The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-12-01
FOLK LORE OF THE ORIENT.
Japanse Mythology and an Anteced ent AS
tronomy Combined IN a Fairy Tale
obviously Like Those From
the Medieval German,

hitherto but little explored. It is evidently
older than the history Of the present Japanese people,
and bears a striking resemblance IN feature to that
eanska it literature which mus, have followed a more
remote period Of extended scientif knowledge and
high art, and through which philologists have traced
the afiDities of European language and race and the
germs OF its ciyilization.-EDl
[From japanese Fairy World
One of the grandest days in the calandar
of old Japan was the 7th Of July, or, as the
japanese people put it, s'the seventh day of
Of The seventh month";" It was a vermillion
day in the Almanac, to which every child
looked forward with eyes sparkling, hands
clapping and fingers counting as each night
rolled the time nearer. All maners of fruit
and other eatable vegetables were prepared,
and cakes baked, in the household. The
boys plucked bamboo stalks and strung on
their branches bright colored ribbons, tinkling
bells and long streamers Of paper, on which
poetry was written.
On this night mothers hoped for wealth,
happiness, good children and wisdom, girls
made a wish that they might become skilled
in needlework. Only one wish a year, how
ever, could be made. So if anyone wanted
several things-health, wealth. skill in needle
work, wisdom, etc-they must wait many
years before all the favors could be granted.
Above all things, rainy weather was not de-
sired. It was a .tgood sign" when a spider
spun his web over a melon, or if put in a
square box he should weave q circular web.
Now the cause of all this preparation was
that on the 7th Of July the Herd-boy star
and the Spinning Maiden star cross the milky
way to meet each other. These are the stars
which we call Capricornus and Alpha Lyra.
These stars that shine and glitter so far up in
the Zenith are the boy with an OK and a girl
with the shuttle, about whom the story runs
as follows:
On the banks OF the Silver River of Heay-
en- (Which we call the milky way) there lived
a beautiful maiden, who was the daughter of
the Sun. Her name was ohokujo. She did
not care for games, or play, like her compan-
ions, and, thinking nothing Of vain display,
wore only the simplest of dress. Yet she
was very diligent and made many garments
for others. Indeed, SO busy was she that all
called her the Weaving or Spinning Princess.
The Sun King noticed the serious DISPOSE
ton and close habits of his daughter, and
tried in various ways to get her to be more
lively. At last he thought to marry her. AS
marriages in the starland are usually planned
by the parents, not by the foolish lover boys
and girls, he arranged the union without con-
sulting his daughter. The young man on
whom the Sun-KIng thus bestowed his
daughters hand was Kingin. who kept a
herd of cows on the banks of the celestial
stream. He had always been a good neighbor
and, living or the same side Of the river, the
father thought be would get a nice s~on-in-law,
and at the same time improve his daughters
habits and disposition.
No sooner did the maiden become wife
than her habits and character utterly changed
for the worse, and the fatherh had a very vex-
atious case Of ''tadashiku sugure'' too much
offs good thiDg) on his hands. The wife be-
came not only too merry and lively but utter
~ forsook loom and needle. She gave up
her nights and days to play and idleness, and
no silly lover could have been more foolish
than she.
The Sun-King became very much offended
at all this, and thinking that her husband was
the cause Of it, he determined to separate the
couple. So he ordered the husband to remove
to the other side of the River of Stars, and
told him that hereafter they should meet but
once q year, on the seventh day of the seventh
month. To MAKE a bridge over the flood Of
stars the Sun King called myriads of magpies
which thereupon few together, and, making
a bridge, supported him on their wings and
backs as it it were q roadway of solid land.
So, bidding his weeping wife farewell, the
lover husband sorroWfully crossed the River
Of Heaven. No sooner had he set foot on
the opposite side than the magpiesheW away,
filling all the heavens with their chatter.
The weeping wife and lover husband stood
for q long time Wistfully gazing at each
other from afar. Then they separated, one to
lead his OK, the other to ply her shuttle dur
ing the long hours of the day with diligent
toll. Thus they filled the hours, and the Sum-
King again rejoiced in his daughters indus
try.
But when night fell and all the lamps Of
heaven mere lighted. the lovers would come
and stand by the banks Of the starry river,
and gazing longingly at each other, waiting
for the seventh day of the seventh month.
AT last the time drew near, and only one fear
possessed the loving wife. Every time she