the cat's plate

Second hand shop dealer is very difficult business, isn't it? When he gets some finds, hecan make a lot of money. But he doesn't meat such opportunity so often. So, he goes outto far country side to find out rare things. When he sees farmer's house which seemshaving some old stuff and a person who knows but little of the world, he jumps at it or himand try to get a treasure with a bit of money. This story is about such kind of a secondhand shop dealer who went out for country side with a traveling outfit. It was Edo erabefore Meiji, middle of 19th century. So he wore kimono like I wear and put on waraji likesandals made of straw. He walked a lot but he didn't have any good bag on that day. Hewas very tired and pissed off with walking. It was a bit early for sunset. When heunconsciously turned his face to the sun, he saw a old rustic tea stall with a shinning glorymade by sunlight behind. There were two benches side by side. Tartan check pattern mats were laid and well bucket shape ash trays were placed on them. He recognized a old manwas blowing air into fire very hard with a bamboo pipe in the backside.
Dealer - Hello Grandpa..
The old man - Hello. Please have a seat. I will make tea for you.
Dealer - Oh, thank you. Can I take rest here? I am exhausted. When I go to a hotel, I willbe fine. It is nice around here, isn't it? Peaceful and quiet. Look at this beautiful landscape.What a pretty stream this is! I feel as if I get two or three years younger.
The old man - Yes. Anyway, please have a cup of tea.
The old man brought a cup on a tray from the backside. There was a pot for rice crackerand a lot of boxes for cheap sweets stood side by side next to it. By the one of boxes, acat was eating food put in a plate intently. When the dealer happened to have a look atthe plate, he found it was a plate for plum pot from Korea and very valuable. It would benot sold even with 300 ryoo easily. I have to explain what ryoo was. Ryoo was thecurrency in Edo era. Well, I can say 1 ryoo was equivalent to 10,000 yen today. So youunderstand how worthy this plate was, don't you?
Dealer - Uuuuum. What a great thing! But he must have had no idea about it because hefed the cat with the expencive plate. Good!
The old man - Mr ( okyaku-sama)? Would you like another cup of tea ?
Dealer- Yes, I would. Oh! Good cat, isn't it? Kitty, kitty, kitty! Ah! It's coming, It's coming.Good. Good. Come here. Come. Hahahaha. It's cute, isn't it?
The old man - Ah! Mr. That cat….. Ahhn. I don't think it's good idea for you to have to dowith this cat.
Dealer - It's O.K. I like a cat very much. A cats is a cute creature. Good. Good. This ispurring on my lap.
The old man - Hey! You shouldn't make our guest's cloth dirty. Come on. Get down.
Dealer - It's O.K. Never mind. Look at it. Looks very comfortable. This cat is very tameand friendly, isn't it?
The old man - Yes. You seem to like a cat and the cat knows about you like it.
Dealer - Yes. I used to have a cat. But it has gone somewhere and never come back. Mywife asked me "When you go somewhere, please find a good one and bring it to me". Buttoo small kitten would disappeare or die eventually. I think this size cat will be O.K. How doyou think? Can you give this cat to me?
The old man - What?
Dealer - Please don't make such strange look. I know. I would give some money. How aboutthree koban.
I have to explain what koban was. Koban was a common name of one of coins. Ko meanssmall. Ban is a change of han means stamp. There was also Ooban. You know oo means.Oo means ……. Speak out lodly. Yes. It means big. Koban was one ryoo. Ooban was tenryoo. So he said he pay 30,000 yen for a cat.
Dealer - These are for price of bonito flake till now. You have got more backside. You don'tmind giving one, do you?
The old man - I know you are right. But I lost my wife long time ago and I'm alone. That'swhy I have a lot of cats to divert my lonely heart. This cat has become attached to me.So …….
Dealer - Just one. Please. O.K, isn't it? I have no kid. So I will love this. Well, this is forbonito falake.
The old man - Three roo are too much. Mr!
Dealer - Please don't say no. Take them pleasae. It is not so much.
The old man - Is that so? Thank you very much. Well, I accept your offer.
Dealer - Hahahaha. Have a look. Grandpa. It fell asleep, purring in my bosom. It's verycute. Well, when I get a hotel, I will give you delicious food. Ah! have you fed the cat withthis plate?
The old man - Yes, I have.
Dealer - Is that so? I heard a cat doesn't want to eat food from a new plate. So I will takethis plate and feed it with it. O.K.? This plate?
The old man - Ah! Here is another plate. Please take this.
Dealer - It's all right, isn't it? You don't care such dirty plate, do you?
The old man - No no. I can't give you the plate.
Dealer - Why not? Who cares such smutty filthy plate?
The old man - You say such plate, but. I don't know you know. This is called " a plate forplum pot from Korea. You hardly get it. It is very very valuable stuff. I am down and outnow. I have bcome such poor old guy. But I can't part with this plate on any account.Please forgive me. It values more than 300 ryoo.
Dealer - Foon! Is that so? Is it worth such amount of money? But why did you feed a catwith such expensive plate?
The old man - Yes, Mr. It is interesting and funny. When I feed a cat with this plate,sometimes a cat is sold with three ryoo.