The Emperor was very pleased with Hase-Hime. He awarded her with the rank of lieutenant General. Since that day she was called Lieutenant General Princess.
The stepmother was, however, burning with envy and jealousy at the rise to power of her stepdaughter.
She told her husband many lies about Hase-Hime.
Luckily her husband did not believe her and told her that she was mistaken.
Once the husband had left the castle for some work.
Seizing the opportunity of Prince Toyanari’s absence, Princess Terute ordered one of her old servants to take the girl to the Hibari Mountains. This was the wildest part of the country and she ordered her servant to kill Hase-Hime there.
She told her servant that she was doing this because a dreadful story of Hase-Hime had come out and the only way to prevent the disgrace on the family was to kill Hase-Hime.
Katoda was Princess Terute’s vassal and he was bound to obey her.
However, Katoda knew that the young princess was innocent of all the things that the stepmother had invented for him.
He was determined to save Hase-Hime’s life.
So he took Hase-Hime in a palanquin and accompanied her to the most solitary place he could find in the wild district.
Hase-Hime was sure that her stepmother would not heed to her complaints about being sent away in a strange manner and so she was quiet and did as she was told.
With the help of some peasants around he built a cottage. The old servant decided not to return to the cruel stepmother. He stayed with the princess in the wilderness. He had his wife come to the place secretly. The two people did all in their power to take care of the princess.
Hase-Hime lived in the cottage with the two of them and hoped that her father would return soon and search for her.
Adapted from Japanese Folk Tales
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