***THE END***
FIGHTING FESTIVAL
By Akira Asano
"Good," the village chief said, looking around at the farmers gathered around him. "Everyone's here. Forgive me for calling you here today. I know it's a busy time. I'll try and be brief."
"Never mind, Shohya-sama," Shichisuke replied. "Just tell us why. What's so important you had to call us all here for?"
All of the main people from the Shimogumi group of Kurachi Village had gathered in the house of Kyuhbei, the village chief, the man with the most land and the go-between for the people and the shogun's leaders. They nodded their heads in agreement at Shichisuke's words now.
"It's about the town festival," Kyuhbei told them.
"Yes, Kisuke and the other young men are quite upset."
"I know. They've been coming to me and complaining. They say it isn't fair to leave it up to the Kamigumi group anymore."
"Please forgive them," Shichisuke said. "They're young and hot-blooded. In time, they'll learn. But even old men like us can understand their anger."
Kurachi Village was under the rule of Lord Heishirou Murase, who was much loved by the villagers for the fair and gentle way he governed them, unlike some of the Shogun's Lords. Under Lord Murase was Lord Kawase and Kyuhbei, the village chief, was his vassal for governing Kurachi. If the villagers had any complaints to make, they had to do it through Kyuhbei.
The festival problem wasn't new. Every year at this time Kurachi held a festival to thank Lord Murase for his wise rule. But for thirty years only people from the Kamigumi section of town had been allowed to participate. Year by year, the festival got livelier and livelier until its fame spread throughout the land and sightseers from as far away as Kyoto, Osaka, Owari Mikawa,1 and Suruga Toutoumi2 came to enjoy the festival.
So it was only natural for the Shimogumi group to want to take part, too, especially the climax, when the village god was taken from Grand Dragon Temple and carried around town in a mikoshi, or portable shrine, on the villagers' shoulders. The Kamigumi group seemed to be having so much fun drinking, singing, and carrying on that Kisuke and others from the Shimogumi group had begun to beg Kyuhbei for permission to join in, too.
"But I don't think it's just Kisuke who wants to join in," Kyuhbei said, looking around at Shichisuke and the others now. "I think everyone in the Shimogumi wants to. After all, we're all the same. Every one of us wants to return Lord Murase's kindness. We can't leave something that important to just the Kamigumi. So I've gone over and over again in secret to Lord Kawase's place to ask for permission. Today, his answer came."
"Lord Kawase," said Shichisuke happily. "That's good. He's a great man who can understand our wanting to honour Lord Murase."
"Never mind that," interrupted one of the five men in Shichisuke's group, unable to wait any longer. "What did he say? What's his answer?"
In those days, villages were divided into go-nin-gumi, or blocks of five houses to help protect each other against fire and burglary. They listened intently, a single body, while Kyuhbei swallowed noisily.
"Lord Kawase said that from now on it's not just the Kamigumi that can carry the mikoshi!" Kyuhbei answered in a single breath. "Everyone can! The Shimogumi, too! And the festival will get even better and better!"
"Yeah!" "Three cheers for Lord Kawase!" "Praise be!"
"Wait!" shouted Kyuhbei in a more serious tone. "There's more. I didn't call you here for only pleasant things today."
Shichisuke made a strange face and everyone sucked in their breath and stared at Kyuhbei, waiting to see what else he had to say.
"Lord Kawase had some rather strict things to say, too. He told me to remind you all that the nail that sticks up gets hammered down."
No one had any idea what that meant so they began to clammer and shout at Kyuhbei again.
"What he's worried about" Kyuhbei said, raising his voice and hands to quiet them down, "is a repeat of what happened when Kisuke and his friends in the Shimogumi group went out and started a fight with Densuke and the Kamigumi group."
"It's true," Sakuzou said. "I saw it happen."
"If it happens again, Lord Kawase told me to tell you he'll stop it the same way he would an infected wound," Shichisuke said. "By putting grass into the opening and setting it on fire until it drives the poison out.
"See that it doesn't go that far," Kyuhbei ordered. "Or the festival is cancelled. Lord Kawase was quite clear about that. Listen to his official notice:
The Love of a Silver Fox: Folk Tales from Seki CIty Page 15
