Page:Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things - Hearn - 1904.djvu/169



the district called Toïchi of Yamato province, there used to live a gōshi named Miyata Akinosuké. … [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 gōshi.]

In Akinosuké'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 145