The feudal system has passed away like a dissolving view before the eyes of those who have lived in Japan during the last few years. But when they arrived there it was in full force, and there is not an incident narrated in the following pages, however strange it may appear to Europeans, for the possibility and probability of which those most competent to judge will not vouch. Nor, as many a recent event can prove, have heroism, chivalry, and devotion gone out of the land altogether. We may deplore and inveigh against the Yamato Damashi, or Spirit of Old Japan, which still breathes in the soul of the Samurai, but we cannot withhold our admiration from the self-sacrifices which men will still make for the love of their country. The first two of the Tales have already appeared in the _Fortnightly Review,_ and two of the Sermons, with a portion of the Appendix on the subject of the Hara-Kiri, in the pages of the _Cornhill Magazine_. I have to thank the editors of those periodicals for permission to reprint them here. LONDON, January 7, 1871 CONTENTS THE FORTY-SEVEN RÔNINS THE LOVES OF GOMPACHI AND KOMURASAKI KAZUMA'S REVENGE A STORY OF THE OTOKODATÉ OF YEDO THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF FUNAKOSHI JIUYÉMON THE ETA MAIDEN AND THE HATAMOTO FAIRY TALES THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW THE ACCOMPLISHED AND LUCKY TEA-KETTLE THE CRACKLING MOUNTAIN THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES TO BLOSSOM THE BATTLE OF THE APE AND THE CRAB THE ADVENTURES OF LITTLE PEACHLING THE FOXES' WEDDING THE HISTORY OF SAKATA KINTOKI THE ELVES AND THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR THE GHOST OF SAKURA HOW TAJIMA SHUMÉ WAS TORMENTED BY A DEVIL OF HIS OWN CREATION CONCERNING CERTAIN SUPERSTITIONS THE VAMPIRE CAT OF NABÉSHIMA THE STORY OF THE FAITHFUL CAT HOW A MAN WAS BEWITCHED AND HAD HIS HEAD SHAVED BY THE FOXES THE GRATEFUL FOXES THE BADGER'S MONEY THE PRINCE AND THE BADGER JAPANESE SERMONS THE SERMONS OF KIU-Ô, VOL. I. SERMON I. " " SERMON II. " " SERMON III. APPENDICES:-- AN ACCOUNT OF THE HARA-KIRI THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY ON THE BIRTH AND REARING OF CHILDREN FUNERAL RITES LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS