Shank's Mare

by Ikku Jippensha

  'What are you talking about being deceived?' asked Imoshichi,

  'What am I talking about?'cried Yaji. ' I'm in a terrible position, you insolent rascal.'

  Then Imoshichi got angry and commenced to fight, and as he was a little stronger than Yaji he got him down, in spite of Kita's attempts to soothe him. Then there was a terrible scene. The tobacco box was trampled to pieces, and the tea was all spilt from the teapot. At the sound of their wild cries all the neighbours came running to separate them.

  Meanwhile Tsubo, who had been rocking herself to and fro in her pain, suddenly fell down unconscious.

  'Oh, oh!' cried Kita. 'Tsubo, Tsubo, what's the matter? Here, Imo. Come here. Poor thing! What's the matter with her?'

  'She's turned up her eyes,' said Imoshichi. 'Here! Water water.'

  'Tsubo! Tsubo!' called Kita.

  Then the old gentleman from next door spoke up.

  'Who is Mrs. Tsubo?' he asked. 'Is she the good lady of the house?'

  'Yes, yes,' said Imoshichi. 'This is her with her eyes turned up.'

  'Aha!' said the old gentleman. 'Is this your wife Master Yaji?'

  'Well, she is my wife and she ain't my wife, if you can understand me,' replied Yaji.

  'Ha-ha! ' said the old gentleman. 'I see. Then she must be your wife, Master Kitahachi?'

  'Well, she is my wife and she ain't my wife,' replied Kita.

  'Well,' said the old gentleman. 'Whosever wife you are— yai, yai.'

  'Halloa!' said Imoshichi. 'She's getting cold. It's no use.'

  'Eh?' said Kita. ' What a melancholy thing. Yaji, just run for the doctor.'

  'Shall I call Mr. Gentaku?' said a neighbour.

  'And by the way you might call at the temple,' said Yaji.

  The doctor was called, the moxa was applied, and every means was tried by those present to bring Tsubo back to life, but the unlucky Tsubo had breathed her last and lay there motionless with her white face. Kitahachi involuntarily burst into tears.

  'Poor thing!' he said. 'It must have been her condition. The row made the blood go to her head. Well, it can't be helped. By the way, Yaji, you'd better forgive everything and not be angry any more. Let bygones by bygones.'

  'I've been through some awful experiences,' said Yaji.

  'However much he may have disowned her,' said Kita,'I suppose we'd better let her father know how things have turned out. Is there anybody we could send?'

  'Shall I go?' said Imoshichi. 'I don't exactly understand what's happened. I was asked to find a husband for the mistress of an old gentleman who had put her to lodge at the fishmonger's in Shinmichi, and I made a match for her at this house. Now I find she's your wife. How's that?'

  'Never mind,' said Kita,' You'll understand afterwards. That fishmonger used to serve my master's house and the person who lodged her there was me. But never mind. What you've got to do now is to let her father know quickly. You'd better let that fishmonger know and get him to let the father know.'

  'Well, I'll go then,' said Imoshichi.

  He went off, and the neighbours, after they had helped to clear up the place and expressed their condolences, went away for a time.

  'I'd better go along,' said Kita,'as I came out last night without letting anybody know. Do everything you can.'

  He took out his purse and gave two bu to Yaji, and was just going off when his shop-mate Yokuhachi came in.

  'Is Master Kitahachi here?' he asked. 'The master died this morning at last.'

  'I knew he would,' said Kita.

  'So the mistress has decided to dismiss Kitahachi,' Yokuhachi went on. '" He's a nasty-minded fellow," she said, " and now that the master's dead he probably won't mind what I tell him and do something bad. You go quickly and tell the man that recommended him that I don't want him any more." I tried to say what I could for you but it seems as if you had done something to offend her. " He's a brazen-faced fellow, and I can't bear to see him about the place." That's what she said. She doesn't want you within ten miles of her, she said. It can't be helped. Are you Master Yajirobei? Please note that my mistress doesn't want Kitahachi any more and so we return him to you.'

  'Certainly,' said Yaji. 'Here, Kita, is that all right?'

  'Well, it'll be all the same whether it's right or wrong,' said Kita. 'But I didn't mean things to turn out this way.'

  'Everything goes to show what a disgraceful rascal you are,' said Yaji. 'I've a good mind to reveal all your misconduct.'

  'Here, here,' said Kita. 'I' ve apologised. Don't, I implore you.'

  'Well,' said Yokuhachi,'I' ll plead for you again when I get a chance. I must go now, as we're all in confusion at the shop.'

  He went off with a hurried salutation, and at the same time Imoshichi came back.

  'I' ve let the father know,' he announced. 'I must go and buy what's necessary now.'

  'Thank you, thank you,' said Kita. 'If you don't mind I'll come with you.'

  So saying he took from Yaji the two bu that he had given him and went off to buy the coffin and the other articles necessary for the funeral.

  'There,' said Yaji, when they returned. ' You've forgotten something. You might have bought the sake while you were about it.'

  'Do you think I'd forget it,' said Kita. With that he took a bottle of sake and some raw fish out of the coffin.

  As soon as they had begun to drink the other people in the tenement gradually began to come in, and by-and-by it grew into a big feast, more and more sake being bought, till at last they were all half drunk and began to get thick in their speech.

  'Now we feel so good,' said Imoshichi,' we'd better dump the departed into the coffin. By the way, where's your temple?'

  'Fool!' said Yaji. ' Do you think I'm likely to have a temple?'

  'What an idea! ' said Kita.

  'What does it matter?' said Yaji. 'If we get it out of the house there's sure to be a temple somewhere.'

  'All we have to do,' said Kita,'is to put it on our shoulders and cry it in Temple Street. There are sure to be some buyers.'

  'That's a good idea,' said Imoshichi. ' I'm always selling things in Temple Street, and the street cries are different there to other parts. With these kind of goods we ought to cry "Shinda ko, shinda ko! Yurensō ya! yurensō ya! Bakegi ya! Sotoba no himono ni seki-to no tachi-uri! " Those sort of things sell well, so we're sure to find a purchaser. .Ha-ha-ha!'

  'Poor thing!' said Kita. 'It's not a joking matter really. Come, let's get ready.'

  Thus uttering their shameless jests, the crowd of them, half drunk, put the body in the coffin, and offered incense and flowers before it. Just then Tsubo's father came in crying.

  'Excuse me,' he said. 'I'm the father of Tsubo.'

  'I'm glad to see you,' said Kita. 'Please come in.'

  'Dear dear! ' said the old man,' what sad things have happened. I'm only an old countryman and perhaps it was cruel of me to turn her out, but I never thought things would happen like this. Eh, eh! Where is she? If I could get a look at her face... Just let me see.'

  'You should have come a little earlier,' said Yaji. 'We've slung her into the coffin, haven't we, Imoshichi?'

  'Yes,' said Imoshichi,'but it's natural her father should want to see her. Quite natural, very natural. As natural as the reason why the child behaved like a fox. Ha-ha-ha! Shall we open it?'

  They untied the rope they had put round the coffin and opened the lid. The old man put on his spectacles and gazed earnestly inside.

  'There's some mistake,'he said.

  'Mistake?' cried Yaji. 'What's the mistake?'

  'The departed is different,' said the father. 'This departed has no head. And my daughter was a woman. This seems like the dead body of a man. It's got hair on its chest.'

  'What? No head?' said Imoshichi. 'Where? Where? Neither it has. What have you been doing, Yaji?'

  'How should I know?' said Yaji. 'Perhaps it's fallen off somewhere.'

  'Oh dear! Oh dear!' said the old man. ' These folk are a strange lot. Come, what
have you done with my daughter? It's all lies that she's dead or anything happened to her. Give me my daughter.'

  'Give you your daughter?' said Yaji. 'We haven't got any other one than this. What an extraordinary old man! '

  'Oh, oh, oh!' said the old man. 'I won't put up with it.'

  'Look here,' said Kita. 'He's quite right. There ought to be a head.'

  'Yes, yes,' went on the old man,'I may be a countryman, but I'm the headman among the farmers, and if the landlord hears of it he'll be very angry.'

  The people standing by tried to soothe the old man, but he would not be appeased and went on talking louder and louder until the landlord hastened over to hear what it was all about.

  'Well, well, well!' he said. ' This is really a terrible thing. A dead person without any head. What have you been doing?'

  Here he took a peep into the coffin.

  'No, no, no,' he cried out. 'It's all right. Don't you worry, grandfather. It's got a head all right.'

  'Got a head? Where is it then?' asked the old man.

  'Look, they've put the departed in upside down,' said the landlord. 'Ha-ha-ha!'

  'Oh then I'm quite satisfied,' said the old man. 'I'm sorry I've given you all so much trouble.'

  So in the evening they conducted the funeral ceremony very respectfully.

  Then as Kitahachi had been turned out of the shop in which he had served so long and had again become a hanger-on of Yaji, and as both were tired of their way of living and were anxious to mend their luck, they decided to leave Edo. Thus it was that, having borrowed some money for the journey, they started in the middle of February along the East Sea route to welcome what they hoped would prove a lucky spring by making a pilgrimage to the Grand Shrine of Isé.

  We to Naniwa take our way;

  For good or bad 'tis hard to say;

  But whether we start or whether we stay

  The day we start is the luckiest day.

  NOTES

  Page 3.—The pine trees at the gate.

  Referring to the small pine-trees planted at the gates of houses as part of the New Year decorations. They are supposed to bring the protection of the gods.

  Page —the hair of the head.

  The people moving along the roads in single file are compared to the hairs of the head.

  Page 3.—Cock-crowing Adzuma.

  'Cock-crowing' ('tori-ga-naku') is the pillow-word or conventional epithet applied to Adzuma, a poetical name given to the eastern provinces. In this context practically standing for Edo.

  Page 3.—Thousand swift-brandishing.

  'Chihayaburu,' a pillow-word generally applied to 'kami' (god). It may also be translated 'thousand rock-smashing.' The significance and meaning of these pillow-words is often very vague, their use being more for ornament than elucidation.

  Page 3.—dappled like the flesh of a clam.

  This effect is produced by tying up small pieces of the cloth here and there before it is dyed, so that the dye works unevenly.

  Page 3.—' Footworn Yamato.'

  A pillow-word applied to Yamato. Yamato is properly only applicable to central Japan, that is the portion of Japan where the Japanese dynasty was first established, but it is now used poetically for the whole of Japan.

  Page 3.—Grand Shrine of Isé.

  This is the Shinto Shrine dedicated to the ancestors of the Imperial Family and therefore the most sacred shrine in Japan. It is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year, and Ministers of State are also supposed to worship there when they are appointed and on other special occasions.

  Page 3.—Naniwa.

  The ancient poetical name for Osaka.

  Page 3.—A hundred coppers.

  This is the copper coin called the 'mon.' It had a hole in the centre so that it could be strung on a string, which was the usual way of carrying a quantity. The purchasing value of the 'mon' was about equal to the modern 'sen,' or one farthing in English money.

  Page 4.—To pass the barriers.

  From ancient times barriers had been erected on the main roads, with guardhouses attached, to examine all travellers passing through. The penalty for going round the barriers was very severe.

  Page 4.—Stone weight.

  Weight put on top of the pickles to keep them pressed down in the pickling liquor.

  Page 4.—Saké.

  The national drink, distilled from rice and generally drunk warm.

  Page 4.—It is not right.

  This is written in imitation of a Chinese comic poem and is thus quite irregular if read as Japanese. Chinese being a monosyllabic language each character corresponds to a syllable. Each line in the original has thus seven characters, corresponding to seven syllables. Read in the Japanese style Chinese poetry loses all its rhythm and rime.

  Page 4.—Suzu-ga-mori.

  This was the execution ground of Edo.

  Page 4.—Mannenya.

  A teahouse.

  Page 4.—Two trays.

  Meals for two people.

  Page 5.—Daimyō's procession.

  The daimyos (rulers of the provinces) had to make annual visits to Edo, where they resided for six months in the year. As a further precaution their wives and children were made to reside altogether in Edo as hostages for their good behaviour. Consequently they had to maintain vast establishments in Edo, which added greatly to the wealth and prosperity of the city. The daimyōs travelled in considerable state. Lord Redesdale (formerly Mr. A. B. Mitford) in his book 'The Garter Mission to Japan 'gives a description of a daimyō's procession:—

  'First came the swaggering leaders with their hoarse cry of 'Shita ni iro! Shita ni iro! ' Be down! Be down! for as the great man passes every man, woman and child must grovel with head bowed in the dust.... Then followed a number of swashbucklers, putting on airs of preternatural fierceness; a whole army of coolies carrying luggage in baskets swung to bamboo poles; more men-at-arms, armed with great spears fringed with horsehair tufts below the blade; others with halberds which were really swords on spear handles, all putting on the most bloodcurdling expression. To them succeeded by himself the wrestler or fencing-master, and immediately after him the "norimono" or palanquin in which the great man was carried by eight bearers. After him the master of the procession on horseback; then the physician in ordinary, with shaven head, like a priest, ready to prescribe, apply moxa, or perform acupuncture according to the most orthodox methods of the Chinese school.... After them the daimyō's horse, richly caparisoned, with saddle cloth of rare fur; then more men-at-arms, more coolies, more baggage, luncheon box of gold lacquer, clothes, stores of all kinds, and finally a few more guards.' Lord Redesdale's impressions of the procession were inspired, however, by the sight of a sham one in Tokyo, and the real thing does not seem to have been so dramatic, at any rate when it was travelling between the stages. The 'swaggering leaders' he speaks of are presumably the 'saki-barai,' here translated as 'running footmen ' but literally 'front-sweepers.' Judging from the description given in Ikku's time they were generally inn servants, replaced from stage to stage. Sir Rutherford Alcock, the first British Minister to Japan, in his 'The Capital of the Tycoon,' describes the 'saki-barai' in his journey overland from Hyōgo to Edo as " a couple of little ragged urchins, dragging their brooms after them, and shouting as they went, as an advertisement to all whom they might meet, the magic word which brings every Japanese to his knees,'Shitaniro!' or rather this was the word that should have been articulated; but in their mouths it was transmuted into a sort of monotonous cry or howl.'

  Page 5.—Those with the head covered.

  People who wished to escape observation either because they had not paid their debts or for other reasons, concealed their faces, either by wrapping their heads in a towel, with only their eyes uncovered, or by wearing a kind of inverted basket, with two holes for the eyes. These are still used by pilgrims and also in the prisons to conceal a prisoner's identity when he is being conveyed through some public place.

  Page 5.—beca
use he said off with them.

  In the original the joke turns upon the similarity in sound of ' tōru,' to pass along, and 'toru.' to take off.

  Page 5.—postboy.

  Literally 'horse-boy,' i.e. groom. The word 'groom' having now taken another significance, however, it has been thought best to revive the word 'postboy.' They travelled backwards and forwards between the stages, leading the horses at a footpace.

  Page 5.—Kumonryō.

  Said to be the name of a very tall man in the famous Chinese novel of 'Suikōden ' (Japanese pronunciation). Atago is a hill in Tōkyō.

  Page 5.—Yoshichō.

  The courtesans' quarter in Edo.

  Page 6.—Bōshū.

  This is the 'short' form for Awa Province. The termination 'shū ' means province, and the shortening consists in taking one character of the name of the province and adding 'shū' to it.

  Page 7.—Rice-cake.

  This is the famous 'mochi,' made from a specially glutinous rice, which is cooked and pounded into a paste, and then formed into cakes.

  Page 8.—Awa and Kazusa.

  The names of provinces on the other side of Tokyo Bay. Now portions of Chiba Prefecture.

  Page 8.—Ōshū.

  This was the name given to all north-eastern Japan.

  Page 8.—Horser.

  'Umauemon' in the original.

  Page 9—the decoys.

  These are the girls sent out from the inns to induce travellers to stop. They were usually called 'tomé-onna,' stop-girls.

  Page 9-—Katabira.

  The name given to a summer garment made of hemp.

  Page 9.—Musashiya.

  Name of an inn. The 'ya' at the end of the names of inns and teahouses signifies 'house.'

  Page 10.—six or seven cups of rice and soup.

  Three cups of rice and one, or perhaps two, bowls of soup are what etiquette allows.

  Page 11.—All the inns have notices up.

  That is notices that the accommodation contained in them has been engaged, presumably by some daimyō's train. The daimyos themselves were accommodated at special rest-houses.

  Page 11.—hot water.