 Chapter No. 56 of Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Linda Ray Nielsen, Vancouver, B.C. Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan by Richard Gordon Smith The spirit of a willow tree saves family honour. Long ago there lived in Yamada Village, Serashina Gunn, Shin-Auto Province, one of the richest men in the northern part of Japan. For many generations the family had been rich, and at last the fortune descended in the 83rd generation to Gobi Yusa. The family had no title, but the people treated them almost with the respect due to a princely house. Even the boys in the street who are not given to bestowing either compliments or titles of respect bowed ceremoniously when they met Gobi Yusa. Gobi was the soul of good nature, sympathetic to all in trouble. The riches which Gobi had inherited were mainly money and land, about which he worried himself very little. It would have been difficult to find a man who knew less and cared less about his affairs than Gobi. He spent his money freely and when he came to think of accounts his easy nature let them all slide. His great pleasures were painting kakimono pictures, talking to his friends and eating good things. He ordered his steward not to worry him with unsatisfactory accounts of crops or any other disagreeable subjects. The destiny of man and his feet is arranged in heaven said he. Gobi was quite celebrated as a painter and could have made a considerable amount of money by selling his kakimonos, but no, that would not be doing credit to his ancestors and his name. One day while things were going from bad to worse and Gobi was seated in his room painting a friend came to gossip. He told Gobi that the village people were beginning to talk seriously about a spirit that had been seen by no fewer than three of them. At first they had laughed at the man who saw the ghost. The second man who saw it they were inclined not to take quite seriously, but now it had been seen by one of the village elders and so there could be no doubt about it. Where do they see it? asked Gobi. They say that it appears under your old willow tree between eleven and twelve o'clock at night, the tree that hangs some of its boughs out of your garden into the street. That is odd, remark Gobi. I can remember hearing of no murder under that tree, nor even spirit connection with any of my ancestors, but there must be something if three of our villagers have seen it. Yet again, where there is an old willow tree, someone is sure to say, sooner or later, that he has seen a ghost. If there is a spirit there, I wonder whose it is. I should like to paint the ghost if I could see it, so as to leave it to my descendants as the last ominous sign on the road which has led to the family's ruin. That I shall make an effort to do this very evening I will sit up to watch for the thing. Never had Gobi been seized with such energy before. He dismissed his friend and went to bed at four o'clock in the afternoon, so as to allow himself to be up at ten o'clock. At that hour his servant awoke him, but even then he could not be got up before eleven. By twelve o'clock midnight, Gobi was at last out in his garden, hidden in bushes facing the willow. It was a bright night, and there was no sign of any ghost until after one o'clock, when clouds passed over the moon. Just when Gobi was thinking of going back to bed, he beheld, arising from the ground under the willow, a thin column of white smoke which gradually assumed the form of a charming girl. Gobi stared in astonishment and admiration. He had never thought that a ghost could be such a vision of beauty. Rather he had expected to see a white, wild-eyed, disheveled old woman with protruding bones, the spectacle of whom would freeze his marrow and make his teeth clatter. Gradually the beautiful figure approached Gobi and hung its head as if it wished to address him. Who and what are you? cried Gobi. You seem too beautiful to my mind to be the spirit of one who is dead. If you are indeed spectral, do tell me, if you may, whose spirit are you, and why you appear under this willow tree? I am not the spirit or ghost of man, as you say, answered the spirit, but the spirit of this willow tree. Then why do you leave the tree now, as they tell me you have done several times within the last ten days? I am, as I say, the spirit of this willow, which was planted here in the 21st generation of your family. That is now about six centuries ago. I was planted to mark the place where your wise ancestor buried a treasure twenty feet below the ground, and fifteen from my stem facing east. There is a vast sum of gold in a strong iron chest hidden there. The money was buried to save your house when it was about to fall. Never hitherto has there been danger, but now in your time ruin has come, and it is for me to step forth and tell you how by the foresight of your ancestor you have been saved from disgracing the family name by bankruptcy. Pray dig the strong box up and save the name of your house. Begin as soon as you can and be careful in future. Then she vanished. Go be returned to the house, scarcely believing it possible that such good luck had come to him as the spirit of the willow tree planted by his wise ancestor had said. He did not go to bed, however. He summoned a few of his most faithful servants, and at daybreak began digging. What excitement there was when at nineteen feet they struck the top of an iron chest. Go be jumped with delight, and it may almost be said that his servants did the same. For to see their honored master's name fall into the disgrace of bankruptcy would have caused many of them to disembowel themselves. They tore and dug with all their might until they had the huge and weighty case out of the hole. They broke off the top with pit taxes, and then Go be saw a collection of old sacks. He seized one of these, but the age of it was too great. It burst and sent rolling out over a hundred immense old-fashioned oblong gold coins of ancient times, which must have been worth thirty pounds each. Go be you saw's hand shook. He could hardly realize as true as good fortune, which had come to him. Bag after bag was pulled out, each containing a small fortune, until finally the bottom of the box was reached. Here was found a letter some six hundred years of age saying, He of my descendants who was obliged to make use of the treasure to save our family reputation will read aloud and make known that this treasure has been buried by me Fuji you saw in the twenty first generation of our family so that in time of need or danger a future generation will be able to fall back upon it and save the family name. He whose great misfortune necessitates the use of the treasure must say greatly do I repent the folly that has brought the affairs of our family so low and necessitated the assistance of an early ancestor. I can only repay such by diligent attention to my household affairs and also show high appreciation and give kindness to the willow tree which has so long been watching and guarding my ancestors treasure. These things I vowed to do I shall reform entirely. Go be you saw read this out to the servants and to his friends. He became a man of energy. His lands and farms were properly taken care of and the use of family regained its influential position. Go be painted a kaki mono of the spirit of the willow tree as he had seen her and this he kept in his own room during the rest of his life. It is the famous painting in the usa gardens today which is called the willow ghost and perhaps it is the model from which most of the willow tree ghost paintings have sprung. Go be fenced in the famous willow tree and attended to it himself as did those who followed him. End of Chapter 56 Recording by Linda Marie Nielsen, Vancouver, B.C. Chapter 57 of Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by David McKay. Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan by Richard Gordon Smith. The Camphor Tree Tomb. Fivri, 10 miles from Shirakawa in the province of Iwaki. There is a village called Yabuki-mura. Close by is a grove some 400 feet square. The trees used to include a monster camphor nearly 150 feet in height of untold age and venerated by villagers and strangers alike as one of the greatest trees in Japan. A shrine was erected to it in the grove, which was known as the Nekoma Miojin Forest, and a faithful old man, Hamadatsushima, lived there, caring for the tree, the shrine, and the whole grove. One day the tree was felled, but instead of withering or dying it continued to grow, and it is still flourishing, though lying on the ground. Poor Hamadatsushima disemboweled himself when the sacred tree had been cut down. Perhaps it is because his spirit entered the sacred tree that the tree will not die. Here is the story. On the 17th of January in the third and last year of the Meireki period, that is 1658, a great fire broke out in the Homiogi Temple in the Maruyama-Hongo District of Yedo, now Tokyo. The fire spread with such rapidity that not only was that particular district burned, but also a full 8th of Yedo itself was destroyed. Many of the Daimyo's houses and palaces were consumed. The Lord Date Tsunamune of Sendai, one of the three greatest Daimyo's, who were Satsuma, Kaga, Sendai, had the whole of his seven palaces and houses destroyed by the fire. The other Daimyo's, or feudal lords, lost only one or two. Lord Date Tsunamune resolved to build the finest palace that could be designed. It was to be at Shinzenza in Shiba. He ordered that no time should be lost, and directed one of his high officials, Harada Kaenaonori, to see to the matter. Harada, accordingly, sent for the greatest house-building contractor of the day, one Kinokunia Bunzaemon. And to him he said, You are aware that the fire has destroyed the whole of the town mansions of Lord Date Tsunamune. I am directed to see that the finest palace should be immediately built, second to none except the Shoguns. I have sent for you as the largest contractor in Yedo. What can you do? Just make some suggestions and give me your opinion. Certainly, my lord, I can make plenty of suggestions. But to build such a palace will cost an enormous amount of money, especially now after this fire, for as there is a great scarcity of large timber in the land. Never mind expenses, said Harada. Those I shall pay as you like and when you like. I will even advance money if you wanted. Oh, then, answered the delighted contractor. I will start immediately. What would you think of having a palace like that of Kinkakuji in Kyoto, which was built by the Shogun Ashikaga? What I should build would be a finer mansion than that of the present Shogun, let alone those of any Daimyo. The whole of the Hagi, shelves, to be made out of the rarest woods, the Tokubashira, kakumono cornerpost, to be of the Nonten, and ceilings of unjointed camper tree boards. Should we be able to find a tree of sufficient size? I can find nearly everything except the last in my own stocks. The camper trees are difficult. There are but few. They are mostly sacred and dangerous to interfere with or obtain. I know of one in the forest of Nekomami-Ojin in Iwaki Province. If I can get that tree, I should indeed be able to make an unjointed ceiling, and that would completely put other palaces and mansions in the second rank. Well, well, I must leave all this to you, Ser Harada. You know that no expense need be spared, as long as you produce speedily what is required by Lord Date Tsunamune. The contractor bowed low, saying that he should set to and do his best, and he left no doubt delighted at so open a contract which would enable him to fill his pockets. He set about making inquiries in every direction and became convinced that the only camper tree that would suit his purpose was the one before referred to, owing chiefly to its great breadth. Kino Kunia knew also that the part of the district wherein lay this tree belonged to or was under the management of Fujieda Geki, now in the Hanzhou District of Yedo, acting as a showgun's retainer, well off, receiving 1,200 koku of rice a year, but not overscrupulous about money of which he was always in need. Contractor Kino Kunia soon learned all about the man and then went to call. Your name is Kino Kunia Bunzaemon, I believe. What may I ask do you wish to see me about? said Fujieda. Sir, said the contractor, bowing low. It is as you say. My name is Kino Kunia Bunzaemon, and I am a wood contractor of whom perhaps your lordship has heard, for I have built and supplied the wood for many mansions and palaces. I come here, craving assistance in the way of permission to cut trees in a small forest called Nekomamirojin, near the village called Yabuki-mura in the Sendai District. The contractor did not tell Fujieda Geki, the showgun's retainer or agent, that he was to build a mansion for the Daimyo Date Tsunamune, and that the wood which he wanted to cut was within that Daimyo's domains. For he knew full well that the lord Date would never give him permission to cut a holy tree. It was an excellent idea to take the Daimyo's trees by the help of the showgun's agent, and charge for them fully afterwards. So he continued, I can assure you, sir, this recent fire has cleared the whole market of wood. If you will assist me to get what I want, I will build you a new house for nothing. And by way of showing my appreciation, I ask you to accept this small gift of Yen-200, which is only a little beginning. You need not trouble with these small details, said the delighted agent, pocketing the money. But do as you wish. I will send for the four local managers and head men of the district wherein you wish to cut the trees, and I will let you know when they arrive in Yedo. With them you will be able to settle the matter. The interview was over. The contractor was on the high road, he felt, to getting the trees he required, and the money-wanting agent was equally well pleased that so slight an effort on his part should have been the means of enriching him by Yen-200, with the promise of more and a new house. About ten days later, four men, the heads of villages, arrived in Yedo, and presented themselves to Fujieda, who sent for the timber contractor, telling the four whose names were Mosuke, Magozaemon, Yohei, and Jinyemon that he was pleased to see them, and to note how loyal they had been in their attendance on the Shogun, for that he, the Shogun, had had his palace burned down in the recent fire, and desired to have one immediately built, the great and only difficulty being the timber. I am told by our great contractor, to whom I shall introduce you presently, that the only timber fit for rebuilding the Shogun's palace lies in your district. I myself know nothing about these details, and I shall leave you gentlemen to settle these matters with Kinokunia, the contractor, so soon as he arrives. I have sent for him. In the meantime, consider yourselves welcome, and please accept of the meal I have arranged in the next room for you. Come along, and let us enjoy it. Fujieda led the four countrymen into the next room, and ate with him at the meal, during which time Kinokunia, the contractor, arrived, and was promptly ushered into their presence. The meal was nearly at an end. Fujieda introduced the contractor, who in his turn said, gentlemen, we cannot discuss these matters here in the house of Lord Fujieda, the Shogun's agent. Now that we know one another, let me invite you to supper. At that I can explain to you exactly what I want, in the way of trees out of your district. Of course, you know my family are subjects of your feudal lords, and that we are therefore all the same. The four countrymen were delighted at so much hospitality. Two meals in an evening was an extraordinary dissipation for them, and that in Yedo. My word, what would they not be able to tell their wives on their return to their villages? Kinokunia led the four countrymen off to a restaurant called Kampanaro in Ryogoku, where he treated them with the greatest hospitality. After the meal he said, gentlemen, I hope you will allow me to hew timber from the forest in your village, for it is impossible for me otherwise to attempt any further building on a large scale. Very well, you may hew, said Mosuke, who is the senior of the four, since the cutting of the trees in Nekomamiogen forest is, as it were, a necessity for our Lord, they must be cut. It is, in fact, I take it an order from our Lord that the trees shall be cut, but I must remind you that there is one tree in the grove which cannot be cut amid any circumstances, whatever, and that is an enormous and sacred camphor tree, which is very much revered in our district, and to which a shrine is erected. That tree we cannot consent to have cut. Very well, said the contractor, just write me a little permit, giving me permission to cut any trees except the big camphor, and our business will be finished. Kinokunia had, by this time in the evening, taken his measure of the countrymen so shrewdly as to know that they were probably unable to write. Certainly, said Mosuke, just you write out a little agreement, Jinyaman. No, I'd rather you wrote it, Mago, said Jinyaman, and I should like Yohei to write it, said Mago. But I can't write it all, said Yohei, turning to Jinyaman again. Well, never mind, never mind, said Kinokunia. Will you gentlemen sign the document, have I write it? Why, of course, they all assented. That was the best way of all. They would put their stamps to the document. This they did, and after a lively evening departed pleased with themselves generally. Kinokunia, on the other hand, went home fully contented with his evening's business. Had he not in his pocket the permit to cut the trees, and had he not written it himself so as to suit his own purpose, he chuckled at the thought of how neatly he had managed the business. Next morning, Kinokunia sent off his foreman, Chogoro, accompanied by ten or a dozen men. It took them three days to reach the village called Yabukimura, near the Nekomamiogen Grove. They arrived on the morning of the fourth day, and proceeded to erect a scaffold around the camphor tree, so that they might the better use their axes. As they began chopping off the lower branches, Hamaratsushima, the keeper of the shrine, came running to them. Here, here, what are you doing? Cutting down the sacred camphor. Curse you, stop, I tell you. Do you hear me? Stop at once! Chogoro answered, you need not stop my men in their work. They are doing what they've been ordered to do, and with a full right to do it. I am cutting down the tree at the order of my master, Kinokunia, the timber contractor, who has permission to cut the tree from the four headmen sent to Yedo from this district. I know all that, said the caretaker, but your permission is to cut down any tree except the sacred camphor. There you are wrong, as this letter will show you, said Chogoro. Read it yourself. And the caretaker, in great dismay, read as follows. To Kinokunia Bunzaemon, timber contractor Yedo, in hewing trees to build a new mansion for our Lord, all the camphor trees must be spared, except the large one, said to be sacred in the Nakomamiyo-jin Grove. In witnessware of, we set our names. Ginemon, Magozaemon, Mosuke, Yohai, representing the local county officials. The caretaker, beside himself with grief and astonishment, sent for the four men mentioned. On their arrival, each declared that he had given permission to cut anything except the big camphor. But Chogoro said that he could not believe them, and in any case he would go by the written document. Then he ordered his men to continue their work on the big camphor. Hamaratsushima, the caretaker, did harakiri, disemboweling himself there and then. But not before telling Chogoro that his spirit would go into the camphor tree, to take care of it, and to wreak vengeance on the wicked Kinokunia. At last the efforts of the men brought the stately tree down with a crash. But then they found themselves unable to move it. Pull as they might, it would not budge. Each time they tried the branches seemed to become alive. Faces and eyes became painful with the hits they got from them. Pluckily they continued their efforts, but it was no use. Things got worse. Several of the men were caught and nearly crushed to death between the branches. Four had broken limbs from blows given in the same way. At this moment a horseman rode up and shouted, My name is Matsumaya Tetsunosuke. I am one of the Lord of Sendai's retainers. The Board of Counselors in Sendai have refused to allow this camphor tree to be touched. You have cut it, unfortunately. It must now remain where it is. Our feudal Lord of Sendai, Lord Date Tsunamune, will be furious. Kinokunia, the contractor, planned an evil scheme and will be duly punished. While as for the Shogun's agent, Fujieda Geki, he also must be reported. You yourselves return to Yedo. We cannot blame you for obeying orders. But first give me that forged permit signed by the four local fools, who, it is trusted, will destroy themselves. Chogoro and his men returned to Yedo. A few days later the contractor was taken ill and a shampooer was sent to his room. A little later Kinokunia was found dead. The shampooer had disappeared, though it was impossible for him to have got away without being seen. It is said that the spirit of Hamaratsushima, the caretaker, had taken the form of the shampooer in order to kill the contractor. Chogoro became so uneasy in his mind that he returned to the camphor tree, where he spent all his savings in erecting a new shrine and putting in a caretaker. This is known as the Kusunoki-Zuka, the camphor tree tomb. The tree lies there, my storyteller tells me, at the present day. The end. End of chapter 57. Recording by David McKay. End of Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan by Richard Gordon Smith.