Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-11-04

lously beautiful trees. Many of these
are sacred, being dedicated to the gods.
A charming native family of our ac-
quaintance, have often told US tales of
trees shedding blood when cut down,
and of the woodmen being struck by
sudden death for his rashness. Trees
sometimes have an i'll name as
being the abode of ghosts, OF posses
sing strange fascination to attract
men to hang themselves.
The story is sure to begin with that
note dear to the heart of childhood,
''Once upon tlme," one of the great
Genii warriors mourned because he
could not find anybody great or strong
enough to fight with him, so he deter
mined to find ghodl to slsy. One of
these mysterious creatures was fire.
quently seen lurking near the palace,
so ne sent out his servant who was very
brave and strong to slayit. AS soon as
he went outside the palace gate, he
was seized by the helmet, but he caught
the ghoul's arm and cut it off with the
sword. The creature was so frightened
that he ran away, leaving his arms and
claws to the Genii warrior for tro-
phy. By-snd-bye an old woman came
mlratlon of the valor that had secured
it. Being always kind and friendly to
old women and children, he good
or's gaze, s'when 10 and behold" she
snatched the limb and flew off with it
up the chimney, for she was nothing
else than a hideous ghoul herself when
she rose to the roof.
Ionp, TINA anp a ohraxul h,,T
good-natured man Injured to poverty,
named Kisaburo, took lodgings near an
eating-house, where the appetiZing
odors of good food frequently pervaded
his room. The place was celebrated
for the excellence of its eels fried in
soy. AS Kisaburo had vivid imagi-
nation, he enjoyed the savory dish
dish through his sense of smell without
expense, while eating his simple boiled
rice. When the eel-frier heard this,
he determined to charge the man for
the smell of the eels, and called upon
him with bill Kisaburo laughingly
called his wife to bring the bag of
money, which after juggling awhile
and merely touching it to the bill, he
replaced in box, carefully locking it
before the astonished caller, who cried
out, well, are you not going to pay
me?' "Why, surely not" was the re-
ply, lyon have charged me for the
smell of your eels, and have paid you
with the sound of my money!
A very remarkable Judge named Okla
who is known as the Solomon of Japan,
was called upon to decide difficult ques-
tions and obscure cases, and was great
ly revered for his sagacity. ''Once
q tina ~ rnnthar
was compelled to go out to service, and
bargained with a woman to rear her
child. After several years, having laid
up some money, she demanded her
child, but the woman, refusing to give
up, claimed it as her own. In dismay,
the mother appealed to the Judge, who
in the absence of other testimony,
forced them each to take an arm of the
young girl and pull, decreeing that the
successful woman should have her.
Afraid to disobey, the true mother
trembl1ngly took gentle hold, while
the false claimant pulled with all her
might. At the first cry of pain, the
mother dropped the girls hand and al
though urged to continue, firmly re-
fused. The Judge instantly charged
the deceiver with her crime, because
ucNOlu Vi al iudtSIudl 1SSlluR, duu UlS-
missing her in disgrace, gave the child
to her mother, amid the applause of
every one.
The Rip Van Winkle story of Japan
has many versions, and is frequently
illustrated in picture book, on canvas,
screen, or carved IN ivory and wooden
ornaments. Its universal presence
throughout Japan and China is a for
chile comment on the widespread
myth.
A remarkable fantasy is told of an
encounter of the crab and monkey,
which has the usual finale of Wasn't
that splendid?" And then the moral
to greedy or ungrateful children or ell
ders, is duly pointed out in most ap-
proved fashion.
These tales are a specimen of the
marvellous stories which clothe the
philosophy, " sdom and mythology of
Japanese literature, not only for child
hood, for ''the world with its beard
grown" delights occasionally in the
same. Stories of elves, foxes. rabbits,
monkeys cats and dogs, reared with