Coverpage Introduction The Snow Ghost The Secret of Iidamachi Pond The Ghost of Aki Province The Haunted Temple
The Snow Ghost
The first storyteller stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"It is a wonderful honor to be chosen to represent the northern province of Echigo for this year's Obon Festival. To honor my people and my ancestors, I have crafted the perfect story about the legendary Yuki Onna, or the Snow Ghost of the North.
"It is not uncommon for people to be buried in the heavy snows of the North, and never be found again. Naturally, these mysterious disappearances give rise to fanciful, creative tales as to the whereabouts of these people. The Snow Ghost is a common tale in the North, while the people of the South say that Northerners must drink so much sake that they see snow-covered trees as women.
"This may also be the case, but I assure you that I have seen Snow Ghost of the North...so sake cannot be blamed for the tale.
"You see, they say that once, during a terrible snowstorm -bigger than any storm the people of Echigo have ever known -the farmer Kyuzaemon remained comfortably in his home. He was just crawling into his bed when there was a knock on the door.
"Kyuzaemon jumped.
He stared at the door. Maybe it was the wind and snow playing tricks on him? He waited in silence for a few moments, nothing. He turned back to his bed, but the knock come again-this time louder and accompanied by the sweet voice of a little girl. 'Open the door!' she said. 'Open the door!'
"Kyuzaemon immediately thought of the many young children who lived in the village, and jumped up. Could it be a child, who had simply gotten lost in the snowstorm and needed help?Kyuzaemon was uncertain, for he had heard of many ghosts that walked the earth during snowstorms.
"The voice came again as he reached the door. 'Open the door! Please help me! Oh, please help!'
" 'Who are you?' demanded Kyuzaemon. 'What do you want?'
" 'You must let me in. I cannot proceed further in this snow. Please...I ask only for shelter.'
" 'No, I cannot! The cold is too intense! I could be buried in snow.'
"With that, Kyuzaemon rebarred his door with an even stronger piece of wood. He turned to his bed and tried to put the girl out of his mind.
"But once he turned, he saw the figure of a woman standing beside his bed. She was clad in white, and had long black hair cascading down her back. Her eyes were dark and piercing, like she could see right through to your soul. From above she did not have the appearance of a ghost, butKyuzaemon quickly noticed that the woman lacked legs and feet, and that she floated just above the floor.
"Kyuzaemon jumped and backed up against the door. 'Who and what are you? How did you get in?'
"The woman grinned. 'I can enter any place that I wish. I am on my way to visit a nearby village, but the wind and snow will not allow that tonight. That is why I need to rest here. Once the wind is gone, then I will continue. I should be gone by morning.'
"Kyuzaemon was shaking. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor. 'Surely my ancestors have not seen it fit to send a spirit on me! I have been faithful in honoring their memories...'
"The woman raised a lifeless arm. 'You are simply being asked by your ancestors to house a spirit for one night. Will you honor their wishes?"
"A tear rolled down Kyuzaemon's cheek. 'Yes, yes, yes...'
"The woman tossed her hair back. 'You are a good man, so I will tell you why I am here. My name was Oyasu when I was alive. I was the daughter of a man in the next village. My father adopted another man into our family to be my husband, but last year, after my death, my husband,Isaburo , threw my father out into the snow and took his home a
nd his farm. I have come back from
the land of
the dead to remind my husband of his duties to my father.'"Kyuzeamon nodded. Perhaps he was meant to help her as a test by his ancestors. No matter, the ghost did not want to take revenge on him. He soon retired to bed.
"In the morning the spirit was gone. Kyuzaemon went to the next village to see if he could find Isaburo. Upon finding him, the two men compared the strange happenings of the previous night. Oyasu's spirit had visited Isaburo, and had reminded him of his promise. He was up with the ghost all night, and she refused to leave until he renewed the promise take his father-in-law back in and to care for him as his own father.
"This is why we must appease the wishes of our dying family members, and we must say prayers to show the vengeful spirits who have died by snow that we honor their memory."
Sadako: "Oh my, this is not my favorite story, because it shows the weakness of the ghost, but it does proves that the living must honor the wishes of the dead. I would have taken a more direct approach, but Oyasu was a more traditional yurei. Since I am a rather strong-willed ghost, I enjoy this next story a little bit more..."
