Page:Things Japanese (1905).djvu/97

Rh undoubtedly gave him his nickname of Hidari, also suggested the legend.

Since 1892, when the first bronze statue was set up in Tōkyō in front of the Shōkonsha temple, that ancient European method of commemorating departed and even living worth has gradually come into vogue. Not only so, but the friezes of public buildings now begin to be adorned with Cupids of a Japanese cast of countenance, slant-eyed Goddesses of Poetry and Agriculture, etc., etc. It is all very strange and—very ugly. Pity that the successful adopters of an alien civilisation should not have had the sense to stop short at such incongruous superficialities!

 Cats. As one of the first questions asked by every observant traveller landing at Yokohama refers to the tailless, or more properly short-tailed, Japanese cats, let it be known that the peculiarity is a natural one. The bones are all there, but not normally developed; hence the atrophied appearance of the tail. It is true, however, that the habit of seeing only tailless cats has engendered such a prejudice in their favour that, should a litter chance to be born with one long-tailed kitten, somebody will generally take upon himself to chop the tail off to a respectable shortness. The popular objection to long-tailed cats has doubtless been augmented by the snaky aspect of a normal cat's tail when waved from side to side, and by the superstition that there exist cats furnished with one or several long tails, and possessing the power of bewitching human beings after the manner of foxes and badgers (see Article on Things Japanese/Demoniacal Possession). Note, however, that the objection to long-tailed cats does not prevail throughout the country. It is confined to certain provinces. Another superstition calling for notice is the lucky character attributed by seafaring men to tortoise-shell tom-cats. The master of a junk will pay almost any price to obtain one, and thus secure immunity from shipwreck. In this case, it is probably the rarity of the animal