The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-03

JAPANESE NURSERY TALES. The Japanese,
writes q correspondent of the Boston TTG0eI-
Ter, as rude and unpoetical as they seem to
be, have their fairies, genii, Peris, and imps,
answering to those-o of which European juve-
niles tell such wonderful tales. Some of
these stories are very ingenious and would
bear copying into the fairy lore of America,
while others would be far from acceptable,
owing to the great difference in customs and
religion. l do not know that the subjoined
tales which we're told by a japanese nurse to
the European children at Hiogo, some of
whom were under her charge, are really o
part of Japanese folk lore, or made up for
the present amusement of the children. But
in either case the children were pleased, and
when they repeated some of the stories to
me-, they were very enthusiastic in the praise
of the old Japanese grandmother who had
thus entertained them.
Once there was O little Japanese boy
dressed in q nice suit of black linen, and he
said to himself one day, 81 will be a great
Daimio. 1 will have big swords and fine
dress, and my mother and father shall be
happy with plenty of rice and jewel rings. .
But the little boy was poor, and all he had
was this one suit of clothes. He was walking
on the side of Fusiyama one day, thinking
how he should be great, when the mountain
shook and great smoke-devils came out of
the top. The boy was afraid, until q little
fairy, awakened blythe noise, rose up at his
feet, and taking him by the hand led him
away from the mountain. When the little
spirit was about to leave the boy said, "You
know how to save me from smoke-devils,
and you must know how to make me @
great Daimio. Will you tell me ?" $50
and pull a turnip," said the fairy
spirit as she took her way back to
the sacred mountain. SO the little boy
looked about him for a garden, and when
he had found one he searched for q
turnip. He soon found q great one with tall
leaves, and he set about digging around the
roots. mo, no" said the turnip, "my root
is deep and you cannot dig SO low, but take
hold of my head and pull, for my root will
follow where my head goes" So he seized
hold of the stalk and pulled. Lo! it came
up SO easy that the boy fell in the mud. "Ho,
no !" laughed the turnip, ''you have some
thing to learn if you would bea great Daimio.
Men, like turnips, pull easiest by the head,
but you had better leave them where they
have taken root than to venture yourself in
pulling them up" And the little boy took
the advice, and made the acquaintance of
leaders only. He was never, however, over
anxious to be in the company of great men,
and soon the Tycoon, seeing his great care
and wisdom, made him q prince. So he was
happy.
Once q little girl was told by her mother
to make rice cakes. But the little girl wanted
to play shuttlecock, and left the dough in the
bowl. A little imp in the shape of frog came,
and when the girl was about to hit the cork a
blow, he threw the dough into the air. 1t fell
upon the girls head and streamed down over
her shoulders until she was entirely covered.
Her mother came, and, supposing it was all
dough, threw her into the oven, and SO the
naughty little girl was baked.
One man worked in his rice and wheat
fields, while his neighbors spent their time in
wrestling. drinking saki, and playing ball.
Finally winter came, and they had no food.
SO they went to the industrious man and
said, 'Give US rice and bread" But the
other said, "No; you serve the spirit of
amusement, l serve the spirit of work. Go
to your spirit for food, and 1 will go to mine. "
So they all starved.