Japanese Folk Tale

206 The Yanagita Guide to the Japanese Folk Tale
cat's voice, but to other people it sounded like a j6ruri; T6no 268,
No. 174. No title.
Akita, Kazuno-gun: Dai-ichi 43, "The cat that sang" (Uta 0 utau neko).
Hiraga-gun, Asamai-machi: TD IX 11 18, "Kis6ji's cat" (Kis6ji no
neko).
Miyagi: Ky6do den 1 90, "The ghost cat of Yoneoka" (Yoneoka no
kaiby6). This is a legend at Hakken Koji, Yoneoka-mura, Tome-gun.
A cat sang one verse of "Yoshitsune Azuma kudari" to an old lady.
Niigata, Minamikanbara-gun: MK I 2 23, "The grateful rooster" (Niwatori
no ongaeshi). Example.
Okayama, Mitsu-gun: MK I 9 32, "The dancing cat" (Odori neko). The
original form of "The cat's joruri." Its contents can at least be
recognized. The old man who cooked rice at a temple found the
cat dancing and singing, "When shall I get our priest? Ohiyari-koohiyarihiyari!"
The cat was overcome later in a dialogue with the
priest.
Oita, Hayami-gun: MK I 12 45, "The cat that said things" (Mono iu
neko). The cat said to the salt peddler, "Everyone here has gone
to pick tea." The man was surprised and told the people. When
they asked the cat if it had said it, the cat denied it. This is
probably older than the story about biting the bride to death. If it
turns into that, it becomes a story of adventure.
Kumamoto, Tamana-gun: MK I 4 28, "The cat that sang" (Uta 0 utatta
neko).
Nagasaki: Shimabara 174, "The revenge of the three-colored cat"
(Mikeneko no fukushu).
Kagoshima, Kikaijima: Shima I 2 24, 25, "The rooster's gratitude"
(Niwatori no ongaeshi). This resembles the example above in Niigata.
"The cat's gratitude" (Neko no ongaeshi). While the old man
was away, the cat danced and sang the song of the Eighth Month
for the old woman. When she started to tell about it, the cat
fastened its teeth into her throat and killed her. The rest is the
usual story.
Further reference:
Chiho sodano The muro tree in the northeastern part of Fukushima.
The cat recited a gidayu for an old woman in this. Turning a bullet
aside with a mirror follows.
Hanashi zuihitsu, ge 61. It is told at Dento ji Nagaiya Osaka-mura,
Kahoku-gun, Ishikawa and handed down as happening in Shoo (1652-
1655). It says that a fox showed the priest a Noh drama as thanks.
The cat was supposed to have a role by playing a flute, but it would
not do it because the man knew about it beforehand. The fox's old
man would not come after that, etc.
200. The eat's Joruri
This can be considered as connected with stories of dancing cats.
Akita, Kazuno-gun: Dai-ichi 43, "The cat that sang" (Uta 0 utau neko).