Uncle Hayato’s Story Book

MY LORD BAG OF RICE

A Japanese Fable
by
Tokugawa Hayato

An Exceprt from

UNCLE HAYATO'S
STORY BOOK

Copyright 2009 by Hayato Tokugawa and

Shisei-Do Publications
All rights reserved.

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 Lord Bag of Rice

Illustration 1: The Dragon Princess, by Utagawa

Kuniyoshi,1845

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 Uncle Hayato’s Story Book

My Lord Bag of Rice

A very long time ago there lived a brave

warrior who was known throughout the
countryside as Tawara Toda (俵藤太), or “My
Lord Bag of Rice,” which you must admit is a
rather strange name for a bushi. Indeed, so
much time has passed that I rather doubt that
anyone remembers his real name; so I will tell
you it was Fujiwara no Hidesato and there is a
very interesting story of how and why he came
to acquire this name.
One day Hidesato decided to leave his home
in search of adventure, for the reason that he
was a bushi, and by nature a warrior could not
bear to sit around in idleness. After all, that is
what warriors did: adventures. So he tucked
his two swords into his obi, picked up his huge
yumi, a bow much taller than himself, and
slinging his quiver over his shoulder he started
out. He had not gone far at all when he came
to the bridge of Seta-no Karashi, which spans
one end of beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had
he set foot on the bridge than he saw a large
dragon lying on the road blocking his path. Its
body was so enormous that it looked like the
trunk of a large pine tree and its coils took up

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the whole width of the bridge. One if its huge

claws rested on the parapet at one side of the
bridge while its tail lay right up against the
other. The creature seemed to be asleep,
snoring fire and smoke from its nostrils.
At first Hidesato could not but help feeling
fearful at the sight of this horrifying reptile
blocking his way. The only two choices he
seemed to have were to either turn back, or to
walk right over its body. Now Hidesato was a
brave bushi and so he set aside all fear and
courageously went forward. He stepped first
onto the dragon’s body then between its coils,
then up again onto the sleeping, snake-like
body. Up and down, up and down he went,
carefully avoiding the razor sharp talons that
could tear through the mightiest armor, and
smellling black stench of the searing hot flames
from the creature’s breath. At last, past the
end of the bridge, and without even giving one
glance backward, he continued on his way.
He had only gone a few steps when someone
calling his name from behind startled him. As
he turned he was surprised to see that the
dragon had disappeared and in its place was a
rather beautiful young woman, who was bowing
most ceremoniously on the ground. He had the
shiniest black hair that streamed over her
shoulders and wore a crown, in the shape of a
dragon’s head. Her clothes were green and
patterned with seashells. Instinctively Hidesato
knew in an instant that the woman was no
ordinary mortal and he wondered what was
happening. Where had the dragon gone so
quickly, wondered Hidesato? Had it

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transformed itself into this girl? What did it all

mean? As these thoughts passed through his
mind, he walked over to the woman on the
bridge and spoke to her.
“Was it you who called me just now?”
“Yes it was,” answered the lady. Hidesato-
dono, I have a grave request to make of you.
Do you think that you can grant it to me?”
“If it is in my power to do so I will,” answered
Hidesato. “But first, tell me who you are.”
“I am the Dragon Queen of Lake Biwa, and
my home is in the water, just below this
bridge.”
“And what is it that you have to ask of me?”
said Hidesato.
“I want you to kill my mortal enemy,
Hayakusoka, who lives on that mountain,”
answered the Dragon Queen, pointing to a high
peak on the opposite side of the lake. “I have
lived now many years in this lake and I have a
large family of children and grandchildren. For
some time now we have lived in terror, for a
monster centipede has discovered our home.
Night after night it comes and carries off one of
my family, even my parents and my husband
have fallen to this fiend. I am powerless to save
them. If things go on much longer like this, not
only will I lose all of my children but I too must
fall victim to the monster. I am, for that
reason, most frightened and sad and in my
predicament, I decided to ask the help of a
human being. For days I have waited on the
bridge in the shape of the terrible dragon you
saw, in the hope that some strong, brave man
would come along, but all who came were

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terrified when they saw me and ran away as

fast as they could. You were the first man I
have found who was able to look at me without
fear, so I knew at once that you were a man of
great courage. I beg you to have pity on me.
Will you help me and kill my enemy
Hayakusoka?”
Upon hearing his story, Hidesato could not
but help to feel sorry for the Dragon Queen and
gladly promised to do what ever he could to
help her. The warrior asked the details of
where the centipede lived, so that he could
attack the creature at once. The Dagon Queen
told him that Hayakusoka’s home was on
Mount Mikami, but suggested that, because it
came every night at a certain hour to the
Dragon Palace of the lake, it might be better to
wait there until the monster came.
So Hidesato went with the Dragon Queen to
the palace, under the bridge. In case you are
wondering how he could possibly survive in the
water, I should tell you that as he followed his
hostess downward, the water parted to let them
pass and his clothes were not even damp as he
passed through the lake. Hidesato had never
seen anything as beautiful as the palace
beneath the lake, built of exquisite white
marble. He had often heard of the Sea King’s
magnificent castle at the bottom of the sea,
were all the servants and retainers were
saltwater fish, but here was a magnificent
building in the very heart of Lake Biwa.
The daintiest of goldfish, red carp, and
silvery trout waited on the Dragon Queen and
her guest. The feast that was laid before him

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astonished Hidesato. The dishes were

crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, the hashi
were of matchless ebony. As soon as they sat
down, the sliding doors opened and ten lovely
goldfish dancers came out and behind them
followed ten red carp musicians with koto and
shamisen. And so the hours flew by until
midnight, the beautiful music and dancing
banishing all thoughts of the centipede.
The Dragon Queen was just about to toast
the bushi with a fresh cup of sake when the
palace was suddenly shaken by a sound of
tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp; as if a mighty
army was marching close by. Hidesato and the
Queen jumped to their feet and rushed to the
balcony; where the warrior saw two great
glowing orbs, like balls of fire, moving towards
them from Mount Mikami: coming nearer and
nearer.
The Dragon Queen stood by the warrior’s
side, trembling in fear. “Hayakusoka!
Hayakusoka!” she screamed. “The centipede!
The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its
eyes. It’s coming for its prey! Now…now is the
time to kill it!”
Hidesato looked where the Queen pointed, and,
in the dim light of the starlit evening, behind
the two balls of fire, he saw the long body of an
enormous centipede, winding around the
mountain and downward toward the lake.
What a horrible sight, with burning eyes of fire
and hundreds of distant moving lanterns of
golden light, Hayakusoka’s

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Illustration 2: Hayakusoka, Shin Hanga by Tokugawa

Hayato

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countless feet, moving slowly towards the

shore of Lake Biwa.
Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear as
he tried to calm the Dragon Queen. “Don’t be
afraid. I will surely kill the centipede. Just
bring me my bow and arrows.”
The Dragon Queen did as she was asked but
in her haste she dropped some of them as she
ran. The warrior noticed that he had only three
arrows left in his quiver but was not the least
bit worried. He took the bow, fitted an arrow to
the notch, took aim, and let fly. The arrow hit
the centipede right in the middle of its head;
but instead of penetrating, it bounded off
harmlessly and fell to the ground.
Undaunted, Hidesato took another arrow,
fitted it to the notch of the bow and fired. Again
the arrow hit the mark, striking Hayakusoka
squarely in the forehead; again only to bounce
off and fall to the ground.
“Oh my! The centipede seemed to be
invulnerable to weapons!” exclaimed the
warrior. “This does present a problem.” When
the Dragon Queen saw that even this brave
bushi’s arrows had not power to kill the
centipede and heard his words, she lost heart
and began to tremble with fear.
Hidesato saw that he had but one arrow left
in his quiver. If this one failed, he would not be
able to kill the centipede. He looked out across
the water and saw that the gruesome monster
had wound it’s way around the mountain
several more times and was now almost at the
edge of the lake. Nearer and nearer gleamed
the fireball eyes and the light of its innumerable

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feet began to throw reflections on the stillness

of Like Biwa. Then the warrior remembered
something he had heard when he was a child: a
story that told that human saliva was deadly to
centipedes.
Many creatures of
darkness fear the
Water of Life. For
them, it is a poison that
they cannot abide. The
saliva of a mortal being
can slay the most
terrible demon, if that
being is brave and has
faith in himself.

But, he thought, this was no ordinary

centipede. This one was so monstrous that
even to think of such a creature could make
one cringe in terror. Hidesato knew the
moment of calamity was at hand and gathering
up all is courage and skill as a bowman, he
took his last arrow, put its point into his
mouth, and then fitted the arrow’s notch to his
bow. He pulled the bowstring back, took
careful aim, waited for just the right instant –
and fired.
The arrow whistled through the air as it flew
straight and true, again striking Hayakusoka in
the middle of his forehead. This time, instead
of glancing off harmlessly as the other two
arrows had done, it struck home in the
creature’s brain. Then with a convulsive
shudder, the giant body stopped moving. The
red, fiery light of its great eyes flared and then

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grew dim, and the light from its hundreds of

feet gradually darkened to a dull glare, like the
sunset of a stormy day, and then all the lights
went out completely, into blackness.

Illustration 3: Fujiwara no Hidesato, by Yoshitoshi,

August 1845

An even blacker darkness now spread across

the sky, thunder rolled and lightning flashed.
The wind roared in fury and it seemed as
though the world was coming to an end. The
Dragon Queen as well as her children and all
her retainers crouched down in different parts
of the palace, frightened to death and expecting
to die at any moment as the building was
shaken to its very foundations. The storm
ranged all night but at last it was over. Day
dawned beautiful and clear and as Hidesato
and the Dragon Queen looked out across Lake

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Biwa, the saw that the centipede had

disappeared completely from the mountain.
Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out
of hiding and shouted with glee as Hidesato
pointed to the lake. There, floating on the
water, which was now dyed crimson with blood,
was the body of the dead centipede.

Illustration 4: Passion at the Dragon Palace, by Eisen

c. 1840.

The gratitude of the Dragon Queen knew no

bounds. The entire family came and bowed
down before the bushi, calling him their savior
and the bravest warrior in all of Nippon.
Another feast was prepared, this one far more
sumptuous than the first. All kinds of fish,
prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed,
boiled and roasted, served on coral trays and
crystal dishes were set before him. The wine

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was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in

his life. To add to the beauty of the occasion,
the sun shone brightly, the lake glittered like a
liquid diamond, and the palace was a thousand
times more beautiful by day than by night.
The Queen tried to persuade the warrior to
stay a few more days, but Hidesato insisted on
going home; saying that now that his mission
was finished and that he had done what he had
come to do, he must return. The Dragon Queen
and her family were all deeply saddened and
sorry to have him leave so soon; but since he
insisted on going, they begged him to accept a
few small presents (“small was their word not
mine) as tokens of their gratitude to him for
saving them forever from their horrible enemy,
Hayakusoka.
As the brave warrior stood at the palace
door, preparing to take his leave, a procession
of fish suddenly transformed into an entourage
of men, all wearing ceremonial robes and
dragon crowns on their heads, to show that
they were all servants of the great Dragon
Queen, and each was carrying a gift. Just a few
of them were as follows: first, a large bronze
bell, second, a sword, third, a new set of armor,
fourth, a bag of rice, fifth, a roll of silk and
sixth, a cooking pot.
Hidesato, being not only man of bravery but
also a man of great humility, did not wish to
accept all these presents, but because the
Dragon Queen insisted, he could hardly refuse.
The Queen herself accompanied the warrior as
far as the bridge, and then took leave of him
with many bows and good wishes, leaving the

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procession of servants to accompany Hidesato

to his house with the gifts.
Hidesato’s household and servants had been
very much concerned when they found that he
had not returned the night before, but while
worried, they nonetheless finally concluded that
he must have been delayed by the violent storm
and had taken shelter somewhere. When the
servants on watch for his return caught sight of
him, they called to everyone that he was
approaching. The entire household turned out
to greet him, wondering what the entourage of
men who followed, bearing presents and
banners, could possibly mean. As soon as the
Dragon Queen’s retainers had put down the
gifts, they all suddenly vanished and Hidesato
was left to tell all that had happened to him.
The presents, which he had received from
the grateful Dragon Queen, were found to be of
magical power: only the bell was ordinary; well
not ordinary really, for it was truly a work of
art. But as Hidesato had no use for it, he
presented it to Mii-dera temple at the foot of
Mount Hiei, where it was hung up, to ring out
the hour of the day over the surrounding
district. As for the single bag of rice, no matter
how much was taken from it day after day for
the meals of the warrior and his entire family,
the amount never grew less: the supply of rice
in the bag was inexhaustible. The roll of silk
never grew shorter, although from time to time,
long pieces were cut off to make Hidesato a new
suit of clothes to wear to court on New Years.
The cooking pot was wonderful! No matter
what was put into it, it cooked deliciously

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whatever was wanted without heat. A truly

economical pan indeed! The sword had a blade
as hard as a diamond and so sharp that it
could split a single hair from a baby, and the
suit of armor, was impenetrable: no weapon
could ever harm the warrior who wore it.
The fame of Hidesato’s fortune spread far
and wide throughout Nippon and since there
was no need for him to spend money on rice,
silk, wood, or charcoal, he became very rich
and prosperous, from then on to be known as
My Lord Bag of Rice.

Illustration 5: The Bell At Mii-dera Temple, Shin

Hanga by Tokugawa Hayato

But that was not the last to be heard from

the Dragon Queen. Some years later, the
beautiful bell at Mii-dera temple, which
Fujiwara no Hidesato had donated, was stolen
by a priest from the rival Enryaku-ji temple at

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the top of Mount Hiei. He threw it into a valley

after it spoke to him (for although appearing to
be an ordinary bell, it indeed had its own
magic), and cracked. The priests and monks
eventually found their now beloved bell and
returned it to Mii-dera. It was quite a task to
recover the bell and to carry it back to the
temple, but when the men returned with the
damaged gift, the found a small snake (the
Dragon Queen transformed) who used her tail
to repair the damage. And to this day, that very
same bell still hangs in the temple, sounding
out the hours, day in and day out, without fail.

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