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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 to be the head of a murdered man who； in the moment of
being killed； had caught the murderer's sleeve in his teeth。 As the
Kwairyo； he only smiled and said nothing when they questioned him。 So；
after having passed a night in prison； he was brought before the
magistrates of the district。 Then he was ordered to explain how he； a
priest； had been found with the head of a man fastened to his sleeve； and
why he had dared thus shamelessly to parade his crime in the sight of
people。
Kwairyo laughed long and loudly at these questions； and then he said：
〃Sirs； I did not fasten the head to my sleeve： it fastened itself there
much against my will。 And I have not committed any crime。 For this is not
the head of a man； it is the head of a goblin； and； if I caused the
death of the goblin； I did not do so by any shedding of blood； but simply
by taking the precautions necessary to assure my own safety。〃。。。 And he
proceeded to relate the whole of the adventure； bursting into another
hearty laugh as he told of his encounter with the five heads。
But the magistrates did not laugh。 They judged him to be a hardened
criminal； and his story an insult to their intelligence。 Therefore； without
further questioning； they decided to order his immediate execution； all
of them except one； a very old man。 This aged officer had made no remark
during the trial； but； after having heard the opinion of his colleagues； he
rose up； and said：
〃Let us first examine the head carefully； for this； I think； has not yet
been done。 If the priest has spoken truth； the head itself should bear
witness for him。。。 Bring the head here！〃
So the head； still holding in its teeth the koromo that had been stripped
from Kwairyo's shoulders； was put before the judges。 The old man turned it
round and round； carefully examined it； and discovered； on the nape of its
neck； several strange red characters。 He called the attention of his
colleagues to these； and also bad them observe that the edges of the neck
nowhere presented the appearance of having been cut by any weapon。 On the
contrary； the line of leverance was smooth as the line at which a falling
leaf detaches itself from the stem。。。 Then said the elder：
〃I am quite sure that the priest told us nothing but the truth。 This is
the head of a Rokuro…Kubi。 In the book Nan…ho…i…butsu…shi it is written
that certain red characters can always be found upon the nape of the neck
of a real Rokuro…Kubi。 There are the characters： you can see for yourselves
that they have not been painted。 Moreover； it is well known that such
goblins have been dwelling in the mountains of the province of Kai from
very ancient time。。。 But you； Sir；〃 he exclaimed； turning to Kwairyo；
〃what sort of sturdy priest may you be？ Certainly you have given proof of a
courage that few priests possess； and you have the air of a soldier rather
than a priest。 Perhaps you once belonged to the samurai…class？〃
〃You have guessed rightly； Sir；〃 Kwairyo responded。 〃Before becoming a
priest； I long followed the profession of arms； and in those days I never
feared man or devil。 My name then was Isogai Heidazaemon Taketsura of
Kyushu： there may be some among you who remember it。〃
At the mention of that name； a murmur of admiration filled the
court…room。； for there were many present who remembered it。 And Kwairyo
immediately found himself among friends instead of judges； friends
anxious to prove their admiration by fraternal kindness。 With honor they
escorted him to the residence of the daimyo； who welcomed him； and feasted
him； and made him a handsome present before allowing him to depart。 When
Kwairyo left Suwa； he was as happy as any priest is permitted to be in this
transitory world。 As for the head； he took it with him； jocosely
insisting that he intended it for a miyage。
And now it only remains to tell what became of the head。
A day or two after leaving Suwa； Kwairyo met with a robber； who stopped
him in a lonesome place； and bade him strip。 Kwairyo at once removed his
koromo； and offered it to the robber； who then first perceived what was
hanging to the sleeve。 Though brave； the highwayman was startled： he
dropped the garment； and sprang back。 Then he cried out： 〃You！ what
kind of a priest are you？ Why； you are a worse man than I am！ It is true
that I have killed people； but I never walked about with anybody's head
fastened to my sleeve。。。 Well； Sir priest； I suppose we are of the same
calling； and I must say that I admire you！。。。 Now that head would be of use
to me： I could frighten people with it。 Will you sell it？ You can have my
robe in exchange for your koromo； and I will give you five ryo for the
head。〃
Kwairyo answered：
〃I shall let you have the head and the robe if you insist； but I must tell
you that this is not the head of a man。 It is a goblin's head。 So； if you
buy it； and have any trouble in consequence； please to remember that you
were not deceived by me。〃
〃What a nice priest you are！〃 exclaimed the robber。 〃You kill men； and
jest about it！。。。 But I am really in earnest。 Here is my robe； and here is
the money； and let me have the head。。。 What is the use of joking？〃
〃Take the thing；〃 said Kwairyo。 〃I was not joking。 The only joke if
there be any joke at all is that you are fool enough to pay good money
for a goblin's head。〃 And Kwairyo； loudly laughing； went upon his way。
Thus the robber got the head and the koromo； and for some time he played
goblin…priest upon the highways。 But； reaching the neighborhood of Suwa； he
there leaned the true story of the head； and he then became afraid that the
spirit of the Rokuro…Kubi might give him trouble。 So he made up his mind to
take back the head to the place from which it had come； and to bury it with
its body。 He found his way to the lonely cottage in the mountains of Kai；
but nobody was there； and he could not discover the body。 Therefore he
buried the head by itself； in the grove behind the cottage； and he had a