Once upon a time, there was a woman who had a tapeworm (sunpaku) living inside her belly. She became the wife of a man named [Name Unknown] and gave birth to a baby boy. The boy was named [Name Unknown].
As he grew up and reached manhood, he entered government service and eventually rose to the rank of Governor of Shinano (modern-day Nagano Prefecture).
When he first arrived in his new province, a welcoming banquet was held at the border. As the Governor took his seat at the feast, many of his retainers also sat down. A large crowd of locals had gathered.
Looking around the banquet hall, the Governor noticed that every table—from his own prominent desk to the lowliest seats—was piled high with dishes prepared in various ways using walnuts.
Upon seeing this, the Governor was seized by an unbearable agony. He felt as if the very moisture was being wrung out of his body. In his distress, he asked, “Why are there so many walnuts served at this feast? What is the reason for this?”
The locals replied, “Walnut trees grow in abundance all over this province. Therefore, we have prepared these walnuts in many different ways as a delicacy for you, My Lord, as well as for all the high and low-ranking members of your household.” The Governor grew even more distraught and continued to suffer as if his body were being squeezed dry.
Seeing the Governor in such a weakened and confused state, the Deputy (Suke) of the province—an old man who was wise in the ways of the world—found it very strange. He pondered the situation: “Could it be that this Governor is actually a tapeworm reincarnated into human form? His reaction is most suspicious. I shall test him.”
The Deputy took some old sake and mixed in a thick paste of crushed walnuts. He put the mixture into a spouted vessel (hisage), heated it, and had a servant carry it. He himself placed a cup on a square tray (oshiki), held it respectfully at eye level, and presented it to the Governor. When the Governor took the cup, the Deputy poured the sake. Because of the walnuts, the liquid was thick and cloudy white.
The Governor, visibly offended, asked, “You have poured this cup far too full. And why is the color of this sake so white and cloudy, unlike ordinary wine?”
The Deputy answered convincingly, “It has been an ancient custom in this province that at the welcoming banquet for a new Governor, we serve old sake mixed with thick walnut paste. It is the rule that the provincial officials present the cup, and the Governor drinks it.”
Hearing this, the Governor’s face turned pale, and he began to tremble uncontrollably. However, because the Deputy insisted that “this is the established law,” the Governor reached for the cup with shaking hands. Suddenly, he cried out, “In truth, I am a man reborn from a tapeworm! I can endure this no longer!”
At that moment, he turned into water and vanished. His entire physical body simply disappeared.
His retainers were shocked and threw the banquet into an uproar, crying, “What on earth has happened?”
The Deputy then addressed them: “Did you not know? The Governor was a tapeworm reincarnated as a human. Seeing his agony at the sight of the walnuts, I recalled something I had heard before and decided to test him. As I suspected, he could not withstand the walnuts and dissolved.”
The Deputy then led the local officials back to the provincial capital, leaving the Governor’s party behind. With no other choice, the retainers returned to Kyoto. When they shared the news, the Governor’s wife, children, and relatives were stunned to learn the truth: “To think, that man was actually the reincarnation of a tapeworm!”
[Translation]
Terumi Yanase / Siro Inuzuka
This text was created by using Gemini to translate a modern Japanese translation into English, and then making some modifications. There may be errors in the English expressions. Please correct any mistakes.
[Explanation]
Terumi Yanase / Siro Inuzuka
The Power of Walnuts: In ancient medicine, walnuts were used as a traditional remedy to expel parasites. Since Shinano was famous for its walnuts, the story creates a “natural enemy” scenario for the Governor.
Social Satire: This tale likely served as a humorous way for people of the time to vent their frustrations regarding illnesses and parasites, personifying the “enemy” (the tapeworm) as a high-ranking official who eventually gets his comeuppance.
[Cooperation]
Shinichi Kusano
●Japanese
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