The Chrysanthemum, 53 



dated ideas in art and literature on account of an old tale 

 to the following effect, as related by Dr. Griffis: "A fox, 

 assuming the form of a lovely woman, bewitched a certain 

 prince. One day, happening to fall asleep on a bed of chry- 

 santhemums, she resumed her normal shape. The prince, 

 seeing the animal, shot at him, hitting the fox in the fore- 

 head. He afterward saw that his concubine had a wound 

 in the corresponding part of the head, and thus discovered 

 her true nature." 



The chrysanthemum is also associated with the crane. 



On the occasion of the Chrysanthemum Festival, it was 

 customary to wear a special dress, called Kiku-gasane, 

 purple outside and white inside ; to drink kiku-zake, or sake 

 with chrysanthemum dipped in it, as a specific against 

 malaria ; and to compose poems, for which, in court circles, 

 the Emperor chose the subject. This festival has been 

 practically merged into the Emperor's birthday. 2 



In the "One Hundred Poems" there is only one refer- 

 ence to the chrysanthemum, as follows : 



THE FROST'S MAGIC. 



"If it were my wish 



White Chrysanthemum to cull ; 

 Puzzled by the frost 



Of the early autumn time, 

 I perchance might pluck the flower. 3 



Another old poem, of which we have not found the 

 Japanese original has been translated as follows 4 : 



"Looking upward to the palace garden, long I gaze and wonder 

 what they are, whether white and snowy petalled chrysanthemum, 

 or the twinkling lustre of the stars." 



The chrysanthemum has a great many very fanciful 



2 "Let the Emperor live forever. May he see the chrysanthemum cup go 

 round autumn after autumn for a thousand years !" 

 1 Translation by Prof. Clay MacCauley. 

 4 The Far East, Vol. II, No. 11. 



