kwaidan-第12章

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to　a　distance　of　miles。　Akinosuke　was　then　shown　into　a　reception…room　of

wonderful　size　and　splendor。　His　guides　conducted　him　to　the　place　of

honor；　and　respectfully　seated　themselves　apart；　while　serving…maids；　in

costume　of　ceremony；　brought　refreshments。　When　Akinosuke　had　partaken　of

the　refreshments；　the　two　purple…robed　attendants　bowed　low　before　him；　and

addressed　him　in　the　following　words；　each　speaking　alternately；

according　to　the　etiquette　of　courts：







〃It　is　now　our　honorable　duty　to　inform　you。。。　as　to　the　reason　of　your

having　been　summoned　hither。。。　Our　master；　the　King；　augustly　desires　that

you　become　his　son…in…law；。。。　and　it　is　his　wish　and　command　that　you　shall

wed　this　very　day。。。　the　August　Princess；　his　maiden…daughter。。。　We　shall

soon　conduct　you　to　the　presence…chamber。。。　where　His　Augustness　even　now

is　waiting　to　receive　you。。。　But　it　will　be　necessary　that　we　first　invest

you。。。　with　the　appropriate　garments　of　ceremony。〃　＇2＇





Having　thus　spoken；　the　attendants　rose　together；　and　proceeded　to　an

alcove　containing　a　great　chest　of　gold　lacquer。　They　opened　the　chest；　and

took　from　it　various　roes　and　girdles　of　rich　material；　and　a　kamuri；　or

regal　headdress。　With　these　they　attired　Akinosuke　as　befitted　a　princely

bridegroom；　and　he　was　then　conducted　to　the　presence…room；　where　he　saw

the　Kokuo　of　Tokoyo　seated　upon　the　daiza；　＇3＇　wearing　a　high　black　cap　of

state；　and　robed　in　robes　of　yellow　silk。　Before　the　daiza；　to　left　and

right；　a　multitude　of　dignitaries　sat　in　rank；　motionless　and　splendid　as

images　in　a　temple；　and　Akinosuke；　advancing　into　their　midst；　saluted　the

king　with　the　triple　prostration　of　usage。　The　king　greeted　him　with

gracious　words；　and　then　said：





〃You　have　already　been　informed　as　to　the　reason　of　your　having　been

summoned　to　Our　presence。　We　have　decided　that　you　shall　become　the　adopted

husband　of　Our　only　daughter；　and　the　wedding　ceremony　shall　now　be

performed。〃





As　the　king　finished　speaking；　a　sound　of　joyful　music　was　heard；　and　a

long　train　of　beautiful　court　ladies　advanced　from　behind　a　curtain　to

conduct　Akinosuke　to　the　room　in　which　he　bride　awaited　him。





The　room　was　immense；　but　it　could　scarcely　contain　the　multitude　of

guests　assembled　to　witness　the　wedding　ceremony。　All　bowed　down　before

Akinosuke　as　he　took　his　place；　facing　the　King's　daughter；　on　the

kneeling…cushion　prepared　for　him。　As　a　maiden　of　heaven　the　bride　appeared

to　be；　and　her　robes　were　beautiful　as　a　summer　sky。　And　the　marriage　was

performed　amid　great　rejoicing。





Afterwards　the　pair　were　conducted　to　a　suite　of　apartments　that　had　been

prepared　for　them　in　another　portion　of　the　palace；　and　there　they　received

the　congratulations　of　many　noble　persons；　and　wedding　gifts　beyond

counting。







Some　days　later　Akinosuke　was　again　summoned　to　the　throne…room。　On　this

occasion　he　was　received　even　more　graciously　than　before；　and　the　King

said　to　him：





In　the　southwestern　part　of　Our　dominion　there　is　an　island　called　Raishu。

We　have　now　appointed　you　Governor　of　that　island。　You　will　find　the　people

loyal　and　docile；　but　their　laws　have　not　yet　been　brought　into　proper

accord　with　the　laws　of　Tokoyo；　and　their　customs　have　not　been　properly

regulated。　We　entrust　you　with　the　duty　of　improving　their　social　condition

as　far　as　may　be　possible；　and　We　desire　that　you　shall　rule　them　with

kindness　and　wisdom。　All　preparations　necessary　for　your　journey　to　Raishu

have　already　been　made。〃







So　Akinosuke　and　his　bride　departed　from　the　palace　of　Tokoyo；　accompanied

to　the　shore　by　a　great　escort　of　nobles　and　officials；　and　they　embarked

upon　a　ship　of　state　provided　by　the　king。　And　with　favoring　winds　they

safety　sailed　to　Raishu；　and　found　the　good　people　of　that　island　assembled

upon　the　beach　to　welcome　them。







Akinosuke　entered　at　once　upon　his　new　duties；　and　they　did　not　prove　to

be　hard。　During　the　first　three　years　of　his　governorship　he　was　occupied

chiefly　with　the　framing　and　the　enactment　of　laws；　but　he　had　wise

counselors　to　help　him；　and　he　never　found　the　work　unpleasant。　When　it　was

all　finished；　he　had　no　active　duties　to　perform；　beyond　attending　the

rites　and　ceremonies　ordained　by　ancient　custom。　The　country　was　so　healthy

and　so　fertile　that　sickness　and　want　were　unknown；　and　the　people　were　so

good　that　no　laws　were　ever　broken。　And　Akinosuke　dwelt　and　ruled　in　Raishu

for　twenty　years　more；　making　in　all　twenty…three　years　of　sojourn；

during　which　no　shadow　of　sorrow　traversed　his　life。





But　in　the　twenty…fourth　year　of　his　governorship；　a　great　misfortune　came

upon　him；　for　his　wife；　who　had　borne　him　seven　children；　five　boys　and

two　girls；　fell　sick　and　died。　She　was　buried；　with　high　pomp；　on　the

summit　of　a　beautiful　hill　in　the　district　of　Hanryoko；　and　a　monument；

exceedingly　splendid；　was　placed　upon　her　grave。　But　Akinosuke　felt　such

grief　at　her　death　that　he　no　longer　cared　to　live。







Now　when　the　legal　period　of　mourning　was　over；　there　came　to　Raishu；　from

the　Tokoyo　palace；　a　shisha；　or　royal　messenger。　The　shisha　delivered　to

Akinosuke　a　message　of　condolence；　and　then　said　to　him：





〃These　are　the　words　which　our　august　master；　the　King　of　Tokoyo；　commands

that　I　repeat　to　you：　'We　will　now　send　you　back　to　your　own　people　and

country。　As　for　the　seven　children；　they　are　the　grandsons　and

granddaughters　of　the　King；　and　shall　be　fitly　cared　for。　Do　not；

therefore；　allow　you　mind　to　be　troubled　concerning　them。'〃





On　receiving　this　mandate；　Akinosuke　submissively　prepared　for　his

departure。　When　all　his　affairs　had　been　settled；　and　the　ceremony　of

bidding　farewell　to　his　counselors　and　trusted　officials　had　been

concluded；　he　was　escorted　with　much　honor　to　the　port。　There　he　embarked

upon　the　ship　sent　for　him；　and　the　ship　sailed　out　into　the　blue　sea；

under　the　blue　sky；　and　the　shape　of　the　island　of　Raishu　itself　turned

blue；　and　then　turned　grey；　and　then　vanished　forever。。。　And　Akinosuke

suddenly　awoke　　under　the　cedar…tree　in　his　own　garden！





For　a　moment　he　was　stupefied　and　dazed。　But　he　perceived　his　two　friends

still　seated　near　him；　drinking　and　chatting　merrily。　He　stared　at　them

in　a　bewildered　way；　and　cried　aloud；





〃How　strange！〃





〃Akinosuke　must　have　been　dreaming；〃　one　of　them　exclaimed；　with　a　laugh。

〃What　did　you　see；　Akinosuke；　that　was　strange？〃





Then　Akinosuke　told　his　dream；　that　dream　of　three…and…twenty　years'

sojourn　in　the　realm　of　Tokoyo；　in　the　island　of　Raishu；　and　they　were

astonished；　because　he　had　really　slept　for　no　more　than　a　few　minutes。





One　goshi　said：





〃Indeed；　you　saw　strange　things。　We　also　saw　something　strange　while　you

were　napping。　A　little　yellow　butterfly　was　fluttering　over　your　face　for　a

moment　or　two；　and　we　watched　it。　Then　it　alighted　on　the　ground　beside

you；　close　to　the　tree；　and　almost　as　soon　as　it　alighted　there；　a　big；　big

ant　came　out　of　a　hole　and　seized　it　and　pulling　it　down　into　the　hole。

Just　before　you　woke　up；　we　saw　that　very　butterfly　come　out　of　the　hole

again；　and　flutter　over　your　face　as　before。　And　then　it　suddenly

disappeared：　we　do　not　know　where　it　went。〃





〃Perhaps　it　was　Akinosuke's　soul；〃　the　other　goshi　said；　〃certainly　I

thought　I　saw　it　fly　into　his　mouth。。。　But；　even　if　that　butterfly　was

Akinosuke's　soul；　the　fact　would　not　explain　his　dream。〃





〃The　ants　might　explain　it；〃　returned　the　first　speaker。　〃Ants　are　queer

beings　　possibly　goblins。。。　Anyhow；　there　is　a　big　ant's　nest　under　that

cedar…tree。〃。。。





〃Let　us　look！〃　cried　Akinosuke；　greatly　moved　by　this　suggestion。　And　he

went　for　a　spade。











The　ground　about　and　beneath　the　cedar…tree　proved　to　have　been　excavated；

in　a　most　surprising　way；　by　a　prodigious　colony　of　ants。　The　ants　had

furthermore　built　inside　their　excavations；　and　their　tiny　constructions　of

straw；　clay；　and　stems　bore　an　odd　resemblance　to　miniature　towns。　In　the

middle　of　a　structure　considerably　larger　than　the　rest　there　was　a

marvelous　swarming　of　small　ants　around　the　body　of　one　very　big　ant；　which

had　yellowish　wings　and　a　long　black　head。





〃Why；　there　is　the　King　of　my　dream！〃　cried　Akinosuke；　〃and　there　is　the

palace　of　Tokoyo！。。。　How　extraordinary！。。。　Raishu　ought　to　lie　somewhere

southwest　of　it　　to　the　left　of　that　big　root。。。　Yes！　　here　it　is！。。。

How　very　strange！　Now　I　am　sure　that　I　can　find　the　mountain　of　Hanryoko；

and　the　grave　of　the　princess。〃。。。





In　the　wreck　of　the　nest　he　searched　and　searched；　and　at　last　discovered

a　tiny　mound；　on　the　top　of　which　was　fixed　a　water…worn　pebble；　in　shape

resembling　a　Buddhist　monument。　Underneath　it　he　found　　embedded　in　clay

　the　dead　body　of　a　female　ant。









RIKI…BAKA





His　name　was　Riki；　signifying　Strength；　but　the　people　called　him

Riki…the…Simple；　or　Riki…the…Fool；　〃Riki…Baka；〃　because　he　had　been

born　into　perpetual　childhood。　For　the　same　reason　they　were　kind　to　him；

even　when　he　set　a　house　on　fire　by　putting　a　lighted　match　to　a

mosquito…curtain；　and　clapped　his　hands　for　joy　to　see　the　blaze。　At

sixteen　years　he　was　a　tall；　strong　lad；　but　in　mind　he　remained　always　at

the　happy　age　of　two；　and　therefore　continued　to　play　with　very　small

children。　The　bigger　children　of　the　neighborhood；　from　four　to　seven　years

old；　did　not　care　to　play　with　him；　because　he　could　not　learn　their　songs

and　games。　His　favorite　toy　was　a　broomstick；　which　he　used　as　a

hobby…horse；　and　for　hours　at　a　time　he　would　ride　on　that　broomstick；　up

and　down　the　slope　in　front　of　my　house；　with　amazing　peals　of　laughter。

But　at　last　he　became　troublesome　by　reason　of　his　noise；　and　I　had　to　tell

him　that　he　must　find　another　playground。　He　bowed　submissively；　and　then

went　off；　sorrowfully　trailing　his　broomstick　behind　him。　Gentle　at　all

times；　and　perfectly　harmless　if　allowed　no　chance　to　play　with　fire；　he

seldom　gave　anybody　cause　for　complaint。　His　relation　to　the　life　of　our

street　was　scarcely　more　than　that　of　a　dog　or　a　chicken；　and　when　he

finally　disappeared；　I　did　not　miss　him。　Months　and　months　passed　by　before

anything　happened　to　remind　me　of　Riki。





〃What　has　become　of　Riki？〃　I　then　asked　the　old　woodcutter　who　supplies

our　neighborhood　with　fuel。　I　remembered　that　Riki　had　often　helped　him　to

carry　his　bundles。





〃Riki…Baka？〃　answered　the　old　man。　〃Ah；　Riki　is　dead　　poor　fellow！。。。

Yes；　he　died　nearly　a　year　ago；　very　suddenly；　the　doctors　said　that　he　had

some　disease　of　the　brain。　And　there　is　a　strange　story　now　about　that　poor

Riki





〃When　Riki　died；　his　mother　wrote　his　name；　'Riki…Baka；'　in　the　palm　of

his　left　hand；　putting　'Riki'　in　the　Chinese　character；　and　'Baka'　in

kana