October 27, 2025 • 17 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Long long ago there lived in Japan a brave warrior
known to all as Towara Toda or my Lord bag
of Rice. His true name was Fujiwaro Hiitasato, and there
is a very interesting story of how he came to
change his name. One day, he sallied forth in search
(00:23):
of adventure, for he had the nature of a warrior
and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled
on his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller
than himself in his hand, and slinging his quiver on
his back, started out. He had not gone far when
he came to the bridge of Setto no Karashi, spanning
(00:46):
one end of the beautiful lake Biwa. No sooner had
he set foot on the bridge than he saw lying
right across his path a huge serpent dragon. Its body
was so bad that it looked like the trunk of
a large pine tree, and it took up the whole
width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested
(01:10):
on a parapet of one side of the bridge, while
its tail lay right against the other. The monster seemed
to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke
came out of its nostrils. At first, he desatto could
not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this horrible
(01:30):
reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn
back or walk right by over its body. He was
a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear, went
forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch, He stepped now on the dragon's body,
(01:55):
now between its coils, and without even one glance backward,
he went on his way. He had only gone a
few steps when he heard some one calling him from behind.
On turning back, he was much surprised to see that
the monster dragon had entirely disappeared, and in its place
(02:18):
was a strange looking man who was bowing most ceremoniously
to the ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders,
and he was surmounted by a crown in the shape
of a dragon's head, and his sea green dress was
patterned with shells. Heid Deesawtu knew at once that this
(02:40):
was no ordinary mortal, and he wondered much at the
strange occurrance. Where had the dragon gone in such a
short space of time, or had it transformed itself into
this man? And what did the whole thing mean? While
these thoughts passed through his mind. He had come up
(03:01):
to the man on the bridge and now addressed him.
Was it you that called me just now? Yes it was,
I answered the man. I have an earnest request to
make to you. Do you think you can grant it
to me? If it is in my power to do so,
(03:22):
I will, answered he Sato. But first tell me who
you are. I am the Dragon King of the lake,
and my home is in these waters, just under this bridge.
And what is it you have to ask of me,
said he to Sato. I want you to kill my
(03:46):
mortal enemy, the centipede, who lives on the mountain beyond.
And the dragon King pointed to a high peak on
the opposite shore of the lake. I have lived now
for many years in this lake, and I have a
large family of children and grandchildren. For some time past
(04:09):
we have lived in terror, for a monstrous centipede has
discovered our home, and night after night it comes and
carries off one of my family. I am powerless to
save them. If it goes on much longer like this,
not only shall I lose all my children, but I
(04:30):
myself must fall a victim to the monster. I am
therefore very unhappy, and in my extremity, I determined to
ask the help of a human being. For days, with
this intention, I have waited on the bridge in the
shape of the horrible serpent dragon that you saw, in
(04:54):
the hopes that some strong, brave man would come along.
But all who came this way as soon as they
saw me were terrified and ran away as soon as
they could. You are the first man I have found
able to look at me without fear, so I knew
at once that you were a man of great courage.
(05:19):
I beg you to have pity on me. Will you
not help me and kill my enemy the centipede. Hidasato
felt very sorry for the dragon King on hearing his story,
and readily promised to do what he could to help him.
The warrior asked where the cinepede lived, so that he
(05:40):
might attack the creature at once. The dragon King replied
that its home was on the mountain Mikami, but that
as it came every night at a certain hour to
the palace of the Lake, it would be better to
wait till then. So Hidasato was conducted to the palace
of the Dragon King under the bridge. Strange to say,
(06:03):
as he followed his host downwards. The waters parted to
let him pass, and his clothes did not even feel
damp as he passed through the flood. Never had he
Desato seen anything so beautiful as this palace, built of
white marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of
the Sea King's palace at the bottom of the sea,
(06:27):
where all of the servants and retainers were salt water fishes.
But here was a magnificent building in the heart of
Lake Biwah. The dainty gold fishes, red carp and silvery
trout waded upon the dragon King and his guest. Hidasatu
(06:47):
was astonished at the feast that was spread for him.
The dishes were crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the
chopsticks were of the rarest 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
(07:09):
musicians with the codo and the samisen. Thus the hours
flew by till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing
had banished all thoughts of the cinipede. The dragon King
was about to pledge the warrior in a fresh cup
of wine. When the palace was suddenly shaken by a
(07:30):
tramp tramp as if the mighty Army had begun to
march not far away. Hidesato and his host both rose
to their feet and rushed to the balcony, and the
warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls of
glowing fire, coming nearer and nearer. The dragon King stood
(07:54):
by the warrior's side, trembling with fear. The centipede. The centipede.
Those two balls of fire are its eyes. It is
coming for its prey. Now it is time to kill it.
Hidasato looked where his host pointed, and in the dim
(08:15):
light of the starlit evening, behind the two balls of fire,
he saw the long body of an enormous centipede winding
round the mountains, and the lights in its hundred feet
glowed like so many distant lanterns, moving slowly towards the shore.
(08:38):
Hidasato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried
to calm the dragon King. Don't be afraid, I shall
surely kill the centipede. Just bring me my bow and arrows.
The dragon King did as he was bid, and the
warrior noticed that he had only three arrows left in
(09:00):
his quiver. He took the bow and fitting an arrow
to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. The
arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head,
but instead of penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell
(09:22):
to the ground. Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted
it to the notch of the bow, and let fly again.
The arrow hit the mark. It struck the centipede right
in the middle of its head, only to glance off
(09:45):
and fall to the ground. The cinipede was invulnerable to weapons.
When the dragon king saw that even this brave warrior's
arrows were powerless to kill the cinipede, he lost heart
and began to tremble with fear. The warrior saw that
(10:08):
he had now only one arrow left in his quiver,
and if this one failed, he could not kill the cinipede.
He looked across the waters. The huge reptile had wound
its horrid body seven times round the mountain and would
soon come down to the lake nearer and nearer. Gleamed
(10:31):
fireballs of eyes, and the light of its hundred feet
began to throw reflections in the still waters of the lake.
Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that
human saliva was deadly to cinipedes. But this was no
(10:54):
ordinary cinepede. This was so monstrous that even to think
of such a creature made one creep with horror. Heidsato
determined to try his last chance, So, taking his last arrow,
and first putting the end of it in his mouth,
he fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim
(11:17):
once more, and let fly. This time the arrow again
hit the centipede right in the middle of its head,
but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it struck
home to the creature's brain. Then, with a convulsive shudder,
(11:41):
the serpentine body stopped moving, and the fiery light of
its great eyes and a hundred feet darkened to a
dull glare, like the sunset of a stormy day, and
then went out in blackness. A great darkness now overspread
(12:02):
the heavens. The thunder rolled, and the lightning flashed, and
the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if
the world were coming to an end. The dragon king
and his children and retainers all crouched in different parts
of the palace, frightened, to death, for the building was
(12:22):
shaken to its foundation. At last, the dreadful night was over.
Day dawned beautiful and clear. The cinipede was gone from
the mountain. Then Hidasato called to the Dragon King to
(12:42):
come out with him on the balcony, for the cinipede
was dead and he had nothing more to fear. Then
all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy,
and Hidasato pointed to the lake. There lay the body
of the dead cinipede floating on the water, water which
was dyed red with its blood. The gratitude of the
(13:06):
Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family came and
bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and
the bravest warrior in all Japan. Another feast was prepared,
more sumptuous than the first. All kinds of fish prepared
(13:27):
in every imaginable way, raw, steamed, boiled, and roasted, served
on coral trays, and crystal dishes were put before him,
and the wine was the best that Hidasato had ever
tasted in his life. To add to the beauty of everything,
(13:47):
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. His host tried to persuade the
warrior to stay a few days, but hid Desato insisted
on going home, saying that he had now finished what
(14:07):
he had come to do and must return. The Dragon
King and his family were all very sorry to have
him leave so soon, but since he would go, they
begged him to accept a few small presents, so they said,
in token of their gratitude to him for delivering them
forever from their horrible enemy, the Cinnipede. As the warrior
(14:32):
stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish
was suddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing
ceremonial robes and dragons crowns on their head to show
that they were servants of the Great Dragon King. The
presents that they carried were as follows. First a large
(14:52):
bronze bell, second a bag of rice, third a roll
of silk, fourth a cooking pot, fifth a bell. Hidsato
did not want to accept all these presents, but as
the Dragon King insisted, he could not well refuse. The
(15:17):
Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge,
and then took leave of him with many boughs and
good wishes, leaving the procession of servants to accompany Hidasato
to his house with the presents. The warrior's household and
servants had been very much concerned when they found that
(15:39):
he did not return the night before, but they finally
concluded that he had been kept by the violent storm
and had taken shelter somewhere. When the servants on the
watch for his return caught sight of him, they called
to every one that he was approaching, and the whole
household turned out to meet him, wondering much such what
(16:00):
the retinue of men bearing presents and banners that followed
him could mean. As soon as the Dragon King's retainers
had put down the presence, they vanished, and Hidasato told
all that had happened to him. The presents which he
had received from the grateful Dragon King were found to
(16:22):
be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and
as Hidasato had no use for it, he presented it
to the temple near by, where it was hung up
to boom out the hour of day over this surrounding neighborhood.
The single bag of rice, however, much was taken from
(16:43):
it day after day for the meals of the night,
and his whole family never grew less. The supply in
the bag was inexhaustible. The roll of silk, too, never
grew shorter, though time after time time long pieces were
cut off to make the warrior a new suit of
(17:04):
clothes to go to court in at the new year.
The cooking pot was wonderful too, No matter what was
put into it, it cooked deliciously whatever was wanted, without
any firing. Truly a very economical saucepan. The fame of
Hidasato's fortune spread far and wide, and as there was
(17:27):
no need for him to spend money on rice or
silk or firing, he became very rich and prosperous, and
was henceforth known as my Lord Bag of Rice. This
is the end of my Lord Bag of Rice. From
Japanese fairy Tales by ye Theodora Ozaki.
Long long ago there lived in Japan a brave warrior
known to all as Towara Toda or my Lord bag
of Rice. His true name was Fujiwaro Hiitasato, and there
is a very interesting story of how he came to
change his name. One day, he sallied forth in search
(00:23):
of adventure, for he had the nature of a warrior
and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled
on his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller
than himself in his hand, and slinging his quiver on
his back, started out. He had not gone far when
he came to the bridge of Setto no Karashi, spanning
(00:46):
one end of the beautiful lake Biwa. No sooner had
he set foot on the bridge than he saw lying
right across his path a huge serpent dragon. Its body
was so bad that it looked like the trunk of
a large pine tree, and it took up the whole
width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested
(01:10):
on a parapet of one side of the bridge, while
its tail lay right against the other. The monster seemed
to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke
came out of its nostrils. At first, he desatto could
not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this horrible
(01:30):
reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn
back or walk right by over its body. He was
a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear, went
forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch, He stepped now on the dragon's body,
(01:55):
now between its coils, and without even one glance backward,
he went on his way. He had only gone a
few steps when he heard some one calling him from behind.
On turning back, he was much surprised to see that
the monster dragon had entirely disappeared, and in its place
(02:18):
was a strange looking man who was bowing most ceremoniously
to the ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders,
and he was surmounted by a crown in the shape
of a dragon's head, and his sea green dress was
patterned with shells. Heid Deesawtu knew at once that this
(02:40):
was no ordinary mortal, and he wondered much at the
strange occurrance. Where had the dragon gone in such a
short space of time, or had it transformed itself into
this man? And what did the whole thing mean? While
these thoughts passed through his mind. He had come up
(03:01):
to the man on the bridge and now addressed him.
Was it you that called me just now? Yes it was,
I answered the man. I have an earnest request to
make to you. Do you think you can grant it
to me? If it is in my power to do so,
(03:22):
I will, answered he Sato. But first tell me who
you are. I am the Dragon King of the lake,
and my home is in these waters, just under this bridge.
And what is it you have to ask of me,
said he to Sato. I want you to kill my
(03:46):
mortal enemy, the centipede, who lives on the mountain beyond.
And the dragon King pointed to a high peak on
the opposite shore of the lake. I have lived now
for many years in this lake, and I have a
large family of children and grandchildren. For some time past
(04:09):
we have lived in terror, for a monstrous centipede has
discovered our home, and night after night it comes and
carries off one of my family. I am powerless to
save them. If it goes on much longer like this,
not only shall I lose all my children, but I
(04:30):
myself must fall a victim to the monster. I am
therefore very unhappy, and in my extremity, I determined to
ask the help of a human being. For days, with
this intention, I have waited on the bridge in the
shape of the horrible serpent dragon that you saw, in
(04:54):
the hopes that some strong, brave man would come along.
But all who came this way as soon as they
saw me were terrified and ran away as soon as
they could. You are the first man I have found
able to look at me without fear, so I knew
at once that you were a man of great courage.
(05:19):
I beg you to have pity on me. Will you
not help me and kill my enemy the centipede. Hidasato
felt very sorry for the dragon King on hearing his story,
and readily promised to do what he could to help him.
The warrior asked where the cinepede lived, so that he
(05:40):
might attack the creature at once. The dragon King replied
that its home was on the mountain Mikami, but that
as it came every night at a certain hour to
the palace of the Lake, it would be better to
wait till then. So Hidasato was conducted to the palace
of the Dragon King under the bridge. Strange to say,
(06:03):
as he followed his host downwards. The waters parted to
let him pass, and his clothes did not even feel
damp as he passed through the flood. Never had he
Desato seen anything so beautiful as this palace, built of
white marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of
the Sea King's palace at the bottom of the sea,
(06:27):
where all of the servants and retainers were salt water fishes.
But here was a magnificent building in the heart of
Lake Biwah. The dainty gold fishes, red carp and silvery
trout waded upon the dragon King and his guest. Hidasatu
(06:47):
was astonished at the feast that was spread for him.
The dishes were crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the
chopsticks were of the rarest 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
(07:09):
musicians with the codo and the samisen. Thus the hours
flew by till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing
had banished all thoughts of the cinipede. The dragon King
was about to pledge the warrior in a fresh cup
of wine. When the palace was suddenly shaken by a
(07:30):
tramp tramp as if the mighty Army had begun to
march not far away. Hidesato and his host both rose
to their feet and rushed to the balcony, and the
warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls of
glowing fire, coming nearer and nearer. The dragon King stood
(07:54):
by the warrior's side, trembling with fear. The centipede. The centipede.
Those two balls of fire are its eyes. It is
coming for its prey. Now it is time to kill it.
Hidasato looked where his host pointed, and in the dim
(08:15):
light of the starlit evening, behind the two balls of fire,
he saw the long body of an enormous centipede winding
round the mountains, and the lights in its hundred feet
glowed like so many distant lanterns, moving slowly towards the shore.
(08:38):
Hidasato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried
to calm the dragon King. Don't be afraid, I shall
surely kill the centipede. Just bring me my bow and arrows.
The dragon King did as he was bid, and the
warrior noticed that he had only three arrows left in
(09:00):
his quiver. He took the bow and fitting an arrow
to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. The
arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head,
but instead of penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell
(09:22):
to the ground. Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted
it to the notch of the bow, and let fly again.
The arrow hit the mark. It struck the centipede right
in the middle of its head, only to glance off
(09:45):
and fall to the ground. The cinipede was invulnerable to weapons.
When the dragon king saw that even this brave warrior's
arrows were powerless to kill the cinipede, he lost heart
and began to tremble with fear. The warrior saw that
(10:08):
he had now only one arrow left in his quiver,
and if this one failed, he could not kill the cinipede.
He looked across the waters. The huge reptile had wound
its horrid body seven times round the mountain and would
soon come down to the lake nearer and nearer. Gleamed
(10:31):
fireballs of eyes, and the light of its hundred feet
began to throw reflections in the still waters of the lake.
Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that
human saliva was deadly to cinipedes. But this was no
(10:54):
ordinary cinepede. This was so monstrous that even to think
of such a creature made one creep with horror. Heidsato
determined to try his last chance, So, taking his last arrow,
and first putting the end of it in his mouth,
he fitted the notch to his bow, took careful aim
(11:17):
once more, and let fly. This time the arrow again
hit the centipede right in the middle of its head,
but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before, it struck
home to the creature's brain. Then, with a convulsive shudder,
(11:41):
the serpentine body stopped moving, and the fiery light of
its great eyes and a hundred feet darkened to a
dull glare, like the sunset of a stormy day, and
then went out in blackness. A great darkness now overspread
(12:02):
the heavens. The thunder rolled, and the lightning flashed, and
the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if
the world were coming to an end. The dragon king
and his children and retainers all crouched in different parts
of the palace, frightened, to death, for the building was
(12:22):
shaken to its foundation. At last, the dreadful night was over.
Day dawned beautiful and clear. The cinipede was gone from
the mountain. Then Hidasato called to the Dragon King to
(12:42):
come out with him on the balcony, for the cinipede
was dead and he had nothing more to fear. Then
all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy,
and Hidasato pointed to the lake. There lay the body
of the dead cinipede floating on the water, water which
was dyed red with its blood. The gratitude of the
(13:06):
Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family came and
bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and
the bravest warrior in all Japan. Another feast was prepared,
more sumptuous than the first. All kinds of fish prepared
(13:27):
in every imaginable way, raw, steamed, boiled, and roasted, served
on coral trays, and crystal dishes were put before him,
and the wine was the best that Hidasato had ever
tasted in his life. To add to the beauty of everything,
(13:47):
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. His host tried to persuade the
warrior to stay a few days, but hid Desato insisted
on going home, saying that he had now finished what
(14:07):
he had come to do and must return. The Dragon
King and his family were all very sorry to have
him leave so soon, but since he would go, they
begged him to accept a few small presents, so they said,
in token of their gratitude to him for delivering them
forever from their horrible enemy, the Cinnipede. As the warrior
(14:32):
stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish
was suddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing
ceremonial robes and dragons crowns on their head to show
that they were servants of the Great Dragon King. The
presents that they carried were as follows. First a large
(14:52):
bronze bell, second a bag of rice, third a roll
of silk, fourth a cooking pot, fifth a bell. Hidsato
did not want to accept all these presents, but as
the Dragon King insisted, he could not well refuse. The
(15:17):
Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge,
and then took leave of him with many boughs and
good wishes, leaving the procession of servants to accompany Hidasato
to his house with the presents. The warrior's household and
servants had been very much concerned when they found that
(15:39):
he did not return the night before, but they finally
concluded that he had been kept by the violent storm
and had taken shelter somewhere. When the servants on the
watch for his return caught sight of him, they called
to every one that he was approaching, and the whole
household turned out to meet him, wondering much such what
(16:00):
the retinue of men bearing presents and banners that followed
him could mean. As soon as the Dragon King's retainers
had put down the presence, they vanished, and Hidasato told
all that had happened to him. The presents which he
had received from the grateful Dragon King were found to
(16:22):
be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and
as Hidasato had no use for it, he presented it
to the temple near by, where it was hung up
to boom out the hour of day over this surrounding neighborhood.
The single bag of rice, however, much was taken from
(16:43):
it day after day for the meals of the night,
and his whole family never grew less. The supply in
the bag was inexhaustible. The roll of silk, too, never
grew shorter, though time after time time long pieces were
cut off to make the warrior a new suit of
(17:04):
clothes to go to court in at the new year.
The cooking pot was wonderful too, No matter what was
put into it, it cooked deliciously whatever was wanted, without
any firing. Truly a very economical saucepan. The fame of
Hidasato's fortune spread far and wide, and as there was
(17:27):
no need for him to spend money on rice or
silk or firing, he became very rich and prosperous, and
was henceforth known as my Lord Bag of Rice. This
is the end of my Lord Bag of Rice. From
Japanese fairy Tales by ye Theodora Ozaki.
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