Japanese Tales

by Royall Tyler

  207. Konjaku 27/41.

  208. Konjaku 27/37.

  209. Tamon’in nikki 43. This series of dreams was recorded by a monk in his diary under the date 1578, 2nd moon, 15th day. He had dreamed them during the four previous nights. “Flower Mountain” is Hanayama in the Kasuga Hills.

  210. Uji shūi 5/10.

  211. Jikkinshō 7/11. Rin’e lived 950–1025.

  212. Uji shūi 15/9.

  213. Konjaku 12/33, Uji shūi 12/7, Senjūshō 1/1, Hosshinshū 1/5. Zōga lived 917–1003.

  214. Konjaku 15/28.

  215. Kasuga Gongen genki 6. Yukimitsu lived 1090–1152.

  216. Konjaku 14/8.

  217. Konjaku 30/9.

  218. Konjaku 27/22.

  219. Konjaku 29/35.

  220. Uji shūi 9/8.

  THE WORKS

  THESE TALES

  COME FROM

  These capsule descriptions of the works the tales come from omit a few supplementary sources which gave me only a paragraph or two. Such supplementary sources are indicated in “Sources and Notes” and in the list “Tales Classified by Sources.”

  En no Gyōja (1 tale). A popular illustrated booklet of the Nara ebon (“Nara picture book”) type, in simple Japanese. Perhaps 16th century. Anonymous.

  Fusō ryakki, “A Summary History of Japan” (1 tale). A 12th-century history of Japan, written in Chinese by the monk Kōen.

  Heike monogatari, “The Tale of the Heike” (1 tale). An epic on the wars of the late 12th century, and one of the masterpieces of Japanese literature. The work developed over time and has no single author. It was originally sung by wandering entertainers, to the accompaniment of the biwa.

  Hosshinshū, “Those Who Awoke to Faith” (6 tales). Stories in fine, sober Japanese about Buddhist believers who achieved salvation, mingled with reflections on the lessons to be drawn from their examples. Early 13th century, by Kamo no Chōmei (1153?–1216), a minor courtier and poet from the priestly family of the Kamo Shrine, who became a monk late in life. Chōmei’s brief Hōjōki (“An Account of My Hut”) is one of the most famous works of classical Japanese literature.

  Jikkinshō, “Ten Moral Teachings” (10 tales). Tales on many subjects, organized so as to provide examples of moral instruction. Chapters have such titles as “The Need to Avoid Pride” and “The Need to Choose One’s Friends.” Many tales are rather drily told. The work is dated 1252. Anonymous.

  Kasuga Gongen genki, “The Miracles of the Kasuga God” (3 tales). A set of illustrated scrolls narrating the miraculous deeds of the Kasuga God, in Japanese. Completed in 1309. The text was put together by Kakuen (1277–1340), a Kōfukuji monk of extremely high birth; and copied out by a former regent and his three sons, one of whom was regent at the time.

  Kōfukuji ranshōki, “The Beginnings of Kōfukuji” (1 tale). A compilation of lore on Kōfukuji, in Chinese. Of uncertain date. Anonymous.

  Kohon setsuwashū, “Old Tale Collection” (2 tales). A collection of stories in pure Japanese, dating perhaps from the 12th century, but rediscovered only in the 20th. The original title is lost. Anonymous.

  Kojidan, “Anecdotes of the Past” (2 tales). Anecdotes on various subjects, noted down in an inconsistent style ranging from Chinese to hybrid Sino-Japanese; historically valuable but generally poor reading. Compiled ca. 1212–1215 by Minamoto no Akikane (1160–1215), a courtier and official.

  Kokonchomonjū, “Things Seen and Heard, Old and New” (13 tales). A large collection on a wide range of themes, organized under convenient topics like “Gods,” “Poetry,” “Music,” “Gambling,” “Frightening Prodigies.” The text, in Japanese, is written in a pleasing, studiedly understated style. Dated 1254. By Tachibana no Narisue, a minor courtier and official whose dates are unknown.

  Konjaku monogatarishū, “Tales of Times Now Past” (111 tales). This monument of Japanese literature includes over a thousand tales and probably dates from about 1100. Even though a few sections are missing, the standard modern edition is in five closely printed volumes of which the first is devoted to tales from India and the second to tales from China. The Japanese section covers many themes, religious or secular, serious or humorous. Konjaku is in a rather “preachy” sort of Japanese, written so as to look as much like Chinese as possible, but the stories are lovingly and often expertly developed. Each tale begins and ends with set formulas, as noted in the Introduction, but this only contributes to the collection’s greatness. Having the same format, the stories fit well together in long sequences, linked to one another by a play of association. Reading Konjaku can be like gliding down a broad river past an ever-changing landscape.

  Senjūshō, “A Choice of Tales” (3 tales). Tales of Buddhist piety, freely mingled with reflections on their significance. The ornamented Japanese style and the lyrical tone are both agreeable. Compiled perhaps in the mid-13th century. The author was long thought to be the monk Saigyō (1118–1190), one of Japan’s finest poets (see nos. 42 and 50), but is now considered unknown.

  Shasekishū, “A Book of Sand and Pebbles” (7 tales). Buddhist tales in unadorned Japanese, usually serious but sometimes amusing, gathered together by the monk Mujū Ichien (1226–1312) in 1287. Mujū was particularly interested in recent stories, noting at times that he had gotten the story straight from its source, or even that he had witnessed the event himself.

  Shintōshū, “Tales of the Gods” (1 tale). Tales about important native gods, probably intended as notes for popular preaching. 14th century. Anonymous.

  Tamon’in nikki, “The Tamon’in Diary” (1 tale). The massive diary of a series of monks at Kōfukuji, covering the years between 1478 and 1617.

  Tango fudoki, “Account of the Province of Tango” (1 tale). In 713 each province was ordered by the court to prepare an account of its history and special features. Most of these accounts are lost, and for Tango, only this fragment has been preserved. The language is quasi-Chinese, read as archaic Japanese.

  Tsurezuregusa, “Essays in Idleness” (2 tales). A book of musings and anecdotes, and one of the most distinguished works of classical Japanese literature. Written ca. 1330 by the poet, courtier, and man of letters Yoshida Kenkō (1283?-1350?).

  Uji shūi monogatari, “A Collection of Uji Tales” (54 tales). A book of tales of all kinds, in no particular order, datable to the early 13th century. This is, in many ways, the finest of the medieval tale collections. Its pure Japanese is light to read, and its stories are told with wonderful wit and grace. The author’s wry, knowing insight contrasts sharply with the overall seriousness of most collections.

  TALES

  CLASSIFIED BY

  SOURCES

  The number before each title indicates the tale’s number or location in the original. The number in this book follows each title. Secondary sources are indicated in parentheses.

  En no Gyōja (Nara ehon)

  The Wizard of the Mountains 88

  Fusō ryakki

  25 (Genkō shakusho 9) The God of Fire and Thunder 101

  Genkō shakusho

  9 (see Fudō ryakki 25)

  Heike monogatari

  4 The Nightmare 200

  Hosshinshū

  1/5 (see Konjaku 12/33)

  3/5 The Thirst for Paradise 157

  3/8 A Twinge of Regret 161

  4/10 Mercy 41

  6/12 Among the Flowers 42

  7/6 Little White Hairs 195

  7/7 Poverty 199

  Jikkinshō

  1/7 Inspiring, Unfortunately 120

  6/18 Cherish-the-Aged Spring 171

  7/1 An Awful Fall 89

  7/11 A Taste for Fish 211

  10/20 Twinleaf 167

  10/22 Divine Applause 48

  10/24 For Love of Song 43

  10/25 The Weight of Tradition 46

  10/26 The Snake Charmer 135

  10/27 To Soothe the Savage Breast 69

  Kasuga Gongen genki

  6 Be Good to Your Mother and Father! 215

  10 Give Me Music!
45

  17 (Kasuga Daimyōjin gotakusenki) Come to My Kasuga Mountain! 31

  Kasuga Daimyōjin gotakusenki

  (see Kasuga Gongen genki)

  Kōfukuji ranshōki

  The Kannon in the Pine 27

  Kohon setsuwashū

  19 The Little Bottle of Tears 56

  62 Two Buckets of Marital Bliss 20

  Kojidan

  1/7 Quite a Bit of Nonsense 191

  5/24 The Dragon Cave 183

  Kokonchomonjū

  45 The Thunder Turtle 103

  246 The Little Spider 6

  265 The God of Good Fortune 47

  385 The Painted Horse 96

  386 The Portrait 39

  599 Sea Devils 92

  601 The Monk in White Armor 194

  603 The Grinning Face of an Old Woman 204

  605 Suddenly, Horse Dung 193

  606 Enough Is Enough! 80

  607 The Hairy Arm 122

  681 The Loving Fox 81

  682 The Grateful Crab 107

  Konjaku monogatarishū

  11/7 Gyōgi and Baramon 24

  11/13 Japan’s First Gold 23

  11/25 (11/9) Kōbō Daishi 26

  11/29 The Emperor’s Finger 22

  12/7 The Old Mackerel Peddler 25

  12/24 The Buddha-Ox 197

  12/28 The Voice from the Cave 148

  12/31 The Chanting Skull 158

  12/33 (Senjushō 1/1, Hosshinshū 15, Uji shūi 12/7) The Jellyfish’s Bones 213

  13/1 Very High in the Mountains 100

  13/2 The Blessing 86

  13/10 The Selfless Thief 66

  13/33 Rain 36

  13/34 The Nice Little God Sails Away 159

  13/41 A Little Lesson 151

  13/43 Red Plum Blossoms 139

  14/3 Red Heat 111

  14/7 A Plea from Hell 147

  14/8 Hell in Broad Day 216

  14/42 No Night to Be Out Courting 168

  14/43 The River of Snakes 98

  14/44 The Master 127

  15/1 Paradise in the Palm of the Hand 114

  15/20 Gone, Body and Soul 113

  15/23 Letters from Paradise 117

  15/28 The Stinking Hut 214

  15/41 The Unearthly Fragrance 160

  16/15 Gold from the Dragon Palace 184

  16/17 Touched in the Head 82

  16/20 Taken In 76

  16/29 The Solid Gold Corpse 173

  16/32 The Invisible Man 74

  17/17 The Reprieve 180

  17/26 The Catch 104

  17/33 The Awakening 177

  17/42 The Bloody Sword 146

  17/44 The Boy Who Laid the Golden Stone 155

  17/47 The Bottomless Sack 172

  19/3 Pious Antics 179

  19/8 The Falconer’s Dream 198

  19/14 No Compromise 115

  19/29 The Grateful Turtle 105

  19/32 An Old God Renewed 30

  20/1 The Murmuring of the Sea 33

  20/2 Japan Means Trouble! 34

  20/4 Quite a Stink 126

  20/7 A Memorable Empress 125

  20/10 (See Uji shūi 9/1

  20/11 The Invincible Pair 35

  23/22 The Tug-of-War 136

  24/1 Three Angels 44

  24/15 Daddy, Who Were Those People? 162

  24/19 The Spellbound Pirates 61

  24/20 Astride the Corpse 166

  24/24 Genjō 64

  25/11 Authority 67

  26/8 Through the Water Curtain 188

  26/9 The Snake and the Centipede 187

  26/11 “Dog’s Head” Silk 175

  27/1 An Old, Old Ghost 16

  27/2 No Nonsense! 190

  27/5 The Water Spirit 181

  27/7 The Ravenous Storehouse 12

  27/9 Better Late Than Early 11

  27/11 Very Kind of Him, No Doubt 28

  27/13 The Bridge 14

  27/19 The Little Oil Jar 53

  27/21 The Grisly Box 13

  27/22 Mother 218

  27/24 She Died Long Ago 133

  27/29 The Double 201

  27/31 The Eviction 84

  27/32 Bewitched 202

  27/36 The Funeral 203

  27/37 Not Really a Tree at All 208

  27/40 The Fox’s Ball 206

  27/41 Singed Fur 207

  28/5 Salt Fish and Doctored Wine 8

  28/11 Home in a Chest 21

  28/12 Not Quite the Right Robe 18

  28/18 The Best-Laid Plans … 94

  28/24 The Ricepoop Saint 90

  28/25 A Flash in the Palace 7

  28/28 The Dancing Mushroom 93

  28/29 The Harmless Haunt 164

  28/39 The Tapeworm’s Sad End 9

  28/40 Melon Magic 2

  28/41 A Toad to Reckon With 10

  29/1 The Enigma 140

  29/5 In the Nick of Time 165

  29/17 The Temple Bell 143

  29/18 The Rashō Gate 65

  29/19 The Dead Man Wakes 144

  29/21 Without Even a Fight 142

  29/28 The Lure 78

  29/35 Perilous Gratitude 219

  29/36 Wasps 141

  29/39 Mesmerized 110

  29/40 The Pretty Girl 109

  30/1 Elimination 57

  30/9 The Old Woman on the Mountain 217

  30/14 A Beloved Wife, a Bow, a White Bird 129

  31/7 The Forsaken Lady 132

  31/8 An Image in a Flame 131

  31/9 The Unknown Third 130

  31/10 I Saw It in a Dream 134

  31/12 Cannibal Island 189

  31/13 The Wine Spring 99

  31/15 The Dog and His Wife 29

  31/17 What the Storm Washed In 91

  31/33 The Maiden from the Sky 4

  31/37 The Giant Oak 1

  Nihongi

  (See Tango fudoki)

  Senjūshō

  1/1 (See Konjaku 12/33)

  5/15 The Man-Made Friend 50

  6/10 Things As They Are 38

  6/3, The Master of Streams and

  7/4, 7/5 Falls 182

  Shasekishū

  7/2 Lovesick 112

  7/3 The Pond God Takes a Wife 185

  7/17 The Flea 5

  7/18 Young Lust 108

  7/20 Expert Help 123

  7/24 The Buddha with Lots of Hands 70

  8/11 Syrup 17

  Shintōshū

  8 Princess Glory 32

  Tamon’in nikki

  24 The White Fox: Four Dreams 209

  Tango fudoki

  (Nihongi) Urashima the Fisherman 106

  Tsurezuregusa

  53 The Pot-Headed Demon 153

  69 What the Beans Were Saying 40

  Uji shūi monogatari

  1/1 The Little God’s Big Chance 178

  1/2 Heroic Patience, Almost 152

  1/3 Lump Off, Lump On 169

  1/13 Cherry Blossoms 156

  1/14 A Hard Moment 54

  1/18 Yam Soup 83

  2/4 The Gold of Golden Peak 102

  2/7 The Nose 19

  2/8 The Genie 59

  2/10 Cowed 145

  2/14 One Last Shower of Petals 119

  3/2 But She Couldn’t Help It! 58

  3/4 Bring Back That Ferry! 49

  3/6 Real Flames at Last! 95

  3/15 The Rooted Corpse 15

  3/16 The Sparrows’ Gifts 3

  3/20 Fox Arson 205

  4/1 Rice Cakes 124

  4/4 The Isle of Man and Maid 186

  4/5 What The Snake Had in Mind 138

  5/9 Riotous Living 154

  5/10 The Telltale Fish 210

  6/2 A Very Surprised Bodhisattva 176

  6/5 As Deep as the Sea 137

  7/4 Just Like a Bird 79

  7/5 A Fortune from a Wisp of Straw 174

  8/3 The Flying Storehouse 72

  8/4 Incorrigible 149

  8/6 No Fool, the Hunter 121

  8/7 Incense Smoke 85

  9/1 (Konjaku 20/10) Small-Time Mag
ic 52

  9/7 A Nice Mug of Molten Copper 55

  9/8 The Ugly Son 220

  10/6 The Sacrifice 77

  10/9 The Curse 163

  10/10 The Pirate’s Story 150

  11/3a The Test 62

  11/3b One Frog Less 60

  11/6 No Dragon 37

  11/9 The Failure 116

  11/10 A Model Demon 97

  12/5 A Simple Cure 128

  12/7 (See Konjaku 12/33)

  12/22 One Mouthful 192

  12/24 Take a Good Look! 170

  13/5 The Man Who Stole a Dream 196

  13/6 The Wrestler’s Sister 68

  13/9 Not Exactly the Land of Bliss 118

  13/10 Dyeing Castle 75

  13/13 Another Flying Jar 87

  14/10 Man’s Best Friend 63

  14/11 The Laughing Fit 51

  15/6 The Protector Spirit 71

  15/8 No Respect 73

  15/9 The Promise 212

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Works in Western Languages

  Blacker, Carmen. The Catalpa Bow: A Study of Shamanistic Practices in Japan. Totowa, N.J.: Rowman & Littlefield, 1975.

  Dorson, Richard M. Folk Legends of Japan. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle, 1962.

  Frank, Bernard. Histoires qui sont maintenant du passé. Paris: Gallimard, 1968.

  Kelsey, W. Michael. Konjaku Monogatari-shū. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1982.

  Kobayashi, Hiroko. The Human Comedy of Heian Japan: A Study of the Secular Stories in the Twelfth-Century Collection of Tales, Konjaku Monogatarishū. Tokyo: The Centre for East Asian Cultural Studies, 1979.

  McCullough, William H., and Helen Craig McCullough. A Tale of Flowering Fortunes: Annals of Japanese Aristocratic Life in the Heian Period (2 vols.). Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1980.

  Mayer, Fanny Hagin. Ancient Tales in Modern Japan: An Anthology of Japanese Folk Tales. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984.

  Mills, D. E. A Collection of Tales from Uji: A Study and Translation of Uji Shūi Monogatari. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1970.

  Morris, Ivan. The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1964.

  Mujū, Ichien. Collection de sable et de pierres: Shasekishū. Translation, preface, and commentaries by Hartmut O. Rotermund. Paris: Gallimard, 1979.

  Seki, Keigo, ed. Folktales of Japan. Translated by Robert J. Adams. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1963.