釜 means 'iron pot' or 'kettle'

Anxiety about food scarcity bedeviled Japan for centuries. Accordingly, some folktales reflect deep concerns about starvation. In "The Stone Potatoes" (told bilingually here), someone disguised as a filthy priest begs a woman for potatoes, only for her to hoard her stash. "A Human Sacrifice in Kamashita" (presented bilingually here) depicts the gravity of having floods repeatedly destroy crops. Another essay refers to the same folktale, showing why the name "Kamashita" must have terrified people. A final essay in this collection argues that Japanese folktales often convey philosophy rather than lessons, which sheds light on the two stories.