by How to Fool a Cat- Japanese Folktales for Children (retail) (epub)
Then, Jisama asked Basama. “Basama, Basama, how about you? What scares you the most?”
Basama replied, “Well, I agree wolves are scary. But a horse-thief is scarier. If he steals our only horse, we can’t do anything. We are much too old. If he steals our horse, we will be in deep trouble. I think a horse-thief is scarier.”
The horse-thief on the beam grinned, “I see, I see. Basama is so afraid of me.”
“Don’t you think a wolf is scarier?” asked Jisama.
“A horse-thief is scarier,” replied Basama.
Both didn’t give up.
“A wolf is scarier.”
“A horse-thief is scarier.”
The wolf giggled, and the horse-thief grinned. Jisama and Basama kept on arguing. A wolf is scarier. No, a horse-thief is scarier.
But finally, Basama said, “Jisama, a wolf is scary, and so is a horse-thief. But the scariest thing of all is, I would say, Furuyanomuru. Don’t you agree?”
And Jisama said, “Yes, indeed. Furuyanomuru! We can never get away when Furuyanomuru comes.”
“That’s right. Furuyanomuru comes suddenly, without mercy.”
“Yes, yes. Furuyanomuru comes from everywhere. And when it comes, we have no place to hide.”
“We never can stop Furuyanomuru when it comes.” The couple was talking like that.
The horse-thief on the beam wondered, “It is scarier than me or a wolf. What is that Furuyanomuru? It comes suddenly without mercy. You have no place to hide from it. It comes from everywhere. You can never stop it. What is that Furuyanomuru they are talking about?”
The wolf hiding in the hay wondered, too. “What is Furuyanomuru? It is scarier than me or a horse-thief. It comes suddenly without mercy. You have no place to hide from it. It comes from everywhere. You can never stop it. It must be something very scary. What is that Furuyanomuru?”
The wolf lay very still under the hay. After a while, silence fell. He no longer heard the voice of Jisama and Basama. The only sound he heard was raindrops. It had been raining for a while.
The horse-thief on the beam decided, “Now it’s time to go down.” He was going to creep along the beam and climb down a pillar.
Suddenly, Basama shouted in a loud voice, “Jisama, Jisama, here comes the Furuyanomuru!”
“Where? Where? Where is it coming from?”
“Over there. It’s coming there.”
“Oh, there. Oh, there.”
“Oh, no! It’s coming from there, too.”
The horse-thief on the beam was so surprised. He shuddered and lost his grip. With a big thud, he fell down. He fell down on the wolf in the hay!
The wolf, too, was listening to Jisama and Basama and knew that Furuyanomuru, something very scary, had come. Just when Basama yelled that Furuyanomuru had come, something fell down on him. “This must be the Furuyanomuru!” thought the wolf. He started running at full speed.
The horse-thief had thought he fell down on hay, but it started running. He grabbed tight to it.
The wolf, grabbed tight, ran even faster out of the stable and into the rainy night. The thief grabbed even tighter. The wolf ran even faster. The thief grabbed even tighter. I don’t know how far they ran.
But inside the old house, Jisama and Basama were busy carrying wooden bowls and pots all around. The old roof was leaking badly.
“Hey! It’s coming from there!”
“Hey! It’s coming from here!”
They were running all over the house.
Furuya-no Muru (old house leaking) had come.
Oshimai
COMMENT FROM FUJITA-SAN: In the old days, re-thatching roofs was a big project for a village. All the villagers went to a house and re-thatched the roof together. Then they did the next house together. But if old people couldn’t provide their share of the labor, probably their chance to have their roof re-thatched was very rare. A straw-thatched house has a sad tendency to get rotten easily once leaking starts. That’s why the old couple in this story was afraid of leaking more than anything. Once it started, they had no way to fix it.
GAMES
Nose, Nose
Nose, nose, nose, nose. Mouth!
Nose, nose, nose, nose. Eye!
Nose, nose, nose, nose. Ear!
Nose, nose, nose, nose. Cheek!
HOW TO PLAY:
Point to your nose four times, saying “Nose.” As you say “Mouth,” point to your mouth. Etc.
A young child will imitate you, practicing the names of facial features.
For older children, make it into a tricky game. Tell them, “You have to point to the part I SAY,” but when you say “Mouth,” you point to your ear or any other part of your face. Will they imitate your misleading action, or do as you SAY?
You can use other body parts too, like shoulder, hip, knee.
And of course you can use this game to practice the words in other languages.
Bottomless Tea Pot
INSIGHT: When you chant this rhyme, stress the capitalized syllables.]
JOE had a TEA pot, it DIDn’t have a LID
He THOUGHT the tea would GET cold, so
THIS is what he DID
He CUT off the BOTtom and he USED it
for a LID!
HOW TO PLAY:
Each line has eight beats:
JOE had a TEA pot, it DIDn’t have a LID
Here is the rhythm:
ONE two THREE four, one TWO three
FOUR.
1. Holding up your left fist, smack the top of it with your right palm.
2. Smack the bottom of your left fist with your right palm.
3. Holding up your right hand, smack the top of it with your left palm.
4. Smack the bottom of your right fist with your left palm.
This game is much easier to learn by watching video, which I have posted at http://www.franstallings.com/fool-a-cat.
These gestures are simple but can be a challenge to preschoolers.
Everyone can enjoy the rhythm. First do it slowly; then try faster; then try VERY slowly; etc. It is a good group activity to fill a little time while waiting for all members to assemble for a program.
The original Japanese words are:
CHA, cha-TSU-bo, CHA-tsu-BO
CHA-tsu-BO-nya FUTA-gana-I
SO-ko TOt-te FUTA-nishi-YO!
(This tea canister has no lid. Take its bottom and make it into a lid.)
One And One
INSIGHT: When you chant this rhyme, stress the capitalized syllables.
HOW TO PLAY:
ONE (hold up your right index finger) and ONE (hold up your left index finger)
WHAT (wave both of your hands right) kind of SOUND? (then left)
THIS (wave both of your hands down) kind (up) of SOUND (down, up)
Tap tap tap (sound of tapping index fingers together).
TWO (hold up right index & middle fingers) and TWO (hold up left index & middle fingers)
WHAT (wave both of your hands right) kind of SOUND? (then left)
THIS (wave both of your hands down) kind (up) of SOUND (down, up)
Tap tap tap (sound of tapping index fingers together).
Continue with THREE, FOUR, finally FIVE fingers—a big clapping sound!
Now count back down: FOUR, THREE, TWO fingers. Finally, back at ONE, lower your voice and tap almost silently.
Everyone enjoys making a big loud sound together, but we return to quietness, ready to hear stories.
NOTE FROM FRAN: Mrs. Fujita often played this game with young audiences in Japan while we waited for more children to arrive. I have found it very useful in America, too! We can play it slow, then fast, then with a jazzy beat. Multilingual students helped us play in it Spanish and French as well as in Japanese. Second language teachers use it to practice number words. This game is much easier to learn by watching video, which I have posted at http://www.franstallings.com/fool-a-cat.
GLOSSARY & PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Japanese pronunciation is very clear, and no
sounds are skipped over. Every syllable (consonant+vowel) gets its own equal beat. Each doubled consonant or extra vowel gets an additional beat. Even “n”, the only single consonant, gets a beat in songs and poetry.
The vowel sounds are similar to Italian or Spanish:
a as in “father”
e as in “pet”
i as in “ski”
o as in “so”
u as in “rude”
Japanese words are in italics followed by their pronunciation, showing stressed SYLlables in UPper CASE. If it’s all lower case, please try to say the whole word flat. Literal translations follow pronunciation tips in brackets.
Adzuki—a dzu ki: Small red beans (Vigna angularis var. nipponensis), used in preparing anko or red rice.
Amitabha—a MI ta ba: The principal buddha in the Pure Land sect, often called “The Buddha of Infinite Light.”
An, anko—AN, AN ko: Mashed adzuki beans and sugar; bean jam.
Apprentice: A person receiving on-the-job training and lessons in exchange for work.
Baka Musuko—ba KA MUS ko, [foolish son]: The subject of stories that show consequence of thoughtless action.
Basama—BA sa ma: An older woman; grandmother.
Bon—BO n: A three day Buddhist festival honoring the souls of the ancestors in late summer.
Botamochi—bo TA mo chi: Snacks made from a ball of pressed rice covered in an and/or other sweet toppings. They are about the size and shape of an egg.
Burdock: A very long thin root vegetable (Arctium lappa) with a grey-brown skin and greyish flesh. It gives a subtle earthy taste to stews and soups.
Camphor: Asian evergreen tree (Cinnamomum camphora) that grows sixty-six to ninety-eight feet tall.
Daikon—DA i ko n: A mild-flavored winter radish (Raphanus sativus) with a very long white root.
Dango—DA n go: A sweet Japanese dumpling made from rice flour, often served three on a skewer.
Edo—e do: The former name of Tokyo, the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868.
Fukushima—fu KU shi ma: Japanese Prefecture “state,” in which Mrs. Fujita grew up.
Furuyanomuru, actually Furuya-no Muru, [old house leaking].
Futon—fu TO n: A Japanese bed; mattress and thick quilts spread on the floor, stored away in daytime.
Goyo go yo: A pine tree (Pinus amamiana) whose needles grow in bundles of five, a lucky number.
Inari-zushi—i na ri zu shi: Flavored sushi rice tucked into a pouch of fried tofu. The Shinto god Inari liked fried tofu; so do foxes.
Jisama—JI sa ma: An older man; a grandfather.
Kannon-sama—KA n no n sa ma: The goddess of mercy, associated with compassion, thought to grant wishes or prayers; also known as Kannon, Quan Yin, Kwan Yin.
Kimono—ki mo no, [thing to wear]: A traditional T-shaped, straight, full-length robe with wide sleeves.
Koban—KO ba n: An oval gold coin in the Edo period of feudal Japan, equal to one ryo.
Miso—MI so: A traditional savory seasoning made by fermenting soybeans with salt, used for sauces and spreads, for pickling vegetables or on meats, and mixed with soup stock to make miso soup.
Mochi mo chi: snacks made by pounding steamed short-grain rice into a smooth dough in a mortar. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki.
Mon—MO n: A small old time coin, worth very little.
Namu amida butsu—NA mu A mi da BU tsu, [Hail, Amida Buddha]: the most basic Buddhist sutra. Nanmandabu and nanmaida are short or mumbled versions.
Nya-u—n Ya u: Meow.
Nyau wa nai—n YA u wa na i: not suitable.
Oban—O ba n: An old time coin.
Oni—o NI: Folklore ogres with sharp claws, wild hair, and two horns. Their skin may be red, blue, or other colors.
Oshimai—o shi MA i, [It is closed]: A traditional story ending in Mrs. Fujita’s Fukushima dialect.
Paulownia: A very fast-growing tree (Paulownia tomentosa), with lovely lavender flowers and soft, light wood. Also known as empress tree or princess tree.
Persimmon: Asian persimmon, (Diospyros kaki).
Ryo—ri yo: An old time oval gold coin in the Edo period of feudal Japan.
-san, -sama—-sa n, -sa ma: Polite endings attached to names; -sama is even more polite than -san. Both can be translated “Mr.” “Mrs.” “Miss” as the case may be.
Shamisen—sha mi sen, [three strings]: A three-stringed Japanese musical instrument strummed with a plectrum (pick).
Shoji—SHO ji: A sliding door, window cover, or room divider made of translucent paper over a lattice of wood or bamboo, in a wood frame.
Shoya—SHO ya: A village head man.
Suehiro—su e hi ro, su-e [end/edge], hiro [wide]: An old time name for a folding paper fan.
Sumo—su MO: Traditional Japanese wrestling.
Sutra: Buddhist scripture, prayer.
Tanuki—TA nu ki: An Asian member of the dog family, (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus).
Tatami—ta ta mi: A thick mat used as flooring in traditional Japanese rooms, covered with woven soft rushes.
Tempura—te n pu ra: Seafood or vegetables covered with batter and deep fried.
Yakimeshi—ya KI me shi: A big ball of pressed rice, coated with miso and toasted. Very tasty.
Yamanba—ya MAN ba, [mountain old woman]: A powerful, scary but helpful mountain spirit.
Zatobo-sama—za TO bo sa ma: A blind priest; or a blind traveling entertainer, shaven-headed like a priest, who played shamisen, sang songs, and told stories.
Zori—zo ri: thong sandals, traditionally made from straw.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Endo, Toshiko. Endo Toshiko no Katari [The telling of Toshiko Endo]. Transcribed and edited by Hiroko Fujita. Tokyo: Isseisha Publishing Company, 1995.
In this volume, Fujita preserved 200 folktales in colloquial Japanese from the repertory of a Fukushima elder. Unfortunately this rich resource is not available in English.
Fujita, Hiroko. Katare Yamanba [Speak! Mountain Woman] Volumes 1-7. Tokyo: Taihou-sha Publishing Company, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006.
Ikeda, Hiroko. “A type and motif index of Japanese folk-literature.” Folklore Fellows Communications No. 209 (FF), Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 1971.
Ikeda categorized and summarized, in English, the tales collected by Japanese folklorists, assigning tale-type numbers and Aarne-Thompson motif index numbers.
Mayer, Fanny Hagin, translator. Ancient Tales in Modern Japan: An Anthology of Japanese Folk Tales. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1984.
In this book, Mayer provided full retellings of representative tales in English.
Mayer, Fanny Hagin, translator and editor. The Yanagita Kunio Guide to the Japanese Folk Tale. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1986.
Here, Mayer translated Yanagita Kunio’s scholarly analysis Nihon mukashibanashi meii (1948), providing the tales in synopsis form with his detailed notes about local variants.
CITATIONS & ADDITIONAL NOTES
These stories were translated and adapted from Mrs. Fujita’s telling in Fukushima dialect, as transcribed by her followers “The Young Yamanbas” and published in Katare Yamanba (Speak! Mountain Woman) Volumes 1-7.
Each story title, in English, is followed by the Japanese title in italics. Then comes the volume and page reference: KY 1.063 means it starts on page 63 of Katare Yamanba Volume 1.
If a comparable tale was collected by Japanese folklorists, its index number in Ikeda (1971) or Mayer (1986) comes next. Note: these classification numbers follow a different system from Aarne-Thompson’s Motif Index, nor do they match the numbers assigned by other Japanese folklorists.
Although Mayer lists the Prefectures in which tales were collected, she often doesn’t cite Fukushima for a tale that Mrs. Fujita knows. It seems the folklorists didn’t interview Mr. Takeda or Mrs. Endo. And quite a number of Mrs. Fujita’s stor
ies cannot be found in the folklorists’ indexes. Those may be unique to Miharu village.
STORIES FOR FUN
A Box of Cakes Juubako Botamochi KY 1.063
Burglar Babysitter Komori dorobou KY 1.078
How to play the baby games:
Belo belo belo—BA! Flap your tongue in/out of your mouth—then, Baah!
Inai, inai, BA! [Nothing, nothing, boo!] is the same as Peek-a-Boo.
KAiguri, KAiguri, wheel your hands at your chest; TOtto no ME, point a finger into the palm of the other hand three times. Some say kaiguri means spinning thread. Others say it means a spiral shell, because Totto no me means fish eye.
CHO CHI CHO CHI, baby talk for [clapping hands] clap your hands four times. Then, saying Aaaa, you pat your mouth four times with your palm producing A wa wa wa wa.
O TSU mu TEN TEN pat your head three times. HI ji TON TON pat one of your elbows three times with the other hand. The words are just nonsense fun.
A gari me, SA gari me [up-tilted eyes, down-tilted eyes] you pull the outside corners of your eyes up, then down. For Gu RU tto MA watte [round and round], fingertips make a small circular motion. For NYAn ko no me, baby talk for [kitty cat eyes], push the corners in to make your eyes round.
NEN-nen-YO, OkoROri-YO. This is a beautiful traditional Japanese lullaby. You could substitute a familiar local lullaby.
NOTE FROM FRAN: Monty Harper, an American composer of children’s songs, loves this story and received Fujita-san’s blessing to write his own Americanized version. You can see and hear it at http://www.franstallings.com/fool-a-cat.
Worn Out Zori Sori no Surikireta hanashi KY 4.043
COMMENT FROM FUJITA-SAN: There are many folktales that would be difficult to illustrate. This story is one of them. If you imagine the scene literally, it is quite grotesque. Still I admire its rich imagination that is beyond logic. This kind of nonsense story should be told short and simple.
