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(★)(The true folk legend, as distinguished from fairy tale or literary embellishment, is one of the sure keys to a people´s beliefs, customs, and ways of thinking. Japan possesses more such legends than does any Occidental country. And yet this great body of legendry, with its wealth of meaning, its significance, and its sheer fascination, has until now been only rarely available in English translation, usually in out-of-the-way publications.／ The present volume presents a representative collection of over one hundred Japanese folk legends. These have been selected by a distinguished American folklorist, drawn from expert Japanese transcriptions of orally told legends, and carefully translated in such a way as to bring out the charming, unadorned, and sometimes disarmingly frank folk quality of the originals. Each legend is carefully annotated for the student and scholar, and a full bibliography is provided. Fortunately, the scholarly attributes of the book are not allowed to intrude between the general reader and his enjoyment of the legends themselves.／ Anyone who loves a genuine old wives´ tale, who savors firelit evenings of listening to the storytelling of unsophisticated countryfolk, will find much pleasure here. At the same time the folklorist will find a mine of information, and the Japanophile will discover the folk basis for many of the beliefs and customs that may have puzzled him in the past.／ The authentically Japanese illustrations by Miss Yoshie Noguchi provide yet another delightful aspect of a book that is sure to please both scholar and general reader alike.／ ▼TABLE OF CONTENTS／ ●PART ONE. PRIESTS, TEMPLES, AND SHRINES／ Saint Kobo´s Well／The Willow Well of Kobo／The Kobo Chestnut Trees／The Waterless River in Takio／The Stream Where Kobo Washed His Garment／The Priest´s Towel／The Kannon Who Substituted／The Statue of Buddhs at Saiho-ji／The Earless Jizo of Sendatsuno／The Red Nose of the Image／The Priest Who Ate the Corpse／The Monk and the Maid／The Shrine of the Vengeful Spirit／The Shrine Built by Straw Dolls／Visit to Zenko-ji Driven by a Cow／The Temple of Raikyu Gongen／The Origin of Enoo-ji／The Origin of Kazo-ji on Mt. Wooden Pillow／ ●PART TWO. MONSTERS／ The Kappa of Fukiura／The Kappa of Koda Pond／The Kappa Who Played ´Pull-Finger´／The Kappa Bonesetter／A Grateful Kappa／Wrestling a Kappa／Memories of Kappa／Tales of Tengu／The Tengu Pine and Takegoro／Burned to Death by a Tengu／The Tengu of Komine Shrine／The Tengu´s Sword／The Tengu Who Made Rice Cakes／The Demon´s Cave／The Tooth-Marked Stone／Great King with Eight Faces／Mountain Giants／The Mountain Man of Mt. Mitsubushi／The Flute Player and the Shojo／Spider Pool／The Bodyless Horse／Tales of Zashiki-bokko／ ●PART THREE. SPIRITS／ The Ghost That Cared for a Child／The Ghost of the First Wife／The Mirror Given by the Ghost／The Dish Mansion in Unshu／Fish Salad Mingled with Blood／White Rice on the Pot／The Seven Blind Minstrels／The Revengeful Spirit of Masakado／The Evel Spirit of Fusataro／The Weaving Sound in the Water／The Phantom Boat／One Hundred Recited Tales／ ●PART FOUR. TRANSFORMATIONS／ The Serpent Suitor／The Blind Serpent-Wife／The Serpent Goddess of Amo-ga-ike／The Serpent of Mt. Unzen／Two Daughters Who Became Serpents／Hachiro´s Transformation／The Marsh of Tatsuko／The Fox Demons／The Fox Wrestler／The Fox Wife／The Badger That Was a Shamisen Player／Dankuro Badger／Seventy-five Badgers／Koike´s Baba／The God Akiba Revealed as a Beggar／The Hunters Turned to Rats／The Mystery of the Bull-Trout／The Blacksmith´s Wife／The Girl Who Turned into a Stone／The Woman Who Loved a Tree-Spirit／Okesa the Dancer／ ●PART FIVE. HEROES AND STRONG MEN／ The Child of the Sun／The Jewel That Grew Golden Flowers／The Tale of Yuriwaka／The Story of Kihachi／Koga Saburo／The Heike Refugees／The Last of the Aki／Relics of Benkei／Benkei´s Stone Mortar／The Famous Horse Ikezuki／The Faithful Dog of Tametomo／Banji and Manji／Nue the Hunter of Hatoya／The Strongest Wrestler in Japan／The Mighty Wrestler Usodagawa／Nasu Kozahara the Strong Man／ ●PART SIX. CHOJAS／ The Charcoal Burner Who Became a Choja／Asahi Choja／Sanya Choja／The Camelia Tree of Tamaya／The Gold Ox／The Poor Farmer and the Rich Farmer／The Girl Who Ate a Baby／The Thief Who Took the Moneybox／ ●PART SEVEN. KNAVES／ The Origin of Foolish Sajiya Tales／The Crow and the Pheasant／Kichigo Ascends to the Sky／Kitchomu Fools His Neighbors／Whew!／The Wit of Niemonen／Boaster´s Wit／Boasting of One´s Own Region／The Old Man Who Broke Wind／ ●PART EIGHT. PLACES／ Human Sacrifice to the River God／The Princess Who Became a Human Sacrifice／A Mystery at Motomachi Bridge／A Human Sacrifice at Kono Strand／The Bridge Where Brides Are Taken Away／Gojo Bridge in Kyoto／The Mountain of Abandoned Old People／Feather-Robe Stone Mountain／Contest in Height Between Two Mountains／The Mounds of the Master Singers／The Village Boundary Mound／Oka Castle／The Laughter of a Maidenhair Tree／The Discovery of Yudaira Hot Spring／The Spring of Sake／Blood-red Pool／Otowa Pond／ ◆Richard M. Dorson, the author, is professor of history and folklore and director of the Folklore Institute at Indiana University. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1943, and has published a number of books on the folklore of the United States, including ´Jonathan Draws the Long Bow [1946]´,´Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers [1952]´,´American Folklore [1959]´, Buying the Wind [1964]´,´American Negro Folktales [1967]´, and ´American Folklore and the Historian [1971]´. He has also written ´The British Folklorists, a History [1968]´. In 1956-57 he was in Japan as a Fulbright professor in American studies at the University of Tokyo. The present book is an outgrowth of the contacts he made then with Japanese folklorists.) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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