The Lady Merciful, Kwannon Sama, seemed the fitting deity to whom appeal should be made.
A word is to be said as to this famous manifestation of the goddess. Told by RyuΕ at length, of necessity here the account is much abridged.
GyΕran Kwannon β Kwannon of the fish-basket β has several other names. She is called the Namagusai Kwannon, from the odour of fresh blood attached to the pursuit; the Byaku Kwannon, or the white robed; the Baryufu Kwannon, as wife of Baryu the fisherman.
The image of the Byaku Kwannon exists. It is carved in white wood, stained black, with a scroll in the right hand, and holding a fish basket in the left hand.
The story of Baryu, and of his connection with Kwannon, is of more moment.
In China there is a place called Kinshaden. Across the bay from Edo-TΕkyΕ is Kazusa with its ninety-nine villages, one of which has the same name β Kinshaden.
The fishing population of Nippon is a rough lot. From babyhood there is little but quarrelling and fighting between the bands which control the different wards of the villages. The relations between the people are very primitive.
One of the important occupations is the iwashi, or pilchard, fishing. To pull in the nets loaded with the fish requires the united effort of the whole village population, men, women, even children.
Among their toilers the people of Kinshaden noted a young girl of some sixteen or seventeen years; easily noted by the great beauty and attraction of face and figure, the willing readiness and wonderful strength she showed in her struggles with the weighted net.
As she appeared several times at last some men went up to her β "Girl, you are a stranger here. For your aid thanks are offered. Who may you be; and whence from? Strangers, even in kindness, in Nippon must not conceal their names."
The girl smiled. β "I come from Fudarakusan in the South Ocean.... Where is Fudarakusan? It is in India.... And India? It is in the South Ocean, the Nankai."
To the wonder expressed at her coming such a distance of thousands of ri β "I come, I serve, for my husband." β
"Your husband? Pray who may he be, in these parts?"
"Not yet is he chosen," answered the girl. "Come! The nets are drawn, the fishing ended for the day. I will ascend that rock; read the sutra of the Lady Kwannon. He who can first memorize it shall be my husband."
Ready was the assent to such an attractive proposal β a beautiful helpmate in prospect, one endowed with surprising strength for her frail form, and who seemed to bring luck to the efforts of the village in the struggle for a livelihood. Even the Nipponese prejudice against strangers paled before such practical qualification.
The maid ascended to the rostrum. For three days she read and expounded the holy sutra of the Lady Kwannon.
On the fourth day the fisherman Baryu β young, handsome, strong β felt sure that he could answer to the test.
"Woman, descend! To-day this Baryu will repeat the sutra, expound its meaning."
With seeming surprise and merriment the girl obeyed. Baryu took her place. Without slip or fault he repeated the sutra, expounded the intricacies of its meaning.
The girl bowed low in submission. "Condescend to admit my humble person to the hut of Baryu the fisherman. To-night she pollutes with her presence a corner of his bed-chamber."
Rejoicing Baryu at once took her to his home, where he would act the husband.
At first gently she rebuked him. "These rough people of Kinshaden have regard to nothing! There is such a rite as marriage. Nine times are the sakΓ© cups to be drained between husband and wife. Thus is established this important relation. In the connection between man and woman there is such a thing as etiquette. This observed, the woman passes to the possession of the man. For the woman, second marriage there is none."
Thus were the decencies of the marriage bed taught to the rough fisherman.
Near dawn Baryu awoke with surprise. His bed-fellow was in the last extremities. Dripping with sweat, she seemed to be melting away. Already she was unconscious.
Then vomiting forth water she died. Baryu was tremendously put out. To lose a wife, who barely had been a wife; one so beautiful, so strong; this was extremely vexatious. "This won't do at all! Why has such a misfortune befallen this Baryu? Miss Plaster and Miss Stewpan endured without mishap the passage of their marriage night.... Hai! Hai!" in reply to a friend knocking at the door. "Baryu cannot go to the fishing to-day.... The woman? She has died. Baryu's wife is dead."
Opening the door he retailed his experience to the wondering friend. As they talked, along came a priest most strangely dressed for this land. Approaching them he said β "Is this the house of Baryu?" At the fisherman's acknowledgement β "Has a girl come here?... Dead! Deign to let this foolish cleric hang eyes upon her."
Baryu thought he would take his turn at questions. "And you; whence from?"
"From Fudarakusan in the Nankai."
"Get you hence, frantic interloper," broke in Baryu with grief and anger. "Enough has this Baryu heard of Fudarakusan. Baryu must needs observe his state as widower. The month must pass before he seeks a wife. And more than half its days remain! But look." Mollified by the humble attitude of the priest he went and raised the coverlet from the woman's body. He uttered a cry of surprise. "Oh! Oh! She has disappeared. There is naught here but a wooden image. Ma! Ma! what a curious figure β with scroll and fish basket, just as the wife appeared at the beach. This is what one reads of in books."
He turned to the priest in wonder and as seeking explanation.
Said the latter with earnest and noble emphasis β "Favoured has been this Baryu. The Kwannon of Fudarakusan of Nankai has shown herself before his very eyes. For the reform of this wicked people, to teach them the holy writing, she has condescended to submit to the embraces of the fisherman. Let not Baryu think of other marriage. For him has come the call to leave this world. Fail not to obey."
Baryu rushed to the door, to catch but a glimpse of the departing form.
All sign of the priest quickly faded.
Baryu returned to the wooden figure lying where once had reposed the body of the beautiful girl. It was a most unsatisfactory substitute for the flesh and blood original.
But Baryu made the most of it. He took his vow. He shaved his head, becoming a priest to recite and preach the sutra of the Lady Kwannon.
Hence this Kwannon is known as the Baryufu Kwannon β wife of Baryu the fisherman. Hence she is called the Kwannon of the fish basket, in honour of the aid she brought the people of this village and land.
