“I hate my life,” said the husband to the wife.

“Be quiet my dear, your luck could turn sour,” the wife replied.

“There’s no more sour than this misery,” he answered, his words red with anger.

She laughed. “Don’t be a fool, don’t tempt the gods. You could always become a living scratch pole."

Nyoijizai,

In Japanese folklore, the Nyoijizai is a spirit that has the ability to scratch that itchy spot on your back which you can't just seem to reach, no matter how hard you try. Its name, Nyoijizai, is a pun meaning both “free staff” and “exactly as you please.”

Nyoijizai is a kind of priest’s staff (a bit like a wizard staff) that has turned into a yokai (or supern...

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