Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge our appreciation for the assistance we have received from a number of people and institutions. Thanks to Karen Thornber for her support and comments, and for contributing the foreword. Thanks also to Professor Scott Slovic for his comments and support. Discussions with Professors Koichi Kansaku, Akira Suganuma, and David Bialock, and with Mr. Stanley Barkan have helped us deal with questions regarding the historical, religious, and literary background of these tales, and with the publication process. Our thanks also to Cathy Layne, our editor at Tuttle, for her thoughtful advice and guidance. We are also grateful for the generous support we have received from our respective universities: Toyo University and Seisen University.

Our translations are based on the following source: Mabuchi Kazuo et al., eds., Konjaku monogatari shu (Tokyo: Shogakukan, 1976).

Naoshi Koriyama and Bruce Allen
Translators