etaindesigns

A very long time ago, or as they say in Japanese, “Mukashi, mukashi….”, A wealthy samurai found himself caught outside in a rain storm.  He took shelter under the nearest tree.

This tree grew outside the doors to a small local temple.  The monks of the temple were poor and did not have much money for its upkeep, including taking care of the cats, who had to fend for themselves by hunting mice who ate the offerings brought to the temple as well as the monks’ food.

Standing under the tree, the samurai thought he could see one of the temple cats beckoning to him from the gates.  The man thought to himself, “That looks like a friendly cat, and I have nothing better to do but sit here and wait for the rain to stop.  It would be okay to get a little bit wet in order to go over there and pet that nice cat.”

So, the samurai gathered his things and walked through the rain to the door of the temple where the cat sat waiting for him.  No sooner had he reached down to pet the cat, than a giant bolt of lighting shot down from the heavens and stuck the tree where he had been sitting.  The tree was engulfed in fire.

The samurai stood there for a moment silently watching the tree burn, and  contemplated his avoided fate before speaking to the cat, “How lucky is was that I saw you beckon to me, for had I remained where I was I would surely be dead now,”.

“Meow!” said the cat.

“You truly are a cat of good fortune,” he said, “Since you saved my life, a debt which is impossible for me to repay, I will do everything in my power to make your life easier,”.

True to his word, the samurai used his fortune to endow the temple, so the monks were not so poor anymore, and the cats no longer had to fend for themselves.  And when the lucky cat finally died of happy old age, the samurai paid for a proper funeral and memorial to the beloved “lucky cat” who had saved his life.

Generations of cats at the temple benefited from the samurai’s generosity and it is said that the cat who saved his life was actually an incarnation of the Buddist goddess of compassion, Kwan-yin.

Story notes:

According to one version of the story, the events in question took place at Goutoku-ji Temple, and the samurai was Li Naotoka.

This story is said to be the origin of the figures of “maneki neko” commonly found in businesses around Japan.  Cats with their right paw up beckon money, left paw-customers.  Black maneki neko are particularly in favor with women because they are said to drive away stalkers. 

Dedicated to “Midori” the squeaky cat who got left behind while I was in Japan, and to “Aya” the Japanese cat who came back with me…