A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

188 Japanese Miscellany
ing-range. The fire of the cooking-range being insufficient,
he dried it by the fire of a kotatsu.^
{Province of he.)
Neko ga Kuwana e mairutote
Kuwana no michi de hi ga kiete,
Toboshitemo, toboshitemo, toboraide.
Chaya no en eto koshikakete,
— Mizu wo ippai okurenka ?
— Mizu wo yaru no wa yasui kedo,
Tsurube no soke ga nukemashita.
— Yare, yare ! kitsui ane-san ja
O-cha wo ippuku okurenka ?
— O-cha wo yaru no wa yasui kedo,
Chagama no soko ga nukemashita.
— Yare, yare ! kitsui ane-san ja
Tabako wo ippuku okurenka ?
— Tabako yaru no wa yasui kedo,
Kiseru no kubi ga nukemashita.
* A kotatsu is a square structure ; the sides and top being formed by
wooden bars ; and the lower part containing a metal brasier, or warmingpan,
in which a charcoal fire is lighted. Over this structure heavy
quilts are thrown ; and a number of persons can keep themselves warm
by sitting round the kotatsu with their knees under the quilts. The size
of the kotatsu varies from about one foot to two feet square. Diction-
aries absurdly describe the thing as " a kind of hearth." It is not a
hearth ; but in Western Japan it occupies a place in the home like that
of the hearth with us, — for the family assemble about it of winter
evenings.
;
!