Japanese Folk Tale

260 The Yanagita Guide to the Japanese Folk Tale
270. The Shrike and the Cuckoo
After the little brother of the cuckoo was carried off by the
shrike, it flew around calling him. That is why when the cuckoo is
around, the shrike does not come out. When the cuckoo goes away, the
shrike comes out.
Shizuoka, Such i-gun: Shizuoka 359, 360, "The cuckoo" (Hototogisu).
Two selections. In the first story, the little brother of the cuckoo
was caught and eaten by the shrike. That is why the cuckoo calls,
"Ototo 0 kaese, kaese [Give me back, give me back my little
brotherJ." When the cuckoo comes out, the shrike doesn't. In the
second story, the shrike killed the little brother of the cuckoo.
That is why it calls, "Ototo koishi" [I long for my little brotherJ.
In order to make amends for its sin, the shrike catches little birds
and worms and leaves them fastened on trees for the older brother
cuckoo.
Iwata-gun: Shizuoka 361, "The cuckoo" (Hototogisu). When the
shrike killed the little brother, its elder brother turned into a
cuckoo and went around looking for him. He called, "Ototo koi,
ototo koi [Come, little brother; come, little brother J." For this
reason, when it is time for the cuckoo, the shrike does not come
out.
271. The Cuckoo who was a Shoemaker
Long ago the cuckoo was a shoemaker and the shrike was a horse
leader. The shrike always got the cuckoo to fasten shoes on his horse,
but he never paid his bill. That is why the cuckoo calls, "Kutsu no dai
wa d6shita ka [What about the shoe billJ?" When it comes time for the
cuckoo to appear, the shrike does not show up. He fastens little worms
onto twigs and leaves them to make the cuckoo better natured.
Wakayama, Naka-gun
Wakayama, Naka-gun: Kyodo ken IV 7 27, "The legend about the cuckoo"
(Hototogisu no densetsu). Example. Nihon shu, jo 10, "The
cuckoo and the shrike" (Hototogisu to mozu).
Kochi, Hata-gun: TD IV 6 34. No title.
Further reference:
Karin ryozaisho (in Zoku gunsho ruijii XVII 215). Yagumo gosho,
the part about the shrike.
Kenchu mikkan 19. Changing the names of the shrike and cuckoo.
The shrike was formerly the shoemaker.