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But Princess Terute, her step-mother, who was a lazy woman and never took the trouble to practice daily, broke down in her accompaniment and had to request one of the Court ladies to take her place.
"Divine, I pray you, the meaning of this letter, and preserve it. I hope for a fortunate answer. Thinking of Terute-Hime, I feel as though I could fly." And the Princess Terute found at the end of the letter the name of him who wrote it, Oguri-Hangwan Kane-uji himself, together with her own name, as being written to her.
Not long after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari married again, a lady of noble birth named Princess Terute. Very different in character, alas! to the good and wise Princess Murasaki, this woman had a cruel, bad heart. She did not love her step-daughter at all, and was often very unkind to the little motherless girl, saving to herself: "This is not my child! this is not my child!"
And at last it was discovered by some fishermen who were fishing near Nawoye. But they thought that the beautiful woman was certainly the spirit that had caused the long storm of many days; and Terute might have been killed by their oars, had not one of the men of Nawoye taken her under his protection.
Just at the same time an empty canoe came near them, drifting with the sea-current. At once the lady was placed in it; and the brothers, exclaiming, "That indeed was a fortunate happening," bade their mistress farewell, and rowed back to their master. The canoe bearing poor Terute was tossed about by the waves for seven days and seven nights, during which time there was much wind and rain.
But Terute besought her husband to spare the man's life, and so fulfilled the promise she had long before made to Chobei, that she would give even her own life, if necessary, for her master and mistress, on condition of being allowed five days' freedom to draw the cart of the gaki-ami.
And now I have been appointed lord ruler of the three provinces, and can have all things that I desire." Hearing this tale, Terute could scarcely believe it was not all a dream, and she wept for joy. Then she said: "Ah! since last I saw you, what hardships have I not passed through!
"Our master," answered the two brothers, "becoming very angry at learning that you two had been wedded without his lawful permission, poisoned the young prince, according to a plan devised by your brother Saburo." Then Terute, more and more astonished, invoked, with just cause, a malediction upon her father for his cruelty.
And Oguri-Hangwan himself produced his flute, made of the root of a bamboo, and began to play upon it sweetly. Then the father of Terute, hearing all this joyous din in the house of his daughter, wondered greatly what the cause might be.
Which signified, "Moon and stars rain and hail make ice." But she could not read the riddle of the mysterious words. The other ladies, who were also unable to guess the meaning of the words, could not but laugh; and they laughed so shrilly that the Princess Terute heard, and came among them, fully robed, and wearing a veil over her night-black hair.
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