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Immediately after this they kicked him out of the moat, and he was found on the ground next morning by the old crone his mother, when she came to look after him, with two humps instead of one. Such was the reward of envy and bad taste.’
This is the Irish story picked up from the mouths of the peasantry more than fifty years ago. I am not able to say whether it has been found in any form in any other part of Europe, but my impression is that it is not known out of Ireland. The Japanese tale which resembles it is told very briefly by Mr. Mitford, and as he does not give any reference to the source from whence he obtained it, I made enquiries upon the subject, and my friend Mr. J. C. Hall of H. M. Consular Service kindly ascertained for me where it was to be found. It is given in the second volume of the Japanese work entitled “Uji Shu-i monogatari”—i.e. Stories omitted from the Uji collection. This book was first printed in 1664, but is supposed to have been written in the 13th century, the author being unknown.
Mr. Hall kindly transliterated the Japanese text and has also supplied me with the following translation.
The Story of the Man with the Wen.
‘The following also happened now a long time ago. There was an old man who had a big wen on the right side of his face. He went to (cut wood on) mount Taiko. It came on to rain and blow without stopping, so that he could not get back, and much against his will stopped the night on the hills. There was not even a wood-cutter’s (cabin) near. He was in a dreadful plight and did not know what to do. So he crept into the hollow of a tree that was there and whilst he was crouching inside, unable to close his eyes, there came from the distance a sound as of men hurrying along and talking loudly the while. Sure enough as he was all alone there in the midst of the hills, he felt his spirits somewhat revive within him at the indication of people approaching, and he locked out and beheld beings of all sorts of shapes and appearances,
