Introduction to Sleep
princess hase-hime
Thousands of years ago in Nara, the capital of ancient Japan, there lived a Minister named Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His noble, kind, and beautiful wife was named Princess Murasaki. They have been married because since young have been betrothed by families according to Japanese tradition, and have lived happily ever since.
Lately a problem makes them feel very sad, because a few years passed have not been blessed with children. This makes them sad, as they both want to see their own child grow up as they enter old age, carry on the family name, and follow the ancestral ritual when they die.
After a long consultation and much thought, determined to make a pilgrimage to the temple of Hase-no-Kwannon (Goddess of Compassion in Hase), as they believed, according to their religious traditions, in accordance with their religion, that Goddess Kwannon can answer the prayers of humans in their most important needs. The hope is that after so many years of prayer, prayer will be answered in the form of a beloved child, because that is the greatest need of both of their lives. Everything else was fulfilled, but it meant nothing because they had no children.
Prince Toyonari and his wife went to the Kwannon temple in Hase and stayed there for a long time, daily burning incense and praying. Then his wife conceived.€e
A daughter born to Princess Murasaki, her heart was overjoyed. The child is shown to her husband, they both decide to call her Hase-Hime, or Princess Hase, because she is the gift of the goddess Kwannon in that place. They both nurtured her very carefully and gently, the child growing in strength and beauty.
The wheel of life rolls from top to bottom. Unfortunately, when the little girl was five years old her mother was seriously ill, all the doctors and medicines could not save her. A little before exhaling his last breath he called out to his daughter, gently stroking her head while saying: “Son, does Nanda know that your mother cannot live any longer? If mom dies, Ananda must grow up to be a good girl. Do your best not to cause problems with the nurse or other family. Maybe your father will marry again and you will have a new mother. So do not be sad, consider your father's second wife as a true mother, obedient and devoted to them. Remember when ananda is an adult it is necessary to be respectful to the older people, and to be kind to all those who are under the nanda. Don't forget this. Mother goes with the hope that nanda will grow as a model woman”.
€e€Hase-Hime listened very solemnly to his mother's advice, and promised to do it all. Hase-Hime grew up as her mother hoped to become a good and obedient little Princess, though she is now too young to understand how difficult it is to lose a mother. Shortly after the death of his first wife, Prince Toyonari remarried a noblewoman named Princess Terute.
Very different from the good and wise character of Princess Murasaki, this woman was cruel, bad-hearted. He did not love his stepson at all, and was very selfish. But Hase-Hime endured every atrocity with patience, and even waited for his stepmother and obeyed him in every way and never made any trouble, because she had been trained by her good mother, she said, so that Princess Terute had no complaints against her. The little princess was very diligent, and her favorite lessons were music and poetry. He would train for hours every day, and his father found the most clever teacher to teach him koto (a Japanese lute), the art of writing letters and poetry. When she was twelve years old she was able to play so beautifully, she and her stepmother were summoned to the Palace to play before the Emperor.
At the Sakura Flower Festival, there is a big party at the Palace. The Emperor was swept away to enjoy the beauty of spring, and ordered Princess Hase to play the koto, accompanied by her mother Princess Terute to play the flute. The Emperor sat on a high pulpit, in front of him hung fine bamboo curtains and pink in color, so that His Majesty could see all and could not be seen, for nothing should look upon his holy face. Hase-Hime is a skilled musician despite being young, and his teachers are often fascinated by his skills and talents. At this celebration he played very well. But Princess Terute, her stepmother, a woman is lazy and unwilling to do the exercises. Every day wept and had to ask one of the palace maids to replace it. This was a great disgrace, and he was extremely envious of having failed where his daughter's move had succeeded, and he was extremely envious, and even worse the Emperor sent many beautiful gifts to the Little Princess in return for having played well in the Palace.
Now there is another reason why Princess Terute hates the success of her daughter, because she has had a child born from her womb, and in her heart she keeps saying: '€c
“If only Hase-Hime were not here, my son would have all the love of his father.” €ci€ and have never learned to control myself, he let these evil thoughts grow into a terrible desire to get rid of his daughter's life.
So one day he secretly ordered poison and put it in sweet wine. This poisonous wine he put in a bottle. In another bottle he poured good wine. This is the fifth Festival from May, Hase-Hime is playing with his younger brother. All the scattered warrior and hero weapons he told him, a beautiful story about each of them. They both had fun and laughed cheerfully with the waiter when his mother came in with two bottles of wine and some delicious cookies. €ci€”You are both very kind and happy.” said Princess Terute with a smile, “Mother brought sweet wine as a gift and a good cake for good children.” €cally€Furthermore she filled two cups of different bottles. Hase-Hime, never imagined the cruel behavior of her stepmother who was acting. The evil woman carefully marked the poisoned bottle, walked into the room very nervously, and hurriedly poured the wine. Unknowingly pouring into a cup to poison her own child. He was astonished that no change in the little princess's face had occurred after drinking the wine in the cup. Suddenly his son screamed and fell on the floor, bowing in pain. Her mother approached, taking precautions to turn over two small bottles of wine she had brought to the floor of the room and hold her child. The waiter rushed to find a doctor, but no one could save the child, eventually dying within an hour in his mother's arms. Doctors of ancient times did not know much, thinking that wine did not fit well with boys, causing convulsions and death. Thus the convicted wicked woman has lost her own child when she tries to poison her stepson, but instead of blaming herself, she starts to hate Hase-Hime more than ever. In the bitterness and misfortune of his own heart, and eagerly upon seeing the opportunity to harm in a long time. When Hase-Hime was thirteen years old, she was already a female poet and obtained some merit marks.
A long time ago, a beautiful girl and a talented female poet moved Heaven by praying in poetry, having brought down rain in a land of drought and famine, and, the ancient biographer of the poet Ono-no-Komachi. If Princess Hase wrote a poem and brought it in prayer, perhaps it could stop the roaring sound of the river and eliminate the cause of the Emperor's illness. What the officials said finally reached the Emperor's ears, and sent an order to the minister Prince Toyonari.€ci-€pelo Hase-Hime's fear was immense and shocked when his father met him and told him what was needed from him. The heavy duty placed on his young shoulders saved the life of the Emperor by the verse of his poem.
On the last day his poem was finished. Poems are written on thick colored paper and written in gold ink. Along with his father, a maid and some court officials, he walked to the riverbank and offered his heart to Heaven, reading a poem that had been composed, offering it in both hands. Oddity happened, it seemed all quiet. The water stopped, and the river calmed down and answered his prayer. The emperor soon recovered his health. His Majesty was very pleased, gave him the Palace and was awarded the rank of Chinjo's lady Lieutenant General. From then on he was called Chinjo Hime, or Lieutenant General Princess, respected and loved by all. There is only one person who is not happy about Hase-Hime's success, his stepmother. Continually regretting the death of his own son who had died while trying to poison his stepdaughter. He was greatly tormented to see his stepdaughter gain power and honor, with the Emperor's kindness and the admiration of the entire palace. Envy and jealousy burned in his heart like fire. Many lies were told to her husband about Hase-Hime, but all was not successful. Her husband listened to her story, saying clearly that she was very wrong
Finally her stepmother took the opportunity when her husband was not around, had one of her old servants take the innocent girl to the Hibari Mountains, the wildest part of the kingdom and kill her there. He creates a chilling story about the little Princess, saying that this is the only way to prevent misfortune from befalling the family by killing her.
Cathode, his follower, is bound to obey his master. But he saw that it would be the wisest plan to pretend obedience in the absence of the girl's father, he carries Hase-Hime on a stretcher and accompanies her to the most remote spot she finds in the wild. The poor boy knew it was no good to protest against the evil stepmother even though she was cast out in this strange way, so he left when she was told. But the old servant knows that the young Princess is innocent of all the things that the stepmother has accused her of and she is determined to save her life.
Unless he killed her, he could not return to his master, then he decided to stay in the mountain valley. With the help of some farmers he soon built a small cottage, and secretly sent his wife, both kind parents doing everything in their power to take care of the poor daughter. The whole time he believed that his father, when he found out after he returned home and found he was not there, he would look for him.€c
Prince Toyonari, after a few weeks, came home and his wife informed him that princess Hime had done wrong and had fled for fear of punishment. He was almost sick from anxiety. Everyone in the house tells the same story - Hase-Hime suddenly disappears, none of them know why or where. For fear of his scandal being known he searched everywhere he could think of, but all to no avail.
One day, he tried to forget his worries, he called all his men, told them to make preparations for a few days ‘hunting in the mountains. They immediately prepared and waited for his master at the gate. He rode nimbly and quickly arrived at the Hibari Mountains district, a great accompaniment following him. He soon advanced far ahead, finding himself in a beautiful, narrow valley. Looking around and admiring the view, he saw a small house on one of the hills and heard a beautiful voice reading aloud. Curious as to who could study so diligently in a desolate place like this, he got off his horse and walked up the hill approaching the hut. As he got closer he was very surprised because he could see that the one reading was a beautiful girl. The cottage was wide open and he was sitting facing the view. Attentively, he listened to him read the Buddhist scriptures with great interest. More curious, he rushes to the gate and enters the small garden, and has seen his missing daughter Hase-Hime. He wanted to know what he was saying whether he did not hear or see his father until he spoke.
Hase-Hime!” he called, “My son Hase-Hime!”shocked, he could hardly believe that it was his beloved father who called him, and in a moment he completely lost the strength to speak or move. “Dad, dad! This is indeed Father-oh, father!” that was all he could say, ran to him and he caught a thick sleeve and then buried his face in tears. His father stroked his black hair asking gently to tell him everything that had happened, but he just cried, he wondered if he was not dreaming. Then the faithful old servant Cathode came out, bowing to the ground before her master, telling a long story of what had happened, find her daughter with only two old maids in the wild and a secluded place to take care of her.
The prince was astonished and furious beyond measure. He canceled the hunt and rushed home with his daughter. One of the entourage precedes to inform the household of this glad tidings, the stepmother hears what has happened for fear of meeting her husband that her crimes are now known then escapes, no one else heard his name.
The old servant Cathode was rewarded with the highest status in serving his master, living happily until the end of his life, especially for the little Princess never forgets that she owes her life to this loyal follower. He was no longer bothered by the actions of his wicked mother, his days passed happily and quietly with his father.
As Prince Toyonari had no more sons, he adopted the youngest son of one of the court nobles to become heir, to marry his daughter Hase-Hime. Hase-Hime lives happily into old age, and everyone says that he is the wisest, most godly, replacing his father before he retires. A needle is still in one of Kioto's Buddhist temples, which was once used to embroider a beautiful tapestry, with the Buddha figure in silk embroidered with thread taken from the trunk of the lotus. It is said to be done by the hands of Princess Hase Hime.