Legends of Japan by Hiroshi Naito

Author:Hiroshi Naito
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781462907724
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

12. The dragon king's palace

LONG, LONG AGO, in the capital, there lived a young samurai, whose name still remains unknown— probably because he was an insignificant samurai. This samurai was a pious man. On the eighteenth day of each month, which was the day of worshiping Kannon, he abstained from animal food and visited the Buddhist temples in the capital.

One day when he was on his way to a temple on the eastern outskirts of the capital, he came across an old man carrying a cane. He saw a little snake hanging from the end of this man's cane, and the snake was moving its body.

"Where are you going, old man?" asked the young samurai.

"To the capital, sir," replied the old man.

"Why are you carrying the snake?"

"I have a particular reason."

"Couldn't you set it free? Today is Kannon's day, so it is a sin to kill an animal on such a day."

"Though I don't want to kill the snake, I have to do it to earn my living. I think Kannon-sama will forgive my sin."

"What do you use the snake for?" asked the samurai.

"I need the snake's grease in making maces. I make my living by selling maces."

"Oh, I see. Then how about exchanging your snake for my outer kimono?"

The old man gladly accepted the samurai's offer and they immediately exchanged their goods.

As the young man was about to go, the old man told him that he had caught the snake in a pond a little way off. So the samurai at once went to the pond and released the snake in the water. Then he resumed his pilgrimage to the Buddhist temple. As he went some distance from the pond, he met a pretty girl about twelve years old.

"Why is a girl at such a lonely place?" he wondered.

"Hello!" she said. "I was waiting for you here."

"For what?"

"To say thank you. Because you saved my life. My parents also want to express their gratitude to you, so I am here to take you to them."

The samurai now realized that the girl was the little snake he had saved. The girl at once led him back to the pond, where she asked him to wait for her for a time. And behold! Suddenly she vanished into the pond.

But soon she reappeared and told him to close his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in front of the big gate of a magnificent castle. The girl immediately showed him into the castle, and he was surprised to see all rooms and halls studded with jewels. It was like a fairyland.

Soon an old man of dignity, about seventy years of age, with a long white beard, appeared before him and showed him into the most gorgeous chamber, where he thanked the young man for his kindness in saving his daughter's life. He said that although he had always told her not to play in the pond, she would not heed his warning and at last was caught.

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