kwaidan-第7章

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happened　to　be　a　priest。







In　the　course　of　his　first　long　journey；　Kwairyo　had　occasion　to　visit　the

province　of　Kai。　（1）　One　evening；　as　he　was　traveling　through　the　mountains

of　that　province；　darkness　overcame　him　in　a　very　lonesome　district；

leagues　away　from　any　village。　So　he　resigned　himself　to　pass　the　night

under　the　stars；　and　having　found　a　suitable　grassy　spot；　by　the　roadside；

he　lay　down　there；　and　prepared　to　sleep。　He　had　always　welcomed

discomfort；　and　even　a　bare　rock　was　for　him　a　good　bed；　when　nothing

better　could　be　found；　and　the　root　of　a　pine…tree　an　excellent　pillow。　His

body　was　iron；　and　he　never　troubled　himself　about　dews　or　rain　or　frost　or

snow。





Scarcely　had　he　lain　down　when　a　man　came　along　the　road；　carrying　an　axe

and　a　great　bundle　of　chopped　wood。　This　woodcutter　halted　on　seeing

Kwairyo　lying　down；　and；　after　a　moment　of　silent　observation；　said　to　him

in　a　tone　of　great　surprise：





〃What　kind　of　a　man　can　you　be；　good　Sir；　that　you　dare　to　lie　down　alone

in　such　a　place　as　this？。。。　There　are　haunters　about　here；　many　of　them。

are　you　not　afraid　of　Hairy　Things？〃





〃My　friend；〃　cheerfully　answered　Kwairyo；　〃I　am　only　a　wandering　priest；

a　'Cloud…and…Water…Guest；'　as　folks　call　it：　Unsui…no…ryokaku。　（2）　And　I　am

not　in　the　least　afraid　of　Hairy　Things；　if　you　mean　goblin…foxes；　or

goblin…badgers；　or　any　creatures　of　that　kind。　　As　for　lonesome　places；　I

like　them：　they　are　suitable　for　meditation。　I　am　accustomed　to　sleeping　in

the　open　air：　and　I　have　learned　never　to　be　anxious　aboutmy　life。〃





〃You　must　be　indeed　a　brave　man；　Sir　Priest；〃　the　peasant　responded；　〃to

lie　down　here！　This　place　has　a　bad　name；　a　very　bad　name。　But；　as　the

proverb　has　it；　Kunshi　ayayuki　ni　chikayorazu　＇'The　superior　man　does　not

needlessly　expose　himself　to　peril'＇；　and　I　must　assure　you；　Sir；　that　it

is　very　dangerous　to　sleep　here。　Therefore；　although　my　house　is　only　a

wretched　thatched　hut；　let　me　beg　of　you　to　come　home　with　me　at　once。　In

the　way　of　food；　I　have　nothing　to　offer　you；　but　there　is　a　roof　at　least；

and　you　can　sleep　under　it　without　risk。〃





He　spoke　earnestly；　and　Kwairyo；　liking　the　kindly　tone　of　the　man；

accepted　this　modest　offer。　The　woodcutter　guided　him　along　a　narrow　path；

leading　up　from　the　main　road　through　mountain…forest。　　It　was　a　rough　and

dangerous　path；　sometimes　skirting　precipices；　sometimes　offering

nothing　but　a　network　of　slippery　roots　for　the　foot　to　rest　upon；

sometimes　winding　over　or　between　masses　of　jagged　rock。　But　at　last

Kwairyo　found　himself　upon　a　cleared　space　at　the　top　of　a　hill；　with　a

full　moon　shining　overhead；　and　he　saw　before　him　a　small　thatched　cottage；

cheerfully　lighted　from　within。　The　woodcutter　led　him　to　a　shed　at　the

back　of　the　house；　whither　water　had　been　conducted；　through　bamboo…pipes；

from　some　neighboring　stream；　and　the　two　men　washed　their　feet。　Beyond　the

shed　was　a　vegetable　garden；　and　a　grove　of　cedars　and　bamboos；　and　beyond

the　trees　appeared　the　glimmer　of　a　cascade；　pouring　from　some　loftier

height；　and　swaying　in　the　moonshine　like　a　long　white　robe。







As　Kwairyo　entered　the　cottage　with　his　guide；　he　perceived　four　persons

　men　and　women　　warming　their　hands　at　a　little　fire　kindled　in　the　ro

＇1＇　of　the　principle　apartment。　They　bowed　low　to　the　priest；　and　greeted

him　in　the　most　respectful　manner。　Kwairyo　wondered　that　persons　so　poor；

and　dwelling　in　such　a　solitude；　should　be　aware　of　the　polite　forms　of

greeting。　〃These　are　good　people；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　〃and　they　must

have　been　taught　by　some　one　well　acquainted　with　the　rules　of　propriety。〃

Then　turning　to　his　host；　the　aruji；　or　house…master；　as　the　others

called　him；　Kwairyo　said：





〃From　the　kindness　of　your　speech；　and　from　the　very　polite　welcome　given

me　by　your　household；　I　imagine　that　you　have　not　always　been　a　woodcutter。

Perhaps　you　formerly　belonged　to　one　of　the　upper　classes？〃





Smiling；　the　woodcutter　answered：





〃Sir；　you　are　not　mistaken。　Though　now　living　as　you　find　me；　I　was　once　a

person　of　some　distinction。　My　story　is　the　story　of　a　ruined　life　

ruined　by　my　own　fault。　I　used　to　be　in　the　service　of　a　daimyo；　and　my

rank　in　that　service　was　not　inconsiderable。　But　I　loved　women　and　wine　too

well；　and　under　the　influence　of　passion　I　acted　wickedly。　My　selfishness

brought　about　the　ruin　of　our　house；　and　caused　the　death　of　many　persons。

Retribution　followed　me；　and　I　long　remained　a　fugitive　in　the　land。　Now　I

often　pray　that　I　may　be　able　to　make　some　atonement　for　the　evil　which　I

did；　and　to　reestablish　the　ancestral　home。　But　I　fear　that　I　shall　never

find　any　way　of　so　doing。　Nevertheless；　I　try　to　overcome　the　karma　of　my

errors　by　sincere　repentance；　and　by　helping　as　afar　as　I　can；　those　who

are　unfortunate。〃





Kwairyo　was　pleased　by　this　announcement　of　good　resolve；　and　he　said　to

the　aruji：





〃My　friend；　I　have　had　occasion　to　observe　that　man；　prone　to　folly　in

their　youth；　may　in　after　years　become　very　earnest　in　right　living。　In　the

holy　sutras　it　is　written　that　those　strongest　in　wrong…doing　can　become；

by　power　of　good　resolve；　the　strongest　in　right…doing。　　I　do　not　doubt

that　you　have　a　good　heart；　and　I　hope　that　better　fortune　will　come　to

you。　To…night　I　shall　recite　the　sutras　for　your　sake；　and　pray　that　you

may　obtain　the　force　to　overcome　the　karma　of　any　past　errors。〃





With　these　assurances；　Kwairyo　bade　the　aruji　good…night；　and　his　host

showed　him　to　a　very　small　side…room；　where　a　bed　had　been　made　ready。　Then

all　went　to　sleep　except　the　priest；　who　began　to　read　the　sutras　by　the

light　of　a　paper　lantern。　Until　a　late　hour　he　continued　to　read　and　pray：

then　he　opened　a　little　window　in　his　little　sleeping…room；　to　take　a　last

look　at　the　landscape　before　lying　down。　　The　night　was　beautiful：　there

was　no　cloud　in　the　sky：　there　was　no　wind；　and　the　strong　moonlight　threw

down　sharp　black　shadows　of　foliage；　and　glittered　on　the　dews　of　the

garden。　Shrillings　of　crickets　and　bell…insects　（3）　made　a　musical　tumult；

and　the　sound　of　the　neighboring　cascade　deepened　with　the　night。　Kwairyo

felt　thirsty　as　he　listened　to　the　noise　of　the　water；　and；　remembering　the

bamboo　aqueduct　at　the　rear　of　the　house；　he　thought　that　he　could　go　there

and　get　a　drink　without　disturbing　the　sleeping　household。　Very　gently　he

pushed　apart　the　sliding…screens　that　separated　his　room　from　the　main

apartment；　and　he　saw；　by　the　light　of　the　lantern；　five　recumbent　bodies

　without　heads！





For　one　instant　he　stood　bewildered；　imagining　a　crime。　But　in　another

moment　he　perceived　that　there　was　no　blood；　and　that　the　headless　necks

did　not　look　as　if　they　had　been　cut。　Then　he　thought　to　himself：　〃Either

this　is　an　illusion　made　by　goblins；　or　I　have　been　lured　into　the　dwelling

of　a　Rokuro…Kubi。。。　（4）　In　the　book　Soshinki　（5）　it　is　written　that　if　one

find　the　body　of　a　Rokuro…Kubi　without　its　head；　and　remove　the　body　to

another　place；　the　head　will　never　be　able　to　join　itself　again　to　the

neck。　And　the　book　further　says　that　when　the　head　comes　back　and　finds

that　its　body　has　been　moved；　it　will　strike　itself　upon　the　floor　three

times；　bounding　like　a　ball；　and　will　pant　as　in　great　fear；　and

presently　die。　Now；　if　these　be　Rokuro…Kubi；　they　mean　me　no　good；　so　I

shall　be　justified　in　following　the　instructions　of　the　book。〃。。。





He　seized　the　body　of　the　aruji　by　the　feet；　pulled　it　to　the　window；　and

pushed　it　out。　Then　he　went　to　the　back…door；　which　he　found　barred；　and　he

surmised　that　the　heads　had　made　their　exit　through　the　smoke…hole　in　the

roof；　which　had　been　left　open。　Gently　unbarring　the　door；　he　made　his　way

to　the　garden；　and　proceeded　with　all　possible　caution　to　the　grove　beyond

it。　He　heard　voices　talking　in　the　grove；　and　he　went　in　the　direction　of

the　voices；　stealing　from　shadow　to　shadow；　until　he　reached　a　good

hiding…place。　Then；　from　behind　a　trunk；　he　caught　sight　of　the　heads；

all　five　of　them；　flitting　about；　and　chatting　as　they　flitted。　They　were

eating　worms　and　insects　which　they　found　on　the　ground　or　among　the　trees。

Presently　the　head　of　the　aruji　stopped　eating　and　said：





〃Ah；　that　traveling　priest　who　came　to…night！　how　fat　all　his　body　is！

When　we　shall　have　eaten　him；　our　bellies　will　be　well　filled。。。　I　was

foolish　to　talk　to　him　as　I　did；　it　only　set　him　to　reciting　the　sutras

on　behalf　of　my　soul！　To　go　near　him　while　he　is　reciting　would　be

difficult；　and　we　cannot　touch　him　so　long　as　he　is　praying。　But　as　it　is

now　nearly　morning；　perhaps　he　has　gone　to　sleep。。。　Some　one　of　you　go　to

the　house　and　see　what　the　fellow　is　doing。〃





Another　head　　the　head　of　a　young　woman　　immediately　rose　up　and

flitted　to　the　house；　lightly　as　a　bat。　After　a　few　minutes　it　came　back；

and　cried　out　huskily；　in　a　tone　of　great　alarm：





〃That　traveling　priest　is　not　in　the　house；　he　is　gone！　But　that　is　not

the　worst　of　the　matter。　He　has　taken　the　body　of　our　aruji；　and　I　do　not

know　where　he　has　put　it。〃





At　this　announcement　the　head　of　the　aruji　　distinctly　visible　in　the

moonlight　　assumed　a　frightful　aspect：　its　eyes　opened　monstrously；　its

hair　stood　up　bristling；　and　its　teeth　gnashed。　Then　a　cry　burst　from　its

lips；　and　　weeping　tears　of　rage　　it　exclaimed：





〃Since　my　body　has　been　moved；　to　rejoin　it　is　not　possible！　Then　I　must

die！。。。　And　all　through　the　work　of　that　priest！　Before　I　die　I　will　get　at

that　priest！　　I　will　tear　him！　　I　will　devour　him！。。。　AND　THERE　HE　IS

　behind　that　tree！　　hiding　behind　that　tree！　　See　him　！　　the　fat

coward！〃。。。





In　the　same　moment　the　head　of　the　aruji；　followed　by　the　other　four

heads；　sprang　at　Kwairyo。　But　the　strong　priest　had　already　armed　himself

by　plucking　up　a　young　tree；　and　with　that　tree　he　struck　the　heads　as　they

came；　knocking　them　from　him　with　tremendous　blows。　Four　of　them　fled

away。　But　the　head　of　the　aruji；　though　battered　again　and　again；

desperately　continued　to　bound　at　the　priest；　and　at　last　caught　him　by　the

left　sleeve　of　his　robe。　Kwairyo；　however；　as　quickly　gripped　the　head　by

its　topknot；　and　repeatedly　struck　it。　It　did　not　release　its　hold；　but　it

uttered　a　long　moan；　and　thereafter　ceased　to　struggle。　It　was　dead。　But

its　teeth　still　held　the　sleeve；　and；　for　all　his　great　strength；　Kwairyo

could　not　force　open　the　jaws。





With　the　head　still　hanging　to　his　sleeve　he　went　back　to　the　house；　and

there　caught　sight　of　the　other　four　Rokuro…Kubi　squatting　together；　with

their　bruised　and　bleeding　heads　reunited　to　their　bodies。　But　when　they

perceived　him　at　the　back…door　all　screamed；　〃The　priest！　the　priest！〃　

and　fled；　through　the　other　doorway；　out　into　the　woods。





Eastward　the　sky　was　brightening；　day　was　about