This is volume 4 of the Aishi Sôsho [Books for Beloved Children] series published by Jitsugyô-no-Nihon-Sha. Yosano Akiko, a famous poet, had written short stories continuously for the girls' magazine Shôjo no Tomo [Girls' Friend] and a long story for girls had been serialized there for a year in 1912.
In Yatsu no Yoru, Ayako, who has reached her twelfth birthday, is left in God's care for eight nights thereafter and each night is transformed into a different girl living in different circumstances. Taking the form of a frame story, each chapter describes each night. It is not a straight-forward story as there are many contrivances. For example, on the first night Ayako is transformed into a blind girl. On the seventh night the blind girl visits the house of a sick girl into whom Ayako is transformed. A strange girl living in the mountains, into whom Ayako transformed on the last night, is brought to Ayako's house by her father after a few days.
Living in comfort with her father, a painter, and her wise mother, Ayako is left in God's care so that she can "experience many things." She is transformed into a blind girl working as a masseuse; a scholarship student living in a dormitory; a fisherman's daughter; a stewardess on an ocean liner; a duke's daughter retiring into religion; a girl working as an au pair; a sick girl; and a strange girl who can talk with animals. Reflecting the social situation at that time, half of the eight girls are already working, but they are not depicted as miserable. Compared to a great number of sad stories for girls in those days, Yatsu no Yoru is unique in that it depicts the girls who do their best under their circumstances and lead strong-willed lives, chasing their dreams for the future.
A revised edition with different binding was published in 1922. A reprint of the first edition was published by Holp Shuppan in 1977. |
