The Painted Cat絵馬に描かれた猫
Kosei-ji Temple is home to a famous ema, or worship plaque, depicting a painted cat. Legend has it that one night, many years ago, the distant music of a shamisen roused it to life, whereupon it took the shape of a beautiful dancing woman. Word of this "courtesan cat" soon spread, drawing crowds of male admirers.
Alarmed by the disturbance this was causing for his parish, the head priest of the temple placed a seal on the ema, thereby preventing the courtesan cat from escaping. But some time after that, he was awoken in the night by a warrior claiming to be the spirit of the magic cat. Begging the priest to break the seal he had placed on the ema, the specter vowed to cause no further mischief.
Moved by the sincerity of this plea, the head priest agreed to break the seal, and the cat spirit made good on its word never to appear again.
I hear the man next door has stopped working, and spends all of his time at Kosei-ji Temple. Now, I've got nothing against him expressing his piety, but to abandon his work and family? He must be mad! And his poor wife—she's at her wits' end! No, I simply can't stand by and let this go on any longer.
In fact, I think I'll go to the temple right now and knock some sense into him.
最近、隣の家の旦那が仕事もせずに 光清寺に通っているらしい。 寺に行くのは結構だが、仕事も家も放り出して…ってのは 普通じゃないな。 嫁さんだって困り果てている様子だし、 見て見ぬふりはできない。 どれ、俺が寺に行って、説教してやろう。
There you are, you wretch! Have you no pride? And what about your family? Where's your sense of duty?
...Huh? What's that? You want me to look at an ema? One of those wooden worship plaques? Alright, alright, which one? Pfft! What's there to see? What's so special about some ema with a cat painted on it!
Wait a minute... What's going on here? Where did all these men come from? There's something very odd afoot...
"Oh, there is no one like the Courtesan Cat... What beauty! What grace! Truly, my heart is yours."
"Whee! Look at her go! There's no doubt about it—she's a goddess come down from heaven!"
"Out of my way, you slobbering louts! I found her first! First, I tell you!"
"Well, she and I happen to share a special bond. Look, she winked at me!"
"So it seems those men have been gathering in front of that painted cat night after night, causing a terrible commotion."
"That's very strange, dear. Did you try speaking to the head priest about it?"
"I did, and he agreed that something must be done before the situation gets out of hand... Like it hasn't already!"
- Where
- Nijo-jo Castle Entrance district
- Map
- Nijo-jo Castle
- Region
- Nijo-jo Castle
- Hand in to
- Lady Murasaki, Yasaka Shrine
Previous: The Wondrous Flute
Next: The Raid on Mount Oe: Spirited Away
All 36 Lion Dog locations