kwaidan-第5章

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feared　that　it　was　true　in　weirder　ways　than　she　had　before　imagined。　But

she　could　not　dare　to　speak　of　her　pain　to　anybody。







Now；　when　all　the　mirrors　contributed　for　the　Mugenyama　bell　had　been　sent

to　the　foundry；　the　bell…founders　discovered　that　there　was　one　mirror

among　them　which　would　not　melt。　Again　and　again　they　tried　to　melt　it；　but

it　resisted　all　their　efforts。　Evidently　the　woman　who　had　given　that

mirror　to　the　temple　must　have　regretted　the　giving。　She　had　not　presented

her　offering　with　all　her　heart；　and　therefore　her　selfish　soul；　remaining

attached　to　the　mirror；　kept　it　hard　and　cold　in　the　midst　of　the　furnace。





Of　course　everybody　heard　of　the　matter；　and　everybody　soon　knew　whose

mirror　it　was　that　would　not　melt。　And　because　of　this　public　exposure　of

her　secret　fault；　the　poor　woman　became　very　much　ashamed　and　very　angry。

And　as　she　could　not　bear　the　shame；　she　drowned　herself；　after　having

written　a　farewell　letter　containing　these　words：







〃When　I　am　dead；　it　will　not　be　difficult　to　melt　the　mirror　and　to　cast

the　bell。　But；　to　the　person　who　breaks　that　bell　by　ringing　it；　great

wealth　will　be　given　by　the　ghost　of　me。〃







　You　must　know　that　the　last　wish　or　promise　of　anybody　who　dies　in

anger；　or　performs　suicide　in　anger；　is　generally　supposed　to　possess　a

supernatural　force。　After　the　dead　woman's　mirror　had　been　melted；　and　the

bell　had　been　successfully　cast；　people　remembered　the　words　of　that

letter。　They　felt　sure　that　the　spirit　of　the　writer　would　give　wealth　to

the　breaker　of　the　bell；　and；　as　soon　as　the　bell　had　been　suspended　in　the

court　of　the　temple；　they　went　in　multitude　to　ring　it。　With　all　their

might　and　main　they　swung　the　ringing…beam；　but　the　bell　proved　to　be　a

good　bell；　and　it　bravely　withstood　their　assaults。　Nevertheless；　the

people　were　not　easily　discouraged。　Day　after　day；　at　all　hours；　they

continued　to　ring　the　bell　furiously；　caring　nothing　whatever　for　the

protests　of　the　priests。　So　the　ringing　became　an　affliction；　and　the

priests　could　not　endure　it；　and　they　got　rid　of　the　bell　by　rolling　it

down　the　hill　into　a　swamp。　The　swamp　was　deep；　and　swallowed　it　up；　and

that　was　the　end　of　the　bell。　Only　its　legend　remains；　and　in　that　legend

it　is　called　the　Mugen…Kane；　or　Bell　of　Mugen。



*　　　　　*　　　　　*







Now　there　are　queer　old　Japanese　beliefs　in　the　magical　efficacy　of　a

certain　mental　operation　implied；　though　not　described；　by　the　verb

nazoraeru。　The　word　itself　cannot　be　adequately　rendered　by　any　English

word；　for　it　is　used　in　relation　to　many　kinds　of　mimetic　magic；　as　well　as

in　relation　to　the　performance　of　many　religious　acts　of　faith。　Common

meanings　of　nazoraeru；　according　to　dictionaries；　are　〃to　imitate；〃　〃to

compare；〃　〃to　liken；〃　but　the　esoteric　meaning　is　to　substitute；　in

imagination；　one　object　or　action　for　another；　so　as　to　bring　about　some

magical　or　miraculous　result。





For　example：　you　cannot　afford　to　build　a　Buddhist　temple；　but　you　can

easily　lay　a　pebble　before　the　image　of　the　Buddha；　with　the　same　pious

feeling　that　would　prompt　you　to　build　a　temple　if　you　were　rich　enough　to

build　one。　The　merit　of　so　offering　the　pebble　becomes　equal；　or　almost

equal；　to　the　merit　of　erecting　a　temple。。。　You　cannot　read　the　six

thousand　seven　hundred　and　seventy…one　volumes　of　the　Buddhist　texts；　but

you　can　make　a　revolving　library；　containing　them；　turn　round；　by　pushing

it　like　a　windlass。　and　if　you　push　with　an　earnest　wish　that　you　could

read　the　six　thousand　seven　hundred　and　seventy…one　volumes；　you　will

acquire　the　same　merit　has　the　reading　of　them　would　enable　you　to　gain。。。

So　much　will　perhaps　suffice　to　explain　the　religious　meanings　of

nazoraeru。





The　magical　meanings　could　not　all　be　explained　without　a　great　variety　of

examples；　but；　for　present　purposes；　the　following　will　serve。　If　you

should　make　a　little　man　of　straw；　for　the　same　reason　that　Sister　Helen

made　a　little　man　of　wax；　and　nail　it；　with　nails　not　less　than　five

inches　long；　to　some　tree　in　a　temple…grove　at　the　Hour　of　the　Ox　（2）；

and　if　the　person；　imaginatively　represented　by　that　little　straw　man；

should　die　thereafter　in　atrocious　agony；　that　would　illustrate　one

signification　of　nazoraeru。。。　Or；　let　us　suppose　that　a　robber　has　entered

your　house　during　the　night；　and　carried　away　your　valuables。　If　you　can

discover　the　footprints　of　that　robber　in　your　garden；　and　then　promptly

burn　a　very　large　moxa　on　each　of　them；　the　soles　of　the　feet　of　the　robber

will　become　inflamed；　and　will　allow　him　no　rest　until　he　returns；　of　his

own　accord；　to　put　himself　at　your　mercy。　That　is　another　kind　of　mimetic

magic　expressed　by　the　term　nazoraeru。　And　a　third　kind　is　illustrated　by

various　legends　of　the　Mugen…Kane。







After　the　bell　had　been　rolled　into　the　swamp；　there　was；　of　course；　no

more　chance　of　ringing　it　in　such　wise　as　to　break　it。　But　persons　who

regretted　this　loss　of　opportunity　would　strike　and　break　objects

imaginatively　substituted　for　the　bell；　thus　hoping　to　please　the　spirit

of　the　owner　of　the　mirror　that　had　made　so　much　trouble。　One　of　these

persons　was　a　woman　called　Umegae；　famed　in　Japanese　legend　because　of

her　relation　to　Kajiwara　Kagesue；　a　warrior　of　the　Heike　clan。　　While　the

pair　were　traveling　together；　Kajiwara　one　day　found　himself　in　great

straits　for　want　of　money；　and　Umegae；　remembering　the　tradition　of　the

Bell　of　Mugen；　took　a　basin　of　bronze；　and；　mentally　representing　it　to　be

the　bell；　beat　upon　it　until　she　broke　it；　crying　out；　at　the　same　time；

for　three　hundred　pieces　of　gold。　A　guest　of　the　inn　where　the　pair　were

stopping　made　inquiry　as　to　the　cause　of　the　banging　and　the　crying；　and；

on　learning　the　story　of　the　trouble；　actually　presented　Umegae　with　three

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　assem