The Four Corners in Japan

by Amy Ella Blanchard

  CHAPTER VIII

  FLYING FISH

  The rain lasted several days, the weather promising to be damp, humidand unpleasant from this time out. "Japan is most enervating," sighedMiss Helen. "Of course I knew its reputation as to climate, but Ididn't quite realize how devitalizing it really would prove to be. Ifyou girls have energy enough to go forth in the rain to view templesand curios and mission schools, you must not count on me as a constantcompanion." So the young people "flocked together," as Eleanor put it,and spent a part, at least, of each day in seeing shrines and suchtemples as could be reached without too much effort. Mrs. Craig wasoccupied in arranging for quarters at some cooler spot in the mountainsand Miss Helen was half inclined to yield to her persuasions to becomea neighbor if a suitable house could be found.

  "I think it would be great fun to have a Japanese house of our own, fora little while anyhow," said Mary Lee, but Nan was not so sure that shewanted to leave Tokyo yet.

  "There is much more to see," she urged as her reason.

  "We could come back to it," argued her aunt.

  "But it will get hotter and hotter," said Nan, "and more mosquitoishand we shall not want to come back until the summer is over," she added.

  "Well, we needn't begin to argue about it yet," put in Mary Lee, "forwe couldn't go anyhow until Mrs. Craig finds a place for us, and thatwill not be so easy to do."

  So they lingered on in the rain, amusing themselves in many ways. Mr.Harding was very busy just at this time and was not able to give themmuch of his society, but Mr. Montell appeared frequently and ColonelCraig escorted them to many interesting places, to the museum in UyenoPark, to the Zooelogical Garden, to Asakusa, or up and down the Ginza,the principal shopping street of the city.

  "For my part," said Nan one day, as she and Mary Lee were being drawnrapidly through the rain to make a second visit to the temples ofAsakusa, "I think it is really amusing to see the streets on a rainyday. It is ridiculously funny to watch the people with paper umbrellasand those queer clogs. Look at our runner, too; isn't he a sight, withhis queer hat and that straw thatch of a cloak to keep off the rain?He looks so like the pictures we see that when I get to dreaming I canfancy the whole thing is unreal and that I am not here at all, but amlooking at a moving picture show."

  "Yes, but the _jinrikisha_ men don't say 'Hi! Hi!' every few minutes asthis one does," returned Mary Lee who was tenacious in the matter ofabsolute facts.

  Nan laughed. The two were so very different, yet as they grew olderwere closer companions than they had been in their early days. Commonexperiences at college and in their travels had given them a betterrelation.

  As they peeped out from behind the oilcloth curtain which protectedthem from the rain, they could see other _jinrikishas_ drawn by similarstraw-draped coolies, the water dripping down their legs, and theirceaseless note of warning calling attention to their advance throughthe narrow streets. They could see, too, women and children trottingalong on their high clogs and wearing their rain-proof garments overwhich they held their umbrellas of oiled paper, so that, in spite ofrain, the scene was not lacking color. Once in a while, a Buddhistpriest or nun would be seen, and through the open fronts of thetea-houses along the way could be discerned squatting figures beforetiny tables, eating with chop-sticks.

  "Wouldn't it be fun to have a real Japanese party when we get back?"said Mary Lee. "We can get some chop-sticks and lacquered trays andthings such as they have here."

  "So we could," Nan fell in with alacrity. "We could have a _hibachi_,too, and we might, on a pinch, arrange a room just as one would look ina Japanese house here."

  "And serve tea and rice cakes."

  "Yes, and learn exactly the way to present a tray and to make aceremonial bow. We could wear kimonos, of course, and could try to doour hair in Japanese style. We must get very handsome _obis_, for theyare what determines a Japanese girl's dress."

  "Do you notice how little jewelry they wear? Scarce any except handsomehair ornaments."

  "That is so. We must not forget to buy some more hair ornaments; theywill make lovely Christmas gifts. It will entertain us on some ofthe rainy days to go forth and provide the proper things for a realJapanese tea. We can have Joe come over to help us, and it will begreat larks."

  "We can give one another Japanese names; they have such funny ones.Imagine being called Bamboo Corner, or Tiger Corner, or some such queername."

  "But some of the names are very poetical, and not unlike those we use,flower names, like Lotus and Plum; those are not very different fromour Rose and Violet."

  "But nobody would think of calling a daughter Years of Bliss, not inthe old United States."

  "An Indian might, and as I think of it the Japanese do give names whichmean in their language much the same that Indian names mean."

  "I hadn't thought of that, but I believe you are right," returned MaryLee.

  They had now arrived before the gateway to the Park Asakusa, seeingbefore them oddly-shaped stone lanterns. On each side stood guardianfigures known as the Two Kings. Once inside the gate were paved walksbordered by ancient cedar trees, hardly in keeping with the boothsand shows which occupied the grounds. In spite of rain these were inoperation, for here was a perpetual market-place where one could beamused on any day. The _jinrikishas_ stopped to allow the party toalight and they all then stood before the great five-storied pagodawith its red roof.

  "Shoes off, slippers on," said Eleanor slipping off her foot gear.

  "And don't forget to wash your face and hands, nor your mouth and handsat the stone trough," Nan reminded her. They all went through thisceremony and went further in encountering the dealers in incense to beburned before the gods, and the sellers of rice for the sacred pigeons.

  "We must get something for the horse," said Mary Lee, and aftersupplying herself with some cooked peas on a small plate she offeredthe food to a snow-white, pale-eyed animal who is dedicated to thegoddess Kwannon. This office performed, they went inside to feed thepigeons and to hear an interesting talk from Colonel Craig who had madea study of this old temple.

  The place was dimly lighted and full of the smoke of incense which,rising continually, made all objects indistinct,--glimmering Buddhas,strange pictures, streamers, banners, statues. The sound of chanting,and of startlingly queer musical instruments mingled with the clappingof the hands of worshipers kneeling before the various altars,while not in the least restrained, little children ran softly overthe pavement laughing as they threw their handfuls of rice to thefluttering pigeons.

  After they had made their rounds and had heard about early and lateJapanese architecture, about other Pine Tree temples than that ofAsakusa, and about the various shrines including that of the littleBindzuru, made of red lacquer and seated in a chair, they felt thepangs of hunger and were glad when the colonel proposed an adjournmentto one of the various tea-houses in the grounds.

  "We can refresh the inner man and then we can go to the circus or themuseum or anywhere else you like," he said.

  So off they went under the dripping cedars to find a modest littletea-house where they were received thankfully and were served a simplemeal by a little smiling _musmee_ who drew up the tiny low tablesbefore them where they sat hunched up on the floor cushions. Thecolonel and Nan found it hard to dispose their feet gracefully, much tothe entertainment of the small maid who knelt before them to presenther lacquered tray.

  "Watch how she does it," whispered Nan to her sister, "for we mustlearn the trick before we leave this little country."

  Mary Lee nodded understandingly and kept her eyes on the girl whosmiled in response to such close observation.

  The meal over, off they went to the museum and, but for the rain, wouldhave stopped to see a fortune-teller who tried to lure them into herbooth.

  "We couldn't understand what she said, so what's the use?" remarkedMary Lee.

  In some such manner were many rainy days spent, but at last there camea morning in May when the sun shone, and when from houses
far and nearfloated strange figures of fish, "The Honorable Carp," for this was theBoy's Festival, and, as good luck would have it, the sun shone.

  "Come and see! Come and see!" cried Mary Lee as she looked from thewindow that morning. "Isn't it a sight?"

  "What is?" Nan hurried over. "Oh, we forgot entirely that this would bethe fifth of May and that we might expect to see his honor, the carp,flying all over the city."

  "I remember now, and Mr. Montell told us all about it. The carp is thesymbol of courage and bravery which are the two things Japanese boysare taught to acquire."

  "Those qualities, and loyalty to the emperor for whom any one of themwould cheerfully die and say thank you."

  "Why carp, I wonder. Why not shark or whale or dolphin, for example?"

  "Because the carp is supposed to smile sweetly when you carve a slicefrom his living self, and to say, 'Hack away, good people; it doesn'thurt me and seems to please you.'"

  "So that is why they serve them alive at dinners. I suppose it is tokeep the much admired qualities continually in evidence. It doesn'tseem quite fair to poor Brer Carp, whatever effect it may have on thelittle boys."

  "I wonder why five fish are flying from that house over there," saidNan looking in the direction where the figures which, made like a bagand filled with the blowing wind, swelled their sides and flopped theirtails quite realistically.

  "There must be five boys in that house and the biggest fish stands forthe youngest and littlest boy."

  "Stands, did I hear you say?"

  "Well then, wriggles or swims, whatever you like."

  "I wonder what those little gilt baskets represent. They are baskets,aren't they? Over there on the long bamboo pole in front of that housethat has the three fishes flying."

  "Oh, those are supposed to hold the rice balls with which they feed thereal fish. Some of the houses have other ornaments, you see; flags andsigns and things. It looks very gay, doesn't it? But there isn't muchof a crowd on the street, no more than usual."

  "I like that legend of the _koi_, as they call the carp. He is said tobe very persevering about swimming up-stream against the rapids andwhen he actually can fight his way up a waterfall he is caught up by awhite cloud and becomes a dragon."

  "That is why so many dragons, then."

  "And by the same token, it is the why of fishes and waterfalls, andlittle gold balls in so many of the decorations. Isn't it queer that nomatter at what time of year a boy is born his birthday is celebrated onMay fifth?"

  "Quite a matter of economy where there are several boys. Do youremember how Jack always used to feel aggrieved, when she was little,because she and Jean had to celebrate their birthday on the same day?She felt that you and I had the best of it because there were two daysof feasting and party-giving instead of one for the two of us."

  "Dear old Jack," said Nan with a sigh. "I tell you, Mary Lee, it willbe mighty good to see those twinnies again and mother. As for mother itseems a year since we left her."

  "We mustn't get homesick on a festival day. Let us go down and hearwhat is going on that we can join in. No doubt Mrs. Craig will havesomething on hand for to-day."

  But there was nothing more exciting proposed than a ride through thestreets and an invitation from the colonel to dine at some pleasantspot out of town where they could see a mass of iris in bloom.

  Meantime, Mr. Harding, who had a little leisure from his duties atthe legation, entertained them with stories of the festival. "I havea Japanese friend who has told me some interesting things about hisboyhood," he began. "It used to be the custom to decorate the fronts ofthe houses with iris leaves on May fifth, at least such houses as mightbe the home of a boy, and in order that the lads should have a definiteidea of what real fighting meant and in order to inure them to hardshipthey were obliged to rise at three or four o'clock on a winter morning,then, barefoot and with but one garment upon his little body, theyoungster had to go to the fencing field where he had to do his best atsword play. He was not more than eight years old when he was expectedto do this in order that he might learn not to fall into luxurioushabits."

  "Poor little fellow," said Nan compassionately. "Imagine an Americanboy doing such a thing. Wouldn't he think it hard lines?"

  "He surely would, for even though he may be a farmer's son, he isn'texpected to go out barefoot and so slightly clad on a winter morning."

  "Tell us some more boy doings," said Eleanor.

  "You will see them with their little swords at mock battle evento-day, and if you could go into one of their homes you would observethat the decorations were in keeping with the spirit of the festival.Iris will be the flower partly because of its sword-like leaves andpartly because the iris is supposed to have qualities for givingstrength. Our Japanese boy will have the leaves thrown into his hotbath, and if there be more than one boy the eldest will have the firstturn."

  "It is the funniest thing how they seem to pop into a hot bath upon alloccasions," remarked Eleanor. "I believe some of them stay there mostof the time in winter in order to keep warm."

  "There is really some truth in that. You see there are a great many hotsprings in Japan and their means of heating houses are not like ours,so as nature provides liquid heat why not take advantage of it?"

  "Didn't I hear some one say that the carp is the emblem of good luck aswell as of strength and courage?" asked Nan.

  "Yes, and that gives him a double cause for being used as ornament.Last year I went to a native house on the fifth of May when I saw alot of carp swimming about in a tub. They had been sent as a presentin honor of the arrival of a young son. I learned it is the custom todo this. There was an older son in the family and he took me into thebest room which is called the guest room, and there I saw the mostexquisite arrangement of flowers I ever came across, but the flowerswere of small account to the boy by the side of his toy weapons andsoldierly figures all in array. Soldiers on horseback, men in armor,bows and arrows, swords, spears, strange emblematical banners and suchthings, and each figure represents some hero, some tale of loyalty orcourage which the little boys are taught to know by heart. The figuresare really portraits and as such are more appealing than ordinary oneswould be. It was all very interesting and if I had a better knowledgeof the language, I could have understood the stories better, but as itwas, I heard enough to be impressed."

  "Dear me, I wish we knew some Japanese boys," said Eleanor.

  "The family I spoke of is not here now," her brother told her, "or wecould go to their house to-day."

  "At all events," said Nan, "it is very nice to hear of your experienceand we had the delight of seeing the dolls on exhibition in March."

  "They have special cakes for to-day and red rice is served," Mr.Harding went on, "and in their _sake_ they scatter iris petals. Theboys hope for some warlike toy when their 'honorable father Mr.' givesthem anything. So you may see the little fellows playing soldier with anew sword, a little gun, a bow and arrows or something of that kind."

  Later in the day as they went through the streets in front of thelittle brown, low houses they did see the boys playing soldier quite asone might see them at home, and as the young people walked along, belowthe flapping fish with their gaping mouths, staring eyes and glitteringfins, they saw little confusion.

  Colonel Craig met them with a tiny gold carp for each girl as asouvenir of the day and on their bill of fare the _koi_ was inevidence, although not alive as he should properly have been inJapanese estimation. The spot the colonel had chosen was close to theriver Sumida and near to fields of iris, not yet in their full glorywhich would be attained in June, still, at this season, one could standupon the banks and look down upon the flowers already sending up theirgay banners.

  "Such a flowery, fairy-like land is this," said Nan to Mr. Harding who,as usual, had sought her out. "I hate to think of how it is changing,and how they are adopting our ugly costumes in place of their ownpicturesque one. Your aunt says at all public functions and even atprivate social gatherings the European dr
ess is always worn."

  "Yes, that is very true, though I fancy that it is exchanged for thenative one as soon as home is reached. The Japanese are very proudof their progress in European habits and customs and cannot bear tohave you deplore it. They think that it would mean a retrogressionif they retained the old Japan. They would rather be praised fortheir industries than their temples, for their political acumen thantheir flower culture and for their wealth than their picturesqueness.The American market calls for so much that is in bad taste that wecannot expect their own not to be vitiated. Vulgar wealth calls forostentation and why should they retain simplicity? We are a greatnation whose success is enviable and why not imitate us in all matters?"

  "It is discouraging," sighed Nan, "but I suppose it is the law ofcompensation. As we acquire some love of the artistic so it is lostby those who supply us with what appeals to a growing taste for thebeautiful, and so civilization levels."

  "At the rate that foreign art treasures are pouring into the UnitedStates we shall soon expect to find more at home than abroad."

  "They won't take up the Forum and Pompeii, nor the Egyptian pyramids,"said Nan with satisfaction, "so I shall still expect to have enough tolast my lifetime."

  "There is nothing like finding a cause for congratulation under allcircumstances," replied Mr. Harding with a laugh. "I knew you were anoptimist."

  "Except sometimes when I get a fit of real indigo blues and can see norose-color anywhere."

  "Oh, yes, that happens to most of us. I get struck bally west by theblues myself once in a while and then----"

  "What do you do?"

  "I get out my violin."

  "That reminds me that you have not yet played for me. The next rainyday we must have some music, now that your aunt has taken up aresidence in her own house."

  "Agreed. We will make it a compact to hie us to a rainy day festival assoon as occasion requires, and we shall not have to wait long for it,if I know anything about Japanese springs."

  Here the rest joined them and it was voted that a boat might provide agood means of seeing more of the iris fields. This was decided upon,theirs not being the only one upon the river, for they discovered itto be quite the fashion to go boating at iris time quite as it was whenthe cherry blossoms invited a crowd to gaze upon the flowering trees.

  CHAPTER IXA RAINY DAY]