The famed Takakura Dainagon, whose other name was Kane-ie, was so
rich that he had treasure-houses in every direction.
He owned one precious stone that had power over fire, and another
that had power over water.
He also had the claws of a tiger, extracted from the paws of the
living animal; he had the horns of a colt; and he likewise owned
even a musk-cat (jako-neko)(1).
Of all that a man might have in this world, he wanted nothing
except an heir, and he had no other cause for sorrow.
A trusted servant in his house named Ikenoshoji said at last to
him these words:--
"Seeing that the Buddhist deity Tamon-Ten, enshrined upon the
holy mountain of Kurama, is famed for his divine favor far and
near, I respectfully entreat you to go to that temple and make
prayer to him; for then your wish will surely be fulfilled."
To this the master agreed, and at once began to make preparation
for a journey to the temple.
As he traveled with great speed he reached the temple very soon;
and there, having purified his body by pouring water over it, he
prayed with all his heart for an heir.
And during three days and three nights he abstained from food of
every sort. But all seemed in vain.
Wherefore the lord, despairing because of the silence of the god,
resolved to perform _harakiri_ in the temple, and so to defile
the sacred building.
Moreover, he resolved that his spirit, after his death, should
haunt the mountain of Kurama, to deter and terrify all pilgrims
upon the nine-mile path of the mountain.
The delay of even one moment would have been fatal; but good
Ikenoshoji came running to the place just in time, and prevented
the seppuku(2).
"Oh, my lord!" the retainer cried, "you are surely too hasty in
your resolve to die.
"Rather first suffer me to try my fortune, and see if I may not
be able to offer up prayer for your sake with more success."
Then after having twenty-one times purified his body,--seven
times washing with hot water, seven times with cold, and yet
another seven times washing himself with a bundle of
bamboo-grass,--he thus prayed to the god:--
"If to my lord an heir be given by the divine favor, then I vow
that I will make offering of paving-blocks of bronze wherewith to
pave this temple court.
"Also of lanterns of bronze to stand in rows without the temple,
and of plating of pure gold and pure silver to cover all the
pillars within!"
And upon the third of the three nights which he passed in prayer
before the god, Tamon-Ten revealed himself to the pious
Ikenoshoji and said to him:--
"Earnestly wishing to grant your petition, I sought far and near
for a fitting heir,--even as far as Tenjiku (India) and Kara
(China).
"But though human beings are numerous as the stars in the sky or
the countless pebbles upon the shore, I was grieved that I could
not find of the seed of man one heir that might well be given to
your master.
"And at last, knowing not what else to do, I took away by stealth
[the spirit?] of one of the eight children whose father was one
of the Shi-Tenno(3), residing on the peak Ari-ari, far among the
Dandoku mountains. And that child I will give to become the heir
of your master."
Having thus spoken, the deity retired within the innermost
shrine. Then Ikenoshoji, starting from his real dream, nine times
prostrated himself before the god, and hastened to the dwelling
of his master.
Erelong the wife of Takakura Dainagon found herself with child;
and after the ten(4) happy months she bore a son with painless
labor.
It was strange that the infant had upon his forehead, marked
quite plainly and naturally, the Chinese character for "rice."
And it was yet more strange to find that in his eyes four
Buddhas(5) were reflected.
Ikenoshoji and the parents rejoiced; and the name Ari-waka (Young
Ari) was given the child--after the name of the mountain Ari-ari
--on the third day after the birth.
(1)"Musk-rat" is the translation given by some dictionaries.
"Musk-deer" was suggested by my translator. But as some
mythological animal is evidently meant, I thought it better to
translate the word literally.
(2) The Chinese term for harakiri. It is thought to be the more
refined word.
(3) Shi-Tenno: the Four Deva Kings of Buddhism, who guard the
Four Quarters of the World.
(4) That is, ten by the ancient native manner of reckoning time.
(5) Shitai-no-mi-Hotoke: literally, a four-bodied-august Buddha.
The image in the eye is called the Buddha: the idea here
expressed seems to be that the eyes of the child reflected four
instead of two images. Children of supernatural beings were
popularly said to have double pupils. But I am giving only a
popular explanation of the term.