Pathway to Japanese Literature

Onekosan Who Dyed Her Fur

As the New Year approached, Onekosan’s Father and Mother were making plans to bathe Onekosan and groom her fur properly. This was because Onekosan was a white cat. “Father, there’s a soap advertisement here,” said Mother. “What if we used this? You see, Onekosan’s in a terrible state—she’s always hated baths, so she’s become as filthy as a sewer rat.”

“Let me see, let me see.” “I see, this should work.” “Let’s go with this one,” Father agreed and gave her the money. The soap was called Lucks—a high-quality product even humans rarely used—so using it in a household like Onekosan’s seemed almost wasteful. But for Onekosan’s sake, her Father and Mother endured the high cost.

The mother who had bought the soap bathed Onekosan. Since it didn’t take long to work, the soap stung every part of her body until Onekosan couldn’t bear it and cried. But when she stepped out from the bath and her fur dried, it turned a pure white so dazzlingly bright it nearly hurt the eyes.

Even Father and Mother, though she was their own child, found her so dazzlingly beautiful that they nearly shed tears of joy.

However, next to Onekosan lived a pitch-black cat named Okurusan. She was Onekosan’s friend. That very Okurusan came to visit Onekosan, who had just gotten out of the bath, to play. Okurusan, too, had just gotten out of the bath, and her fur was shining so beautifully it practically sparkled.

The two of them—no, the two cats—dashed out of their house and went off to play in town. “You’re so pure white and lovely.” “That’s splendid!” said Okurusan. “You’re pitch-black and so stylish!” said Onekosan. They disliked their natural colors and couldn’t help but find others’ appealing. They were just like human children. However, at the town’s cosmetics shop, a grand sale was underway. The band was blaring and booming away, which looked like great fun. The two cats rushed over there.

At the cosmetics shop, they were selling "Fur Dyeing" medicine. “Come one, come all! We’ll give anyone a trial dyeing—free of charge! During the sale period, no money will be taken. Step right up, everyone! Anyone at all!” Onekosan and Okurusan felt their hearts begin to race. “How about it? “Should we get them to dye us?” “It’s free, you know!” As the two cats were fidgeting and exchanging glances, the cosmetics shop uncle promptly said, “Come now, let me dye you,” and dyed Onekosan pitch-black and Okurusan snow-white.

The two were delighted. They were so happy and proud that, thinking to show their fathers and mothers right away, they dashed back home.

Onekosan’s Father and Mother said to Okurusan, “Oh, Onekosan!” Okurusan’s Father and Mother said to Onekosan, “Okurusan!”, mixing up the two cats. The two cats were shocked and explained the situation, but no matter what they said, their Fathers and Mothers couldn’t understand. The two cats grew sad and cried.

Just then, the neighborhood dog happened to pass by and sniffed them out, so the Fathers and Mothers apparently finally managed to figure out which one was their own child. The two cats let out a sigh of relief.

Hospitalized Onekosan As I told you in the January issue, Onekosan and Okurusan had their fur dyed—resulting in the white-furred Onekosan turning black and the black-furred Okurusan turning white.

Then a month had passed. The color of both cats' fur gradually faded until they both turned mouse-gray. While humans might consider mouse-gray a perfectly decent color, in the feline world it was regarded as the most detestable hue imaginable. After all, cats and mice shared the bitterest of enmities. This being so, Onekosan and Okurusan's fathers and mothers resolved to take them to the hospital and have that dreadful dye removed at once. Yet Onekosan and Okurusan flatly refused to go. They'd convinced themselves hospitals were terrifying places.

“Why don’t you want to go to the hospital?” “If you don’t clean your fur quickly, you won’t be able to go to school.” The Mothers said this.

“Because we don’t want to go outside in such a state during daytime,” said Onekosan and Okurusan. They never mentioned being afraid of hospitals. Though human children do much the same, cat children have this peculiar habit of never saying what truly worries them.

Thereupon, the fathers and mothers searched for a nighttime hospital. Fortunately, the Toriyama Nighttime Hospital was found. The director was Dr. Owl.

Onekosan and Okurusan decided to go there. “But we really don’t want to go to the hospital!” they tried crying, but there was no helping it now.

The two cats were admitted to the hospital. Dr. Owl examined the two cats. And he applied medicine to fade their color. Three times a day. Then one week passed. The medicine was diligently applied, but still, the color showed no sign of fading. Although it had faded somewhat, it had become completely patchy, and both of them were growing more and more unsightly.

Onekosan and Okurusan cried. saying they wanted to go home already. The fathers and mothers also cried. lamenting how their once-adorable children had become so unsightly.

Onekosan’s fur had finally returned to its original state. In the February issue, I told you how Onekosan’s fur wouldn’t turn white, so finally both Onekosan and Okurusan along with their fathers and mothers broke down crying.

Since everyone had burst into tears over this，even the esteemed Dr.Owl racked his brains over what to do，but things simply would not proceed as he had hoped．But true to his role as the hospital director，Dr.Owl made a resolute decision and informed the fathers and mothers．

“Now, regarding your children’s fur, I have tried all manner of remedies, but this can no longer be resolved through ordinary means.” “There is no other way but to perform surgery.”

The Fathers and Mothers were so startled they seemed about to roll their eyes, but since they thought there was no helping it, “Please, perform that surgery for us,” they said through tears.

Dr. Owl promptly performed the surgery in a separate room. It was completed in about fifteen minutes. “Well, the surgery is complete,” declared Dr. Owl, so the fathers and mothers rushed into the operating room—only to find that not a single hair remained on Onekosan and Okurusan, every last strand having been shaved off with razors. How delighted the fathers and mothers must have been. Not a single drop of blood had been shed, after all.

After that, Dr. Owl applied a liberal amount of hair-growth medicine to the two cats and wrapped them in warm blankets to prevent them from catching colds. The two cats blinked their eyes while,

“It feels sort of cool and sort of warm,” they said, which made everyone burst into laughter. Then, in about ten days, Onekosan had splendidly grown back pure white fur, and Okurusan had grown back jet-black fur. The two thanked Dr. Owl and were discharged from the hospital.

The Fathers and Mothers were finally relieved, but truly, parents do have so many worries, don’t they? They scratched Mr. Bell’s nose.

Because Onekosan and Okurusan's fur had grown back properly as before, they were now able to go out to play again. However, in no time at all, they once again caused an incident that made Onekosan the talk of the town. Good grief.

That very day turned out to have fine weather with a warm sun shining brightly. Onekosan and Okurusan grew bored of staying home and went outside.

Then, they noticed that in the neighbor’s garden, a truly lovely little house had been built.

“Oh，there's a house standing over there! What on earth could it be?” said Onekosan． “That's our neighbor dog Mr．Bell's house．They just had it built for him recently，” said Okurusan．She must have heard this from Mother—she was quite knowledgeable about all sorts of things．

Onekosan said. “That’s not true.” “Someone like Mr. Bell would never have anyone build him such a beautiful house!” “Because he always has muddy feet anyway.”

And then, Onekosan unhesitatingly entered the small house. Okurusan also reluctantly followed Onekosan.

Inside the house, fresh-smelling straw was spread out in abundance. No wind came in, it was warm, and on top of that, quiet—so Onekosan and Okurusan, without thinking, burrowed into the straw and fell asleep. Several hours had passed.

“Hey, hey, Onekosan, Okurusan, please wake up. This is my house,” a voice said, so the two woke up. The two cats, still lying down, looked outside and saw Mr. Bell standing there. Okurusan said to Onekosan: “Onekosan, this really is Mr. Bell’s house after all. Let’s hurry back,” she said, but Onekosan didn’t move. Mr. Bell began to growl outside. Onekosan reluctantly got up and suddenly scratched Mr. Bell’s nose. Blood began to flow from the tip of Mr. Bell’s nose.

Onekosan and Okurusan ran home without looking back, but even their evening meal hardly went down their throats. After all, they understood that they had indeed done a bad thing.

By that very night, the fact that they had scratched Mr. Bell’s nose had spread throughout the entire town. The reason was that Mr. Bell had gone to the pharmacy and bought medicine labeled “ointment to apply when scratched by Onekosan.”

“You are not allowed to go outside anymore,” said Onekosan and Okurusan’s Mother.

Things had taken a dreadful turn.

Now, Onekosan and Okurusan were no longer allowed to go outside. Of course, they couldn’t go to school either.

“Please behave and stay home quietly. If you’re good today, I’ll let you go to school again starting tomorrow. I’ll put your three o’clock chocolate in the cupboard,” said Mother. Then she left them in the room and went out shopping. Though Onekosan and Okurusan were mischievous children, they did rather like school, so they truly resolved to behave properly that day.

After all, they had already been absent from school for a whole week. At first, they sunbathed and read books, but as they gradually grew bored, Onekosan put on Father’s clothes that were hanging there. Okurusan wore Mother’s kimono so long it dragged, and applied white powder and rouge. Onekosan drew a mustache with ink. “It suits you perfectly,” Onekosan said to Okurusan.

“It suits you perfectly,” Okurusan said to Onekosan. The two strutted around the room as if they had fully become adults. At that moment, from the front entrance, a voice was heard saying, “Excuse me.”

Onekosan and Okurusan went out to the front entrance together. Just like Father and Mother, putting on airs. However, when the two saw the guest’s face,

Without even saying “Welcome,” they let out a shriek and fled back to their room. For you see, it was their school teacher. And then, the two of them, feeling utterly ashamed, cried as tears streamed down their faces. Their three o'clock snack wouldn’t go down their throats. Mother had bought them a delicious dinner, but they couldn’t eat that either.

Mother said, “Starting tomorrow, it’s school. Go to bed early,” but they didn’t sleep. What a pitiful pair they were. And then, as the two cried, “School’s awful. We don’t want to go,” they said. But when tomorrow came, they absolutely had to go to school.

Though it may be called a problem of their own making, it was still quite a painful ordeal. With dirty hands,

“Since tonight is Ms. Duck’s birthday, please change into your clean kimonos. And make sure to wash your faces, hands, and feet properly,” said Onekosan and Okurusan’s Mother.

“Yes,” the two replied. They washed their faces, but found washing their hands and feet too troublesome, so they didn’t.

Then the two went to Ms. Duck’s place. A mountain of delicious food was served. “Now then, please don’t hold back and eat as much as you like,” said Ms. Duck. Okurusan and Onekosan were overjoyed and tried to partake of the delicious feast, but given the celebratory occasion, the three-hundred-candlepower bright lights and snow-white tablecloth made their paws look unspeakably dirty! While the other guests looked away, the two stealthily ate their treats. And when everyone was facing forward, they rubbed off the mud on their hands under the table. But it was already too late. The long-awaited feast wouldn’t go down their throats.

Before long, the hostess, Ms. Duck, stood up and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so very much for coming tonight.” “However,” she continued, “I’ve been observing for some time now that Onekosan and Okurusan haven’t touched a single morsel of this feast.” “Now please,” she urged with a smile, “do help yourselves without restraint.” At this prompting, even the other guests joined forces, “Yes now, please do!” they chimed in unison, heaping portions of every delicacy before the two cats.

The two exchanged glances and looked about to burst into tears. But there was nothing they could do. With bright red faces and mud-covered hands, they partook of the feast before every single guest watching.

Then one of the guests said, "My, how clean your hands are, you two!"

Then, all the guests burst into laughter at once.

Ms. Duck, being the host, immediately said as follows. "Oh, it's nothing serious. If you wash them with soap, they'll come clean, you know," she said, then led the two to the washroom and had them wash their hands. When they returned, the guests said while laughing.

“My, how clean Onekosan and Okurusan’s hands have become!” The two turned bright red, but from then on, they ate the feast with great gusto and devoured plenty.

They went to the pool.

It became terribly hot. After all, even in summer Onekosan and Okurusan had their fur growing out thick, so when it came to that heat, it proved utterly unbearable. The two were nearly wilting away. However, a pool had been built right nearby. Onekosan discovered it and came running back.

“Okurusan, you mustn’t tell anyone. “If too many go, the pool will get crowded and we won’t be able to get in,” said Onekosan.

The two promptly set out. When they had come partway, they met Ms. Dog accompanied by eleven puppies. “Onekosan and Okurusan, where are you off to? Why don’t we go there together? Oh, it’s so hot!” said Ms. Dog. “Ms. Dog, we’re going to watch the trains pass by. It’s dangerous for the puppies, you know,” said Onekosan. Then Ms. Dog hurriedly took the puppies and went off in the opposite direction, so Onekosan and Okurusan exchanged glances and rejoiced.

When they went a little further, this time they met Ms. Pig accompanied by twenty piglets. Ms. Pig said, “Onekosan and Okurusan, it’s hot, isn’t it? Let’s go somewhere cool together.” Onekosan panicked and said, “We’re just about to go somewhere terribly hot ourselves, so we can’t join you.” After that, they encountered Nihatori-san, Nezumi-san, and others, but everyone managed to cleverly talk their way out. And after much effort, they finally arrived at the pool.

Ms. Duck, the swimming instructor, along with five or six others, was swimming with remarkable skill in the pool, but aside from Onekosan and Okurusan, not a single soul had come to swim. Since it was their first time swimming, they felt far too embarrassed to enter where there were only instructors. "It would've been better to bring everyone along, but you had to go and decide things on your own," Okurusan grumbled under her breath. "But I thought it'd be a problem if it got crowded," retorted Onekosan. The two made sullen faces and exchanged glances, but whether it was their faces or their bodies, sweat poured out like waterfalls. Because the heat had become utterly unbearable, while the instructors had gone up to rest, they hurriedly splashed about noisily in the water and swam.

Then, Ms. Dog accompanied by puppies, Ms. Pig accompanied by piglets, Nihatori-san, Nezumi-san—everyone they had met earlier—all came trooping in. How terribly ashamed Onekosan and Okurusan must have been! However, since they showed everyone where to change out of their clothes and helped the children into their swimsuits, no one thought ill of the two.

Everyone swam until evening. At last, they cooled down.

They went to the barber’s. At last, September arrived—the month when school would begin. Onekosan and Okurusan loved school very much, so they were terribly eager for it to begin—to the extent that they could hardly sleep at night.

But at last, August 31 arrived. August 31 was the day before school began.

Onekosan and Okurusan prepared everything well—books, notebooks, pencils, clothes, shoes—all of it. After getting everything ready, they plopped down exhausted.

The two lined up on the bed, lay down, and rested. And the two gazed intently at each other’s faces. The two’s faces were covered in fur that had grown as long as that of an Eskimo dog. Onekosan said, “Your face looks just like a bear cub. Your fur’s all tangled and messy.” Having been told this, Okurusan said angrily, “You’re the one who looks like a bear cub, isn’t that right?” Because neither of the two could see their own faces, they were utterly convinced that their own faces were smooth and beautiful—like eggs with eyes and noses drawn on—and this was precisely the problem. The situation had reached a point where they were on the verge of starting to claw at each other. Mother came rushing over and said, “Now, stop fighting and please go to the barber’s.” And she gave them two ten-sen coins each.

The two set off for the barber’s. Even on the way, they didn’t exchange a single word. Because both of them were absolutely furious. When they arrived at the barber’s, the barber took one look at the two and burst into hearty laughter at how wildly their fur had grown. The two were terribly ashamed and their faces nearly turned red, but putting on brave faces, they climbed onto the chairs. The barber cut truly, truly skillfully. The two transformed into adorable little cats as though reborn. So, the two briefly exchanged glances and started to grin, but remembering their earlier quarrel, they clenched their teeth. At that moment, while moving his scissors, the barber asked.

“Shall I give you both matching styles?” asked the barber, whereupon the two suddenly shook their heads sideways and said, “No!” The barber’s scissors clattered downward at that moment and—snip!—cut off the two’s precious whiskers. Onekosan and Okurusan cried. The barber panicked. And they searched for the cut-off whiskers, but unfortunately, since the electric fan was on, the whiskers were blown away by the wind and ended up who knows where.

They ended up all crumpled and twisted.

Time flies, and even Onekosan and Okurusan's whiskers that had been snipped off had now grown back splendidly.

So it was decided that the two would go out to play at their aunt’s place in a distant town.

Because their aunt ran a tailor shop, it had been arranged that each time the two went to visit once a year, she would give them each a truly beautiful outfit.

The two had been looking forward to it since the day before and set out as soon as dawn broke. Without even eating their meal.

They arrived at their aunt’s house at six in the morning, when even the shop’s door had not yet opened. The two had no choice but to lean against the shop entrance and wait.

The milkman passed by. The newspaper seller passed by. The tofu seller passed by. After that, government office workers and company employees passed by. Everyone looked at the two and said, “Oh dear, stray cats.”

Onekosan and Okurusan persisted there for two whole hours after that, but gradually their stomachs began to grow empty. Their throats grew dry. Another two hours passed, and even though it was almost noon, the shop door still hadn’t opened.

The tofu seller who had come in the morning walked over carrying tofu for noon. And, looking at the two, he said.

“Are you lost? Where’s your home?” the tofu seller asked.

“We came to Aunt’s place, but we’re waiting for the shop to open,” the two said.

The tofu seller, “Oh dear, poor things—there’s a note pasted here that says, ‘Closed today as I’ve gone out.’” The two saw that and were disheartened. And along with that, they collapsed in a heap on the dirt. Their stomachs were growling empty, and their leg bones were wobbling when they were startled. The tofu seller was startled. He wondered what would be best to do.

“There’s no helping it. “Come in here.”

So saying, the tofu seller grabbed the two by the scruffs of their necks and placed them into an empty tofu barrel. Then, it was decided he would take them home, but since he went while selling tofu with his “Tofu! Tofu!” calls, the time it took was simply something else. Even so, they somehow managed to return to the gate of their house around three o'clock snack time.

“Oh my! They’ve ridden in such a dreadful contraption!” said Mother and Aunt as they rushed out from inside the house. So Mother paid one yen and bought all the remaining tofu from the tofu seller as thanks. Aunt had brought over some very nice clothes in the morning so that the two wouldn’t go out. Aunt immediately tried to dress them, but given that Onekosan and Okurusan had naturally soft bones and were now wobbling on their feet, they ended up all limp and wobbly, making it impossible to get the clothes on them no matter what. Aunt and Mother doubled over laughing, clutching their stomachs. But then they got angry.

However, since the two were beyond help, they spoon-fed them their meal and put them to bed.

It was exactly as if they had become babies. If you’re too hasty, this is what happens. They acted spitefully.

Onekosan and Okurusan, who had become all limp and wobbly, completely regained their energy after sleeping soundly through the night. And, putting on the clothes they had received from their aunt who ran the tailor shop, they set out to show them off at their friend Ms. Duck’s place.

When Ms. Duck saw Onekosan and Okurusan’s clothes, she immediately said to her mother: “Mother, please buy me clothes like that too!”

Mother looked over Onekosan and Okurusan’s clothes thoroughly from front to back,

“This truly is a well-made outfit. I’ll buy some for our Ms. Duck at the same place too. Where did you get them? And how much did they cost?” she asked.

Onekosan and Okurusan said. “Aunt didn’t buy these clothes. Our aunt made them for us. No matter how much money you offer, she won’t make them for anyone else.” When Ms.Duck heard that, she burst into a messy flood of tears. Onekosan and Okurusan said.

“Really, what a hopeless Ms.Duck.” “Ah, what a nuisance!”

And then they briskly returned home. They were quite spiteful, weren’t they?

However, Ms.Duck cried and cried and cried on and on. “I want clothes like that! I want clothes like that!” she insisted—and it was no wonder. She was still just a child, after all. And so, with no other choice, Ms.Duck’s mother went to Onekosan and Okurusan’s house and spoke to their mother. “Please…could you kindly ask her to make the same clothes for our Ms.Duck as well? It’s truly pitiable of me to ask this, but…”

Mother said, “Please, please don’t hesitate. Since that house is a tailor shop, we will gladly make any order you place.”

Ms. Duck’s mother was greatly pleased. “Then I will promptly go to place an order,” she said. “I’ll take Ms. Duck with me,” she added, flying back home. Hearing this, Onekosan and Okurusan exchanged looks and slumped in disappointment. Later, the two were scolded harshly by Mother. “You mustn’t say such mean-spirited things.”

The two's faces turned bright red. But fortunately, since their faces were completely covered in fur, no one could tell.

They entered the bath and became tired.

A cold, cold winter arrived. Okurusan and Onekosan’s fur grew back thick and fluffy all over, looking wonderfully warm. They became truly, utterly adorable.

So, Onekosan’s mother wrote a letter to Ms. Duck’s mother.

“It has grown terribly cold, and I trust dear everyone remains in good health? We birds and beasts find our feathers and fur growing splendidly when winter arrives, becoming truly beautiful indeed. Your dear A-Taro-san, Hi-Taro-san, and Ru-Taro-san must surely, surely be beautifully attired as well, I imagine. Both Ms. Onekosan and Ms. Okurusan of our household have become quite beautiful indeed. Therefore, please by all means bring A-Taro-san, Hi-Taro-san, and Ru-Taro-san with you this evening and come. While partaking of the feast, we would like to boast about the children. Respectfully.”

After sending this letter, Mother gave the two a bath. The collar grime, foot grime, hand grime—all such things completely came off. Then she sprinkled white powder on Onekosan. She sprinkled black powder on Okurusan. Because they had become so utterly captivating in their beauty, Mother was thoroughly delighted.

Night came. Ms. Duck’s mother had groomed her pride and joy—A-Taro-san, Hi-Taro-san, and Ru-Taro-san—and brought them along. “Quack, quack, quack, quack!” Ms. Duck and her children arrived at Onekosan’s house with boisterous cries, brimming with energy.

“Oh my, oh my, how splendid!” said Onekosan’s mother with such astonishment that Ms.Duck and her children were truly beautiful. However, deep down, she thought, “Our Onekosan and Okurusan are much more beautiful.”

Ms. Duck and her children sat down at the table. The feast was served. However, Onekosan and Okurusan did not come out for quite some time. “Excuse me, but may I ask what has become of Ms. Onekosan and Ms. Okurusan?” inquired Ms. Duck’s mother. “Onekosan! Okurusan! Please come out quickly!” “Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!” Ms. Duck’s children began making a commotion. Onekosan’s mother had nearly forgotten all about the very cats who were the guests of honor, what with preparing the feast and greeting Ms. Duck and her children.

Mother searched the entire house. But the two were nowhere to be found. And so, when she searched once again, she found that the two had put on their pajamas, gotten into bed, and were sound asleep, refusing to wake up no matter what.

“I do apologize, but they simply won’t wake up. After all, they spent two whole hours in the bath today, so they must have been exhausted,” said Onekosan’s Mother.

It must have been quite pitiful.

However, just as they noticed the surroundings had grown quiet, A-Taro-san, Hi-Taro-san, Ru-Taro-san—all still seated at the table—had fallen fast asleep, snoring away. “I’m terribly sorry. After all, they spent two whole hours in the bath today,” said Ms. Duck’s Mother.

And so, that evening’s “Children’s Bragging Party” was called off.