Once upon a time,in Toshichi District, Yamato Province (now Tenri City, Nara Prefecture), there lived a family of great wealth. Their surname was Kagami-Zukuri, and they had a single daughter. The daughter was exceedingly graceful and beautiful, so much so that she did not seem like a country girl.
Since the daughter remained unmarried, several respectable men from the area approached her, seeking to court her (often under the cover of night). However, she persistently refused to marry. One man, however, was especially determined in his proposal. Though she continued to reject him, he sent three carts filled with treasure as a bridal gift. Upon seeing the wealth, her parents were captivated by greed and gave their consent to the marriage.
On an auspicious day, the man arrived. He entered the bridal chamber and was joined with the daughter. But around midnight, the daughter’s voice echoed through the house, crying out, “It hurts, it hurts.” Her parents, hearing her cries, spoke to one another, saying, “It is common for a woman to feel pain the first time she engages in such intimacy.”
As morning broke and the daughter did not rise, her mother called out loudly to her. When there was no response, she called out again, but still, there was no answer. Worried, she entered the room to find only the daughter’s head and a single finger remaining; the rest of her body had completely vanished. The room was soaked in blood. Seeing this, the parents wept and lamented without end.
The treasures the man had sent were revealed to be nothing more than the bones of cattle and horses. The three carts that carried the supposed wealth were made of Oleaster. “Could it have been a demon who took on human form and came to deceive us, or perhaps a divine punishment brought about by angering the gods?” The parents could do nothing but grieve. People from the surrounding area heard of the tragedy and gathered to discuss the strange occurrence.
Oleaster
Afterward, the parents performed Buddhist rites for the daughter’s soul. They placed her head in a box and conducted memorial services until the seventh day, placing the box before the Buddha’s altar.
It is said that this tragedy occurred because the parents were blinded by the allure of wealth. The story has been passed down as a tale of deep regret and sorrow.
[Translation]
Siro Inuzuka
This text was created by using ChatGPT-4o to translate a modern Japanese translation into English, and then making some modifications. There may be errors in the English expressions. Please correct any mistakes.
[Explanation]
Shinichi Kusano / Siro Inuzuka
In this era (the Heian period), it was common for marriages to be “duolocal marriages,” so it was normal for the man to be absent by morning. To the daughter and her parents, the man was a mysterious figure. The phrase “the first time is painful” is strangely vivid.
[Cooperation]
Shinichi Kusano
●Japanese
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