04-schippeitaro-第1节

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SCHIPPEITARO

It　was　the　custom　in　old　times　that　as　soon　as　a　Japanese　boy
reached　manhood　he　should　leave　his　home　and　roam　through　the
land　in　search　of　adventures。　　Sometimes　he　would　meet　with　a
young　man　bent　on　the　same　business　as　himself；　and　then　they
would　fight　in　a　friendly　manner；　merely　to　prove　which　was　the
stronger；　but　on　other　occasions　the　enemy　would　turn　out　to　be　a
robber；　who　had　become　the　terror　of　the　neighbourhood；　and　then
the　battle　was　in　deadly　earnest。

One　day　a　youth　started　off　from　his　native　village；　resolved
never　to　come　back　till　he　had　done　some　great　deed　that　would
make　his　name　famous。　　But　adventures　did　not　seem　very　plentiful
just　then；　and　he　wandered　about　for　a　long　time　without　meeting
either　with　fierce　giants　or　distressed　damsels。　　At　last　he　saw
in　the　distance　a　wild　mountain；　half　covered　with　a　dense
forest；　and　thinking　that　this　promised　well　at　once　took　the
road　that　led　to　it。　　The　difficulties　he　met　withhuge　rocks　to
be　climbed；　deep　rivers　to　be　crossed；　and　thorny　tracts　to　be
avoidedonly　served　to　make　his　heart　beat　quicker；　for　he　was
really　brave　all　through；　and　not　merely　when　he　could　not　help
himself；　like　a　great　many　people。　　But　in　spite　of　all　his
efforts　he　could　not　find　his　way　out　of　the　forest；　and　he　began
to　think　he　should　have　to　pass　the　night　there。　　Once　more　he
strained　his　eyes　to　see　if　there　was　no　place　in　which　he　could
take　shelter；　and　this　time　he　caught　sight　of　a　small　chapel　in
a　little　clearing。　　He　hastened　quickly　towards　it；　and　curling
himself　up　in　a　warm　corner　soon　fell　asleep。

Not　a　sound　was　heard　through　the　whole　forest　for　some　hours；
but　at　midnight　there　suddenly　arose　such　a　clamour　that　the
young　man；　tired　as　he　was；　started　broad　awake　in　an　instant。　
Peeping　cautiously　between　the　wooden　pillars　of　the　chapel；　he
saw　a　troop　of　hideous　cats；　dancing　furiously；　making　the　night
horrible　　with　their　yells。　　The　full　moon　lighted　up　the　weird
scene；　and　the　young　warrior　gazed　with　astonishment；　taking
great　care　to　keep　still；　lest　he　should　be　discovered。　　After
some　time　he　thought　that　in　the　midst　of　all　their　shrieks　he
could　make　out　the　words；　'Do　not　tell　Schippeitaro！　　Keep　it
hidden　and　secret！　　Do　not　tell　Schippeitaro！'　Then；　the　midnight
hour　having　passed；　they　all　vanished；　and　the　youth　was　left
alone。　　Exhausted　by　all　that　had　been　going　on　round　him；　he
flung　himself　on　the　ground　and　slept　till　the　sun　rose。

The　moment　he　woke　he　felt　very　hungry；　and　began　to　think　how　he
could　get　something　to　eat。　　So　he　got　up　and　walked　on；　and
before　he　had　gone　very　far　was　lucky　enough　to　find　a　little
side…path；　where　he　could　trace　men's　footsteps。　　He　followed　the
track；　and　by…and…by　came　on　some　scattered　huts；　beyond　which
lay　a　village。　　Delighted　at　this　discovery；　he　was　about　to
hasten　to　the　village　when　he　heard　a　woman's　voice　weeping　and
lamenting；　and　calling　on　the　men　to　take　pity　on　her　and　help
her。　　The　sound　of　her　distress　made　him　forget　he　was　hungry；
and　he　strode　into　the　hut　to　find　out　for　himself　what　was
wrong。　　But　the　men　whom　he　asked　only　shook　their　heads　and　told
him　it　was　not　a　matter　in　which　he　could　give　any　help；　for　all
this　sorrow　was　caused　by　the　Spirit　of　the　Mountain；　to　whom
every　year　they　were　bound　to　furnish　a　maiden　for　him　to　eat。

'To…morrow　night；'　said　they；　'the　horrible　creature　will　come
for　his　dinner；　and　the　cries　you　have　heard　were　uttered　by　the
girl　before　you；　upon　whom　the　lot　has　fallen。'

And　when　the　young　man　asked　if　the　girl　was　carried　off　straight
from　her　home；　they　answered　no；　but　that　a　large　cask　was　set　in
the　forest　chapel；　and　into　this　she　was　fastened。

As　he　listened　to　this　story；　the　young　man　was　filled　with　a
great　longing　to　rescue　the　maiden　from　her　dreadful　fate。　　The
mention　of　the　chapel　set　him　thinking　of　the　scene　of　the
previous　night；　and　he　went　over　all　the　details　again　in　his
mind。　　'Who　is　Schippeitaro？'　he　suddenly　asked；　'can　any　of　you
tell　me？'

'Schippeitaro　is　the　great　dog　that　belongs　to　the　overseer　of
our　prince；'　said　they；　'and　he　lives　not　far　away。'　　And　they
began　to　laugh　at　the　question；　which　seemed　to　them　so　odd　and
useless。

The　young　man　did　not　laugh　with　them；　but　instead　left　the　hut
and　went　straight　to　the　owner　of　the　dog；　whom　he　begged　to　lend
him　the　animal　just　for　one　night。　　Schippeitaro's　master　was　not
at　all　willing　to　give　him　in　charge　to　a　man　of　whom　he　knew
nothing；　but　in　the　end　he　consented；　and　the　youth　led　the　dog
away；　promising　faithfully　to　return　him　next　day　to　his　master。　
He　next　hurried　to　the　hut　where　the　maiden　lived；　and　entreated
her　parents　to　shut　her　up　safely　in　a　closet；　after　which　he
took　Schippeitaro　to　the　cask；　and　fastened　him　into　it。　　In　the
evening　he　knew　that　the　cask　would　be　placed　in　the　chapel；　so
he　hid　himself　there　and　waited。

At　midnight；　when　the　full　moon　appeared　above　the　top　of　the
mountain；　the　cats　again　filled　the　chapel　and　shrieked　and
yelled　and　danced　as　before。　　But　this　time　they　had　in　their
midst　a　huge　black　cat　who　seemed　to　be　their　king；　and　whom　the
young　man　guessed　to　be　the　Spirit　of　the　Mountain。　　The　monster
looked　eagerly　about　him；　and　his　eyes　sparkled　with　joy　when　he
saw　the　cask。　　He　bounded　high　into　the　air　with　delight　and
uttered　cries　of　pleasure；　then　he　drew　near　and　undid　the　bolts。

But　instead　of　fastening　his　teeth　in　the　neck　of　a　beautiful
maiden；　Schippeitaro's　teeth　were　fastened　in　HIM；　and　the　youth
ran　up　and　cut　off　his　head　with　his　sword。　　The　other　cats　were
so　astonished　at　the　turn　things　had　taken　that　they　forgot　to
run　away；　and　the　young　man　and　Schippeitaro　between　them　killed
several　more　before　they　thought　of　escaping。

At　sunrise　the　brave　dog　was　taken　back　to　his　master；　and　from
that　time　the　mountain　girls　were　safe；　and　every　year　a　feast
was　held　in　memory　of　the　young　warrior　and　the　dog　Schippeitaro。

＇Japanische　Marchen。＇