The song was scarcely ended, when the great Tom cat caught sight of the cage and sprang upon it with a fierce yowl. With one sweep of his paw he tore open the lid, when instead of the dainty morsel he had expected, out leaped Shippeitaro! The noble dog sprang upon the beast and shook him as a cat shakes a rat, while the other beasts stood still in amazement. Drawing his sword the young warrior dashed to Shippeitaro’s aid and to such good purpose that in a few moments the phantom cats were no more.
“Brave dog!” cried Wakiki. “You have delivered a whole village by your courage! Let us return and tell the people what has happened, that all men may do you honor.”
Patting the dog on the head he led him back to the village. There in terror the maiden awaited his return, but great was her joy when she heard of her deliverance.
“Oh, sir,” she cried. “I can never thank you! I am the only child of my parents, and no one would have been left to care for them had I gone to be the monster’s victim!”
“Do not thank me,” said the young warrior. “I have done little. All the thanks of the village are due to the brave Shippeitaro. It was he who destroyed the phantom cats.”
Footnotes
[2] The nightingale.
[3] Japanese word for soldier.
THE SWORD OF THE CLUSTERING CLOUDS OF HEAVEN
In the olden days the gods dwelt by the isles of the Land of Many Blades, and there they used the swords, To-Nigiri and Ya-Nigiri. These were magic blades, but they were not so keen and terrible as the sword of the Clustering Clouds of Heaven.