d utility to
his chief.

Born in 1536, the son of a peasant named Yasuke, as a baby he had almost
the face of a monkey, while as a boy he displayed a monkey-like cunning,
restlessness, and activity. The usual occupations of the sons of
Japanese peasants, such as grass-cutting and rice-weeding, were not to
the taste of young Monkey-pine, as the villagers called him, and he
spent his time in the streets, a keen-witted and reckless young truant,
who feared and cared for no one, and lived by his wits.

Fortune favored the little vagrant by bringing him under the eyes of the
great soldier Nobunaga, who was attracted by his wizened, monkeyish
face and restless eyes and gave him occupation among his grooms. As he
grew older his love of war became pronounced, he took part in the
numerous civil turmoils in which his patron was engaged, and manifested
such courage and daring that Nobunaga rapidly advanced him in rank,
finally making him one of his most trusted generals. No man was more
admired in the army for soldierly qualities than the peasant leader, and
the boldest warriors sought service under his banner, which at first
bore for emblem a single gourd, but gained a new one after each battle,
until it displayed a thick cluster of gourds. At the head of the army a
golden model of the original banner was borne, and wherever it moved
victory followed.

Such was the man who, after the murder of Nobunaga, marched in furious
haste upon his assassin and quenched the ambition of the latter in
death. The brief career of the murderer has given rise to a Japanese
proverb, "Akechi ruled three days." The avenger of the slain regent was
now at the head of affairs. The mikado himself dared not oppose him, for
the military power of the empire lay within his grasp. There was only
one man who ventured to resist his authority, and he for no long time.

This was a general named Shibata, who took the field in defence of the
claim of Nobutaka, a son of the slain regent. He did not realize with
whom he had to deal. The peasant general was quickly in the field at the
head of his veteran army, defeated Shibata at every encounter, and
pursued him so hotly that he fled for refuge to a fortified place now
known as Fukui. This stronghold Hideyoshi besieged, establishing his
camp on the slope of a neighboring mountain, from which he pushed his
siege operations so vigorously that the fugitive gave up all hope of
escape.

In this dilemma Shibata took a