Year: 1871




In the village of Twahara, in the pro
vience of Shiushiu, there dwelt family
which had acquired considerable wealth
in the wine trade. On some auspicious oc-
-cason it happened that number of guests
were gathered together at their house,
feasting on wine and fish and as the
wine cup went round, the conversation
turned upon foxes. Among the guests
was a certain carpenter, Tokutaro by
name, a man about thirty years of age, CO
stubborn and obstinate turn, who said


"Well, sirs, you've been taken for some
time of men being betwitched by foxes
surely you must be under their Influence
yourselves, to say such things. How on
earth can foxes have such power over
men? At any rate, men must be great
fools to be so deluded. Let's have no
more of this nonsense"


Upon this a man who was sitting by
him answered.


''Tokutaro little knows what goes on in
the world, or he would not speak So
How many myriads, of men are there who
have been bewitched by foxes? Why,
there have been at least twenty or thirty
men tricked by the brutes on the Maxi
Moor alone It's hard to disprove facts
that have happened before our eyes"


You're no better than pack of born
idiots !'said Tokutaro. 81 will engage to
60 out to the Maxi Moor this very night
and prove it. There is not fox in all
Japan that can make fool of Tokutaro."


Thus he spoke in his pride but the
others were all angry with him for boast
ing, and said


"If you return without anything hav-
ing happened, We will pay for FIVE meas
ures of wine and thousand copper cash
worth of fish and if you are bewitched,
you shall do as much for US"


Tokutaro took the bet, and at nightfall
set forth for the Maxi Moor by himself.
As he neared the Moor, he saw before
him small bamboo grove, into which a
fox ran and it instantly occurred to him
that the foxes Of the Moor would try to
bewitch him. AS he was yet looking, he
suddenly saw the daughter of the head
man of the village of Upper Horikane,





village of Maxi.


"Pray, where are you going to, Master
Tok utaro % said she.


II am going to the village hard by"


"Then, as you will have to pass my ma
tive place, if you will allow me, l will ac.
company you SO far.


Tokutaro thought this very odd, aud
made up his mind that it was fox try
ing to make a fool of him he according
ly determined TO turn the tables on the
fox, and answered.


1t is long time since have had the
pleasure of seeing you; and as it seems
that your house is on my road, | shall be
glad to escort you so far"


With this he walked behind her think
ing he should certainly see the end of a
fox's tail peeping out but, look as he
might, there was nothing to be seen. At
last they came to the village of Upper
Horkane and when they reached the
cottage of the girls father, the family all
came out, surprised to see her.


"Oh dear oh dear here is our daugh-
ter come: l hope there is nothing the
matter"


And so they went on, for some time,
asking string of questions.


In the meanwhile, Tokutaro went round
to the kitchen door, at the back of the
house, and beckoniDg out the master of
the house, said


1.-The girl who has come with me is not
really your daughter. As was going
to the Maxi Moor, when | arrived at the
bamboo grove, fox jumped up in front
of me, aud when it had dashed into the
grove it Immediately took the shape of
your daughter. and offered to accompany
me to the village SO pretended to be
taken in by the brute, and came with it
so far"


On hearing this, the master of the
house put his head on one side, and mused
a while then, calling his wife, he re-
peated the story to her, in whisper.


But she few into a great rage with
Tokutaro, aud said


'sThis is pretty way Of insulting peo-
ple's daughters. The girl is our daugh-
ter, and there's no mistake about it. How
dare you invent such lies ?'