ji--distinctly visible in the
moonlight--assumed a frightful aspect: its eyes opened monstrously; its
hair stood up bristling; and its teeth gnashed. Then a cry burst from
its lips; and--weeping tears of rage--it exclaimed:--

"Since my body has been moved, to rejoin it is not possible! Then I
must die!... And all through the work of that priest! Before I die I
will get at that priest!--I will tear him!--I will devour him!... AND
THERE HE IS--behind that tree!--hiding behind that tree! See him!--the
fat coward!"...

In the same moment the head of the aruji, followed by the other four
heads, sprang at Kwairyo. But the strong priest had already armed
himself by plucking up a young tree; and with that tree he struck the
heads as they came,--knocking them from him with tremendous blows. Four
of them fled away. But the head of the aruji, though battered again and
again, desperately continued to bound at the priest, and at last caught
him by the left sleeve of his robe. Kwairyo, however, as quickly
gripped the head by its topknot, and repeatedly struck it. It did not
release its hold; but it uttered a long moan, and thereafter ceased to
struggle. It was dead. But its teeth still held the sleeve; and, for
all his great strength, Kwairyo could not force open the jaws.

With the head still hanging to his sleeve he went back to the house,
and there caught sight of the other four Rokuro-Kubi squatting
together, with their bruised and bleeding heads reunited to their
bodies. But when they perceived him at the back-door all screamed, "The
priest! the priest!"--and fled, through the other doorway, out into the
woods.

Eastward the sky was brightening; day was about to dawn; and Kwairyo
knew that the power of the goblins was limited to the hours of
darkness. He looked at the head clinging to his sleeve,--its face all
fouled with blood and foam and clay; and he laughed aloud as he thought
to himself: "What a miyage! [4]--the head of a goblin!" After which he
gathered together his few belongings, and leisurely descended the
mountain to continue his journey.

Right on he journeyed, until he came to Suwa in Shinano; (6) and into
the main street of Suwa he solemnly strode, with the head dangling at
his elbow. Then woman fainted, and children screamed and ran away; and
there was a great crowding and clamoring until the torite (as the
police in those days were called) seized the priest, and took him to
jail. For they supposed the head