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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