Folk Legends of Japan. Richard M. Dorson
FOLK LEGENDS OF JAPAN
FOLK LEGENDS OF JAPAN
by RICHARD M. DORSON
Chairman, Folklore Program
Indiana University
illustrated by YOSHIE NOGUCHI
CHARLES E. TUTTLE COMPANY: PUBLISHERS
Rutland, Vermont Tokyo, Japan
European Representatives
Continent: BOXERBOOKS, INC., Zurich
British Isles: PRENTICE-HALL INTERNATIONAL INC., London
Published by Charles E. Tuttle Company
of Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, Japan
with editorial offices at
Osaki Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0032
Copyright in Japan, 1962
by Charles E. Tuttle Co.
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress
Catalog Card No. 61-11972
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0963-6 (ebook)
First edition, 1962
Typography & book design
by M. Weatherby
Printed in Japan.
For TOPPER and REIKO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments: page 13
Introduction: 17
PART ONE. PRIESTS, TEMPLES, AND SHRINES: 31
Saint Kobo's Well: 33
The Willow Well of Kobo: 34
The Kobo Chestnut Trees: 34
The Waterless River in Takio: 35
The Stream Where Kobo Washed His Garment: 36
The Priest's Towel: 36
The Kannon Who Substituted: 57
The Statue of Buddha at Saiho-ji: 40
The Earless Jizo of Sendatsuno: 41
The Red Nose of the Image: 44
The Priest Who Ate the Corpse: 45
The Monk and the Maid: 46
The Shrine of the Vengeful Spirit: 48
The Shrine Built by Straw Dolls: 40
Visit to Zenko-ji Driven by a Cow: 50
The Temple of Raikyu Gongen: 52
The Origin of Enoo-ji: 53
The Origin of Kazo-ji on Mt. Wooden Pillow: 54
PART TWO. MONSTERS: 57
The Kappa of Fukiura: 59
The Kappa of Koda Pond: 61
The Kappa Who Played "Pull-Finger": 62
The Kappa Bonesetter: 63
A Grateful Kappa: 65
Wrestling a Kappa: 66
Memories of Kappa: 67
Tales of Tengu: 68
The Tengu Pine and Takegoro: 70
Burned to Death by a Tengu: 72
The Tengu of Komine Shrine: 73
The Tengu's Sword: 75
The Tengu Who Made Rice Cakes: 77
The Demon's Cave: 77
The Tooth-Marked Stone: 80
Great King with Eight Faces: 81
Mountain Giants: 83
The Mountain Man of Mt. Mitsubushi: 85
The Flute Player and the Shojo: 86
Spider Pool: 88
The Bodyless Horse: 89
Tales of Zashiki-bokko: 89
PART THREE. SPIRITS: 95
The Ghost That Cared for a Child: 97
The Ghost of the First Wife: 99
The Mirror Given by the Ghost: 101
The Dish Mansion in Unshu: 104
Fish Salad Mingled with Blood: 105
White Rice on the Pot: 106
The Seven Blind Minstrels: 106
The Revengeful Spirit of Masakado: 107
The Evil Spirit of Fusataro: 109
The Weaving Sound in the Water: 110
The Phantom Boat: 112
One Hundred Recited Tales: 113
PART FOUR. TRANSFORMATIONS: 115
The Serpent Suitor: 117
The Blind Serpent-Wife: 118
The Serpent Goddess of Amo-ga-ike: 121
The Serpent of Mt. Unzen: 122
Two Daughters Who Became Serpents: 124
Hachiro's Transformation: 126
The Marsh of Tatsuko: 127
The Fox Demons: 128
The Fox Wrestler: 129
The Fox Wife: 132
The Badger That Was a Shamisen Player ; 134
Dankuro Badger: 136
Seventy-five Badgers: 137
Koike's Baba: 138
The God Akiba Revealed as a Beggar: 139
The Hunters Turned to Rats: 140
The Mystery of the Bull-Trout: 142
The Blacksmith's Wife: 143
The Girl Who Turned into a Stone: 144
The Woman Who Loved a Tree-Spirit: 143
Okesa the Dancer: 147
PART FIVE. HEROES AND STRONG MEN: 149
The Child of the Sun: 131
The Jewel That Grew Golden Flowers: 132
The Tale of Yuriwaka: 154
The Story of Kihachi: 156
Koga Saburo: 158
The Heike Refugees: 160
The Last of the Aki: 161
Relics of Benkei: 163
Benkei's Stone Mortar: 164
The Famous Horse Ikezuki: 164
The Faithful Dog of Tametomo: 166
Banji and Manji: 167
Nue the Hunter of Hatoya: 169
The Strongest Wrestler in Japan: 171
The Mighty Wresder Usodagawa: 174
Nasu Kozahara the Strong Man: 176
PART SIX. CHOJAS: 177
The Charcoal Burner Who Became a Choja: 179
Asahi Choja: 183
Sanya Choja: 185
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