kwaidan-第15节
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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 （1）。 And she repeated many prayers for him； prayers that he might be
reborn into some more happy condition。
〃Now； about three months ago； in the honorable residence of Nanigashi…Sama
（2）； in Kojimachi （3）； a boy was born with characters on the palm of his
left hand； and the characters were quite plain to read； 'RIKI…BAKA'！
〃So the people of that house knew that the birth must have happened in
answer to somebody's prayer； and they caused inquiry to be made everywhere。
At least a vegetable…seller brought word to them that there used to be a
simple lad； called Riki…Baka； living in the Ushigome quarter； and that he
had died during the last autumn； and they sent two men…servants to look for
the mother of Riki。
〃Those servants found the mother of Riki； and told her what had happened；
and she was glad exceedingly for that Nanigashi house is a very rich and
famous house。 But the servants said that the family of Nanigashi…Sama were
very angry about the word 'Baka' on the child's hand。 'And where is your
Riki buried？' the servants asked。 'He is buried in the cemetery of
Zendoji；' she told them。 'Please to give us some of the clay of his grave；'
they requested。
〃So she went with them to the temple Zendoji； and showed them Riki's
grave； and they took some of the grave…clay away with them； wrapped up in a
furoshiki ＇1＇。。。。 They gave Riki's mother some money； ten yen。〃。。。 （4）
〃But what did they want with that clay？〃 I inquired。
〃Well；〃 the old man answered； 〃you know that it would not do to let the
child grow up with that name on his hand。 And there is no other means of
removing characters that come in that way upon the body of a child： you
must rub the skin with clay taken from the grave of the body of the former
birth。〃。。。
HI…MAWARI
On the wooded hill behind the house Robert and I are looking for
fairy…rings。 Robert is eight years old； comely； and very wise； I am a
little more than seven； and I reverence Robert。 It is a glowing glorious
August day； and the warm air is filled with sharp sweet scents of resin。
We do not find any fairy…rings； but we find a great many pine…cones in the
high grass。。。 I tell Robert the old Welsh story of the man who went to
sleep； unawares； inside a fairy…ring； and so disappeared for seven years；
and would never eat or speak after his friends had delivered him from the
enchantment。
〃They eat nothing but the points of needles； you know；〃 says Robert。
〃Who？〃 I ask。
〃〃Goblins；〃 Robert answers。
This revelation leaves me dumb with astonishment and awe。。。 But Robert
suddenly cries out：
〃There is a Harper！ he is coming to the house！〃
And down the hill we run to hear the harper。。。 But what a harper！ Not like
the hoary minstrels of the picture…books。 A swarthy； sturdy； unkempt
vagabond； with black bold eyes under scowling black brows。 More like a
bri
