Chapter 15 Yufuji

【one】 The mountain range at the northern tip of Honshu is called the Beanju Mountains.The undulating hills of only three or four hundred meters at most will not be marked on ordinary maps.In ancient times, this area was a vast sea. It is said that Yoshitsune led his retainers to flee north continuously, trying to cross the sea to the distant land of Ezo, and their boat passed by here.At that time, their ship unfortunately crashed into this mountain range, and the traces left by the impact still remain to this day.The place of impact was halfway up a dense hill in the middle of the mountain range, a red clay cliff about an acre wide. (①Referring to Minamoto Yoshitsune, a military general at the end of the Heian period in Japan, known as the God of War in Kamakura. He made great achievements in the famous historical battle of Genpei and was famous, but because of this, he was jealous of his elder brother Minamoto Yoritomo. In the end, the brothers turned against each other and became enemies in life. Tragic end.)

If you look at the cliff from the village at the foot of the mountain, it looks like a galloping horse, so it is named Matu Mountain. In fact, its shape is more like the profile of an old man.The shady side of Matu Mountain is famous for its excellent scenery.The village at the foot of the mountain has only 20 to 30 households. It is a veritable deserted village. There is a river passing by outside the village. If you go up the river, about two miles away, you will enter the back mountain of Matu Mountain. There is a ten-foot-high mountain there. The waterfall flows down clearly.From late summer to autumn, the forests all over the mountains turn into red leaves, which is very beautiful. Every time this season, tourists from nearby towns will always make this mountain more lively than usual.Below the waterfall, there are also several tea shops.

As this summer drew to a close, people drowned at the bottom of waterfalls.It was not intentional to commit suicide by diving, it was completely accidental.It is said that he came to this waterfall to collect plants. He was a fair-skinned student from the city.There are many rare ferns in this area, so collectors often visit this area. There are towering cliffs on the three sides of the pool, but there is a slit on the west side, from which the stream gnaws away at the rocks and flows out.Due to the splash of the waterfall, the cliff is wet all year round.Ferns grow here and there on this cliff, trembling all the time with the loud crash of the waterfall.

The student climbed up the cliff after noon, and the early autumn sun was still shining brightly on the top of the cliff. When the student reached the middle of the cliff, a rock shaped like a human head was stepped on under his feet, and it collapsed due to shattering , and fell from the cliff as if stripped.On the way, he desperately clung to the branch of the old tree on the cliff, but the branch broke off. He only heard a shrill scream, and he fell to the bottom of the valley. There were four or five people who happened to be near the waterfall and witnessed the tragedy at that time.However, a fifteen-year-old girl who works in a tea shop by the pool sees it most clearly.

The student who fell into the water once sank deeply to the bottom of the pool, and then his upper body jumped out of the water again. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth slightly.The blue shirt was already riddled with holes, and the collection box was still hanging on his shoulder.It floated up briefly like this, and was pulled back to the bottom by the rapids immediately. 【two】 From spring soil use ② to autumn soil use, the weather is good.A few wisps of white smoke curled up from Matu Mountain, which could be seen even from far away.In this season, the trees in the mountains are full of energy, which is very suitable for burning charcoal, so people who burn charcoal are also busy. (②Eighteen days before the arrival of the four solar terms of Lichun, Lixia, Liqiu or Lidong.)

There are more than a dozen charcoal-burning huts in Matu Mountain.There is also one by the waterfall, and this cabin is some distance away from the others.That's because the owner of this hut is not a local.The girl in the tea shop is the daughter of the owner of this cottage, and her name is Siwa.Both she and her father live there year-round.When Shiwa was thirteen years old, her father built a small tea shop with logs and reed sheds by the lake.The store displays lime soda, salty pancakes and candy, along with several other simple treats. As summer is approaching, when there is a crowd of people coming to the mountains to play, my father will put the items for sale into the basket and transport them to the tea shop every morning.Siwa walked forward with her bare feet pattering behind her father.The father soon returned to the charcoal-burning hut, leaving only his daughter Siwa to take care of the shop.As soon as she sees tourists, Swa shouts loudly to the guests where are they going to play?This is how her father taught her to greet guests.But Swa's sweet voice was covered by the loud sound of the waterfall, and most of the customers continued to walk forward without even looking back, so the business was very poor, and the sales were less than fifty dollars a day.

At dusk, my father set off from the charcoal-burning hut and came to the tea shop in black to pick up Siwa. What did you sell today? Nothing was sold. This way, this way. Father muttered nonchalantly, looking up at the waterfall.Then, the two worked together to put the items in the store into the basket, and then carried them back to the cabin. This routine continued day after day until the fall of frost. Even if Shiva is left alone in the tea shop, there is no need to worry, because she is a wild child born in the mountains.Even if she is standing on a rock, she doesn't have to worry about being sucked in by the pool if she doesn't step on it.When the weather is fine, Siwa will swim naked in the water, and even swim to the point where she is close to the center of the pool.When swimming, if you find a guest, you will vigorously raise your short hair and shout loudly, where are you going to play?

On rainy days, I lay out straw mats in the corner of the tea shop and take a comfortable nap.There is a huge oak tree above the tea shop, and its thick branches and leaves form an excellent shelter from the rain. In short, the former Siwa, looking at the continuously flowing waterfall, thought that there would be so much water flowing down, that one day it would surely flow away, she was full of anticipation.I also feel very strange, why the shape of the waterfall is always the same? That's because at this age, her thoughts gradually changed. She discovered that the shapes of the waterfalls were not all the same.Because she understands that even the splashing water and the width of the waterfall are changing in an instant.She also understands that the waterfall is no longer water, but a cloud.This can also be seen in the form of a large number of white sprays that flow down from the mouth of the waterfall.Because first of all, the water is not so white anymore.

Swa still stood by the pool in a daze that day.On a cloudy day, the autumn wind blew bitingly on Siwa's red cheeks.She remembered the past, at some point, her father was holding Siwa while looking at the charcoal kiln, while telling her stories.Once upon a time, there was a pair of logging brothers named Sanlang and Balang. One day, the younger brother, Balang, caught some trout in the stream and brought them home.After eating this fish, he thought it was delicious, and then he ate two or three more, but he couldn't stop, and finally he ate up all the fish he caught.Afterwards he felt very thirsty, unbearably thirsty.So he drank all the water in the well, went to the river outside the village, and drank the water desperately.Just as he was drinking water, scales suddenly emerged from Bozi Bozi's body. After Sanlang rushed to the river, Hachiro had turned into a terrifying big snake swimming in the river.My brother yelled Hachiro!The big snake in the river also answered Saburo with tears!So the elder brother and the younger brother were on the embankment and the other was in the middle of the river. They cried and cried to each other, but there was nothing they could do.

When Swa heard this story, she was very sad, and she stuffed her father's hand full of charcoal powder into her small mouth, crying. Swa woke up from the memory, blinking suspiciously.The waterfall was whispering: Hachiro!Saburo!Hachiro! Father pushed aside the red climbing vine leaves on the cliff and came out. Swa, what did you sell today? Shiva didn't answer.She vigorously wiped the shiny tip of her nose that was splashed with water just now.The father silently packed the items in the store.Swa and her father pushed aside the mountain white bamboos and walked the mountain road of Sanding ③ to reach the hut. (③In Japanese units of length, one cho is 109.9 meters, and three cho is about 330 meters.)

The store is temporarily closed. Father changed the basket from his right hand to his left.The bottles of lime soda collided inside, making a crisp, rattling sound. Once the autumn soil is used up, no one will come up the mountain. It was not yet dark, and there was only the sound of the wind on the mountain.Oak and fir leaves fell on them like rain and snow. dad!Swa made a sound behind her father. What are you living for? Father shrugged greatly.Looking carefully at Siwa's serious expression, he whispered: I have no idea. Swa bit the pampas grass in her hand and said: It's better to die. Her father raised his hand, wanting to hit her hard.However, he hesitated to let go.He had already seen through Swa's temper tantrum.And thinking that Siwa is already a slim girl, that's why she endured this tone. This way, this way. Swa felt extremely stupid for her father's irrelevant answer.She was spitting out the miscanthus leaves and roaring loudly. Fool. 【three】 After the Obon Festival ④, the tea shop is closed. For Siwa, the most annoying season is coming. (④The Ghost Festival in Japan.) From this time on, my father would carry the charcoal that had been placed for four or five days and go to the village to sell it.Although it is also possible to entrust others to sell it, but if you do this, you will have to pay the other party fifteen to twenty yuan, which is also a considerable expense. Father can save as much as possible, so Siwa is left alone, Go to the village at the foot of the mountain. On sunny days, Siwa would go out to pick mushrooms in the wild while she was looking after the house.The charcoal my father burns can earn five or six dollars a bag, which is not bad, but it is difficult to live on this income alone, so my father asks Siwa to pick mushrooms so that they can be sold in the village. Slippery mushroom ⑤ is a kind of small shiitake mushroom that feels slippery to the touch, and it can be sold at a very high price in the village.It parasitizes on rotting wood where ferns grow densely.Every time Swa saw that kind of moss, she would think of her only friend.She likes to sprinkle a little moss on the basket full of shiitake mushrooms, and then happily carry it home. (⑤ also known as pearl mushroom, a kind of edible mushroom that Japanese people like very much, mainly distributed in Japan and Taiwan.) Whether it was charcoal or shiitake mushrooms, as long as they sold for a good price, my father would definitely come home drunk and smell of wine.Sometimes I also buy Japanese paper wallets with mirrors or other small things as gifts for Shiva. On this day, the autumn wind blew, and the weather on the mountain was unstable early in the morning, and the straw curtains hanging from the hut were also swayed by the autumn wind.At dawn, my father set off down the mountain to work in the village.Siwa stayed at home all day, and it was rare for her to comb her hair today. She rolled up her curly hair and put on the hair wrap her father gave her, with a wave pattern on it.Then the firewood was raised and waited for the return of the father.Several times she heard the distant howling of wild animals amid the noise of the woods. It was getting dark, so I had to eat dinner alone.Served with grilled miso over black rice.After nightfall, the wind stopped, but I felt my body getting colder and colder.On such a wonderfully quiet night, something incredible must happen in the mountains.Sometimes it seems to hear the sound of a tengu⑥ cutting down a big tree, sometimes near the door of the hut, there seems to be the rustling of someone washing red beans⑦, and sometimes the clear and loud laughter of the immortal comes from a distance. . (⑥Tengu is a monster in Japanese legend. It has a red face and a long nose. It is said to have strange power and is also a local patron saint. ⑦Here refers to the legendary monster in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. When it appears, it will make a rustling sound like washing red beans, which is said to be able to travel far.) Swa, who hadn't seen her father's return for a long time, was impatient, so she wrapped her body in a straw quilt and accidentally fell asleep beside the fire.In a state of confusion, she felt that someone secretly opened the straw curtain at the door to peep into the house from time to time.Could it be a fairy peeping, she thought to herself, but she didn't dare to act rashly, so she had to stay still and pretend to be asleep. In the burning flames, a white object could be vaguely seen, appearing flickeringly on the ground at the door.It's the first snow!Even though he was still asleep, he was excited. it hurts!She felt the weight of her body as if paralyzed.Then there was a strong smell of alcohol. asshole!Shiva called out briefly. Not knowing what happened to him, he rushed out the door. It's a blizzard!Snow flakes hit the cheek violently.She couldn't help but fell to the ground.In an instant, her hair and clothes were covered with white snow. Siwa stood up, panting violently, and walked staggeringly.Her clothes were messed up by the strong wind.She has been walking forward, I don't know how far she has gone. The sound of the waterfall became louder and louder, and she walked more and more anxiously. She wiped her nose with her hands several times, and the sound of the waterfall was almost under her feet. She stood in the gap between the rows of winter trees howling with the wind, shouting loudly. dad! 【Four】 Suddenly, the surroundings became dark.Slightly felt the roar of the waterfall flowing down.Feelings seem to be hovering overhead.The body was involuntarily swaying with the sound of clattering, and the whole body was cold to the bone. Ah, it turned out to be underwater. When she realized this, she immediately felt comfortable and refreshed. Suddenly, the feet stretched forward, and they swam forward without a sound, and the tip of their nose almost hit the rocks on the shore. Orochi! She thought to herself: Could it be that I have become a big snake! .She murmured to herself, "I'm so glad I don't have to go back to the hut again."Then move your beard vigorously. It's actually just a small crucian carp.He only opens and closes his mouth and moves the pimple on the tip of his nose. The small crucian carp swims back and forth in the waters near the surface of the pool.It seemed to raise its pectoral fins to float out of the water, but suddenly flicked its tail fins and sank to the bottom again. Sometimes I chase small shrimps in the water, sometimes I hide in the lush reed grass on the bank, and sometimes I peck the moss beside the rocks and play happily. Then, the crucian carp remained motionless.He just swayed his pectoral fins occasionally, looking thoughtful, and maintained this for quite a while. After a while, he twisted his body and swam straight towards the center of the pool.In an instant, it was sucked in like a leaf.