The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-07-31
A JAPANESE STORY.

his Robinson Crusoe," is the story Of
"The Faithful Ronins."
Robinson Crusoe' is tale Of wan
dering and adventure, and that Is be-
cause the English are a wandering
race. Until a short time ago the Japa-
nese never travelled They were even
forbidden to build junks above a GER
tain size lest they might be tempted to
go too far In them. Nowadays there
are fine Japanese steamers, but at the
time when the good stories grew their
theme in japan was almost always
courage and devotion.
In the year 1701 the head of the Ro-
min family, or clan-for this tale, IKE
Robinson Crusoe," is founded on fact
was insulted by superior officer and
attacked him with a sword. For this
crime the chief Ronin was condemned
to STAY himself. that being the usual
punishment In japan; also 1t was de-
cided that his castle and property
should be taken away and his people
driven off. Accordingly the chief Ronin
killed himself.
The new head of the Ronins was
named Kurarosuke. He Is the national
popular hero of Japan, much like
Ethan Allen or Francis Marion in this
country. 1t was Kurarosuke's duty to
avenge his masters death In some way.
SO he called the clan together to de-
fend the castle against the soldiers
who were to take it. This was quite
proper, according to Japanese Ideas.
When they were all gathered togeth-
or Kurarosuke said I'VE have not met
to defend the castle, for that would be
useless. We should only in the end
be taken and slain. Let us all STAY
ourselves after the old Japanese man
ner and thus die with our beloved
master"
To this sixty-three of the Ronins
agreed, but the rest went away shak-
ing their heads.
The cunning Kurarosuke, however,
had no notion OF killing himself When
the sixty-three were all together he
was sure they at least would not reveal
his secret, and he said to them: 1--WE
shall neither defend the castle, which
would be useless, nor kill ourselves,
which would be no better. But we shall
be patient and wait, wait, wait, until
we can kill the man whose insult caus-
ed our masters DEATH" Then he ex-
planned his plan, and forty-seven of the
sixty-three agreed to 1t.
According to Japanese ideas, what
they endured was worse even than
suicide, for they did nothing. Instead
OF trying to ayenge the insult they
wandered about and became mere vag-
abonds. 1t looked as If they were GO
Ing to make no effort to avenge their
master, and this made every one de.
spise them. Even the children would call
out after one Of them as he staggered
past: "Heyl There goes u Ronin
Drunkard! Coward! 'Fraid cat! 'Fraid
catP or something Japanese to the
same effect.
The Japanese children are usually
very pollte-because they eat no meat
some say-but nobody thought 1t worth
while TO be polite to coward. OF
course all this was terribly hard for
the Ronins to bear. They knew they
were not towards, but they could only
wait-sorne day. though, and some
| day came at last. When everybody
had come to the conclusion that the
Ronlns had no pluck at all, these forty.
seven vagabonds came together one
! night and carried the castle of their
enemy by assault. Then they put him
to death and quietly awaited their own
fate. They We're taken, of course. and
condemned TO kin themselves, as their
master had done.
AS they We're led away in three par
ties servant of the house called
First Companion" a man of too little
consequence to take part in the fight
Ing, stood to see them pass that he
might carry home the news One of
the Ronins was real drunkard, vaga-
bond and without need Of making be-
ieye. His name was "Red Hedge"
and he was Il pretty low down fellow.
so that First Companion" feared that
RED Hedge" might have been drunk
the night before and have been left
out of the attack
But no. At the head of the third III
vision Of the captured Ronlns marched
Red Hedge" very proud In his ar
NOR, Seeing the servant kneeling In
the snow. "Red Hedge" gave him mes
sages and threw him the pennon of his
lance for a memento
Then First Companion" turned to
the lockers on and cried: Look at
him! Gentlemen. that Is Sir Red
Hedge, the brother OF my master, He
IL a Ronln by adoption only. But seq
him today among the avengersw
And In his delight the faithful old
servant hurried home and kept as rel
les not only the lance pennon, but
RED Hedges" hat and bottle.
or course all the forty-seven had to
kill themselves. but they have become
national heroes, especially Kurarosuke,
the brave and crafty leader. and "Red
Hedge" the poor drunkard. who sue
ceeded in keeping for one night sober
enough TO go to his death with the
others.
Not only Is their memory kept green