Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-07
The Golden Fish of Dwarf Castle.
BY PROF. w. E. GRIFFLS.

The Golden Fish of Dwarf Castle.
BY PROF. W. E. GRIFFIs.
In nearly every large city in Japan
there is, or was, d large castle, in which
the prince of the province or his sol
diers lived in time of peace, or fought
in time Of war. In Nagoya, in the pro-
vince of Dwarf, in the central part of
the main island, was seen the largest
and finest of all the Castles in Japan.
They were built of thick walls of stone
masonry from twenty to one hundred
feet high, and divided from the out
side land by moats filled with water.
At the angles are high towers, built of
heavy beams of wood covered with
lime to make them fre-proof, and roof
ed with tiles. They had many gables
like q pagoda, and portfolios or win
dows for the archers to shoot out their
arrows on the besiegers. These win
dows were covered with copper or iron
shutters. At the end of the topmost
gable of the tower, with its tail in the
air, was great fish made of bronze or
copper, from six to ten feet high,
weighing thousands of pounds. 1t was
frightful monster of a fish, looking as
if Jonah would be no more In its mouth
than sprat ia mackerel's. 1t stood
on it's lower gill, like 3 boy about to
walk on his hands and head. 1t always
reminded me of the old-fashioned
candle-sticks, in which a glass dolphin
rampant, with very thick lips, holds a
candle in his glass tail. In Japan, how
ever, the hukes of this bronze fish's tail,
instead of q candle, were usually occu-
pied by live hawk, or sometimes an
eagle, cormorant, or falcon. Half the
birds in Fukui solemnly believed the
castle towers to have been built for
their especial perch and benefit. 1 Of
ten have seen every fsh-tail of the cas-
tie occupied by crows. They were fin
ishing their toilet, enjoying an after
dinner nap, or making speeches to each
other, observing the rules of order no
better than some assemblies in which
several persons talk at once.
We com etimes say of boy having
wealthy parents, that che was born
with a silver spoon IN his mouth"
Now, as the Japanese eat with chop
sticks, and use their silver for other
purposes, they express nearly the same
idea in other. words.
In Japan, the better class of people
those who enjoy the privilege Of wealth,
education, or positiOn-live either with
in or near the castle. One of the first
things a well-born Japanese baby sees
and learns to know outdoors is the up
right bronze fish On the castle towers
Hence g. Japanese is proud to say, 81
was born within sight of the shachitoEo."
(the Japanese name of this fish, The
princes of Dwarf were very proud, rich,
and powerful; and they determined to
erect gold instead of bronze fishes on
their castle. So they engaged famous
gold and silver smiths to make them q
shochihoko ten feet high. Its tail,
mouth, and fins were Of solid beaten
silver. Its scales were plates of solid
gold. It's eyes were of black glass. It
cost many thousands of dollars, and
required about twenty men to lift it.
This was at Nagova, city famous
| for it's bronzes, porcelain vases, cups,
and dishes, it's wonderful enamel work
cloison7ae, and its gay fans. Thousands
of the Japanese fans with which we
| cool our faces with in summer were
made in Nagoya. Well, when, after
| much toll and the help of great der
ricks and tackling, the great object was
raised to it's place, thousands of persons
came from distance to see the golden
wonder. The people Of Nagoya felt
prouder than ever of their handsome
city. In all kinds of weather, the
golden fish kept its color and glittering
brightness, never furnishing or blacken-
ing like the common shachitoko on other
castles. Morning and evening, the
sunbeams gilded it with fresh splendor.
The gold and the sunlight seemed to
know each other, for they always
kissed. The farmers children, who
lived miles distant in the country,
clapped their hands with JOY when the
flashing fukes on the castle towers
cleaned in the air. The travellers
plodding along the road, as they
mounted hill, knew when the city
was near, though they could not see
anything but the gleam like q star of
gold.
Alas that I should tell It'll What
was JOY to the many, was temptation
to some. They were led to envy, then
to covet, then to steal the prize. A
man whose talent and industry might
have made him rich and honored, be-
came robber,-frst in heart, and then
in act. He began to study how he
might steal the golden fish. How was
he to reach the tower? Even if he
could swim the moat and scale the
wall, he could not mount to the top
story or the roof. The gates were
guarded. The sentinels were vigilant,
and armed with sword and spear. How
should he reach the golden scales?
A kite twenty-five feet square, was
made Of thick paper, with very strong
but light bamboo frame, with tough
rope for tether, and pair of hobs
strong enough to lift two hundred
pounds. No man could hold such q
kite. The rope was wound around a
windlass paid out by one person, while
two men and three boys held the hand
cart. A very dark, cloudy night,
when brisk wind was was up, was
chosen. When all was ready at mid
night, the hand-cart was run out along
the moat, the robber with prying tools
L kol+ o,oI h; :,