The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-10
SWORD LEGENDS.
Some of the Singular Beliefs of
the People of Japan.

One name is given by the japanese to
Japan is "the land Of many blades" and
it is claimed the first sword was invented
by the same god that invented poetry Ia
compensation. A certain god struck the
eight-clawed dragon on the tail, nicking the
sword, but drew out of the tail marvellous
blade that was called the "clustering cloud
sword" and that was made one
OF the Mikade's three divine insignia
SEAL sword and mirror. At length
the tenth mortal Emperor Suljin Te-
mud "a. ID. 1927, Is said to have de-
posted 1t in a temple, keeping for himself an
imitation make by the first recorded human
swordsmitb, Amakuni of ida, in Yamato.
The Oldest known swords, some of them still
eXtant, were made by another smith of the
same name, and apparently the first au-
thentic swordsmith of Japan, about A. d.
zoo. The art tlourished, especially in the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the
age of the best swords, up TO the present
time. In general, the art tiOurished in
times of many wars. For the past 800
years Japan has been mainly at peace and
skill In sword-making has declined.
The term old swords is Tor used 10 be) ap-
piled to swords made before this long peace
ful period. The most famous sword-makers
seem to be Muueehica "a. ID. Q90-1000), Ma
samune (about 1880, Yoshimitu about
1870 and Murasana about 1910. The most
celebrated of these is Masamune. and next
to him, perhaps, Mnramasa, one OF his
pupils. Milford relates that the swords of
Muramasa are so finely tempered as to cut
hard iron like melon, and yet have the
reputation of being unlikely and are sup-
posed to hunger after taking mems lives
and unable to repose In their scabbards.
They madden their owners so that they
either kill others indiscrminately or CON-
NIT suicide. There is, indeed, a saying that
the swords OF Muramasa must never be
drawn and returned to the scabbard with
out making blood flow.
Live with it, die with it," was a true
saying, for the sword was the constant
com Onion of the military man. and closely
ideU flied with his whole life with his
powsr to gain q livelihood and make his life
Iesp VIII ~ IS g. rs own and
his family's good name, OF his lord aud Oh
his country with the most highly honor
able death possible TO him, and perhaps,
above all. with the savage idea of the VEN
delta that persisted IN Japan until very re-
cent years-to avense, however, be 1t said,
an injury TO a master or parent than TO
himself II naturally happened then. as
with some other men that are closely bound
to some inanimate object, as the sailor to
the ship, the engine-driver to his locomo-
tive, and the like, that the sword almost ac-
quired personality, and became the CEN
ter not only of attachment, but OF
warm affection. 1t was so revercnced,
III Ivy aoN
left for the guidance of his successors.
he says, ''the sword is the knights living |
soul" Happily, however, says the Phila-
delphia Ledger, from which the above is
taken, such progress in civilization is now
taking place in Japan that we may expect
to see the gross notions of the vendetta and
other kindred forms of violence that are
almost uDayOldably inseparable from tha
universal habit of carrying deadly weapon,
as strongly discounteDanced there as they
long have been in Western countries, and
to ind the Japanese sword regarded in its
own country as an emblem of rude savage
ry as well as OF nnenlightened military art