The Blind Musician (Japanese Ghost Stories)

Tsukasa Ogawa

Author: Lafcadio Hearn

Genre: Horror

Date Started: Thursday February 24^th

Date Finished: Sunday February 27^th

Describing the book:

It is set more than 700 years ago and there was a great fight at sea at a place called Dan-no-ura. The main character is a blind musician, Hoichi.

The battle of Dan-no-ura was the last great fight between two peoples—the Heike and the Genji. All the Heike fighters died there with their women and children, and their child emperor, Antoku Tenno. And the Heike ghosts have haunted that coast since that time. The people of the town built a Buddhist temple to try to please the Heike spirits. Hoichi was famous for performing poems and playing the biwa. He lived in there.

One summer night, Hoichi was left alone in the temple. ”Hoichi!” Somebody called the blind man’s name. It was the voice of a samurai. “Yes?” Hoichi answered. The samurai took him to see Antoku Tenno. They wanted to hear Hoichi’s story. So Hoichi began his story. They were very happy to hear Hoichi’s story. But they were bad spirits and Hoichi was sitting in front of a large stone. The name of Antoku Tenno was on the stone.

The priest who found Hoichi warned him and painted prayers all over his body. The next day, the samurai called Hoichi but he didn’t answer. Then the samurai found Hoichi’s ears and cut them off because the priest wrote Buddhist prayers all over Hoichi’s body, except on his ears. It was a mistake.

Hoichi was soon better, with the help of a good doctor. And he had a new name, Hoichi-No-Ears!

The theme is ghostly. I think the message is maybe to check is important.

Responding to the book:

I thought to check is very important. I thought Hoichi was great because he didn’t speak and didn’t move, though his ears were cut off. This story is good, because I learned a lesson. But his ears were cut off, so this story is also pitiful.

I thought the English level of this book was about right.

I don’t recommend other students read this book, because I want them to read peaceful story.