Three cards

Three cards

Long long ago, there was a temple at the foot of a mountain, where a Buddhist priest and his young disciple lived.
One day the priest said to the disciple,
“It’s the spring equinox tomorrow. So bring me some beautiful flowers from the mountain.”
“It’s easy.” said the boy and was given three cards by the master.
“If you should meet something horrible on the way,
throw one card at it, saying what you want.
If you want ‘sea’, the sea will appear.
While it is surprised at the sea, you have only to run away from it.
Do you understand?”

“I see.”

In a mountain he found some beautiful flowers, but when he entered the deep mountain, it already started getting dark and dark.
He couldn’t find the way to the temple in the dark.
Wandering in the mountain for a few hours, he saw a light of a house in the distance.
“Thanks, Buddha. You helped me.”
He knocked on the door and shouted.
“Excuse me, but I was lost in the dark. Let me stay tonight.”
“Come in.”
Opening the door, he found an ogress, or a mountain monster sitting near “Irori”, the sunken fireplace.
“Come in and warm yourself. Why are you standing there? Come in.”
The monster was very kind to him.
Horrified, he had to do as he was told by her.
He thought if he made her angry, he would be eaten by her.
Even while he was in bed at night, she was beside him, looking at him.
Even if he pretended to snore, she never left him.
He said to the monster,
“I have to go to a toilet.”
“Be patient.”
“I can’t be patient.”
“So come back soon.
If you run away, I’ll catch and eat you.”
said she and fastened the end of a rope around his waist and had the other one in her hand.
He removed the rope secretly and tied it against a pillar in the toilet.
He succeeded in escaping from a small window of the toilet.
A few minutes later she noticed it.
“I’m so angry. I’ll eat him.” said she and started to run after him.
He was caught up with by her in a few minutes.
He remembered the three cards and threw a card at the monster, saying,
“Big river. Big river.”
On saying so, a big river suddenly appeared between he and the monster.
But she continued to run after him without bothering about it.
The boy threw the next card at the monster, saying,
“Big mountain. Big mountain.”
On saying so, a big mountain suddenly appeared between he and the monster.
But she continued to run after him without bothering about it.
He threw the last one at the monster, saying,
“Big Fire. Big fire.”
On saying so, a big fire suddenly appeared between he and the monster.
But she continued to run after him without bothering about it.
He ran and ran and found himself standing in front of his temple.
“Dear Priest. Help me! The monster is coming soon. HELP!! Open the door.”
cried he, knocking on the door.
“Wait a minute. Don’t be in a hurry. After I go to a toilet, I’ll open it.” said the priest slowly.
“Hurry!!! The monster entered the gate. Open! Open!” cried he.
“Be quiet. Don’t be hurried. I’m now washing my hands.”
The priest at last opened the door and put him into a tub of the well and lifted it on the well immediately.
“Priest. Where is the boy? I saw him enter this house.” said the monster.
“I never saw it.” said the priest.
“I saw it.” said the monster.
“I never saw it.”
“I saw.”
“Well, find anywhere as you like it.” said he to the priest.
The monster found everywhere in the temple but didn’t find the boy.
At last she peeped into the well and the shadow of her face.
“I found him there.” said she and jumped into the well.
The priest quickly covered the well with a bid lid and put a huge stone on it.
The monster never got out of the well and lost her life a month later.

The end