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wedding shall now be celebrated before me。 The guests are assembled； the
gifts are ready。〃
At a signal from the lord； the sliding…screens concealing a further
apartment were pushed open； and Tomotada saw there many dignitaries of the
court； assembled for the ceremony； and Aoyagi awaiting him in brides'
apparel。。。 Thus was she given back to him； and the wedding was joyous and
splendid； and precious gifts were made to the young couple by the prince；
and by the members of his household。
* * *
For five happy years； after that wedding； Tomotada and Aoyagi dwelt
together。 But one morning Aoyagi； while talking with her husband about some
household matter； suddenly uttered a great cry of pain； and then became
very white and still。 After a few moments she said； in a feeble voice：
〃Pardon me for thus rudely crying out but the paid was so sudden！。。。 My
dear husband； our union must have been brought about through some
Karma…relation in a former state of existence； and that happy relation； I
think； will bring us again together in more than one life to come。 But for
this present existence of ours； the relation is now ended； we are about
to be separated。 Repeat for me； I beseech you； the Nembutsu…prayer；
because I am dying。〃
〃Oh！ what strange wild fancies！〃 cried the startled husband； 〃you are
only a little unwell； my dear one！。。。 lie down for a while； and rest； and
the sickness will pass。〃。。。
〃No； no！〃 she responded 〃I am dying！ I do not imagine it； I
know！。。。 And it were needless now； my dear husband； to hide the truth from
you any longer： I am not a human being。 The soul of a tree is my soul；
the heart of a tree is my heart； the sap of the willow is my life。 And
some one； at this cruel moment； is cutting down my tree； that is why I
must die！。。。 Even to weep were now beyond my strength！ quickly； quickly
repeat the Nembutsu for me。。。 quickly！。。。 Ah！。。。
With another cry of pain she turned aside her beautiful head； and tried to
hide her face behind her sleeve。 But almost in the same moment her whole
form appeared to collapse in the strangest way； and to sank down； down；
down level with the floor。 Tomotada had spring to support her； but
there was nothing to support！ There lay on the matting only the empty robes
of the fair creature and the ornaments that she had worn in her hair： the
body had ceased to exist。。。
Tomotada shaved his head； took the Buddhist vows； and became an itinerant
priest。 He traveled through all the provinces of the empire； and； at holy
places which he visited； he offered up prayers for the soul of Aoyagi。
Reaching Echizen； in the course of his pilgrimage； he sought the home of
the parents of his beloved。 But when he arrived at the lonely place among
the hills； where their dwelling had been； he found that the cottage had
disappeared。 There was nothing to mark even the spot where it had stood；
except the stumps of three willows two old trees and one young tree
that had been cut down long before his arrival。
Beside the stumps of those willow…trees he erected a memorial tomb；
inscribed with divers holy texts； and he there performed many Buddhist
services on behalf of the spirits of Aoyagi and of her parents。
JIU…ROKU…ZAKURA
In Wakegori； a district of the province of Iyo （1）； there is a very
ancient and famous cherry…tree； called Jiu…roku…zakura； or 〃the Cherry…tree
of the Sixteenth Day；〃 because it blooms every year upon the sixteenth day
of the first month （by the old lunar calendar）； and only upon that day。
Thus the time of its flowering is the Period of Great Cold； though the
natural habit of a cherry…tree is to wait for the spring season before
venturing to blossom。 But the Jiu…roku…zakura blossoms with a life that is
not or； at least； that was not originally its own。 There is the ghost
of a man in that tree。
He was a samurai of Iyo； and the tree grew in his garden； and it used to
flower at the usual time； that is to say； about the end of March or the
beginning of April。 He had played under that tree when he was a child； and
his parents and grandparents and ancestors had hung to its blossoming
branches； season after season for more than a hundred years； bright strips
of colored paper inscribed with poems of praise。 He himself became very
old； outliving all his children； and there was nothing in the world left
for him to live except that tree。 And lo！ in the summer of a certain year；
the tree withered and died！
Exceedingly the old man sorrowed for his tree。 Then kind neighbors found
for him a young and beautiful cherry…tree； and planted it in his garden；
hoping thus to comfort him。 And he thanked them； and pretended to be glad。
But really his heart was full of pain； for he had loved the old tree so
well that nothing could have consoled him for the loss of it。
At last there came to him a happy thought： he remembered a way by which
the perishing tree might be saved。 （It was the sixteenth day of the first
month。） Along he went into his garden； and bowed down before the withered
tree； and spoke to it； saying： 〃Now deign； I beseech you； once more to
bloom； because I am going to die in your stead。〃 （For it is believed that
one can really give away one's life to another person； or to a creature or
even to a tree； by the favor of the gods； and thus to transfer one's life
is expressed by the term migawari ni tatsu； 〃to act as a substitute。〃） Then
under that tree he spread a white cloth； and divers coverings； and sat down
upon the coverings； and performed hara…kiri after the fashion of a samurai。
And the ghost of him went into the tree； and made it blossom in that same
hour。
And every year it still blooms on the sixteenth day of the first month； in
the season of snow。
THE DREAM OF AKINOSUKE
In the district called Toichi of Yamato Province； （1） there used to live a
goshi named Miyata Akinosuke。。。 ＇Here I must tell you that in Japanese
feudal times there was a privileged class of soldier…farmers；
free…holders； corresponding to the class of yeomen in England； and these
were called goshi。＇
In Akinosuke's garden there was a great and ancient cedar…tree； under
which he was wont to rest on sultry days。 One very warm afternoon he was
sitting under this tree with two of his friends； fellow…goshi； chatting and
drinking wine； when he felt all of a sudden very drowsy； so drowsy that
he begged his friends to excuse him for taking a nap in their presence。
Then he lay down at the foot of the tree； and dreamed this dream：
He thought that as he was lying there in his garden； he saw a procession；
like the train of some great daimyo descending a hill near by； and that he
got up to look at it。 A very grand procession it proved to be； more
imposing than anything of the kind which he had ever seen before； and it
was advancing toward his dwelling。