Chiba Kotaro - Tales of Japan: traditional stories of monsters and magic

Illustrations by Kotaro Chiba, copyright 2019 by Chronicle Books.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN: 978-1-4521-7446-4 (hc), 978-1-4521-7453-2 (epub, mobi)

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Akinosuk must have been dreaming,
one of them exclaimed, with a laugh.
What did you see, Akinosuk, that was strange?

LAFCADIO HEARN ,
The Dream of Akinosuk

I n the district called Toichi of Yamato province, there used to live a gshi named Miyata Akinosuk... [Here I must tell you that in Japanese feudal times there was a privileged class of soldier-farmers,free-holders,corresponding to the class of yeomen in England; and these were called gshi.]

In Akinosuks garden there was a great and ancient cedar-tree, under which he was wont to rest on sultry days. One very warm afternoon he was sitting under this tree with two of his friends, fellow-gshi, chatting and drinking wine, when he felt all of a sudden very drowsy,so drowsy that he begged his friends to excuse him for taking a nap in their presence. Then he lay down at the foot of the tree, and dreamed this dream:

He thought that as he was lying there in his garden, he saw a procession, like the train of some great daimy, descending a hill near by, and that he got up to look at it. A very grand procession it proved to be,more imposing than anything of the kind which he had ever seen before; and it was advancing toward his dwelling. He observed in the van of it a number of young men richly appareled, who were drawing a great lacquered palace-carriage, or gosho-guruma, hung with bright blue silk. When the procession arrived within a short distance of the house it halted; and a richly dressed manevidently a person of rankadvanced from it, approached Akinosuk, bowed to him profoundly, and then said:

Honored Sir, you see before you a krai [vassal] of the Koku of Tokoyo. My master, the King, commands me to greet you in his august name, and to place myself wholly at your disposal. He also bids me inform you that he augustly desires your presence at the palace. Be therefore pleased immediately to enter this honorable carriage, which he has sent for your conveyance.

Upon hearing these words Akinosuk wanted to make some fitting reply; but he was too much astonished and embarrassed for speech;and in the same moment his will seemed to melt away from him, so that he could only do as the krai bade him. He entered the carriage; the krai took a place beside him, and made a signal; the drawers, seizing the silken ropes, turned the great vehicle southward;and the journey began.

In a very short time, to Akinosuks amazement, the carriage stopped in front of a huge two-storied gateway (rmon), of a Chinese style, which he had never before seen. Here the krai dismounted, saying, I go to announce the honorable arrival,and he disappeared. After some little waiting, Akinosuk saw two noble-looking men, wearing robes of purple silk and high caps of the form indicating lofty rank, come from the gateway. These, after having respectfully saluted him, helped him to descend from the carriage, and led him through the great gate and across a vast garden, to the entrance of a palace whose front appeared to extend, west and east, to a distance of miles. Akinosuk was then shown into a reception-room of wonderful size and splendor. His guides conducted him to the place of honor, and respectfully seated themselves apart; while serving-maids, in costume of ceremony, brought refreshments. When Akinosuk had partaken of the refreshments, the two purple-robed attendants bowed low before him, and addressed him in the following words,each speaking alternately, according to the etiquette of courts:

It is now our honorable duty to inform you... as to the reason of your having been summoned hither... Our master, the King, augustly desires that you become his son-in-law;... and it is his wish and command that you shall wed this very day... the August Princess, his maiden-daughter... We shall soon conduct you to the presence-chamber... where His Augustness even now is waiting to receive you... But it will be necessary that we first invest you... with the appropriate garments of ceremony.

Having thus spoken, the attendants rose together, and proceeded to an alcove containing a great chest of gold lacquer. They opened the chest, and took from it various robes and girdles of rich material, and a kamuri, or regal headdress. With these they attired Akinosuk as befitted a princely bridegroom; and he was then conducted to the presence-room, where he saw the Koku of Tokoyo seated upon the daiza, wearing a high black cap of state, and robed in robes of yellow silk. Before the daiza, to left and right, a multitude of dignitaries sat in rank, motionless and splendid as images in a temple; and Akinosuk, advancing into their midst, saluted the king with the triple prostration of usage. The king greeted him with gracious words, and then said:

You have already been informed as to the reason of your having been summoned to Our presence. We have decided that you shall become the adopted husband of Our only daughter;and the wedding ceremony shall now be performed.

As the king finished speaking, a sound of joyful music was heard; and a long train of beautiful court ladies advanced from behind a curtain, to conduct Akinosuk to the room in which his bride awaited him.

The room was immense; but it could scarcely contain the multitude of guests assembled to witness the wedding ceremony. All bowed down before Akinosuk as he took his place, facing the Kings daughter, on the kneeling-cushion prepared for him. As a maiden of heaven the bride appeared to be; and her robes were beautiful as a summer sky. And the marriage was performed amid great rejoicing.

Afterwards the pair were conducted to a suite of apartments that had been prepared for them in another portion of the palace; and there they received the congratulations of many noble persons, and wedding gifts beyond counting.