Evening journal., 1904-08-11
CURIOUS LEGENDS OF
THE INSECTS Of JAPAN
How Cruelty Is Prevented
and Children Become Noted
for Their Kindness

! little people, nave some pretty anu pa
thetic legends attached TO the insects
and animals that abound Ia the quaint
little gardens that are the most attract
i've feature OF the homes of the well-to-
do. In these gardens everything is i'm
miniature. squatty little trees cut into
curious shapes of birds and beasts tiny
walks leading TO fantastic rustic
bridges over threadlike streams, and
airy teahouses. gay with bright colors
like large bird cages, which they re-
sembe
Lafcadio Hearn gives "a curious tradi-
ton about a strange insect which is
found only n Himeji, pretty little
town near the centre of the island. II
seems there once lived "a rich noble in
"a castle ON the outskirts of the town
who was famous for the magnihcence
of his dishes among which We're ten
priceless bowls OF solid gold. ln his
employ was a maid servant OF good
family. whose name was kolSu, to
whom was entrusted the care OF the
precious plate. but 10 her great des-
pair one day one OF the gold dishes was
missing. She searched diligently TN
vain, and. not knowing how TO prove
her innocence, i'm her despair drowned
herself in a well. but her ghost return
ed each night 10 the spot, and, could
be heard counting the dishes with sobs'
'Icha-mai, ni-mai, san-mai ya-mai,
go-mai. rolSu-mai, shichl-mai, ku-maii
up TO nine. when there would follow "a
loud, wailing cry, and the uncanny
count began over again. AT last the
uneasy spirit passed into the body of
an insect, whose head somewhat re-
sembled a ghost with long, tousled
] la, ftf Iunun 10 Iu
considered unlucky to cultivate the
chrysanthemum, as the girls name,
lO-Koku. means chrysanthemum.
There Is 20 large green cricket, larger
than our native variety. OF which the
children i'm Japan are very fond. II is
sold I'm cunning little bamboo cages I'm
booths on the streets. and is loved for
it's CHEEKY chirp. Several varieties of
the tree criCkets are pure white, COM
ling at different times Of the year Some
have note so loud and insistent that
to have two or three playing their fid-
dies I'm "a garden at once makes noise
lalmost aeafening while "a species that
lcomes late In the fail has an exquisite
note like the quick ringing Of "a small
bell.
Some lovely varieties OF dragon flies
hover over the tiny streams ON hot
days. with which the children are fond
of playing. IL is said the male OF this
insect never deserts a captive female,
land a favorto game Of the children
is 20 capture the female and attach her
to twig by thread, when the male
is sure TO return to her. The boys sing
"a verse which means, Thou King of
Corea, dost thou not feel ashamed TO
/ fee away from the Queen Of tho East2'
which is a taunting allusion TO the con-
r. quest of Corea in the early days by the
Empress Jin-Go. of Japan.
a There Is tiny insect that does great
( damage to the rice crop about which
there is an interesting tradition. There
e was once a famous warrior who was
fighting "a deadly battle ON horseback
g. with his bitter enemy Just as the vic
s tory was about hiss his horse slipped ON
the stalks OF rice IN the field I'm which
Z the combat took place, and while try
Ing to regain his footing the enemy
z closed in upon the warrior and killed
him. The spirit of the warrior, infur-
e lated az the treachery of the rice plant,
{ became a rice eating insect which is
called by the natives hy the warriors
lname. Sanemori-San ON summer
n nights fires are lighted in the rice
fields to attract the insects, which come
I'm swarms, gongs are beaten. bamboo
flutes sounded, while straw figure
representing "a horse and rider are
burned This insect is almost the eX-
act size and color of . rice husk, and
, Mr.. Hearn says he thinks the legend
/. may have arisen from its resemblance
j to the helmet OF Japanese warrior.
There is AN infinite variety of the
moths. which are seen a. n ght Hitting
( about the gnarled aud twisted branches
of the old cherry ard plum trees IN the
gardens. one enormous creature, CALI
ed the ague moth. is supposed to bring
intermittent fever into any house il
enters Its body is. as large as that OF
a humming bird. and from tip to tiI
Of it's gray wings IT sometimes meas
- ures five inches.
one kind OF "a locust is particularly
!" dreaded by the children for its pro
a. pensity to bite. IL reaches six inches u
~ length when fun grown, and Mr.. Hear
i- has seen one OF these huge creature
le fight off the attack OF several frogs "a
pc once on the banks OF pond. and tn
e- battle was only ended by She locust be
ih ing dragged into the water, where on
a OF its element, IL was at The mercy o
e the frogs
81 Among the beetles Is a small one
ue which is popuarly supposed to eat hu
of man eyes. and TO kin one of these re
en- puisive creatures is TO win the grattud
au OF the god Buddha.
as There are many kinds Of spiders o
sos Immense size, about which there Is
e's superstition that while people sleep IN
spiders don their shape and becom
tx demons. so that one seen after dar
EAR must be killed
of Most beloved Of an the insects are tn
ION firenies, which. like the crickets. an
ms caught and sold. fifteen together I'm
an little bamboo cage covered with mos
t,,- quito netting. for fifteen cents. A jar
anese child loves to have these litt
~. pets near him at night, that the cheer
glow may shine out and drive off n
terrors that infest the darkness.
The children are noted for their gei
tleness and kindness to animals.
'en Buddhism teaches that "A child beir
cruel to or maltreating them win be ui
VS. happy when next il Is born into O
ing world that religion holding the do
at trine of reincarnation. a tent Wink
ar acts as a perpetual society for the pr
i.3o vention OF cruelty to animals.
nd
ON REDUCED RATES TO ST. LOUIS.
len Via Pennsylvania Railroad, Accou
n