So saying, he engaged a few coolies to assist the men in boiling the rice and so forth. Having wrapped the boiled rice in broad bamboo leaves, together with pickled daikon,[[33]] he contrived a luncheon for many thousands of the poor in no time.
[33]. Large white radishes.
The stronger the wind grew the farther the fire spread: it devastated the city with such rapidity that noontide of that day saw even the districts of Hachobori and Shiba reduced to heaps of smoldering ashes. Those who were burned out had not had time to put away their furniture, but only escaped with their lives, and were seeking in vain to find shelter in the houses of their relatives, who had suffered a like fate with them and could not assist them. Not knowing where to turn, they wandered about in terror the whole day, and their misery was such that they could not even get themselves food.
While this was the state of things, a band of coolies came among them with a rectangular bamboo basket with bento[[34]] in it, and one of them held aloft a paper flag with huge characters on it, which read as follows: “Kinokuniya Bunzayemon’s Charity Luncheon!”
[34]. Luncheon.
The coolies distributed this bento among the men and women who were in distress. Every man and woman, therefore, whether young or old, who was sore oppressed by hunger, was glad to get hold of this food and was relieved by it, though it was only for a time. With admirable sagacity Chobei quickly hired many more coolies and prepared more luncheons, sending them to every quarter of the city; and so wherever men went they saw the selfsame flag flying for charity, and the whole city was surprised, and praised the generosity of this Kinokuniya Bunzayemon.
In this great fire even those large palaces of the daimios,[[35]] which stood in the line of the fire and which could in ordinary days call up many hands to keep the fire off, were not able to escape from the disaster. Even the nobles of high rank and their retainers knew not where to find shelter, but stood bewildered in the corners of their big gardens and waited for help, but in vain. For such personages Chobei ordered men to prepare bento in nice packages of sasaori[[36]] and to present it to those nobles and their households in the name of Kinokuniya Bunzayemon. In consequence, even the servants of these nobles were grateful to the coolies, and received the presents on behalf of their masters.
[35]. Feudal lords, or the nobility of Japan.
[36]. Boxes made with bamboo leaves.
Then, too, Chobei ordered the men of Kinokuniya to put up wooden inclosures round about the grounds of those nobles to protect them from robbery or trespass.