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He quickly mounted the creature's back and was carried away over the shining sea into the East. He looked back to wave his hand to Otohime Sama till at last he could see her no more, and the land of the Sea King and the roofs of the wonderful palace were lost in the far, far distance.
Astonished at hearing the voice of his sweet-heart, Shuntoku rose up quickly, and cried out: "Oh! are you really Otohime? It is a long time since we last met but this is so strange! Is it not all a lie?" And then, stroking each other, they could only cry, instead of speaking.
Otohime replied: "I am very much ashamed; but I shall tell you what I wish. "The blind man who came here the other day was the son of a rich and well-famed citizen of Kawachi, called Nobuyoshi. "At the time of the festival of Tenjin at Kitano in Kyoto, I met that young man there, on my way to the temple; and we then exchanged letters of love, pledging ourselves to each other.
Then many famous physicians were sent for; and they consulted together about Otohime; and they decided at last that her sickness had been caused only by some sudden sorrow. So the mother said to her sick daughter "Tell me, without concealment, if you have any secret grief; and if there be anything you want, whatever it be, I will try to get it for you."
I must go back at once without letting one more day pass." And he began to prepare for the journey in great haste. But now I must say good-by. I must go back to my old parents." Then Otohime Sama began to weep, and said softly and sadly: "Is it not well with you here, Urashima, that you wish to leave me so soon? Where is the haste? Stay with me yet another day only!"
Forthwith Otohime awoke, and told her dream to Shuntoku, and they both wondered. They arose, and went down to the river together, and washed themselves, and worshiped the goddess. Then, strange to say, the eyes of blind Shuntoku were fully opened, and his clear sight came back to him, and the disease passed away from him. And both wept because of the greatness of their joy.
Then Otohime, a daughter of that family, hearing the voices, came out, and asked the maid: "Why did you laugh?" The servant answered: "Oh, my lady, there was a blind man from Kawachi, who seemed about twenty years old, clinging to the pillar of the gate, and loudly crying, 'Alms! alms.
But presently Shuntoku, giving way to the excitement of his grief, cried out to Otohime: "A malediction has been laid upon me by my stepmother, and my appearance has been changed, as you see. "Therefore never can I be united to you as your husband. Even as I now am, so must I remain until I fester to death. "And so you must go beck home at once, and live in happiness and splendor."
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