Page:Sketches of Tokyo Life (1895).djvu/82

58 of Reynard’s ears; the second puts forward a closed hand to represent a gun in his possession; and the last has his hands on his knees, for being a gentleman, he sits primly. Now the fox which is popularly believed to possess supernatural powers, can bewitch the headman, but is shot by the hunter, who pays his respects to the headman as his superior. The game is played continuously and in such rapid succession that it requires considerable experience to follow skilled players. The tiger ken owes its origin to the story of Kokusenya, one of the best historical plays of Chikamatsu Monzayemon. Watonai, the hero, goes to the forest of Senrigatake, with his mother, to meet his elder sister’s husband. There a tiger rushes upon the mother, but is soon despatched by the hero. Thus, the tiger is stronger than the mother but weaker than Watonai, who, however, must submit to his mother. The positions assumed are the following:—Watonai raises a clenched fist to strike the tiger; the latter goes on all fours; and the mother hobbles with a bent hip as if leaning ona staff. The players hide behind a screen, from which they issue, each representing one of these characters.

According to tradition, Sorori Shinzayemon, the Taiko’s jester, was the originator of the san-sukumi ken; but an old Corean picture exists which represents positions closely resembling those of the fox ken. It is, therefore, surmised that the game was introduced from the neighbouring peninsula like many other more useful arts; but there is no doubt that the Taiko frequently played the game with Sorori. As the fox ken requires considerable experience to play as rapidly as it is generally played, geisha have to practise it frequently by themselves. A young geisha is often seen sitting before a wall and playing with her shadow without coming to a decisive conclusion; but she learns to be quick and graceful in the movement of her hands.

The geisha, in their domestic economy, may be divided