RITA'S JAPANESE BAND

Evening Star, Issue 21636, 3 February 1934, Page 5

RITA'S JAPANESE BAND

Rita was on a visit to Japan with Uncle Edgar. She loved the cherry-blossom and the sunshine. “ Only,” she said, “ the people are not all as Jappy as I expected.” v But one morning, as she sat in the garden, Rita heard a strange, puzzling sound. It seemed as if a band were getting ready to play, but everyone started a different tune. Some of the notes were shrill, others faint and sweet. Yet no band appeared. The sound came nearer, grew louder, and then died away. “ I heard such a queer band just now,” she told Uncle Edgar at. teatime. “ Like violins, all in a muddle.” “ And you didn’t see them? ” askedher uncle. 1‘ No.” Rita shook her head. “ It is your birthday next week,” said Uncle Edgar. “ We might hire that band for the afternoon.” _ Ri.ta was delighted with the idea. When her birthday came her uncle said: "Your present will arrive this afternoon—with the band.” Soon she heard the same strange sounds as before, only this time drawing nearer .and louder. She flew to the gate, and gasped with astonishment at what she saw. Coming along the road at a toddling run was a Japanese man, carrying a bamboo pole across his shoulders, from either end of which was slung a frame. In it were numbers of tiny cages, far too small to hold birds, but it was from these cages that the strange music started. As the man reached the gate Uncle Edgar joined her. “ Now,” said he, “ you shall see the strangest thing in all Japan. This man is the Mushiuri.” Then Rita saw that every cage contained an insect, and that the music was coming from vibrating wings or moving legs. She peeped into the cages. Here was a cicada, like a monster grasshopper, the loudest bandsman of all; in another a katydid called shrilly. It was not easy to tell among so many how the music was produced. Some of the little creatures seemed to

be playing the ’cello or the violin with their legs; some were singing. It was certainly the most wonderful orchestra Rita had ever heard. When she had picked out several insects for her present the man swung up his pole and toddled away.