n kindness killed their own
cub and took out the liver; and the old dog-fox, disguising himself as a
messenger from the person to whom we had confided the commission, came
here with it. His mate has just been at my pillow-side and told me all
about it. Hence it was that, in spite of myself, I was moved to tears."

When she heard this, the goodwife likewise was blinded by her tears, and
for a while they lay lost in thought; but at last, coming to themselves,
they lighted the lamp on the shelf on which the family idol stood, and
spent the night in reciting prayers and praises, and the next day they
published the matter to the household and to their relations and
friends. Now, although there are instances of men killing their own
children to requite a favour, there is no other example of foxes having
done such a thing; so the story became the talk of the whole country.

Now, the boy who had recovered through the efficacy of this medicine
selected the prettiest spot on the premises to erect a shrine to Inari
Sama,[2] the Fox God, and offered sacrifice to the two old foxes, for
whom he purchased the highest rank at the court of the Mikado.

* * * * *

The passage in the tale which speaks of rank being purchased for the
foxes at the court of the Mikado is, of course, a piece of nonsense.
"The saints who are worshipped in Japan," writes a native authority,
"are men who, in the remote ages, when the country was developing
itself, were sages, and by their great and virtuous deeds having earned
the gratitude of future generations, received divine honours after their
death. How can the Son of Heaven, who is the father and mother of his
people, turn dealer in ranks and honours? If rank were a matter of
barter, it would cease to be a reward to the virtuous."

All matters connected with the shrines of the Shinto, or indigenous
religion, are confided to the superintendence of the families of Yoshida
and Fushimi, Kuges or nobles of the Mikado's court at Kiyoto. The
affairs of the Buddhist or imported religion are under the care of the
family of Kanjuji. As it is necessary that those who as priests perform
the honourable office of serving the gods should be persons of some
standing, a certain small rank is procured for them through the
intervention of the representatives of the above noble families, who, on
the issuing of the required patent, receive as their perquisite a fee,
which, although insignifi