Reading Notes: Ozaki Unit, Part B

The Goblin of Adachigahara:
-the cannibal goblin took multiple different forms, whatever was most effective to lure in its prey
-most often posed as a poor old woman
-everyone knew the forest was haunted but sometimes travelers would come in unaware
-a priest who was weary from traveling found a house in the forest and sought out shelter
-it was a poor old woman's house and he stayed the night there
-when she went to gather fire wood, the priest stayed in the house and slept
-when he awoke he was alone and cold
-for the first time he smelled the faint smell of blood
-he went around the house and discovered all the bodies and realized whose house he was in
-he tried to escape but the goblin was already on her way back and they met in the yard
-they battled until the priest was able to stab her with her own knife

(The Priest meeting the Old Woman)

The Story of Princess Hase:
-the Prince Toyonari and his wife Violet had tried for a child for such a long time without success
-they prayed and travelled to their temple every day and finally the gods granted them a perfect baby girl
-they named her Princess Hase
-Violet died when Princess Hase was 5 years old but on her death bed imparted all the qualities she hoped her daughter would possess, mostly being kind and genuine to others
-Prince Toyonari remarried but she was evil to Princess Hase and refused to accept her as her own daughter and never loved her as much as the children she had with the Prince
-the mother and daughter were invited to play for the emperor but Terute had not practiced and messed her solo portion up, while Hase played her part perfectly because of her dedication to the harp
-she even poisoned her own son in a botched attempt to kill Hase
-Terute never told her husband of her hatred for his first daughter but instead tried to get him to love their children more and have Hase be gone as often as possible
-the Prince went away on business so the evil step mother had Hase taken out to the mountains and left to die
-but a faithful servant followed her out there and remained with her until her father came back
-as soon as her father returned and found out the truth he went looking for her and banished his evil second wife

Bibliography:

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki