Japanese Folk Tale

Cleverness at Work 183
Further reference:
Shokoku monogatari 130. The origin of Jusanzuka in Hizen.
180. Improving the Omen
A child was born to a couple who had been childless for many
years. The delighted father set out to take the news to his wife's
family. On the way he found some things that had been dropped-a
robe of a priest (kesa and koromo) and a rosary (juzu). He was afraid
this was a bad omen and went to consult a priest.
The priest used the day of the month, the 13th Day of the
Eleventh Month, and the names of the objects in a poem which meant
the child would live as many years as there were beads on the rosary.
Yamanashi, Nishi ya tsushiro-gun
All these types of tales are based upon comic poems. That does
not mean that there may not have been a similar type earlier. The
stepchild example below from Shizuoka may have been taken from
"Sara-sara Yama" as a pattern.
Yamanashi, Nishiyatsushiro-gun: Kai 127, "The omen in the poem" (Engi
uta). Example.
Shizuoka: Shizuoka 402, "The stepmother and the stepchild" (Mamahaha
to mamako no hanashi). When the stepmother would feed her stepson
the tail of the fish, he would be glad and say, "You have made
me atotori (tailor inheritor)." If she gave him the head, he would
say, "You've given me okashira (head or head place)." When she
gave him the center part, he was still happy, so she was won over.
181. The Za to's Cleverness
That zat6 transmitted folk tales is apparent from the fact that
frequently the principal character in revisions of stories is such a man.
Aomori, Hachinohe: MK II 10 19, "The zat6's cleverness" (Zato no
tonchi). Four tales.
Iwate: Shiwa shO 34, "Two sheaves, four sheaves" (Futataba yotaba).
They planned to avoid giving the zat6 any mochi to eat, but he
ate it all.
Esashi-gun: Esashi 30, "How the zat6 was connected with success"
(Zat6 ga shinsh6 ni kakawatta to iu hanashi). A zat6 who fell into
a well prayed as he was being pulled up, and the fortunes of the
family improved afterwards.