story of the
trouble, actually presented Umegae with three hundred ryo (3) in gold.
Afterwards a song was made about Umegae's basin of bronze; and that
song is sung by dancing girls even to this day:--

Umegae no chozubachi tataite
O-kane ga deru naraba
Mina San mi-uke wo
Sore tanomimasu

["If, by striking upon the wash-basin of Umegae, I could make honorable
money come to me, then would I negotiate for the freedom of all my
girl-comrades."]

After this happening, the fame of the Mugen-Kane became great; and many
people followed the example of Umegae,--thereby hoping to emulate her
luck. Among these folk was a dissolute farmer who lived near Mugenyama,
on t he bank of the Oigawa. Having wasted his substance in riotous
living, this farmer made for himself, out of the mud in his garden, a
clay-model of the Mugen-Kane; and he beat the clay-bell, and broke
it,--crying out the while for great wealth.

Then, out of the ground before him, rose up the figure of a white-robed
woman, with long loose-flowing hair, holding a covered jar. And the
woman said: "I have come to answer your fervent prayer as it deserves
to be answered. Take, therefore, this jar." So saying, she put the jar
into his hands, and disappeared.

Into his house the happy man rushed, to tell his wife the good news. He
set down in front of her the covered jar,--which was heavy,--and they
opened it together. And they found that it was filled, up to the very
brim, with...

But no!--I really cannot tell you with what it was filled.

JIKININKI

Once, when Muso Kokushi, a priest of the Zen sect, was journeying alone
through the province of Mino (1), he lost his way in a
mountain-district where there was nobody to direct him. For a long time
he wandered about helplessly; and he was beginning to despair of
finding shelter for the night, when he perceived, on the top of a hill
lighted by the last rays of the sun, one of those little hermitages,
called anjitsu, which are built for solitary priests. It seemed to be
in ruinous condition; but he hastened to it eagerly, and found that it
was inhabited by an aged priest, from whom he begged the favor of a
night's lodging. This the old man harshly refused; but he directed Muso
to a certain hamlet, in the valley adjoining where lodging and food
could be obtained.

Muso found his way to the hamlet, which consisted of less than a dozen
farm-cottages; and he was kindly received at the dw