The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-20

old a bird to be caught in that way. l knew in a
minute what it meant; so | kept still and waited.
Sure enough, in a moment a mist seemed to roll away.
and | found myself right on the edge of a ditch which
was pretty full of snow-water then. When at last |
got up and went on | found that my eels had dis
appeared"
Rokubei, the gardener of a friend, went fishing one
day, and coming back toward evening thought that
the road was a river, and setting down his basket of
fish beside him he stopped to remove his sandals
in order to wade across, when a tawny object flashed
bv him, the river Immediately disappeared, and he
discovered that he was far from the water and not
many steps from his house. At home he opened the
basket to show his success. but found it empty.
A Japanese woman friend of the writer promised
to send the children some toys and cakes on a certain
day; but the day passed and the treat failed to arrive.
On the following day the woman called, full OF
regrets for the disappointment of the little ones. The
truth is" she said, 1.-The foxes prevented me from
getting the things to you"
How was that" was asked. Are there foxes in
the middle of this great city,
oh, yes she replied, although we do not always
see them, yet they are so sly and keep SO quiet, seeing
and knowing everything that is going on. Ny maid.
an old woman, started out with the basket of cakes
and toys about four o'clock yesterday afternoon. but
on reaching the corner of the street where your house
stands was obliged to return without knowing why.
This she did three times, each time returning to my
house, hoping the influence, whatever it was, would
be removed by starting out afresh, but all in vain
At the same corner she always met with the same
opposition, SO she was forced to give up and return -
What made her think it was the foxes?'
oh, she had a strong impression that she must
not go any farther. You see, the foxes wanted the
cakes, and were trying to brighten her into leaving
them and running away; but o Rui was too wise for
that-she turned around and came back"
What if she had gone on"
"Oh, in that case the foxes would have bewitched
her and made her crazy"
One summer at Atami, a mountain resort famous
for its mineral springs, a singular appearance of a
high and thickly wooded mountain at some distance
from the town attracted my attention, and calling
one of the tea-house maids l said: 20 Hama, why do
the woodmen walk about the mountain all night? Are
they looking for anyone?"
o Hama looked toward the dark mass looming up
against the sky. lighted here and there by restless
lights bobbing up and down among the trees. and as
if it was a matter of course replied: oh, those are
not woodmen's lights-they never go near the noun
tain at night. The lights are kitsune-b, fox -fires)."
What are the foxes DOING" l asked.
"Oh. they are looking for food in the dark, and are
using their lanterns"
What kind of lanterns do they use. o Hana?"
They Use the dried bones of horses. which they
breathe upon and make light. We do not mind them,
only we keep away from the mountain at night"
This belief in the power of foxes to do them harm
is firmly fixed in the mind of the average Japanese,
and often the influences exerted. or supposed to have
been exerted, upon a person plays an important part
in his life