As she walked home by the river side, all the world seemed more
beautiful to O Haru San.
* * * * *
The summer time came and the blossoms upon the cherry trees became rich,
ripe fruit. But there was no joy in the emperor's house.
His daughter, the gentle O Haru San, was ill. She grew paler and weaker
each day. Physicians came from far and near, and shook their wise heads
gravely.
When the emperor's magician saw her, he said, "No one can heal such
sickness. A charm falls upon her every night which steals away her
strength. He alone can break the spell, who, with sleepless eyes, can
watch beside her bedside until sunrise."
Gray haired nurses sat by her until morning, but a deep sleep fell upon
them at midnight.
Next fourscore maidens of the court, who loved her well, kept bright
lights burning all the night, yet they, too, fell asleep.
Five counselors of state watched with her father at the bedside. Though
they propped their eyes open with their fingers, yet in the middle of
the night slumber overcame them.
All believed that the gentle maid must die.
The emperor was in despair, but Ito, a brave soldier, said, "I shall not
sleep; let me one night guard the sweet O Haru San."
Her father led him to the chamber. Just at midnight Ito felt his eyes
grow heavy.
He rose and held his sword above his head. "Rather will I die than
sleep," he said.
Then came a great struggle. Often his head nodded, but by his love and
strength Ito conquered sleep.
Suddenly he heard a voice which said, "Grate foxes' livers in the
princess' rice broth and all her ills will disappear."
The next morning the hunters searched far and near for foxes. They knew
that to the emperor a fox was worth its weight in gold. All day and
night they were in the woods without food or rest.
At last they came sadly back to their homes. They brought no fox.
"All the foxes know," they said, "and have hidden themselves away."
The emperor in grief and anger cried, "Must my child perish? Shall a
princess die for the lack of one poor fox?
"She was never willing that one should be slain and this is her reward."
Ito said, "I will get the fox." He started out with knife and net to
seek it.
At the entrance of the town he met a woman dressed in strange garments.
Very small and stooped she seemed to Ito. She carried a jar in her arms.
She bowed low before Ito, and said, "What you seek is in the jar. I
have brought it from afar."
"Here is gold," said Ito. "What is the price?"
The woman pulled the blue hood farther over her face and said, "Another
time will do, I can wait. Hasten now to the princess."
Gladly Ito obeyed.
They made the broth in a bowl of beaten gold and fed it to O Haru San.
Immediately she was well and all was joy in the emperor's house.