Nukekubi*
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This story was brought to the English speaking world thanks to a Mr. Lafcadio Hearn in 1904. However, he mistranslated the type of monster, and thus the name of his story, as a "rokuro-kubi". See the footnotes for more info
His book Kwaidan: Ghost Stories and Strange Tales of Old Japan has some twenty spooky stories from Japan's past in it. Here I am merely writing an abridged version of the story - his version is much better and I highly encourage anyone interested in Japanese mythology to purchase his book. Here is the link to it at amazon.com. This is a fantastic book - if for no other reason than the great footnotes, let alone the stories - and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Japanese folktales. |
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Some 600 years ago there was a samurai named Isogai Heidazaemon Taketsura who was in the service of Lord Kikuji of Myuushyuu. He was quite capable with many weapons, and had proven himself during the Eikyou war**. Afterwards, however, the house of Kikuji came into ruin and he found himself to be without a master; he was a ronin. He could have easily found service under another daimyou, but he was loyal to his first master. So, he cut off his hair and became a traveling priest, taking the Buddhist name Kairyou.
But, always under the koromo***, he kept a courageous heart, and he ventured to places where no other priest would venture.
In the course of his first long venture, he came to the province of Kai. He was traveling through the mountains of the area when darkness came. He was a tough man, so he decided to simply sleep under the stars, and so he found a grassy area to rest. Just then a woodcutter walking down the road saw him and warned him of monsters in the area. Kairyou responded that he was a wandering priest, a cloud-and-water-guest, as people called it then (un-sui-no-ryokaku). "I am not the least bit afraid of any sort of kitsune, tanuki, or anything of that sort."
The woodcutter responded with a proverb: kunshi aya-uki ni chikayorazu, that is,"the superior man does not needlessly expose himself to peril". He then offered to take Kairyou back to his home. Kairyou thought it over and agreed. The path to the woodcutter's cottage was a very dangerous one that required them to hug to cliffs. However, they eventually arrived, and Kairyou was shown to a small shed behind the small cottage. There they washed their feet with water that had been transported through bamboo pipes.
They then went to the cottage, and inside were four people, men and women, warming their hands above a ro****. They bowed properly to greet the priest in a very respectful manner. Kairyou was surprised that four people living so far in the wilderness and in such poor conditions would know the proper way to greet someone.
Kairyou then turned to the aruji, the house-master, and demanded that there was no possible way that they were not, at some point, belonging to an upper class family. The woodcutter responded that he was right. "I had once belonged to a rich family and had a significant distinction. But, I had acted selfishly -- I had spent my time and money on wine and women. This caused the misfortune for many others around me. I stay here and attempt to pray to repent for my past errors."
Kairyou responded that repentance is possible, and that he had seen it himself. He said that he would recite the sutras for the aruji that night. He was then escorted to a small room where he could take rest. All went to sleep, except the priest, who read the sutras by candle light. After reading for many hours, he opened the window of his room to take in the beautiful night one last time. He remembered the water aqueducts and went to get a drink.
He opened the sliding doors ever so quietly to sneak out the front door, but to his astonishment, he found five decapitated bodies ... but, there were no heads nor any blood to be found! He was a learned priest, and realized that this was either the work of an illusion or a nukekubi*. "In the book of Soushinki it is written that if one find the body of a nukekubi without its head, and then move the body to a different place, the head will never be able to join itself to the neck again. When the head comes back to find its body moved, it will bounce upon the floor three times like a bouncing ball, pant in great fear, and then die. It also states that these monsters regularly perform harm.", he reminded himself.
But, always under the koromo***, he kept a courageous heart, and he ventured to places where no other priest would venture.
In the course of his first long venture, he came to the province of Kai. He was traveling through the mountains of the area when darkness came. He was a tough man, so he decided to simply sleep under the stars, and so he found a grassy area to rest. Just then a woodcutter walking down the road saw him and warned him of monsters in the area. Kairyou responded that he was a wandering priest, a cloud-and-water-guest, as people called it then (un-sui-no-ryokaku). "I am not the least bit afraid of any sort of kitsune, tanuki, or anything of that sort."
The woodcutter responded with a proverb: kunshi aya-uki ni chikayorazu, that is,"the superior man does not needlessly expose himself to peril". He then offered to take Kairyou back to his home. Kairyou thought it over and agreed. The path to the woodcutter's cottage was a very dangerous one that required them to hug to cliffs. However, they eventually arrived, and Kairyou was shown to a small shed behind the small cottage. There they washed their feet with water that had been transported through bamboo pipes.
They then went to the cottage, and inside were four people, men and women, warming their hands above a ro****. They bowed properly to greet the priest in a very respectful manner. Kairyou was surprised that four people living so far in the wilderness and in such poor conditions would know the proper way to greet someone.
Kairyou then turned to the aruji, the house-master, and demanded that there was no possible way that they were not, at some point, belonging to an upper class family. The woodcutter responded that he was right. "I had once belonged to a rich family and had a significant distinction. But, I had acted selfishly -- I had spent my time and money on wine and women. This caused the misfortune for many others around me. I stay here and attempt to pray to repent for my past errors."
Kairyou responded that repentance is possible, and that he had seen it himself. He said that he would recite the sutras for the aruji that night. He was then escorted to a small room where he could take rest. All went to sleep, except the priest, who read the sutras by candle light. After reading for many hours, he opened the window of his room to take in the beautiful night one last time. He remembered the water aqueducts and went to get a drink.
He opened the sliding doors ever so quietly to sneak out the front door, but to his astonishment, he found five decapitated bodies ... but, there were no heads nor any blood to be found! He was a learned priest, and realized that this was either the work of an illusion or a nukekubi*. "In the book of Soushinki it is written that if one find the body of a nukekubi without its head, and then move the body to a different place, the head will never be able to join itself to the neck again. When the head comes back to find its body moved, it will bounce upon the floor three times like a bouncing ball, pant in great fear, and then die. It also states that these monsters regularly perform harm.", he reminded himself.
He took the body of the aruji and pushed it out the window. He went to exit out the backdoor, however it was barred shut. He realized that the heads must have left through the smoke hole above the ro. He gently unbarred the door, and went about looking for the heads. He heard voices coming from a grove and snuck his way there, hiding behind a tree trunk. He was able to see all five of the heads floating about, talking and eating worms, beetles and insects as they floated about.
They were speaking about killing and eating Kairyou. "His body is so fat! We will be well filled after we eat it! I was foolish to talk to him before he went to bed. Now we must wait for him to finish reciting the sutras -- we can't go near him while he is praying."
"It's almost morning, surely he's done by now. Let's go back to check on him!", replied one. A few went back to the house, and came back. They announced that he had left. "But that's not all, he moved the aruji's body!"
The aruji became fearful and angry. "If I must die, then so must he!" Surprisingly, the head immediatley turned to Kairyou and announced "There he is! Behind the tree!" The heads all flew to him and attacked. However, Kairyou was able to arm himself with a small tree! He beat the heads like baseballs as they came to him. He hit them over and over again. Most of them ran away, but the aruji came back to attack over and over, attempting to kill Kairyou. Finally, it got through Kairyou's defenses and was able to bite on to his sleeve. Kairyou grabbed the head's headknot and repeatedly and viciously beat it with his tree.
It let out a loud moan, and went limp... but it would not release its grip upon his sleeve - this was its last demand upon death. With the head still attached to his sleeve, he returned back to the cottage and found the other four with their heads reattached to the bodies. They saw him and fled in fear. Indeed, it was becoming morning, and the sun was rising. The powers of such monsters only lasts during the night. He gathered his possessions and went about his way - with a new omiyage***** attached to his clothes!
He went until he came to Suwa in Shinano. The women fainted, the men gasped, and the children screamed to see a man with a head attached to his sleeve. The torite (the police of the time), came to seize him. Kairyou did not resist, knowing it would make matters worse. He smiled and went with them. He was brought before the magistrates who demanded to learn how a priest such as he could go so mad as to display the head of a man that he had killed on his clothes!
He laughed and informed the judges that he had not fastened the head to his clothes, but that it had done so itself. "This is not the head of a man, but of a monster!", he related the whole story while laughing boisterously. However, the magistrates did not laugh -- they all deemed him to be a hardened criminal, and said that such a story was an insult to their intelligence. All but one, that is.
The oldest magistrate on the court stayed silent during the whole session and finally spoke after the others had judged him guilty. He stayed silent even as an immediate execution was ordered. Finally, the old man spoke up and said "Let us examine the head affixed to his sleeve. This much has not even taken place yet!"
In order to retrieve the head, Kairyou's entire koromo had to be ripped from his body! The teeth would not let go; such is the power of the final wish of an angry soul. The old man investigated the head, and found around the nape of the neck several strange red characters. Furthermore, he found no evidence that the head had been cut by any means he could think of. Indeed, the neck'd stump was smooth. He was convinced that Kairyou was speaking the truth.
"In the book of Nan-hou-i-butsu-shi it is written that certain red characters can always be found upon the nape of the neck of a Nukekubi*. Futher, it is well known, from ancient times, that monsters lurk in the mountains and forests of the province of Kai", the old man stated. "But, you, priest! What kind of sturdy priest are you that could defend against such monsters? Did you once belong to the samurai class?"
"You are correct, I was known as Isogai Heidazaemon Taketsura, from Kuushyuu", said Kairyou. Many there recognized the name, and he quickly found himself among friends rather than judges. Kairyou was introduced to the local daimyo and was given a feast and many presents.
However, he kept the head as his own, most important present.
After leaving Suwa, he met with a robber who attempted to steal from Kairyou. The robber demanded that Kairyou disrobe, which he did. However, the head still dangled from his koromo. The robber had never seen such a thing, and demanded to know what kind of priest he was! "Certainly, I have killed people in my time," said the robber, "but I have never had the audacity to adorn the head to my clothing to scare people! I shall buy that clothing, with the head from you so that I can scare my victims!"
Kairyou warned him of how he came across the head, and how it would likely be a bad idea for the robber to take the head, but to no avail. The exchange took place.
The robber eventually made his way to Suwa and learned the truth of the head. Terrified, he ran to the place of its origin to bury it with its body. However, the body could not be found, and so he buried the head by itself. He built a tombstone above it and had a priest perform a segaki-service.
The tombstone has forever since been known as the Tombstone of the Nukekubi, and may be seen even today (or so the story teller says!)
They were speaking about killing and eating Kairyou. "His body is so fat! We will be well filled after we eat it! I was foolish to talk to him before he went to bed. Now we must wait for him to finish reciting the sutras -- we can't go near him while he is praying."
"It's almost morning, surely he's done by now. Let's go back to check on him!", replied one. A few went back to the house, and came back. They announced that he had left. "But that's not all, he moved the aruji's body!"
The aruji became fearful and angry. "If I must die, then so must he!" Surprisingly, the head immediatley turned to Kairyou and announced "There he is! Behind the tree!" The heads all flew to him and attacked. However, Kairyou was able to arm himself with a small tree! He beat the heads like baseballs as they came to him. He hit them over and over again. Most of them ran away, but the aruji came back to attack over and over, attempting to kill Kairyou. Finally, it got through Kairyou's defenses and was able to bite on to his sleeve. Kairyou grabbed the head's headknot and repeatedly and viciously beat it with his tree.
It let out a loud moan, and went limp... but it would not release its grip upon his sleeve - this was its last demand upon death. With the head still attached to his sleeve, he returned back to the cottage and found the other four with their heads reattached to the bodies. They saw him and fled in fear. Indeed, it was becoming morning, and the sun was rising. The powers of such monsters only lasts during the night. He gathered his possessions and went about his way - with a new omiyage***** attached to his clothes!
He went until he came to Suwa in Shinano. The women fainted, the men gasped, and the children screamed to see a man with a head attached to his sleeve. The torite (the police of the time), came to seize him. Kairyou did not resist, knowing it would make matters worse. He smiled and went with them. He was brought before the magistrates who demanded to learn how a priest such as he could go so mad as to display the head of a man that he had killed on his clothes!
He laughed and informed the judges that he had not fastened the head to his clothes, but that it had done so itself. "This is not the head of a man, but of a monster!", he related the whole story while laughing boisterously. However, the magistrates did not laugh -- they all deemed him to be a hardened criminal, and said that such a story was an insult to their intelligence. All but one, that is.
The oldest magistrate on the court stayed silent during the whole session and finally spoke after the others had judged him guilty. He stayed silent even as an immediate execution was ordered. Finally, the old man spoke up and said "Let us examine the head affixed to his sleeve. This much has not even taken place yet!"
In order to retrieve the head, Kairyou's entire koromo had to be ripped from his body! The teeth would not let go; such is the power of the final wish of an angry soul. The old man investigated the head, and found around the nape of the neck several strange red characters. Furthermore, he found no evidence that the head had been cut by any means he could think of. Indeed, the neck'd stump was smooth. He was convinced that Kairyou was speaking the truth.
"In the book of Nan-hou-i-butsu-shi it is written that certain red characters can always be found upon the nape of the neck of a Nukekubi*. Futher, it is well known, from ancient times, that monsters lurk in the mountains and forests of the province of Kai", the old man stated. "But, you, priest! What kind of sturdy priest are you that could defend against such monsters? Did you once belong to the samurai class?"
"You are correct, I was known as Isogai Heidazaemon Taketsura, from Kuushyuu", said Kairyou. Many there recognized the name, and he quickly found himself among friends rather than judges. Kairyou was introduced to the local daimyo and was given a feast and many presents.
However, he kept the head as his own, most important present.
After leaving Suwa, he met with a robber who attempted to steal from Kairyou. The robber demanded that Kairyou disrobe, which he did. However, the head still dangled from his koromo. The robber had never seen such a thing, and demanded to know what kind of priest he was! "Certainly, I have killed people in my time," said the robber, "but I have never had the audacity to adorn the head to my clothing to scare people! I shall buy that clothing, with the head from you so that I can scare my victims!"
Kairyou warned him of how he came across the head, and how it would likely be a bad idea for the robber to take the head, but to no avail. The exchange took place.
The robber eventually made his way to Suwa and learned the truth of the head. Terrified, he ran to the place of its origin to bury it with its body. However, the body could not be found, and so he buried the head by itself. He built a tombstone above it and had a priest perform a segaki-service.
The tombstone has forever since been known as the Tombstone of the Nukekubi, and may be seen even today (or so the story teller says!)
*Lafcadio Hearn misidentifies the monster in this story. I have changed the name to reflect the more accurate name of the monster. He calls it a rokuro-kubi, when in fact it is a nukekubi. The former can make their neck longer and lives to trick and spy, while the latter can detach their heads completely and live to harm.
**The Eikyou Period lasted from 1429-1441. However, I really can't find what war he's referring to.
***The Komoro is the upper robe of a priest's outfit.
**** A ro is a sort of little fireplace inside the floor of a room. It is usually a shallow cavity, lined with metal and half-filled with ashes, in which the charcoal is lighted.
*****An omiyage is a sort of souvenir or gift that one generally brings home after a journey. Usually, an omiyage is a gift from the place that is produced locally, such as the daruma of Gunma-ken, or the dairy products of Hokkaidou.
**The Eikyou Period lasted from 1429-1441. However, I really can't find what war he's referring to.
***The Komoro is the upper robe of a priest's outfit.
**** A ro is a sort of little fireplace inside the floor of a room. It is usually a shallow cavity, lined with metal and half-filled with ashes, in which the charcoal is lighted.
*****An omiyage is a sort of souvenir or gift that one generally brings home after a journey. Usually, an omiyage is a gift from the place that is produced locally, such as the daruma of Gunma-ken, or the dairy products of Hokkaidou.
