Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things features several Japanese ghost stories and a
brief non-fiction study on insects. Most of these stories were translated from old Japanese
texts. The author also states that one of the stories - Yuki-onna - was told to him by a farmer
in Musashi Province and his was apparently the first record of it. Riki-Baka is based on a
personal experience of the author. Table of Contetns: The Story of Mimi-nashiH ichi Oshidori
The Story of O-Tei Ubazakura Diplomacy Of a Mirror and a Bell Jikininki Mujina Rokurokubi A
Dead Secret Yuki-Onna The Story of Aoyagi Jiu-Roku-Zakura The Dream of Akinosuke Riki-Baka
Hi-Mawari H rai In the last half of the book Hearn lists collected Chinese Japanese
superstitions and his own personal thoughts on various members of the insect world.
Butterflies: Personification of the human soul. Mosquitoes: Karmic reincarnation of jealous or
greedy people in the form of Jiki-ketsu-gaki or blood-drinking pretas. Ants: Mankind's superior
in terms of chastity ethics social structure longevity and evolution.
