Schippeitaro

Schippeitaro is a Japanese fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in "The Violet Fairy Book", listing his source as "Japanische Marchen". [Andrew Lang, "The Violet Fairy Book", [http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/080.htm "Schippeitaro"] ]

ynopsis

A young warrior wandered the land in search of adventure. One day, in the forest, he slept in a chapel; he was woken at midnight by ferocious yowls from cats, who were dancing and yelling, and some were saying, "Do not tell Schippeitaro!" He went on and found a village where he heard a woman lamenting and calling for help. He was told that every year they had to sacrifice a maiden to the spirit of the mountain, and this year, this was the woman. She was put in a cask, and the cask would put in the chapel where he had slept. He asked after Schippeitaro and heard it was the dog of the prince's overseer, living nearby. The warrior went to this man and persuaded him to lend him the dog. He brought it to the cask, freed the woman, and put the dog in her place. The cask was brought to the chapel, and the cats came. A huge black cat opened the cask, and Schippeitaro killed it, and then, with the warrior, several others before they fled. He brought Schippeitaro back to his owner in the morning, and every year a feast was held in honor of the warrior and Schippeitaro.

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