Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 5.djvu/242

 should be exhibited in the neighbourhood of the mausolea: —

On another notice-board the local officials addressed the supernatural beings as follows: —

It will be observed that appropriate routine is followed in these notices. The order from the Shōgun's chief minister is couched in general terms; the order from the local officials at Nikko gives detailed directions to the goblins and imps as to the places of their retreat.

It need scarcely be said that the deities are credited with ability to inflict punishment before death, as when a man that stole nails from a Buddhist idol lost the use of four fingers, and a youth that derided Shaka was permanently fixed