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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
KWAIDAN： Stories and
Studies of Strange Things
By Lafcadio Hearn
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE STORY OF MIMI…NASHI…HOICHI OSHIDORI
THE STORY OF O…TEI UBAZAKURA DIPLOMACY OF A
MIRROR AND A BELL JIKININKI MUJINA ROKURO…KUBI A DEAD
SECRET YUKI…ONNA THE STORY OF AOYAGI JIU…ROKU…
ZAKURA THE DREAM OF AKINOSUKE RIKI…BAKA HI…MAWARI
HORAI
INSECT STUDIES BUTTERFLIES MOSQUITOES ANTS
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
INTRODUCTION
The publication of a new volume of Lafcadio Hearn's exquisite studies
of Japan happens； by a delicate irony； to fall in the very month when the
world is waiting with tense expectation for news of the latest exploits of
Japanese battleships。 Whatever the outcome of the present struggle
between Russia and Japan； its significance lies in the fact that a nation of
the East； equipped with Western weapons and girding itself with Western
energy of will； is deliberately measuring strength against one of the great
powers of the Occident。 No one is wise enough to forecast the results of
such a conflict upon the civilization of the world。 The best one can do is to
estimate； as intelligently as possible； the national characteristics of the
peoples engaged； basing one's hopes and fears upon the psychology of the
two races rather than upon purely political and statistical studies of the
complicated questions involved in the present war。 The Russian people
have had literary spokesmen who for more than a generation have
fascinated the European audience。 The Japanese； on the other hand； have
possessed no such national and universally recognized figures as
Turgenieff or Tolstoy。 They need an interpreter。
It may be doubted whether any oriental race has ever had an
interpreter gifted with more perfect insight and sympathy than Lafcadio
Hearn has brought to the translation of Japan into our occidental speech。
His long residence in that country； his flexibility of mind； poetic
imagination； and wonderfully pellucid style have fitted him for the most
delicate of literary tasks。 Hi has seen marvels； and he has told of them in a
marvelous way。 There is scarcely an aspect of contemporary Japanese life；
scarcely an element in the social； political； and military questions involved
in the present conflict with Russia which is not made clear in one or
another of the books with which he has charmed American readers。
He characterizes Kwaidan as 〃stories and studies of strange things。〃
A hundred thoughts suggested by the book might be written down； but
most of them would begin and end with this fact of strangeness。 To read
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
the very names in the table of contents is like listening to a Buddhist bell；
struck somewhere far away。 Some of his tales are of the long ago； and yet
they seem to illumine the very souls and minds of the little men who are at
this hour crowding the decks of Japan's armored cruisers。 But many of the
stories are about women and children； the lovely materials from which
the best fairy tales of the world have been woven。 They too are strange；
these Japanese maidens and wives and keen…eyed； dark…haired girls and
boys； they are like us and yet not like us； and the sky and the hills and the
flowers are all different from our。 Yet by a magic of which Mr。 Hearn；
almost alone among contemporary writers； is the master； in these delicate；
transparent； ghostly sketches of a world unreal to us； there is a haunting
sense of spiritual reality。
In a penetrating and beautiful essay contributed to the 〃Atlantic
Monthly〃 in February； 1903； by Paul Elmer More； the secret of Mr。
Hearn's magic is said to lie in the fact that in his art is found 〃the meeting
of three ways。〃 〃To the religious instinct of India Buddhism in
particular； which history has engrafted on the aesthetic sense of Japan；
Mr。 Hearn brings the interpreting spirit of occidental science； and these
three traditions are fused by the peculiar sympathies of his mind into one
rich and novel compound； a compound so rare as to have introduced into
literature a psychological sensation unknown before。〃 Mr。 More's essay
received the high praise of Mr。 Hearn's recognition and gratitude； and if it
were possible to reprint it here； it would provide a most suggestive
introduction to these new stories of old Japan； whose substance is； as Mr。
More has said； 〃so strangely mingled together out of the austere dreams of
India and the subtle beauty of Japan and the relentless science of Europe。〃
March； 1904。
= = = = = = = *** = = = = = = =
Most of the following Kwaidan； or Weird Tales； have been taken from
old Japanese books； such as the Yaso…Kidan； Bukkyo…Hyakkwa…Zensho；
Kokon…Chomonshu； Tama…Sudare； and Hyaku…Monogatari。 Some of the
stories may have had a Chinese origin： the very remarkable 〃Dream of
Akinosuke；〃 for example； is certainly from a Chinese source。 But the
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
story…teller； in every case； has so recolored and reshaped his borrowing as
to naturalize it。。。 One queer tale； 〃Yuki…Onna；〃 was told me by a farmer of
Chofu； Nishitama…gori； in Musashi province； as a legend of his native
village。 Whether it has ever been written in Japanese I do not know； but
the extraordinary belief which it records used certainly to exist in most
parts of Japan； and in many curious forms。。。 The incident of 〃Riki…Baka〃
was a personal experience； and I wrote it down almost exactly as it
happened； changing only a family…name mentioned by the Japanese
narrator。
L。H。
Tokyo； Japan； January 20th； 1904。
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KWAIDAN： Stories and Studies of Strange Things
THE STORY OF MIMI…NASHI…
HOICHI
More than seven hundred years ago； at Dan…no…ura； in the Straits of
Shimonoseki； was fought the last battle of the long contest between the
Heike； or Taira clan； and the Genji； or Minamoto clan。 There the Heike
perished utterly； with their women and children； and their infant emperor
likewise now remembered as Antoku Tenno。 And that sea and shore
have been haunted for seven hundred years。。。 Elsewhere I told you about
the strange crabs found there； called Heike crabs； which have human faces
on their backs； and are said to be the spirits of the Heike warriors ＇1＇。 But
there are many strange things to be seen and heard along that coast。 On
dark nights thousands of ghostly fires hover about the beach； or flit above
the waves； pale lights which the fishermen call Oni…bi； or demon…fires；
and； whenever the winds are up； a sound of great shouting comes from
that sea； like a clamor of battle。
In former years the Heike were much more restless than they now are。
They would rise about ships passing in the night； and try to sink them； and
at all times they would watch for swimmers； to pull them down。 It was in
order to appease those dead that the Buddhist temple； Amidaji； was built at
Akamagaseki ＇2＇。 A cemetery also was made close by； near the beach； and
within it were set up monuments inscribed with the names of the drowned
emperor and of his great vassals； and Buddhist services were regularly
performed there； on behalf of the spirits of them。 After the temple had
been built； and the tombs erected； the Heike gave less trouble than before；
but they continued to do queer things at intervals； proving that they had
not found the perfect peace。
