The Rats of Kuroshima
There are two small, uninhabited islands in the Uwa Sea near Yawatahama that belong to Ikata: Kuroshima and Karasushima. A legend written in the 13th century text A Collection of Things Heard, Ancient and Modern (古今著聞集, Kokon chomon shū?) tells the following story:
| “ | In the Antei era (1227–1229), in the Yano area of the Iyo Province there was an island called Kuroshima. It was about one ri (4 km) from the nearest settlement. On the island lived a fisherman known as the Daiku of Katsurahazama (thought to be modern-day Honai). One night he was walking around looking for a good place to set his nets when he saw that the spots with fish appeared to glow in the night darkness. By every shore of the island the light glowed so brightly that he gleefully put out his nets, only to find that there were no fish at all. Instead what he pulled up was countless rats. After he pulled them ashore the rats fled, disappearing into the darkness. The fisherman was stunned. How strange this was! The island thus became full of rats, which ate all of the crops, and made the land infertile to this day. Though rats can of course be found on land, what a strange thing it is that they would be at the bottom of the sea! | ” |
Read more about this topic: Ikata, Ehime, Culture, Folklore
Famous quotes containing the word rats:
“Three young rats with black felt hats,
Three young ducks with white straw flats,”
—Unknown. Three Young Rats (l. 1–2)