Trickster is one of the world’s oldest mythological figures, and examples abound in mythology and folklore worldwide. Tanuki is one of Japan’s two contributions to the archetypal Trickster, the other being kitsune, or the fox. There, the tanuki was comfortable and sometimes transformed itself into a priest instead of a kettle. In some versions of this tale, the monks decided that the captured kettle was too special to be used, so it was kept in the box. The kettle had turned into tanuki, or rather, a tanuki had turned into a kettle (Figure 1). Finally, someone managed to snatch the little kettle and thrust it into a box. The monks attempted to catch it, but the kettle flew about the room, just out of reach. The priest called in his novices to see the sight, and everyone stood aghast as the furry tea kettle scampered about the room. Re-envisioning Asia: Contestations and Struggles in the Visual ArtsĪ story: Once upon a time, a priest at a temple called Morinji was about to hang a tea kettle over the fire when it suddenly sprouted a head, tail, and feet.Striving for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Asian Studies: Humanities Grants for Asian Studies Scholars.
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