The Legend of Yurei-Daki

Near the village of Kurosaka, in the province of Hōki, there is a waterfall called the Cascade of Ghosts original: "Yurei-Daki". Why it is called this, I do not know. Near the foot of the fall there is a small Shintō shrine dedicated to the god of that area, whom the people name the Great Deity of the Waterfall original: "Taki-Daimyōjin". In front of the shrine is a little wooden money-box — an offertory box original: "saisen-bako" — to receive the offerings of believers. There is a story about that money-box.

One icy winter’s evening, thirty-five years ago, the women and girls employed at a certain hemp-factory original: "asatoriba" in Kurosaka gathered around the big brazier in the spinning room after their day’s work was done. Then they amused themselves by telling ghost stories. By the time a dozen stories had been told, most of the gathering felt uncomfortable; and a girl cried out, just to