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Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu
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stepped now on the dragon’s body, now be-tween its coils, and without even one glancebackward he went on his way.He had only gone a ew steps whenhe heard some one calling him rombehind. On turning back he wasmuch surprised to see that the mon-ster dragon had entirely disappearedand in its place was a strange-lookingman, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the ground. His red hair streamed over hisshoulders and was surmounted by a crown inthe shape o a dragon’s head, and his sea-greendress was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal andhe wondered much at the strange occurrence. Where had the dragon gone in such a shortspace o time? Or had it transormed itsel into this man, and what did the whole thingmean? While these thoughts passed throughhis mind he had come up to the man on thebridge and now addressed him:“Was it you that called me just now?”“Yes, it was I,” answered the man: “Ihave an earnest request to make to you. Doyou think you can grant it to me?”“I it is in my power to do so I will,” answeredHidesato, “but rst tell me who you are?”“I am the Dragon King o the Lake, and my home is in these waters just under this bridge.”“And what is it you have to ask o me!”said Hidesato.Long, long ago there lived, in Japan abrave warrior known to all as awara oda,or “My Lord Bag o Rice.” His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato, and there is avery interesting story o how he cameto change his name.One day he sallied orth insearch o adventures, or he hadthe nature o a warrior and couldnot bear to be idle. So he buckled on histwo swords, took his huge bow, much tall-er than himsel, in his hand, and slinginghis quiver on his back started out. He hadnot gone ar when he came to the bridgeo Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end o the beautiul Lake Biwa. No sooner had heset oot on the bridge than he saw lyingright across his path a huge serpent-drag-on. Its body was so big that it looked likethe trunk o a large pine tree and it took up the whole width o the bridge. One o its huge claws rested on the parapet o oneside o the bridge, while its tail lay rightagainst the other. he monster seemedto be asleep, and as it breathed, ire andsmoke came out o its nostrils. At rst Hidesato could not help eelingalarmed at the sight o this horrible reptile ly-ing in his path, or he must either turn back or walk right over its body. He was a braveman, however, and putting aside all ear wentorward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he
My Lord Bag of Rice
From Japanese Fairy Tales
 
Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu My Lord Bag of RiceFrom Japanese Fairy Tales 
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“I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the mountainbeyond,” and the Dragon King pointed to ahigh peak on the opposite shore o the lake.“I have lived now or many years in thislake and I have a large amily o children andgrand-children. For some time past we havelived in terror, or a monster centipede hasdiscovered our home, and night ater night itcomes and carries o one o my amily. I ampowerless to save them. I it goes on muchlonger like this, not only shall I lose all my children, but I mysel must all a victim tothe monster. I am, thereore, very unhappy,and in my extremity I determined to ask thehelp o a human being. For many days withthis intention I have waited on the bridge inthe shape o the horrible serpent-dragon thatyou saw, in the hope that some strong braveman would come along. But all who camethis way, as soon as they saw me were terri-ed and ran away as ast as they could. Youare the rst man I have ound able to look at me without ear, so I knew at once thatyou were a man o great courage. I beg youto have pity upon me. Will you not help meand kill my enemy the centipede?”Hidesato elt very sorry or the DragonKing on hearing his story, and readily prom-ised to do what he could to help him. Te warrior asked where the centipede lived, sothat he might attack the creature at once.Te Dragon King replied that its home wason the mountain Mikami, but that as it cameevery night at a certain hour to the palace o the lake, it would be better to wait till then.So Hidesato was conducted to the palace o the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strangeto say, as he ollowed his host downwardsthe waters parted to let them pass, and hisclothes did not even eel damp as he passedthrough the food. Never had Hidesato seenanything so beautiul as this palace built o  white marble beneath the lake. He had o-ten heard o the Sea King’s palace at the bot-tom o the sea, where all the servants andretainers were salt-water shes, but here wasa magnicent building in the heart o LakeBiwa. Te dainty goldshes, red carp, andsilvery trout, waited upon the Dragon Kingand his guest.Hidesato was astonished at the east that was spread or him. Te dishes were crystal-lized lotus leaves and fowers, and the chop-sticks were o the rarest ebony. As soon as they sat down, the sliding doors opened and tenlovely goldsh dancers came out, and behindthem ollowed ten red-carp musicians withthe koto and the samisen. Tus the hours few by till midnight, and the beautiul music anddancing had banished all thoughts o the cen-tipede. Te Dragon King was about to pledgethe warrior in a resh cup o wine when thepalace was suddenly shaken by a tramp, tramp!as i a mighty army had begun to march notar away.Hidesato and his host both rose to theireet and rushed to the balcony, and the war-rior saw on the opposite mountain two greatballs o glowing re coming nearer and near-
 
Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu My Lord Bag of RiceFrom Japanese Fairy Tales 
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er. Te Dragon King stood by the warrior’sside trembling with ear.“Te centipede! Te centipede! Tosetwo balls o re are its eyes. It is coming orits prey! Now is the time to kill it.”Hidesato looked where his host point-ed, and, in the dim light o the starlit eve-ning, behind the two balls o re he saw thelong body o an enormous centipede wind-ing round the mountains, and the light inits hundred eet glowed like so many distantlanterns moving slowly towards the shore.Hidesato showed not the least sign o ear. He tried to calm the Dragon King.“Don’t be araid. I shall surely kill the cen-tipede. Just bring me my bow and arrows.”Te Dragon King did as he was bid, andthe warrior noticed that he had only threearrows let in his quiver. He took the bow,and tting an arrow to the notch, took care-ul aim and let fy.Te arrow hit the centipede right in themiddle o its head, but instead o penetrat-ing, it glanced o harmless and ell to theground.Nothing daunted, Hidesato took anoth-er arrow, tted it to the notch o the bow and let fy. Again the arrow hit the mark, itstruck the centipede right in the middle o its head, only to glance o and all to theground. Te centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When the Dragon King saw thateven this brave warrior’s arrows were power-less to kill the centipede, he lost heart andbegan to tremble with ear.Te warrior saw that he had now only one arrow let in his quiver, and i this oneailed he could not kill the centipede. Helooked across the waters. Te huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times round themountain and would soon come down to thelake. Nearer and nearer gleamed reballs o eyes, and the light o its hundred eet beganto throw refections in the still waters o thelake.Ten suddenly the warrior rememberedthat he had heard that human saliva wasdeadly to centipedes. But this was no ordi-nary centipede. Tis was so monstrous thateven to think o such a creature made onecreep with horror. Hidesato determined totry his last chance. So taking his last arrow and rst putting the end o it in his mouth,he tted the notch to his bow, took careulaim once more and let fy.Tis time the arrow again hit the centi-pede right in the middle o its head, but in-stead o glancing o harmlessly as beore, itstruck home to the creature’s brain. Ten witha convulsive shudder the serpentine body stopped moving, and the ery light o its greateyes and hundred eet darkened to a dull glarelike the sunset o a stormy day, and then wentout in blackness. A great darkness now over-spread the heavens, the thunder rolled and thelightning fashed, and the wind roared in ury,and it seemed as i the world were coming toan end. Te Dragon King and his childrenand retainers all crouched in dierent parts o the palace, rightened to death, or the build-
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