The Rust Chippers and Other Stories

On a scorching August day in a busy harbour, a shipyard hand tells a story of humiliation and brutal solidarity among the men who chip rust from ship hulls. That is the title story of Arishima Takeo (1878-1923), who wrote it in 1906 and published it in 1910. Three more stories follow: "A Vision", about a solitary man whose ambition unsettles even his bond with the landscape; "Frances's Face", a visitor's uneasy encounters with a girl whose feelings he cannot fully read; and "An Unwanted Miracle", which turns a legend of healing into a satire of self-interest.

Four complete stories in a new translation from the Japanese, with a translator's note, endnotes and source information. AI-assisted translation.