Year: 1871

that this is case Of with craft"


Seeing how obstinately he held to his
opinion, the old folks were sorely per-
picked, and said


"What do you think of doing ?'


"Pray leave the matter to me I'll soon
strip the false skin off, and show the beast
to you in its true coors. Do you two 90
into the store closet, and wait there"


With this he went into the kitchen,
and, seizing the girl by the back of the
neck, forced her down by the hearth.


ooh Master Tokutaro, what means
this brutal violence father helpv'


So the girl cried aud screamed but
Tokutaro only laughed, and said


$50 you thought to bewitch me, did
you! From the moment you jumped in
to the wood, was on the look out for you
to play me some trick, I'll soon make you
show what you really are )" and as he
said this, he twisted her two hands behind
her back, and trod upon her, and tortur-
ed her; but she only wept, and cried


"Oh it hurts, it hurts Y'


of this is not enough to make you
show your true form, I'll roast you to
death; )" and he piled frewood on the
hearth, and, tucking up her dress, scorch
ed her severely.


"Oh oh this more than | can bear )"
and with this she expired.


The two old people then came running
in from the rear of the house, and, push
ing aside Tok kutaro, folded their daughter
in their arms, and put their hands to her
mouth to feel whether she still breathed ;
but life was extinct aud not the sign of a
fox's tail was to be seen about her. Then
they seized Tokutaro by the collar, and
cried


"On pretence that our true daughter
was fox, you have roasted her to death
Murderer Here, you there, bring ropes
and cords, and secure this Tokutaro !"


So the servants obeyed, and several of
them seized Tokutaro and bound him to
pillar Then the master of the house,
turning to Tokutaro, said


"Y ou have murdered our daughter be-
fore our very eyes. | shall report the
matter to the lord of the manor, and you
will assuredly pay for this with your
head. BE prepared for the worst"


And as be said this. glaring 6ercely at
Tok utaro, they carried the corpse of his
daughter into the store-closet AS they
were sending to make the matter known
in the village of Maxi, and taking other
measures, who should come up but the
priest of the temple called Anrakuji, 10
the village Of Iwahara, with an acolyte
and servant, ho called out in a loud
voice from the front door


''Is all we'll with the honorable master
of this house have been to say pray
ers to day in neighboriug village, and
on my way back l could not pass the
door without at least inquiring alter your
welfare. If you are at home, l would
fain pay my respects to you"


AS he spoke thus in loud voice, he
was heard from the back of the house
and the master got up and went out, and
had been exchanged, said


IL ought to have the honor of inviting
you to step inside this evening but real
ly we are all in the greatest trouble, and
[ must beg you to excuse my impolite-
ness"


Indeed Pray, what may be the mat
ter p replied the priest And when the
master of the house had told the whole
story, from beginning to end, he was
thunderstruck, and said


Truly, this must be a terrible distress
to you" Then the priest looked on one
side, and saw Tokutaro bound, and ex-
claimed, "Is not that Tokutaro that [ see
there z"


ooh, yourreverence," replied Tokutaro,
piteously, sit was this that, and the other;
aud took it into my head that the young
lady was a fox, and so | killed her. But
pray your reverence to intercede for me,
and save my life;' and as he spoke, the
tears started from his eyes.


'To be sure" said the priest, "you may
we'll bewail yourself; however, if / save
your life, will you consent to become my
disciple, and enter the priesthood %


"Only save my life, and I'll become
your disciple with all my heart"


When the priest heard this, he called
out the par ents, and said to them


at would seem that, though | am bu,
foolish old priest, my coming here to-
day has been unusually well timed.
have a request to make of you. Your
putting Tokutaro to death won't bring
your daughter to life again. | have heard
his story, and there certainly was no
malice prepense on his part to kill your
daughter What he did, he did thinking
to do a service to your family; aud il
would surely be better to hush the mat
ter up, He wishes, moreover, to give
himself over to me, and to become my
disciple"


at is as you say" replied the father
and mother, speaking together. "Revenge
wall not recall our daughter. Please dispel
our grief, by shaving his head and max.
ing priest of him on the spot"


"Ill shave him at once, before your