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The Billiken is a charm doll created by an American art teacher and illustrator, Florence Pretz of Kansas City, Missouri, who is said to have seen the mysterious figure in a dream. It is believed that Pretz found the name Billiken in Bliss Carman's 1896 poem ''Mr. Moon: A Song Of The Little People''. In 1908, she obtained a design patent on the ornamental design of the Billiken,〔, Florence Pretz, "Design for an image", issued October 6, 1908.〕 which she sold to the Billiken Company of Chicago. The Billiken was elephant-like with pointed ears, a mischievous smile and a tuft of hair on his pointed head. His arms were short and he was generally sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him. Billiken is known as "The God of Things As They Ought to Be." To buy a Billiken was said to give the purchaser luck, but to have one given would be better luck.〔.〕 The image was copyrighted and a trademark was put on the name. After a few years of popularity, like other fad toys, the Billiken faded into obscurity. The Billiken should not be confused with baby-like Kewpie figures that debuted in the December 1909 ''Ladies' Home Journal''. Today, the Billiken is the official mascot of Saint Louis University and St. Louis University High School, both Jesuit institutions located in St. Louis. The Billiken is also the official mascot of the Royal Order of Jesters,〔University of Cincinnati News (【引用サイトリンク】title= Beguiled by billikens in Bearcat country )〕 an invitation only Shriner group, affiliated with Freemasonry. The Billiken also became the namesake of Billiken Shokai, the Japanese toy & model manufacturing company (established 1976). Many current online articles about the Billikens are based on an article by anthropologist Dorothy Jean Ray that first appeared in ''Alaska Sportsman'' (now ''Alaska'') in 1960, with an updated version in ''Alaska Journal'' in 1973. ==Billiken, his life and times== The Billiken sprang from the height of the "Mind-Cure" craze in the United States at the start of the twentieth century. It represented the "no worry" ideal, and was a huge hit. Variations appeared, such as the "Teddy-Billiken Doll" and the Billycan/Billycant pair (to drive petty problems away). The Billiken helped touch off the doll craze of the era.〔 In its heyday, the Billiken enjoyed worldwide celebrity. In America he became the athletic mascot of Saint Louis University, because the figure was said to resemble coach John R. Bender. The school's athletic teams remain the ''Billikens'' to this day. A bronze statue of the Billiken stands in front of the Chaifetz Arena on the Saint Louis University Campus. A junior version of the Billiken became the mascot of nearby Saint Louis University High School; a stainless steel statue of the Junior Billiken stands adjacent to the Danis Fieldhouse, on the St. Louis University High School Campus. Bud Billiken was a youth-club mascot for the Chicago Defender, and was created in 1923. At least two Billiken-themed songs were recorded, including "Billiken Rag" and the "Billiken Man Song." The latter was recorded by Blanche Ring.〔(Donation of the month. Object: Billiken Doll ), Rogers Historical Museum, City of Rogers, Arkansas (undated).〕 The Billiken, as a good luck charm, appears multiple times in the Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor movie ''Waterloo Bridge''. It is employed as a device that both prompts recollections of the male lead, Robert Taylor, and that links several scenes within the movie as the plot unfolds. ''Wizard of Oz'' author L. Frank Baum kept a Billiken doll on his piano.〔 The Billiken made its Japanese debut in 1908. A statue was installed in the uppermost level of the original Tsutenkaku Tower as it was opened to the public in 1912. When the nearby Luna Park was closed in 1925, the tower's Billiken statue disappeared. In 1980, a replacement statue made its appearance in a new Tsutenkaku Tower that was built in 1956. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Billiken」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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