Ugetsu Monogatari: Tales of a Clouded Moon, by Uyeda [Ueda] Akinari (1734–1809)Akinari Ueda
Translated by Wilfrid Whitehouse

In the village of Mama, Katsushika-gōri, in the province of Shimofusa, there lived a man named Katsushirō, whose ancestors had long lived in that neighbourhood in great prosperity; he himself had once owned many fields but hating farm-work and being by nature very unpractical, he had been reduced to destitution. On account of this, all his kinsfolk had ceased to be friendly towards him, and he was desirous of seizing any opportunity of retrieving his fortunes. Now a man from the Capital named Sasabe Sōji was in the habit of visiting the village every year to buy silk, staying on these occasions with his own kinsfolk in the village. He had always been friendly with Katsushirō who therefore asked him to allow him to go with him to the Capital to sell silk. Sasabe readily agreed and they made all their arrangements for travelling together. Katsushirō was very glad for he knew Sasabe to be a man on whom he could rely. Then with the money from the sale of what fields still remained in his possession, he bought a quantity of white silk and made his preparations for departure.