‘I will never be able to reach the shrine. Then how will my husband be brought back to me?’
Onanatakamura’s wife despaired.
A little later, Onanatakamura’s wife reached a decision. ‘The Gods will definitely hear the prayer of a faithful wife, no matter where she is.’
She offered her prayers at the very spot that she stood. She hung the coins that she had on a pine tree and prayed to the Gods to take her to her husband.
The unkind farmer was nearby and heard her prayers.
When the woman finally went to rest, the farmer tried to steal the money from the tree.
However the farmer was in for a shock.
The Gods had turned the tree into a terrible two-headed serpent. When the farmer went near the tree to steal the money, the heads of the serpent spat of fire on the farmer.
The farmer was terrified when he saw this.
He realized that he had made a grave mistake and in an attempt to correct it, he led the woman to the Shrine of Ise, himself.
Onanatakamura’s wife reached the shrine and prayed to the Gods.
The Gods heard her prayer once more and they worked a miracle.
The Mikado’s heart suddenly softened.
When the Mikado heard that the wife had reached the Shrine of Ise, he sent for her to come to his palace. “Such a faithful woman deserves a reward.” The Mikado beamed. “What reward do you want?”
“I want my husband back.” The woman replied immediately.
The Mikado immediately had Ononatakamura come back from exile.
The pine tree on which the money had been hung was made into a shrine. Any ill person who was ill would be made well here and they would receive any favour in abundance.
This place was called the Shrine of the ‘Hang-the-Money-Up’ Tree.
Adapted from Japanese Folktales
No comments:
Post a Comment