The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-09-05
THE JAPANESE FACE CRAB.

L. ASun.
THE JAPANESE FACE CRAB.
Many Strange Legends Connected with
- the Curious Creature.
Nothing could be more thoroughly
japanese than this tiny creature, and
it would seem out of place if found in
any other part of the world. BY some
it is called the Dorippe, but l believe
by the mass of the people generally,
especially by the fisher folk, it is
known as the Heicke crab In size it
is quite diminutive, it's little back not
measuring much more than an inch
across.
Its great attraction, however, and
the one which gives it so unique
celebrity among animal creations, is
the face which is carved on its back.
This is no fanciful or imaginative face
that can only be seen by one who has
ludicrous sense of twisting things
about, but real face-in form-and,
what is more remarka BILE, a human
face. 1t has eyes, nose and mouth,
and all beautifully modelled and drawn.
AS though the form itself were not
enough to astonish the most expectant
of us, added to this modelling and draw
ing is a most exquisite coloring-not
bold or vulgar color, but dainty and
delicate. Nature seems to have shown
us in this quaint conception that, be-
sides creating forms, she could also
fashion some materials after forms
already created, and, adding to sculp-
ture, she showed what she could do in
the way of color, and produced a gem.
Then she put tiny crab into it, and
looking for waters into which to place
her artistic production, where should
she go in all this wide world but to
beautiful, poetic, artistic Japan?
If we examine this face carefully we
will see that the eyes slant upward, as
do those of a japanese native. The
nose is quite large, fat and dubious in
appearance-ands shaded red; the high
cheek-bones ara also reddish, while the
mouth is masterpiece both in form
and color, Two little claws on each
side of the mouth represent a very
fierce mustache, such as is often seen
on Japanese armor.
There are many legends connected
with this crab one of the most COM
mon being the following: During the
year 1855 was fought the greatest sea-
fight in japanese annals. In this
bloody contest the Heiclle, as a clan,
were annihilated and their fleet de-
stroyed. Many of the captives were
c1 in, Tho Io+ al
awful results, made a most powerful
impression on the fishermen and sail
ors who lived in the region where the
event occurred, an impression that has
lived down through all the centuries,
SO that to this day in some of the tenn
pies may still be found pictures of the
frightful struggle.
The Buddhist doctrine teaches that
the ghosts of the slain have taken the
form of shellfish, and these shellfish
are the Heicke crabs. To those who
accept this story, the faces on the
crabs backs resemble those of
the ancient warriors who died
hundreds of years ago. At stated
times of the year these little crabs
swarm over the beaches and rocks by
the thousands, and are said to gather
in great numbers at the scene of their
defeat at its every anniversary.
Another story pertaining to this lit
tie crab-and one that is entirely diff
ferent-makes no reference to the IA
nous battle at all, but simply deal
with the fate after death that is in
store for all drunkards. The believers
in this story do not see in the remark
able face any of the characteristics
of the soldier or sailor, but only those
OF a hopeless drunkard. To these the
whole aspect of the face is that of a
man ruined by drink. From their
point of view, the face is swollen and
heavy, the cheeks flabby and sunken,
the nose such a red as only strong
drink can produce, and the lips leery
in expression. They believe that all
drunkards, when they die, are turned
into these little crabs and remain in
that form until they have been suffi-
GENTLY punished
Whatever division of opinion there
may be regarding the meaning of the
face, there can be but one opinion, and
that only of admiration, for the face it.
self 1t is gem from an artists and
sculptor's standpoint, to say nothing
of it as wonder from naturalist's.-
Meredith Nugent, in N. Y. Ledger.