Japanese Folk Tale

Tales about Birds, Beasts, Plants and Trees 265
didn't. He kept on demanding it. That is why the meadowlark does
not stay on the ground, but sings in the sky.
Aomori City environs: Yach6 IV 3 5. In "Hearthside tales" (Rohen
monogatari} by Wada Senz6. Practically the same as the Minamitsugaru
story.
Kitatsugaru: Tsuchi no ka * (see the item below); Tech6 90, "The
meadowlark's debt" (Hibari no shakkin).
Hachinohe: MK II 12 55, "The meadowlark and the quail" (Hibari to
uzura). The quail was poor at first. He went to the owl to borrow
money, but its eyes shone so much that he was afraid. Then he
went to the meadowlark and borrowed, but he would not return it.
The meadowlark called from high in the sky, "Totekaba toteke
[You got the money; you got the money]." The quail cried, "Kurushotote
kuwae [I was hungry and ate with it]." Another story says
the meadow lark borrowed millet from the quail and did not return
it. When he received the demand, he cried, "Jugonichi ka hatsuka
j6ya, j6ya [I will in 15 or 20 days]." The angry quail cried, "Tote
kuwae [You got it and ate it]."
Iwate, Hienuki-gun: K6sho II '+, "The meadow lark and the quail" (Hibari
to uzura). The meadowlark loaned the money. The quail suffered
and said, "Gugutsuu, gugutsuu." The meadowlark cried, "Shichi
toru, me toru, ko toru [I'll take the interest, your woman, your
child]."
Akita, Senhoku-gun: Ugo 78. No title. Example.
Shizuoka, Fuji-gun: Shizuoka 382, "The meadowlark" (Hibari}. The
meadowlark was a gambler. He lost constantly. He hoped each day
he could gain a little, but he had no luck. Finally he became a
bird that called, "Hi ichi bu, hi ichi bu [One bu a day; one bu a
day]."
Ibara-gun: Shizuoka 383, "The meadowlark" (Hibari}. The meadowlark
cried, "Awa san to kashita, sa sa yokose, sa yokose [I loaned
you three to of millet; now, give it back; now give it back]."
Shizuoka City: Shizuoka 383, "The meadowlark" (Hibari). The
meadowlark was a loan shark formerly. He cries, "Ri 0 yokose,
moto 0 yokose [Hand over the interest, hand over the principaI]."
Gifu: Hida tori 166, "Interpreting the meadowlark's song" (Hibari no
nakigoe no honyaku). It cries, "Hi ichi bu, hi ichi bu [One bu a day,
one bu a day]."
Wakayama, Hidaka-gun, Yada-mura: Minzokugaku II 10 26, "Animals
that make demands" (Saisoku suru dobutsu no hanashi) by Minakata
Kumakusu. The frog borrowed five to of rice from the meadowlark
and would not return it. In the spring the meadowlark demanded
one koku [IO times as much]. He cried, "Ri ni ri kuta, ri ni ri kuta
[Interest on interest, interest on interest]." The frog said, "Go to,
go to [five to, five to]." The meadowlark continues to fly around
and cry.
Oita: Bungo h6gen III 57, "The call of the meadowlark" (Hibari no
nakigoe).
Miyazaki: HyiJga II 226. No title. When the meadowlark demanded the
millet he loaned, "Kyo yare, kyo yare [Return it today, return it
today]," the quail answered, "Tsuku tsuchi yare."