Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 4.djvu/530

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. iv. -DEC. so, iwi.

Their particular fondness for the cat, the animal much hated by the Buddhists, caused them to substitute it for the rat, whereas several other features remain the same in both of these stories such as the hero's early poverty and sadness, his acquisition of matchless wealth through the sale of an animal and through navigation, his sub- sequent marriage with a damsel whose father had before been unkind to him, &c.

Finally, I deem, it useful to those who take interest in folk-lore to note here that
 * the afore-cited Buddhist account of the

constant augmentation of the Rat-Money- Broker's wealth that accompanied every change of his business was probably the archetype of a well-known Japanese romance, which is briefly as follows :

" A poor solitary man visits Avalokites'vara's temple at Hase and prays to him for riches unceas- ingly for three weeks. On the final night he dreams of the deity, who commands him to leave the temple at once and to catch and keep what- .ever may happen to come near him. He awakes .and leaves the temple, when, just beyond the main gate, he falls down because of a false step. Upon rising he finds his hand unwittingly clasping a wisp of straw, which he keeps, and goes on. Now a breeze-fly came buzzing and persisted in flying around him ; he caught it, tied it \\ith the straw, and proceeded therewith. Then he met a nobleman's son, who took such a fancy to the insect that he gave the man three oranges for it. Advancing further, he saw a lady unable to walk because of excessive thirst, her servants seeking water in vain ; he presented to her all his oranges, which sufficed to quench her thirst ; grateful for his bounty, she gave him three rolls of superb cloths. Next morning on his way he met a cavalier, whose fine stallion had suddenly expired ; for its skin's sake he exchanged one of his cloths for it. But no sooner had the cavalier gone than the horse returned to life ; he rode on it and reached the capital (Kydto). Next morn- ing he happened to meet a "man just wanting an excellent steed to accomplish a very long journey, who gave him for it all his paddy-fields as well as his mansion. Thence the poor solitary man became very opulent, and afterwards the head of a large prosperous family." ' Udji Shiii,' written by Minamoto no Takakuni (A.D. 1004-77), chap. xciv.

KUMAGUSU MlNAKATA.

Tanabe. Kii, Japan.

EPITAPHIANA.

EPITAPH TO A MUSICIAN. In the church- yard of Minstead, near Lyndhurst, I recently noted an interesting epitaph, which is set out below. At the head of the gravestone is a very good delineation of the serpent, the obsolete bass of the cornet tribe. The mouthpiece and the stops are still well marked, though somewhat worn by the

passage of time. The serpent is now only seen in museums or in an occasional sale ; it was pushed out of use by the ophicleide and by the contrafagotto.

To the Memory of | Thomas Maynard who departed | this life July 9 th 1807 aged 27 years | The Band of Musicians of the | South Hants

Yeomanry | (of which he was a member) | in

memory of their esteem | caused this stone to be erected.

In love he lived in peace he died

His life was with GOD deny d.

Mary, daughter of above Thomas and Lydia his wife.

W. H. QlIARRELL.

CHARTIST MEMORIAL AT ANCOATS. Some time ago I copied the subjoined inscription (to the memory of five Chartists) on a stone which was placed upright against the wall in the old Round Chapel yard, Every Street, Ancoats, Manchester. The Open Spaces Committee secured the yard for a garden and gymnasium, and the chapel is now occupied as a Salvation Army barracks :

Names

of the

Monument Committee

Interred beneath. Peter Rothwell, died 6th Septr.,

1847, aged 78 years. George Hadfield, died 12th Jany.,

1848, aged 59 years. George Exley, died 21th Jany.,

1848, aged 79 years. Henry Parry Bennett, died 19

Novr., 1851, aged 65 years.

James Wheeler, died 13th Septr.,

1854, aged 63 years.

The yard has several interesting historical associations. A long cutting on the burial of cholera subjects in this chapel yard (Rev. J. Scho field's cemetery) will be found in 'Collection of Book Cuttings,' xii. 56, pre- sented to the Library at Peel Park, Salford, t>y the daughter of the late Joseph Brother- ton, M.P.

FREDERICK LAWRENCE TAVARE.

Manchester.

BROMLEY, KENT. The following epitaphs the old parish churchyard, Bromley, Kent, should be of sufficient interest to find a place in ' N. & Q.' :

Sacred to the memory of

William Ledger late of this parish who died 24th January 1823. Aged 78 years

Hee who now lies lone beneath this sod Was ever mindful of his God For years he was prepared to cue And leave this World of misery