You Did a Fine Job of a Round Trip

It was toward the end of the Edo Period. There was an officer called Matsuemon Sakata in Ushida.

On one morning, someone mischievously or intimidatingly left a huge tombstone (a stone used as a stand when chanting a Buddhist sutra at a cemetery) as heavy as 40 kan (150 kg) right in front of the officer’s house gate. It appeared as though the stone had been secretly brought during the night from the cemetery of nearby Senzoji Temple. It was so heavy and as solid as a rock that even two or three ordinary men could not possibly lift it.

The officer was at a loss and asked two young men known as Senta and Itaro, who were acknowledged men of great strength in the village, to move the stone back to where it was before. In appreciation for their work, he gave them some money and 1 sho (1.8 liter) of sake. On one morning, not many days after that, the stone had again been left in front of the officer’s gate. He again asked Senta and Itaro to move the stone, and he gave them money and sake as a token of gratitude.

Nothing happened for some time and just when the officer felt reassured, to his surprise, the stone was again firmly left in front of the gate. Senta and Itaro were called again by the officer and came to see him. The officer said to the two by the stone with an expression of annoyance on his face, “Some scoundrel keeps on doing this mischief. Sorry to bother you again, but could you lend me your hands?” The two diligently carried the heavy stone, bathed in sweat, to the cemetery about 500 meters away and returned the stone.

When the two returned wiping their sweat, the officer said to them, with a stern face, “You two must be tired. You did a fine job of a round trip carrying a heavy stone.” The two felt embarrassed and looked at each other.

The end.