as a G.o.d. His face is modelled in plaster and painted, and the yellow chrysanthemum blossoms may be supposed to be gold bosses on the verdant armor.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Eating Stand for the Children.]

Next they looked at eccentric varieties of this autumn flower, such as those having the petals longer and more curly than usual. To show off the flowers every branch was tied to a stick, which caused Yos.h.i.+-san to think the bushes looked a little stiff and ugly. Near the warrior was a chrysanthemum-robed lady, Benten, standing in a flowery sailing-boat that is supposed to contain a cargo of jewels. Three rabbits farther on appeared to be chatting together. Perhaps the best group of all was old f.u.kurokujin, with white beard and bald head. He was conversing with two of the graceful waterfowl so constantly seen in j.a.panese decorations. He is the G.o.d of luck, and has a reputation for liking good cheer. This is suggested by a gourd, a usual form of wine-bottle, that is suspended to his cane, whilst another gourd contains homilies. He was said to be so tender-hearted that even timid wild fowl were not afraid of him.

Not the least amusing part of the show was the figure before which Yos.h.i.+'s Grandmother exclaimed, "Why, truly, that is clever! Behold, I pray thee, a barbarian lady, and even her child!" In truth it was an unconscious caricature of Europeans, although the lady's face had not escaped being made to look slightly j.a.panese. The child held a toy, and had a regular shock head of hair. The frizzed hair of many foreign children appeared very odd to Yos.h.i.+-san. He thought their mothers must be very unkind not to take the little "western men" more often to the barber's. He complacently compared the neatness of his own shaven crown and tidily-clipped and gummed side-locks.

Being tired of standing, the old Grandmother told her grandson they would go and listen to a recital at the story-teller's. Leaving their wooden shoes in a pigeon-hole for that purpose, they joined an attentive throng of some twenty listeners seated on mats in a dimly-lighted room.

Yos.h.i.+ could not make out all the tale-teller said, but he liked to watch him toy with his fan as he introduced his listeners to the characters of his story. Then the story-teller would hold his fan like a rod of command, whilst he kept his audience in rapt attention, then sometimes, amidst the laughter of those present, he would raise his voice to a shrill whine, and would emphasize a joke by a sharp tap on the table with his fan. After they had listened to one tale Yos.h.i.+-san was sleepy.

So they went and bargained with a man outside who had a carriage like a small gig with shafts called a "jin-riki-sha."[12] He ran after them to say he consented to wheel them home the two and a half miles for five cents.

[12] The _jin-riki-sha_, man-power-carriage, invented in j.a.pan in 1871, is now used all over the East.

FISHSAVE.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

There was once upon a time a little baby whose father was j.a.panese amba.s.sador to the court of China, and whose mother was a Chinese lady.

While this child was still in its infancy the amba.s.sador had to return to j.a.pan. So he said to his wife, "I swear to remember you and to send you letters by the amba.s.sador that shall succeed me; and as for our baby, I will despatch some one to fetch it as soon as it is weaned."

Thus saying he departed.

Well, emba.s.sy after emba.s.sy came (and there was generally at least a year between each), but never a letter from the j.a.panese husband to the Chinese wife. At last, tired of waiting and of grieving, she took her boy by the hand, and sorrowfully leading him to the seash.o.r.e, fastened round his neck a label bearing the words, "The j.a.panese amba.s.sador's child." Then she flung him into the sea in the direction of the j.a.panese Archipelago, confident that the paternal tie was one which it was not possible to break, and that therefore father and child were sure to meet again.

One day, when the former amba.s.sador, the father, was riding by the beach of Naniwa (where afterward was built the city of Osaka), he saw something white floating out at sea, looking like a small island. It floated nearer, and he looked more attentively. There was no doubt about its being a child. Quite astonished, he stopped his horse and gazed again. The floating object drew nearer and nearer still. At last with perfect distinctness it was perceived to be a fair, pretty little boy, of about four years old, impelled onward by the waves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fishsave riding the Dolphin to j.a.pan.]

Still closer inspection showed that the boy rode bravely on the back of an enormous fish. When the strange rider had dismounted on the strand, the amba.s.sador ordered his attendants to take the manly little fellow in their arms, when lo, and behold! there was the label round his neck, on which was written, "The j.a.panese amba.s.sador's child." "Oh, yes," he exclaimed, "it must be my child and no other, whom its mother, angry at having received no letters from me, must have thrown into the sea. Now, owing to the indissoluble bond tying together parents and children, he has reached me safely, riding upon a fish's back." The air of the little creature went to his heart, and he took and tended him most lovingly.

To the care of the next emba.s.sy that went to the court of China, he intrusted a letter for his wife, in which he informed her of all the particulars; and she, who had quite believed the child to be dead, rejoiced at its marvellous escape.

The child grew up to be a man, whose handwriting was beautiful.[13]

Having been saved by a fish, he was given the name of "Fishsave."

[13] _Beautiful handwriting_ was considered one of the most admirable of accomplishments in old j.a.pan.

THE FILIAL GIRL.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bowing before her Mother's Mirror.]

A girl once lived in the province of Echigo,[14] who from her earliest years tended her parents with all filial piety. Her mother, when, after a long illness she lay at the point of death, took out a mirror that she had for many years concealed, and giving it to her daughter, spoke thus, "when I have ceased to exist, take this mirror in thy hand night and morning, and looking at it, fancy that 'tis I thou seest."

[14] A _Echigo:_ the province on the west coast, now famous for its petroleum wells.

With these last words she expired, and the girl, full of grief, and faithful to her mother's commands, used to take out the mirror night and morning, and gazing in it, saw there in a face like to the face of her mother. Delighted thereat (for the village was situated in a remote country district among the mountains, and a mirror was a thing the girl had never heard of), she daily wors.h.i.+pped her reflected face. She bowed before it till her forehead touched the mat, as if this image had been in very truth her mother's own self.

Her father one day, astonished to see her thus occupied, inquired the reason, which she directly told him. But he burst out laughing, and exclaimed, "Why! 'tis only thine own face, so like to thy mother's, that is reflected. It is not thy mother's at all!"

This revelation distressed the girl. Yet she replied: "Even if the face be not my mother's, it is the face of one who belonged to my mother, and therefore my respectfully saluting it twice every day is the same as respectfully saluting her very self." And so she continued to wors.h.i.+p the mirror more and more while tending her father with all filial piety--at least so the story goes, for even to-day, as great poverty and ignorance prevail in some parts of Echigo, the peasantry know as little of mirrors as did this little girl.

THE PARSLEY QUEEN.[15]

How curious that the daughter of a peasant dwelling in a obscure country village near Aska, in the province of Yamato,[16] should become a Queen!

Yet such was the case. Her father died while she was yet in her infancy, and the girl applied herself to the tending of her mother with all filial piety. One day when she had gone out in the fields to gather some parsley, of which her mother was very fond, it chanced that Prince Shotoku, the great Buddhist teacher,[17] was making a progress to his palace, and all the inhabitants of the country-side flocked to the road along which the procession was pa.s.sing, in order to behold the gorgeous spectacle, and to show their respect for the Mikado's son. The filial girl, alone, paying no heed to what was going on around her, continued picking her parsley. She was observed from his carriage by the Prince, who, astonished at the circ.u.mstance, sent one of his retainers to inquire into its cause.

[15] A story much like that of "The Parsley Queen" is told in the province of Echizen.

[16] Yamato is the old cla.s.sic centre of ancient life and history.

[17] _Prince Shotoku Tais.h.i.+_, a great patron of Buddhism, who, though a layman, is canonized (see "The Religions of j.a.pan," p. 180).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Imitating the Procession to the Temple.]