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the white butterfly was her soul。〃
IV
I had almost forgotten to mention an ancient Japanese dance； called the
Butterfly Dance （Kocho…Mai）； which used to be performed in the Imperial
Palace； by dancers costumed as butterflies。 Whether it is danced
occasionally nowadays I do not know。 It is said to be very difficult to learn。
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Six dancers are required for the proper performance of it； and they must
move in particular figures； obeying traditional rules for ever step； pose；
or gesture； and circling about each other very slowly to the sound of
hand…drums and great drums； small flutes and great flutes； and pandean
pipes of a form unknown to Western Pan。
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MOSQUITOES
With a view to self…protection I have been reading Dr。 Howard's book；
〃Mosquitoes。〃 I am persecuted by mosquitoes。 There are several species in
my neighborhood； but only one of them is a serious torment； a tiny
needly thing； all silver…speckled and silver…streaked。 The puncture of it is
sharp as an electric burn； and the mere hum of it has a lancinating quality
of tone which foretells the quality of the pain about to come； much in the
same way that a particular smell suggests a particular taste。 I find that this
mosquito much resembles the creature which Dr。 Howard calls Stegomyia
fasciata； or Culex fasciatus： and that its habits are the same as those of the
Stegomyia。 For example； it is diurnal rather than nocturnal and becomes
most troublesome in the afternoon。 And I have discovered that it comes
from the Buddhist cemetery； a very old cemetery； in the rear of my
garden。
Dr。 Howard's book declares that； in order to rid a neighborhood of
mosquitoes； it is only necessary to pour a little petroleum； or kerosene oil；
into the stagnant water where they breed。 Once a week the oil should be
used； 〃at the rate of once ounce for every fifteen square feet of water…
surface； and a proportionate quantity for any less surface。〃 。。。But please to
consider the conditions in my neighborhood！
I have said that my tormentors come from the Buddhist cemetery。
Before nearly every tomb in that old cemetery there is a water…receptacle；
or cistern； called mizutame。 In the majority of cases this mizutame is
simply an oblong cavity chiseled in the broad pedestal supporting the
monument； but before tombs of a costly kind； having no pedestal…tank； a
larger separate tank is placed； cut out of a single block of stone； and
decorated with a family crest； or with symbolic carvings。 In front of a
tomb of the humblest class； having no mizutame； water is placed in cups
or other vessels； for the dead must have water。 Flowers also must be
offered to them； and before every tomb you will find a pair of bamboo
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cups； or other flower…vessels； and these； of course； contain water。 There is
a well in the cemetery to supply water for the graves。 Whenever the tombs
are visited by relatives and friends of the dead； fresh water is poured into
the tanks and cups。 But as an old cemetery of this kind contains thousands
of mizutame； and tens of thousands of flower…vessels the water in all of
these cannot be renewed every day。 It becomes stagnant and populous。 The
deeper tanks seldom get dry； the rainfall at Tokyo being heavy enough to
keep them partly filled during nine months out of the twelve。
Well； it is in these tanks and flower…vessels that mine enemies are
born： they rise by millions from the water of the dead； and； according to
Buddhist doctrine； some of them may be reincarnations of those very dead；
condemned by the error of former lives to the condition of Jiki…ketsu…gaki；
or blood…drinking pretas。。。 Anyhow the malevolence of the Culex fasciatus
would justify the suspicion that some wicked human soul had been
compressed into that wailing speck of a body。。。
Now； to return to the subject of kerosene…oil； you can exterminate the
mosquitoes of any locality by covering with a film of kerosene all stagnant
water surfaces therein。 The larvae die on rising to breathe； and the adult
females perish when they approach the water to launch their rafts of eggs。
And I read； in Dr。 Howard's book； that the actual cost of freeing from
mosquitoes one American town of fifty thousand inhabitants； does not
exceed three hundred dollars！。。。
I wonder what would be said if the city…government of Tokyo which
is aggressively scientific and progressive were suddenly to command
that all water…surfaces in the Buddhist cemeteries should be covered； at
regular intervals； with a film of kerosene oil！ How could the religion
which prohibits the taking of any life even of invisible life yield to
such a mandate？ Would filial piety even dream of consenting to obey such
an order？ And then to think of the cost； in labor and time； of putting
kerosene oil； every seven days； into the millions of mizutame； and the tens
of millions of bamboo flower…cups； in the Tokyo graveyards！。。。 Impossible！
To free the city from mosquitoes it would be necessary to demolish the
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ancient graveyards； and that would signify the ruin of the Buddhist
temples attached to them； and that would mean the disparition of so
many charming gardens； with their lotus…ponds and Sanscrit…lettered
monuments and humpy bridges and holy groves and weirdly…smiling
Buddhas！ So the extermination of the Culex fasciatus would involve the
destruction of the poetry of the ancestral cult； surely too great a price to
pay！。。。
Besides； I should like； when my time comes； to be laid away in some
Buddhist graveyard of the ancient kind； so that my ghostly company
should be ancient； caring nothing for the f