Pathway to Japanese Literature

Beneath a forest of pine and oak trees flowed a deep weir.
Along the bank, thorns, dayflowers, and knotweed grew thickly, and around where about ten of those dayflowers clustered together lay Kan Frog’s home.

Then, in the woods under an oak tree lay Bun Frog’s home.

In the shade of the pampas grass across the woods lay Ben Frog’s home.

The three frogs were the same age and roughly the same size, each as impertinent and mischievous as the next.

One summer evening, the three frogs—Kan Frog, Bun Frog, and Ben Frog—were seated in the clover square before Kan Frog’s home, engaged in cloud-viewing.
Frogs all greatly enjoy looking at the peaks of summer clouds.
Indeed, those pure white, puffy and swollen cloud peaks—like chalcedony, like hailstone candies, like carved opal grape ornaments—appear splendid to anyone’s eyes, but to the frogs they are especially magnificent.
They can gaze at them endlessly without growing weary.
The reason for this is that cloud peaks somewhat resemble the shape of a frog’s head and also look like frog eggs in spring.
So while Japanese people engage in activities like flower-viewing or moon-viewing, the frogs engage in cloud-viewing.

“It’s truly splendid indeed.”
“They’re gradually taking on the Peneta shape, aren’t they?”

“Yeah. They’re a pale golden color, aren’t they.”
“They make one think of eternal life, don’t they.”

“They’re truly our ideal, aren’t they.”

The cloud peaks had gradually taken on the Peneta shape.
The so-called Peneta shape had become something highly esteemed among frogs.
It refers to being flat.
The cloud peaks gradually crumbled away, and the surroundings grew quite dim.

“Lately, rubber boots are all the rage among Heron’s kind, huh?”
The term “Heron” was frog language.
It meant human beings.

“Yeah. They sure seem to be wearing them a lot.”

“We sure want some too, huh.”

“We really want them.
If we had those on, even chestnut burrs or anything else wouldn’t hurt at all!”

“We sure do want them.”

“Isn’t there some way to get them?”

“It’s not that there isn’t a way.
But since ours are quite different from Heron’s in both size and shape, we’d have to get them adjusted.”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

Now, the cloud peaks had completely crumbled away, and the surroundings turned indigo.

Thereupon Ben Frog and Bun Frog,
“Goodbye,” they said, parting from Kan Frog, then swam vigorously beneath the woods’ weir back to their respective homes.

※

Afterward, Kan Frog crossed his arms and pondered.
In the bellflower-purple twilight.

After a long, long while, he finally let out two croaks: “Gik! Gik!”
And plodding across the grassland, he arrived at the field.

Then, thinning his voice considerably,

“Field Mouse-san, Field Mouse-san.”
“Hey, hey,” he called out.

“Snap,” replied the Field Mouse, popping out before the frog.
It was so dark that even his dusky face could no longer be seen.

“Field Mouse-san.”
“Good evening.”
“I have a request for you—will you hear me out?”

“Well, I’ll hear you out.”
“Last autumn, when I ate those buckwheat dumplings, got typhoid fever, and suffered terribly, you nursed me like family. How could I ever forget that debt?”

“I see.
“In that case, can you manage to get me a pair of rubber boots? The shape doesn’t matter at all.
“I’ll adjust them myself.”

“Oh, sure.
“I’ll definitely bring them for you by tomorrow evening.”

“I see.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Field Mouse.
“Then I’ll leave it to you.
“Goodbye then.”

Kan Frog returned home in great delight and went straight to bed.

※

The next evening.

Kan Frog came to the field once again,

“Field Mouse-san.
“Field Mouse-san.”
“Hey there.”
“Hey there,” he called in a gentle voice.

The field mouse appeared thoroughly exhausted—eyes bleary, letting out a long sigh—and emerged looking thoroughly indignant, when suddenly he flung a pair of small rubber boots before Kan Frog.

“There you go, Mr. Kan Frog.”
“Take them.”
“I had a terrible time.”
“I went to so much trouble.”
“I was worried half to death.”
“I’ve repaid the debt I owed you.”
“I might’ve overpaid a bit, for all I know,” and with that, the field mouse stormed off.

Kan Frog was momentarily stunned by the extremity of the Field Mouse’s fury, but upon reflection, he realized it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
First, the Field Mouse had requested rubber boots from an ordinary mouse; the ordinary mouse had asked a cat; the cat had asked a dog; the dog had asked a horse. When the horse received its own iron horseshoes, it somehow managed to deceive them into giving an extra pair of rubber boots too. Then, the horse passed them to the dog; the dog passed them to the cat; the cat passed them to the ordinary mouse; the ordinary mouse passed them to the Field Mouse. Each handover must have been accompanied by ominous phrases like “You’ll owe me later,” or something of that sort. Moreover, if humans later discovered how the horse had swindled those rubber boots, it would likely face terrible punishment from them.
Considering that the Field Mouse had worried over all of this, it must have been an ordeal severe enough to endanger his life.
However, Kan Frog, upon seeing those splendid rubber boots, was so overjoyed that his mouth tingled with the urge to speak.

He immediately began tapping and pulling at them, adjusted them to fit his feet perfectly, grinning broadly as he slipped them onto his feet, walked around all night long, and only at dawn, utterly exhausted, returned home.
And he slept.

※

“Kan-kun! Kan-kun! It’s cloud-viewing time.”
“Hey.”
“Kan-kun.”
Kan Frog opened his eyes.
When he looked, Bun Frog and Ben Frog were vigorously shaking his body.
Indeed, in the east, pale golden cloud peaks were towering beautifully.

“Oh, you’re already wearing the rubber boots. Where’d you get them?”

“Well now, I went through terrible hardship, put in tremendous effort, and even risked my life agonizing over how to get these. You lot could never manage it. Want me to show you how I walk in them? There—perfect fit, wouldn’t you say? If I go striding about in these, it’d be just like a stage play, wouldn’t it? Like a grand entrance—kaaah! Or a dramatic pose—eee!”

“Yeah, really splendid.”
“We want some too.”
“But there’s no helping it.”

“There’s no helping it.”

The cloud peaks were silver and at their highest point.
However, Ben Frog and Bun Frog weren’t looking at the clouds—they were staring at nothing but the rubber boots.

At that moment, from the opposite direction, a beautiful female frog hopped over and shyly peeked out from behind the dayflowers.

“Good evening, Miss Rura. What brings you here?”
“Father told me to come find a husband.”
Rura Frog’s face flattened slightly.

“What about someone like me?”
Ben Frog said.

“Or perhaps someone like me might be suitable.”
Bun Frog said.

However, Kan Frog did not utter a single word and merely kept walking smoothly about the area.

“Oh, I’ve already decided.”

“Who?”
The two frogs blinked rapidly.

Kan Frog was still walking smoothly.

“That one.”
The daughter frog covered her face with her left hand and, spreading the fingers of her right, pointed at Kan Frog.

“Hey Kan-kun, the young miss has decided on you.”

“What do you mean?”

Kan Frog turned this way with a bewildered expression.

“The young miss says she’s taking you with her.”

Kan Frog hurried over here.

“Good evening, Miss. Do you have some business with me?”
“I see. Is that so?”
“Very well.”
“Understood.”
“Then when shall we set the day?”
“The day for the ceremony…”

“August 2nd would be good.”

“That would be good.”
Kan Frog composedly turned his face to the sky.

There, the cloud peaks had now once again taken on their peneta shape and were flowing.

“Then I’ll go home and tell everyone that.”

“Yes,”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, then.”

Ben Frog and Bun Frog, fuming with anger, suddenly spun around and headed home.
In a fit of pique, they swam through the weir beneath those woods with just two splashy strokes.
After that, there was no describing Kan Frog’s joy.
He walked and walked, and when the twentieth-night moon rose from the east, he finally returned home and went to bed.

※

Now on Rura Frog's side as well, through various preparations and negotiations with Kan Frog, matters gradually came together.
On the dawn of the day that was finally the day after tomorrow for the wedding ceremony, Kan Frog said in his dream,
"Today, I absolutely must go around to everyone's places and invite them to the ceremony the day after tomorrow."
However, from that dawn until morning, the rain finally began to fall.
The woods roared thunderously, and the dayflowers before Kan Frog's home, submerged in murky water, appeared blurred and hazy.
Even so, Kan Frog bravely left home.
The weir's water had grown turbid and risen tremendously; many stalks of knotweed and dayflowers were completely submerged. Jumping in now seemed rather perilous.
Kan Frog, however, jumped into the water from a single knotweed with a splash and swam steadily onward.
While swimming, he was steadily swept away.
Nevertheless, he somehow managed to climb up onto the opposite shore.

Then he strode across the moss, crossed several insect-trodden paths, and pelted by large raindrops while making his rubber boots go squelch-squelch, came to Bun Frog’s house under the oak tree and shouted loudly.

“Hello, hello.”

“Who is it?”
“Ah, you.”
“Enter.”

“Yeah, it’s really pouring out there.”
“Not even a shadow of life remains on Passen Avenue today!”

“I see.”
“It’s quite a terrible rain.”

“As you know, the day after tomorrow is my wedding ceremony.”
“Please do come.”

“Yeah.”
“Right, right.”
“Come to think of it, that tiny red insect was saying something like that back then, wasn’t it?”
“I’ll come.”

“Thank you.”
“Please, I’m counting on you.”
“Well then, goodbye.”

“Goodbye, then.”

Kan Frog once again passed through the woods with a squelch-squelch and arrived at Ben Frog’s house amidst the susuki grass.

“Hello, hello.”

“Who is it?”
“Ah, it’s you. Come in.”

“Thank you.”
“It’s really pouring.”
“Passen Avenue’s quiet as a grave today.”

“I see. It’s really dreadful.”
“Dreadful indeed.”

“By the way, you must know already—my wedding’s the day after tomorrow.”
“Please do me the honor of attending.”

“Ah—didn’t I hear something about that somewhere?”
“I’ll be there.”

“Please.”
“Well then, goodbye.”

“Goodbye, then.” And then Kan Frog once again walked through the woods with a squelch-squelch, swam across the weir with a splash-splash, returned home, and finally felt relieved.

※

At that very moment, Bun Frog came to Ben Frog’s place.

“Hello, hello.”

“Yes?”
“Oh, it’s you. Come in.”

“Kan came by, I suppose?”

“Yeah. Infuriating, isn’t it.”

“Absolutely.”
“Damn it.”
“I really want to make that bastard suffer something awful.”

“I’ve come up with a clever plan.”
“Tomorrow morning—if the rain stops—we’ll suggest taking a short stroll before the wedding ceremony, drag that bastard out, and make him walk through that cut grass stubble over there.”
“We’ll probably get hurt a bit too, but let’s just endure it.”
“Then that bastard’s rubber boots will get completely ruined.”

“Yeah. That’s a good idea.
But I’m still not satisfied with just that.
After the wedding ceremony’s over, we should drag those guys out and drop them into those holes left by the wheat-drying stakes in the field.
Let’s cover them with some leaves or something on top.”
“I’ll handle that part. This’ll be fun.”

“That’s perfect too.
Well then, once the rain stops.”

“Yeah.”

“Well then, goodbye.”

The frogs’ repeated “goodbye” had become cloying to the point of nausea.
Just a little longer.
Please bear with this.
Just a little bit more now.

※

The following afternoon, the rain cleared and the sun shone.
Ben Frog and Bun Frog came together to Kan Frog’s house.

“Hey there, congratulations on your big day.”
“We’ve come just as you invited us.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“By the way, there’s still quite some time until the ceremony, I suppose.”
“Shall we take a little walk?”
“A walk’ll do your complexion good, I tell ya.”

“That’s right. Then let’s go.”

“Let’s all three hold hands.”
Bun Frog and Ben Frog each took one of Kan Frog’s hands from either side.

“The air after the rain really is refreshing, isn’t it.”

“Yeah. Feels crisp and nice.”

The three frogs arrived at the cut grass stubble.

“Ah, what a splendid view.”
“Let’s pass through here.”

“Hey.
This is far enough.
Let’s go back now.”

“No, we’ve come all this way. Let’s go a bit further.
There, do proceed.”
The two frogs pulled forcefully on Kan Frog’s hands from both sides, marching steadily through the cut grass stubble while enduring the pain in their own feet.

“Hey.
This is far enough.
Cut it out!
I can’t walk here!
It’s dangerous!
Let’s go back now.”

“What marvelous scenery indeed. Shall we pick up the pace?” said the two frogs in unison from either side, eyeing Kan Frog’s still-intact rubber boots.

“Hey.
That’s enough.
This is no joke!
That’s enough.
Ouch.
Oh no, there’s finally a hole in my boots!”

“How’s this?”
“The air tastes divine.”

“Hey. Let’s go back now. Stop pulling me.”

“What splendid scenery indeed.”

“Let go of me.”
“Let go of me.”
“Let go already!”
“Damn you!”

“Oh my, you’ve had your leg bitten by something, haven’t you.”
“There’s no need to struggle so much.”
“We’re holding tight.”

“Let go, let go, let go already, damn you!”

“Still being gnawed at?”
“How dreadful.”
“Do flee posthaste.”
“Do run.”
“There.”
“There now.”

“It hurts!”
“I said let go! Let go!”
“Damn you bastards!”

“Hurry, hurry. There, you’re safe now. Oh my—your boots are in tatters, aren’t they? Whatever could have happened?”

The rubber boots had indeed become completely tattered, scattered about Kan Frog’s feet before vanishing entirely.

Kan Frog made an indescribably bitter face and mouthed wordlessly. In truth, this was where he should have clenched his teeth, but lacking any, he could only move his mouth helplessly. The two frogs finally released their grip and began offering insincere compliments from both sides.

“You shouldn’t lose heart so much. Whether those boots exist or not makes no difference—your bride will come anyway.”

“It must be time now.”
“Let’s go back.”
“Let’s go back and wait. Alright?”
“You.”

Kan Frog reluctantly began walking while sunk in gloom.

※

After the three frogs arrived at Kan Frog’s home, some time passed before a bridal procession appeared from far across the way, holding up butterbur leaves and raising sweet flag spikes.

As they gradually drew nearer, Ganro—serving as father—stepped forward,

“Hey daughter—which of those three is your bridegroom?” Ganro asked, turning back to Rura Frog.

Rura Frog blinked her small eyes rapidly.
The reason was that when she first saw Kan Frog, she had in fact paid attention to nothing but his rubber boots, so now that all three frogs were standing there barefoot in a neat row, she found herself truly at a loss.
And so, having no choice,

“I can’t tell unless we go closer.”

“That’s right.
That would be disastrous.
Calm down properly,” said the Matchmaker from behind Ganro.

However, when they moved even closer, it became even more unclear.
All three had large mouths, were dusky in color, and even their bulging eyes were remarkably similar.
This situation became utterly perplexing.
However, after a moment, Kan Frog, who was at the far right end, snapped open his mouth, took one step forward, and bowed.
Thereupon, Rura Frog finally felt relieved and,

“That one.”
And then the ceremony began.
How grand the ceremony was, how splendid the banquet—it’s quite beyond my ability to describe.

In any case, once the ceremony concluded, everyone from the other side withdrew and departed.
At that very moment, the peaks of the clouds were shining most brilliantly.

“Now for the honeymoon,” said Ben Frog.

“We’ll soon see you off to that point,” said Bun Frog.

Kan Frog reluctantly took Rura Frog along and set off on their honeymoon.
And before long they arrived at those stake remains covered with leaves.
Bun Frog and Ben Frog,

“Ah, the path here is treacherous.”
“Groom.”
“Let us lead you by the hand.” So saying—before Kan Frog could hurriedly adjust himself—they took his hands from both sides and, while walking along the pit’s edges, forcibly pulled Kan Frog out onto its rim.
Then the leaf beneath Kan Frog crackled sharply, and he staggered slightly as he sank downward.
Bun Frog and Ben Frog whirled around to flee outward, but Kan Frog clung tightly to both of them. The two frogs’ braced legs quivered convulsively, and then finally—Plop! Splash!

All three frogs fell into the muddy water at the bottom of the pit.
When they looked up, all they could see was a small circular patch of sky with only a sliver of shining cloud peaks visible, but the frogs found nothing to cling to no matter how much they struggled.

Thereupon, Rura Frog used the secret technique of six hundred meters she had learned long ago and ran at full speed to her father's place.
However, her father and the others were drunk and snoring soundly; no matter how much she tried to rouse them, they wouldn't wake up.
Thereupon, Rura Frog ran back to the original spot and circled round and round while weeping.

Gradually, night fell.

Splash-splash-splash-splash.

Rura Frog went to her father’s place again.

No matter how much she tried to wake them, they wouldn’t wake up.
The night ended.
Splash-splash-splash-splash.
Rura Frog went to her father's place again.
No matter how much she tried to wake them, they wouldn’t wake up.

Dusk fell.
The tips of the cloud peaks.

Splash-splash-splash-splash.

Rura Frog went to father’s place again.

No matter how much she tried to wake them, they wouldn’t wake up.

The night ended.

Splash-splash-splash-splash.

Cloud peaks.
Peneta shape.

Just at that moment, Father Frog finally awoke and set out to see what had become of Rura Frog.

And there sat Rura Frog, exhausted and deathly pale, arms folded across the chest as she slept.

“Hey, what happened? Hey.”

“Oh Father, three of them have fallen in here. They might already be dead.”

Father Frog, careful not to fall himself, pressed his ear to the pit’s mouth and listened—there came a faint plopping sound.

“Got them!” Father Frog shouted, and hurried back to bring all his fellow frogs. And bringing ivy vines from the woods, they lowered them into the pit and finally pulled up each frog one by one from the hole.

All three frogs now lay with their white bellies turned upward, eyes closed, mouths tightly shut, half-dead.

Everyone worked together to bring sesame fiber hairs, rubbed them down, performed various treatments, and finally managed to save them.

Thereupon, Kan Frog finally united with Rura Frog, and the other frogs too profoundly reformed their ways, from then on all coming to work diligently.