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was no cloud in the sky： there was no wind； and the strong moonlight threw
down sharp black shadows of foliage； and glittered on the dews of the
garden。 Shrillings of crickets and bell…insects （3） made a musical tumult；
and the sound of the neighboring cascade deepened with the night。 Kwairyo
felt thirsty as he listened to the noise of the water； and； remembering the
bamboo aqueduct at the rear of the house； he thought that he could go there
and get a drink without disturbing the sleeping household。 Very gently he
pushed apart the sliding…screens that separated his room from the main
apartment； and he saw； by the light of the lantern； five recumbent bodies
without heads！
For one instant he stood bewildered； imagining a crime。 But in another
moment he perceived that there was no blood； and that the headless necks
did not look as if they had been cut。 Then he thought to himself： 〃Either
this is an illusion made by goblins； or I have been lured into the dwelling
of a Rokuro…Kubi。。。 （4） In the book Soshinki （5） it is written that if one
find the body of a Rokuro…Kubi without its head； and remove the body to
another place； the head will never be able to join itself again to the
neck。 And the book further says that when the head comes back and finds
that its body has been moved； it will strike itself upon the floor three
times； bounding like a ball； and will pant as in great fear； and
presently die。 Now； if these be Rokuro…Kubi； they mean me no good； so I
shall be justified in following the instructions of the book。〃。。。
He seized the body of the aruji by the feet； pulled it to the window； and
pushed it out。 Then he went to the back…door； which he found barred； and he
surmised that the heads had made their exit through the smoke…hole in the
roof； which had been left open。 Gently unbarring the door； he made his way
to the garden； and proceeded with all possible caution to the grove beyond
it。 He heard voices talking in the grove； and he went in the direction of
the voices； stealing from shadow to shadow； until he reached a good
hiding…place。 Then； from behind a trunk； he caught sight of the heads；
all five of them； flitting about； and chatting as they flitted。 They were
eating worms and insects which they found on the ground or among the trees。
Presently the head of the aruji stopped eating and said：
〃Ah； that traveling priest who came to…night！ how fat all his body is！
When we shall have eaten him； our bellies will be well filled。。。 I was
foolish to talk to him as I did； it only set him to reciting the sutras
on behalf of my soul！ To go near him while he is reciting would be
difficult； and we cannot touch him so long as he is praying。 But as it is
now nearly morning； perhaps he has gone to sleep。。。 Some one of you go to
the house and see what the fellow is doing。〃
Another head the head of a young woman immediately rose up and
flitted to the house； lightly as a bat。 After a few minutes it came back；
and cried out huskily； in a tone of great alarm：
〃That traveling priest is not in the house； he is gone！ But that is not
the worst of the matter。 He has taken the body of our aruji； and I do not
know where he has put it。〃
At this announcement the head of the aruji distinctly visible in the
moonlight assumed a frightful aspect： its eyes opened monstrously； its
hair stood up bristling； and its teeth gnashed。 Then a cry burst from its
lips； and weeping tears of rage it exclaimed：
〃Since my body has been moved； to rejoin it is not possible！ Then I must
die！。。。 And all through the work of that priest！ Before I die I will get at
that priest！ I will tear him！ I will devour him！。。。 AND THERE HE IS
behind that tree！ hiding behind that tree！ See him ！ the fat
coward！〃。。。
In the same moment the head of the aruji； followed by the other four
heads； sprang at Kwairyo。 But the strong priest had already armed himself
by plucking up a young tree； and with that tree he struck the heads as they
came； knocking them from him with tremendous blows。 Four of them fled
away。 But the head of the aruji； though battered again and again；
desperately continued to bound at the priest； and at last caught him by the
left sleeve of his robe。 Kwairyo； however； as quickly gripped the head by
its topknot； and repeatedly struck it。 It did not release its hold； but it
uttered a long moan； and thereafter ceased to struggle。 It was dead。 But
its teeth still held the sleeve； and； for all his great strength； Kwairyo
could not force open the jaws。
With the head still hanging to his sleeve he went back to the house； and
there caught sight of the other four Rokuro…Kubi squatting together； with
their bruised and bleeding heads reunited to their bodies。 But when they
perceived him at the back…door all screamed； 〃The priest！ the priest！〃
and fled； through the other doorway； out into the woods。
Eastward the sky was brightening； day was about to dawn； and Kwairyo knew
that the power of the goblins was limited to the hours of darkness。 He
looked at the head clinging to his sleeve； its face all fouled with blood
and foam and clay； and he laughed aloud as he thought to himself： 〃What a
miyage！ ＇4＇ the head of a goblin！〃 After which he gathered together his
few belongings； and leisurely descended the mountain to continue his
journey。
Right on he journeyed； until he came to Suwa in Shinano； （6） and into the
main street of Suwa he solemnly strode； with the head dangling at his
elbow。 Then woman fainted； and children screamed and ran away； and there
was a great crowding and clamoring until the torite （as the police in those
days were called） seized the priest； and took him to jail。 For they
supposed the head to be the head of a murdered man who； in the moment of
being killed； had caught the murderer's sleeve in his teeth。 As the
Kwairyo； he only smiled and said nothing when they questioned him。 So；
after having passed a night in prison； he was brought before the
magistrates of the district。 Then he was ordered to explain how he； a
priest； had been found with the head of a man fastened to his sleeve； and
why he had dared thus shamelessly to parade his crime in the sight of
people。
Kwairyo laughed long and loudly at these questions； and then he said：
〃Sirs； I did not fasten the head to my sleeve： it fastened itself there
much against my will。 And I have not committed any crime。 For this is not
the head of a man； it is the head of a goblin； and； if I caused the
death of the goblin； I did not do so by any shedding of blood； but simply
by taking the precautions necessary to assure my own safety。〃。。。 And he
proceeded to relate the whole of the adventure； bursting into another
hearty laugh as he told of his encounter with the five heads。
But the magistrates did not laugh。 They judged him to be a hardened
criminal； and his story an insult to their intelligence。 Therefore； without
further questioning； they decided to order his immediate execution； all
of them except one； a very old man。 This aged officer had made no remark
during the trial； but； after having heard the opinion of his colleagues； he
rose up； and said：
〃Let us first examine the head carefully； for this； I think； has not yet
been done。 If the priest has spoken truth； the head itself should bear
witness for him。。。 Bring the head here！〃
So the head； still holding in its teeth the koromo that had been stripped
from Kwairyo's shoulders； was put before the judges。 The old man turned it
round and round； carefully examined it； and discovered； on the nape of its
neck； several strange red characters。 He called the attention of his
colleagues to these； and also bad them observe that the edges of the neck
nowhere presented the appearance of having been cut by any weapon。 On the
contrary； the line of leverance was smooth as the line at which a falling
leaf detaches itself from the stem。。。 Then said the elder：
〃I am quite sure that the priest told us nothing but the truth。 This is
the head of a Rokuro…Kubi。 In the book Nan…ho…i…butsu…shi it is written
that certain red characters can always be found upon the nape of the neck
of a real Rokuro…Kubi。 There are the characters： you can see for yourselves
that they have not been painted。 Moreover； it is well known that such
goblins have been dwelling in the mountains of the province of Kai from
very ancient time。。。 But you； Sir；〃 he exclaimed； turning to Kwairyo；
〃what sort of sturdy priest may you be？ Certainly you have given proof of a
courage that few priests possess； and you have the air of a soldier rather
than a priest。 Perhaps you once belonged to the samurai…class？〃
〃You have guessed rightly； Sir；〃 Kwairyo responded。 〃Before becoming a
priest； I long followed the profession of arms； and in those days I never
feared man or devil。 My name then was Isogai Heidazaemon Taketsura