Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-15
A Complicated japanese Story.

The following curious story, says the
Japan Gazette, though savoring of the i'm
probable, is vouched for by a native
journal: Near Kawagoye, in Kumagaya
Ken, lived an old couple. man and wife,
who had worked hard for many years
farming, and had put by 200 yen for a
rainy day. One day during the course
of last year the old man remarked to his
better half that they were over sixty
years of age and must die soon, and
asked what they should do with their
earnings. Neither of them liked the
idea of leaving the money they had
earned by the sweat of their brows for
other people to spend, so it was agreed
that when one of them should die the
survivor should place the money in the
coffin with the body, to pay the expenses
of the journey of both to the other world,
the one on demand, the other in advance
The husband was the first to succumb to
the tyrant death, and was placed in his
coffin, not with the 200 yen though, for
the old woman, with the failing of her
sex, changed her mind and retained the
money, thinking it would be far more
sensible to spend it in procuring masses,
requiems and offerings of flowers and
perfumes for the departed. She there
fore intrusted the money to a k0ch0 of
the village, with instructions to use it as
above stated But this kocIo, tempted by
the filthy lucre, did not have masses
sung, sacrifices offered, ETC., but
kept the money, in the hope of
the old lady following her hus.
band. This, however, she fatty refused
to do, and continued robust and healthy
month after month, until short time
ago, when the kOclto, weary of the delays
of King Death, thought to assist the
aged female in her journey to a better
Tor worse) world, and sent her, with
touching inquiries as to her health, few
tempting cakes, we'll dosed with poison
The old woman, after conveying her
thanks to the koch0, offered the cakes to
her "lamented" husband; that is, she
placed them on the shelf, for he also
was ION the Shelf" and had been for
some time. Just then aNghost-like form
appeared before her, with face red as
beetroot, body of immense size, large,
grotesque ornament, in the shape of a
pair of horns, protruding from his head,
and huge sword girt about his loiDs.
Moreover, this strange object was
clothed in a priests coat; and when he
had remained sufficiently long for the
old lady to recover from the alarm which
the first sight of him created, he thus ad-
dressed her: =" / am Yenma Daio Judge
of criminals in the place of darkness.)
You did not place the 200 yen in The cof
fin of your dead husband, according to
promise; wherefore he is distressed, and
is suffering intensely on account of the
extreme difficulty of his journey. /
could not bear to hear his groans and
muttered imprecations, so / have
come to receive the money for
him. Give it me quickly" The
astonished woman, after confessing
that she had broken her promise,
explained that she had kept the money
for sacrifices and offerings, adding that
she would 60 Immediately and bring the
money it was all in charge of the k0clso.
The Yenma, however, stopped her, say
ing: II am the King of He'll, and have
come here secretly and would not like
the people of this world to see me.
must hide myself whilst l am waiting"
The woman, taking in the situation at
glance, put him in large box which had
been kept at one time for clothing, tell
ing him that if he should feel hungry he
would find some cakes on the shelf. She
went to the bocl0 and told what had
taken place. Koclio, being suspicious
that it was some trick of the old wom-
ans, said he would 60 back with her and
see who this wonderful parsonage was
and would then give her the money. On
reaching home the woman pointed to the
large box, which kocbO opened, but
started back In horror on seeing the Yen
ma Daio lying nearly dead, venting
blood, his body being quite blue. The
old woman ran to the shelf and found
that all the cakes were gone.
Kocho confessed his guilt and received
condign punishment, and now comes the
most probable part of the story. The
victim of the poison was not Yenma Daio
but wicked fellow in the neighborhood
who knew the story of the 200 yen and
had designs upon it.
From this story two good morals may
be deduced: Do not save your money too
long, and do not covet that belonging to
your neighbors. ..