Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-04-04
The Golden Fish of Dwarf Castle.

In nearly every large city in Japan there
is, or was, large castle, in which the prince
of the province or his soldiers lived in time
of peace, or fought i'll time of war In Ma
goya, in the province of Dwarf, in the cen
trail 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 ma
soury, from twenty to one hundred feet
high and divided from the outside land by
meats filled with water. Az the angles
were high towers, built of heavy beams of
wood, covered with lime to make them fire.
proof, and rooted with tiles. They had
many gables like a pagoda, and portfolios or
windows for the archers to shoot out their
arrows on the besiegers. These windows
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 is a frightful monster of a fish, looking as
if Jonah would be no more in his mouth
than a sprat in mackerel's. 1t stood on
its lower gill like a boy about to walk on his
hands and head. Half the birds in Fukui
solemnly believed the castle towers to have
been built for their especial perch aud bene-
fit. | often have seen every fish-tail OF the
castle occupied by crows. They were finish
ing their toilet enjoying an after-dinner
nap, or making speeches to each other, OBJ
serving the rules of order no better than
some assemblies in which several persons
talk at once
In Japan, the better class of people
those who enjoy the privilege of wealth,
education, or position-live either within
or near the castle. One of the first things
wellborn Japanese baby sees and learns
to know outdoors, is the upright bronze fish
on the castle towers. Hence Japanese is
proud to say, was born within sight OF
the shachMoko" (the Japanese name OF this
fish. The princes of Dwarf were very
proud, rich, aud powerful and they deter
mined to erect gold instead of bronze fishes
on their castle. So they engaged famous
gold and silversmiths TO make them a shdch-
hoko ten feet high. Its tail, mouth, aud
fins were of solid beaten silver. Its scales
were plates of solid gold. Its eyes were OF
black glass 1t cost many thousands of dol
lars, and required about twenty men to lift
it. Well when, after much toll and the help
of great derricks and tackling, the great OBJ
ect was raised to its 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 glttering brightness, never
furnishing or blackening 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.
rhe farmers children, who lived miles dis.
tant in the country, clapped their hands
with Joy when the flashing flukes on the
castle towers cleaned in the air. The trav-
elers plodding along the road, as they
mounted HILL knew when the city was
near, though they could not see anything
but the CLEAN like a star of gold
Alas, that | should tell it 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 talents and
industry might have made him rich and
honored, became a robber-first i'll heart,
and then in act. He began to study how he
might steal the golden fish. How was he to
reach the roof of the tower? Even II h.
could swim the moat and scale the wall, he
could not mount to the top story of the roof.
The gates were guarded. The sentines 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 hgh'
bamboo frame, with tough rope for tether,
and pair of hobs strong enough to lit two
hundred pounds No man could hold such
kite. The rope was wound round wind
lass and paid out by one person, while two
men aud three boys held the hand-cart. A
very dark, cloudy night, when brisk wind
was up, was chosen. When all was ready al
| ,T,It 81 Ia. a..
the muat, the robber, with pryIng tools il,
his belt aud his feet in loops at the end OF
the hobs, mounted on the perilous air-ship
more dangerous than "A balloon. The wind
was in the right direction, and by skillful
movements OF the cart aud windlass the
robber, after swinging like a pendulum fol
few minutes, finally alighted on the right
roof Fastening the hobs so as to secure his
descent, he began the work of wrenching of
the scales.
This he found no easy task. The gold
smiths had riveted them so securely that
they defed his prying, and the soft, tough
metal could not be torn off. lie dared not
make any clinking noise with hammer OF
chise, lest the sentinels should hear him
After what appeared to be several hours
work, he had loosened only two scales, worth
scarcely more than fifty dollars.
To make story short, the man was caught
The sentinels were awakened, and the crime
detected. The robber was sentenced to die
a cruel death-to be boiled in oil. His ac-
completes received various other degrees OF
punishment. The prince of Dwarf issued a
degree forbidding the flying of any kites
above certain small size. Hencetorth, the
grand old kites which the boys of the prov
| ince had flown in innocent fun, were never
more to be seen.
As for the big golden fish, it was after
ward taken down from the castle in Nagoya
and kept in the princes treasure-house
When | saw it, it was in Toxic, at the
museum. 1t was afterward taken to Vienna
and exhibited at the Exposition in 1879