The Right Minister Abe no Mimushi, whose household was wealthy and flourishing, wrote a letter to a Chinese merchant named Wang Qing on a trade ship that came to Japan that year. He requested the purchase of a salamander fur. He chose a capable and shrewd servant named Ono Fusamori to deliver the letter to Wang Qing. Fusamori went to Hakata where the trade ship was docked, presented the letter, and paid a sum of money. Wang Qing replied, “Salamander fur is not known in China. I have heard of it but never seen it. If such a thing exists, it should have come to your country by trade. If you have never seen it, it may not exist at all. In any case, what you ask is extremely difficult. However, should it somehow be available in India and brought to China, I might be able to inquire among two or three wealthy people here and possibly obtain it with their help, though this is uncertain. If the item does not exist at all, the money you paid will be returned in full.”
Wang Qing took Fusamori back to China with him. Several months later, his ship returned to Japan. Fusamori took the ship back to Japan and was about to enter Kyoto. Minister Abe, anxious from waiting, sent a fast horse to greet him. Fusamori, speeding on horseback, traveled from Tsukushi to the capital in just seven days. He brought a letter that said, “I have dispatched people to purchase the salamander fur. It is said to be rarely seen in both the present and the past. It was once brought to China by a holy monk from India and kept in a distant western temple. This was a royal mandate to buy, and it was difficult to acquire. When I went to purchase it, the official said the money was not enough, and I had to cover the rest myself, finally securing it. I advanced fifty taels of gold, please send it back immediately. If you are unwilling to pay this amount, please return the fur.”
Minister Abe received this letter, beaming with joy, and said, “What nonsense! Money is nothing; how could I not repay it! Of course, I will send it back. Ah, to receive this fur is a great joy indeed!” He gratefully bowed in the direction of China.
The box containing the salamander fur was inlaid with many beautiful jewels. The fur was dark blue with tips that shimmered golden. If the fur got dirty, it could be cleaned by burning it in fire; after burning, it became even cleaner. But what was truly remarkable was not its resilience to fire but its beautiful color. Just looking at it felt like seeing a precious treasure. Minister Abe exclaimed, “Princess Kaguya’s desire for this fur is not unreasonable. Ah, what a twist of fate!” He then placed the fur back in the box, decorated it with flowers, dressed up himself, thinking he might stay at Princess Kaguya’s house that night, and left home with pride. At that moment, he composed a poem and placed it in the box:
“Heat of love like fire, yet cannot burn this fur.
For years my sleeves were wet with tears, today they finally dry.”
Minister Abe stood in front of Princess Kaguya’s house. He knocked and inquired; the old man came out, took the box with the salamander fur, and brought it inside for Princess Kaguya. Upon seeing it, she exclaimed, “Ah! How beautiful this fur is! But whether it is truly salamander fur remains to be seen.” The old man responded, “What doubt could there be? Keep the fur in the box. It is a rare fur in this world, you must believe it is genuine. It’s not right to always doubt others like this.” Saying this, he went to invite Minister Abe inside, thinking this time she would surely agree to meet him. Naturally, the old man thought so, and so did his wife. The old man often felt very sorry for Princess Kaguya living alone without a husband, so he hoped to find a good man for her to marry. However, the girl was unwilling, and he could not force her.
Princess Kaguya said to the old man, “Put this fur in the fire and see. If it doesn’t burn, then it is a real salamander fur, and I will follow his command. You say it is a rare fur in this world and believe it is genuine. Then, it must be tested by fire.”
The old man replied, “You make a good point,” and suddenly changed his mind, relaying Princess Kaguya’s words to the minister.
The minister said, “This fur, not found even within China, was obtained through much effort. What doubt can there be about its quality? Since you say so, bring it quickly and let’s burn it to
see.” When the fur was placed in the fire, it immediately crackled and burned up completely! Princess Kaguya said, “See, this shows it was a fake pelt.” The minister’s face turned as green as grass. Delighted, Princess Kaguya quickly composed a poem, placed it in the box that had held the fur, and returned it to Minister Abe:
“False fur, when scorched by fire, turns straight to ash.
Such mundane items, why bother with such waste?”
Thus, the minister had to quietly return home. People outside asked, “We heard that Minister Abe brought a salamander fur and became Princess Kaguya’s husband, and has already come into this house. He must be living here now, right?” Someone else answered, “No, not at all! That fur, once put in the fire, crackled and burned up completely, so Princess Kaguya sent him away.” Everyone knew about this incident. From then on, any endeavors that failed were called “Abe no Mimushi.”
