"Sirs, I did not fasten the head to my sleeve: it fastened itself there --
much against my will. And I have not committed any crime. For this is not
the head of a man; it is the head of a goblin; -- and, if I caused the
death of the goblin, I did not do so by any shedding of blood, but simply
by taking the precautions necessary to assure my own safety."... And he
proceeded to relate the whole of the adventure, -- bursting into another
hearty laugh as he told of his encounter with the five heads.


But the magistrates did not laugh. They judged him to be a hardened
criminal, and his story an insult to their intelligence. Therefore, without
further questioning, they decided to order his immediate execution, -- all
of them except one, a very old man. This aged officer had made no remark
during the trial; but, after having heard the opinion of his colleagues, he
rose up, and said: --


"Let us first examine the head carefully; for this, I think, has not yet
been done. If the priest has spoken truth, the head itself should bear
witness for him... Bring the head here!"


So the head, still holding in its teeth the koromo that had been stripped
from Kwairyo's shoulders, was put before the judges. The old man turned it
round and round, carefully examined it, and discovered, on the nape of its
neck, several strange red characters. He called the attention of his
colleagues to these, and also bad them observe that the edges of the neck
nowhere presented the appearance of having been cut by any weapon. On the
contrary, the line of leverance was smooth as the line at which a falling