Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28
THE FORTY-SEyEN RON|NS.
A Tale Famous in Japanese History, Poetry,
Art and Drama.
BY A. B. M.TFORD.

The recent revolution in Japan has
wrought changes social as well political;
and 1t may be that when, in addition to the
advance which has already been made,
railways and telegraphs shall have con-
nected the principal points of the Land of
Sunrise. the old japanese, such as he was
and had been for centuries when We found
him eleven short years ago, will have be-
come extinct 1t has appeared to me that
no better means could be chosen of preserv-
ing a record of curious and fast disap-
pearing civilization than the translation
of some of the most interesting national
legends and histories. together with other
specimens of literature bearing upon the
same subject. Thus the Japanese may tell
their own tale their translator only adding
here and there few words of heading or
tag to chapter. where an explanation or
amplfcation may seem necessary. / fear
that the long and hard names will often
make my tales tedious reading, but l be-
Eeve that those who will bear with the
difficulty will learn more Of the character
Of the Japanese people than by skimming
over descriptions of travel and adventure,
however brilliant. The lord and his re-
tainer, the warrior and the priest. the
humble artisan and the despised Eta or
pariah, each In his turn will become
ieaQnR character III DuuSel VI StOIieS,
and 1t is out of the mouths of these person.
ages that hope to show forth a tolerably
complete picture of Japanese society.
Having said SO much by way of preface,
! beg my readers to fancy themselves
waited away to the shores of the Bay of
Yedo-a fair, smiling landscape: gentle
slopes, crested by dark fringe OF pines
and frs, lead down to the sea; the quaint
caves of many temple and holy shrine
peep out here and there from the groves;
the bay itself Is studded with picturesque
fisher-craft, the torches of which shine by
night lise glow-worms among the outlying
forts; far away to the west loom the COB
lin-haunted heights of Oyama, and beyond
the twin hills of the Hakone Pass-Fuji-
Yama, the Peerless Mountain, solitary and
grand stands in the center of the plain,
frcm which it sprang vomiting hames
twenty-one centuries ago. For hundred
and sixty years the huge mountain mas
been at peace. but the frequent earth
quakes still tell of hidden fires, and none
can say when the red-hot stones and ashes
may once more fall like rain over five
provinces.
In the midst of nest of venerable trees
in Takanawa, a suburb of Yedo, is hidden
Sengakuji, or the Spring-hill Temple re
nowned throughout the length and breadth
of the land for it's cemetery, which con-
tains the graves of the Forty-Seven Ro-
nins famous in japanese history, heroes Of
japanese drama, the tale OF whose deeds
I am about to transcribe.
On the left-hand side of the main court
of the temple is chapel, in which, sur
mounted by gilt inquire OIL hWanyln the
goddess of mercy. are enshrined the images
of the forty-seven men, and Of the master
whom they loved so we'll. The statues are
carved in wood the faces colored, and the
dresses richly lacquered; as works of art
they have great merit-the action of the
heroes. each armed with his favorite weap-
on, being wonderfully life-like and spirited.
Some are venerable men, with thin, gray
hair lone Is seventy-seven years old;
others mere boys of sixteen. Close by
the chapel, at the side of a path leading
LII ,-AlI 49, nfnr
fenced in and adorned with tiny fernery.
over which is an inscription, setting forth
that This is the well in which the head
was washed: you must not wash your
on is stall, at which a poor old man
earns a pittance by selling books. pictures
and medals, commemorating the loyalty OF
the Forty-seven; and higher up yet, shaded
by grove of stately trees, is a neat in
closure, kept up, as signboard announces.
by voluntary contributions. round which
are ranged forty-eight little tombStones,
each decked with eversreens, each with its
tribute of water and incense for the COM
fort of the departed spirit. There were
forty-seven Ronins; there are forty-eight
eighth Is truly characteristic of Japanese
ideas of honor. Almost touching the rail
of the graveyard is more imposing monu-
ment under which lies buried the lord,
whose death his followers piouSly avenged.
And now for the story.
At the beginning of the eighteenth CEN
Takum no kami, the lord Of the castle of
Ako, in the province of Harima. Now it
happened that an imperial ambassador
from the court of the Mikado, having been
sent to the Shotgun at Yedo, Takum no
Kami and another noble called Kamei
Sauna We're appointed TO receive and feast
the envoy; and high official, named Kira
Kotsuke no Suke, named to teach
them the proper ceremonies to be observed
upon the occasion. The two mobiles were
accordingly forced to go daily to the castle
h. t,,-t ttSra - Krtr, DO
no Suke. But this kotsuke no Suke was
man greedy of money; and as he deemed
that the presents which the two daimios,
according to time-honored custom, had
brought him in return for his instruction
were mean and unworthy, he conceived a
great hatred against them and took no
pains in teaching them. but on the con-
trary rather sought to make laughing
stocks of them. Takumi no Kami, re-
strained by a stern sense of duty. bore his
insults with patience; but kamei Sauna,
who had less control over his temper was
violently incensed. and determined to kill
Kotsuke no Suke.
One night when his duties at the castle
were ended, Kamei Sama returned to his
cwn palace, and having summoned his
councillors to a secret conference, said to
them: "Kotsuke no Suke has insulted
Takumi no Kami and myself during our
Eervice in attendance on the imperial en-
voy. This is against all decency and 1 was
minded to kill him on the spot; but be-
thought me that If I did such a deed within
tHe pTeClIclS VI the HOt OHly WOutu
my own life be forfeit, but my family and
vassels would be ruined; so l stayed my
hand. Still the life of such wretch is a
sorrow to the people, and tomorrow when
I go to court l will slay him; my mind is
made up, and L will listen to no remon-
STRANGE" And as he spoke his face be-
came livid with rage.
Now one of Kamei Sama's councillors
was a man of great judgment. and when
he saw from his lords manner that re-
monstrance would be useless. he said:
"Your lordship's words are law; your SER
want will make all preparations according
ly; and tomorrow, when your lordship goes
to court If this Kotsuke no Suke should
again he insolent, let him die the DEATH
And his lord was pleased at this speech,
and waited with impatence for the day 10
break, that he might return to court and
kill his enemy.
But the councillor went home and was
eorely troubled, and thought anxiously
about what his prince had said. And as
he reflected, it occurred to him that since
Kotsuke no Suke had the reputation of be-
Ing mser he would certainly be open to