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A Long time ago when Oakiyam was at peace,there was a large cave on the east bank of the Nakatsu River near Uenohara on the opposite side of the river. At times a huge ogress, more than three meters high and with iong, long hair and eyes that shone like the sun and the moon, came out and bothered people, and for that reason no one would ever go near this cave. The village chief of the last descendants of the Heike was living in Oakiyama at the time, and his family possessed a famous sword called Tokage Maro. He put this on and set out to drive the ogress away. This ogress appeared at the mouth of the cave while he was still crossing over to the east bank of the Nakatsu River. She flew out at him the moment she saw him. The sword at his side came out by itself, and after cuting the ogress in two, it returned to its sheath without harming him. This sword was famed for its part in driving the ogress away, but when Oakiyama Village finally fell on hard times, it later became the prized treasure of Shimada Sanzaemon, a rich householder in Mitsukuri Village, and then it was given to the bailiff by Mitsukuri Village. ※Oakiyama village: In 1783, A
big famine visited Akiyama by Mt.Asama eruption. The next
year, a big famine annihilated the village. |
