“Brother, wife, how can I continue to live? Kyūsuké, when I recall
how vile I have been I am stricken with remorse and shame. When you
were here last I would have killed you, little dreaming you were
my brother; O-Nami’s remonstrances were of no avail, only providence
saved you by miraculously putting out the torch you carried. My evil
designs have all turned to your good fortune; the sword I gave you to
encourage you the sooner to leave this house proves a precious gift
and brings you a large sum of money. Instead of profiting by it you
take the trouble to come and give it to me. Kyūsuké, how scrupulous you
are! Your nature is honest and spotless as the snow ... mine black as
charcoal! I have filled up the measure of my wickedness; the disease
from which I am now suffering is the punishment of Heaven. What you
have just told me will serve like the blessing of a holy priest to
enlighten my path to the other world. I am determined to die and join
my dead mother,—to offer her my humble apologies for my bad conduct.
There is only one thing that disturbs me at this last moment,—it is
the thought of O-Nami. It was her misfortune that she married such a
wretched husband as I have been, but her heart is pure and tender. Look
after her when I am gone—be kind to her, Kyūsuké, I entreat you.”
Thus Kyūtarō, unable to bear the stings of an awakened conscience,
succeeded in disengaging himself from the arms of his wife and
brother and died a manly death.
Kyūsuké and O-Nami mingled their tears over the lifeless body, but the
departed spirit was not to be recalled by their lamentations. So they
strove to conquer their grief and buried the dead robber in the best
manner possible under the circumstances.
Kyūsuké then started for home, taking the money he had brought so far
and the hair of the deceased. O-Nami accompanied him. Before leaving
the cottage they set fire to it that no one might ever use it for evil
purposes again.
On reaching home Kyūsuké told his old father, his step-mother and her
daughter, all that had befallen him since he left them so many years
before. The hundred _ryō_ sent in advance had already come to hand, and
he now added to it all the money he had on his person. He also produced
the hair of the dead man. Old Kyūzaemon lamented over the sad fate of
his undutiful son, but at the same time rejoiced in the possession of
so admirable a younger son as Kyūsuké. The step-mother, now repenting
of her selfishness of former days, sought his forgiveness. One and all
took pity on O-Nami in her great misery. It is wonderful how one
man’s goodness works upon the hearts of those about him. It was the
desire of his relations that Kyūsuké should succeed to his father and
carry on the family name; but he firmly declined, and arranged that
his step-sister should get a husband, and that the new couple should
be the heirs of the old man after his demise. As for O-Nami, she was
determined to become a nun and devote her remaining days to religious
services for the soul of her dead husband, her sole concern being
prayer for the blotting out of his sins. It was decided to build a
hermitage for her in order that she might pass her life undisturbed.
This is the origin of the Nanao nunnery.
Having settled his family affairs to the satisfaction of all concerned,
Kyūsuké was happy to accept out of the cash he had brought home
a small sum sufficient to carry him back to his master’s home in
Kōdzuké province. After recounting his adventures and all he had done,
Kyūsuké begged Gonzaemon to re-engage him on the same terms as before.
Gonzaemon was both surprised and pleased. The praiseworthy actions of
Kyūsuké so moved the good-natured village head-man that he proposed to
set the young man up as one of his branch families. Kyūsuké’s modesty
was by no means eager to accept such an honour, but seeing it was
really the wish of his patron he at length yielded. I need not tell you
how industriously he attended to all his duties that he might prove no
discredit to his master’s judgment. His family thrives in Tama-mura
to this day. As for the sword which he got from his robber brother it
was purchased by Lord Matsudaira, Daimio of Awa province. He named
it “Suté-maru” (a foundling blade) in reference to its history, and
treasured it highly. It is still a valued heirloom in the family.
大正九年十二月十五日刷印
大正九年十二月二十日發行
定價金四圓
市外上大崎町三百八十番地
著者 宮森麻太郎
東京市橋區銀度四丁目一番地
發行者 エチ，ダブリユー，ジヨーンス
東京市橋區銀度四丁目一番地
發行所 教文管
東京市橋區南金六町十二番地
刷印者 望月精矣
東京市橋區南金六町十二番地
刷印所 英文通信社刷印所
Transcriber’s Notes:
Text Notes:
1. Italicized text is indicated with leading and trailing
underscores. (_)
2. Five spaced stars are used to indicate a larger gap between
paragraphs in the printed book.
3. In order to facilitate word wrapping, an ellipsis in the middle
of a sentence is replaced by a group of three periods. This group
has a leading and, unless a comma is present, trailing blank
space added. Ellipses at the end of a sentence do not have a
leading blank space, but closing punctuation has been added if
needed.
4. Footnotes have been numbered and moved to the end of each
story.
5. Half-title pages have been removed. The page numbers given in the
table of contents have been adjusted.
6. Illustrations have been placed in a manner to avoid splitting a
paragraph. The page numbers given in the List of Illustrations
have been adjusted as needed. Illustrations are indicated by
“[Illustration:]” with the caption text following the colon.
7. The two short poems in this text have been separated apart from
their containing paragraph to avoid word wrapping. They actually
are each part of a single paragraph with the text blocks above and
below.
8. Changed paragraphs ending in “,” to “:—” to match style of the
rest of the book:
pg 129: with due reverence,
pg 139: clear and distinct,
pg 151: laughed good-humouredly and,
9. Except as mentioned above and in the Change List that follows,
every effort has been made to replicate text as faithfully as
possible, including non-standard or inconsistently applied
punctuation, inconsistently hyphenated words, and other
idiosyncrasies.
Change List (page numbers from original printed book):
Table of Contents
The Royalty of A Boy Samurai
changed to
The Loyalty of a Boy Samurai
Table of Contents
The Wrestling of A Daimio
changed to
The Wrestling of a Daimio
Page 5
Villian
changed to
Villain
Page 7
Assasination
changed to
Assassination
Page 37
Added “I.” section header to match other sections.
Page 42
had quite forgotton to attend
changed to
had quite forgotten to attend
Page 45
remonstrace
changed to
remonstrance
Page 57
Katsuno, till pale and emaciated
changed to
Katsuno, still pale and emaciated
Page 73
adressed to Ōsuga Katsutaka
changed to
addressed to Ōsuga Katsutaka
Page 85
twelth
changed to
twelfth
Page 90
at the inconseqence
changed to
at the inconsequence
Page 94
rankling in yonr heart
changed to
rankling in your heart
Page 95
seal your reconcilation
changed to
seal your reconciliation
Page 108
in the twelth year
changed to
in the twelfth year
Page 108
affords me much gratificaiton
changed to
affords me much gratification
Page 139
behined
changed to
behind
Page 155
Genzaemon
changed to
Gonzaemon
Page 156
May I not accomodate you
changed to
May I not accommodate you
Page 159
tussel
changed to
tussle
Page pg 162
wordly
changed to
worldly
Page 162
stipened
changed to
stipend
Page 173
Ryōkan
changed to
Ryōkwan
Page 178
Kyokwan’s
changed to
Ryōkwan’s
Page 181
remontrance
changed to
remonstrance
Page 188
“Keicho 19, 12th month, 27th day.”
changed to
“Keichō 19, 12th month, 27th day.”
Page 189
PAECE
changed to
PEACE
Page 189
receiving it back pu
changed to
receiving it back put
Page 196
a short breating space
changed to
a short breathing space
Page 197
halbert
changed to
halberd
Page 199
“Coward,” cried the dying warrior,” “you
changed to
“Coward,” cried the dying warrior, “you
Page 199
weaking
changed to
weakling
Page 200
Iyeyrsu
changed to
Ieyasu
Page 205
a keen interst in him.
changed to
a keen interest in him.
Page 217
Added missing illustration caption.
Page 225
but villian though he is
changed to
but villain though he is
Page 227
robbor
changed to
robber
Page 229
cried Kūysuké
changed to
cried Kyūsuké
Page 230
profitting
changed to
profiting
Page 231
ifeless body
changed to
lifeless body