on."

From that time forth the oppressed poor people rejoiced many a time as
the avaricious merchants and extortionate money lenders lost their
treasures. For when a poor farmer, whose crops failed, could not pay his
rent or loan on the date promised, these hard-hearted money lenders would
turn him out of his house, seize his beds and mats and rice-tub, and even
the shrine and images on the god-shelf, to sell them at auction for a
trifle, to their minions, who resold them at a high price for the
money-lender, who thus got a double benefit. Whenever a miser was robbed,
the people said, "The young thunder has struck," and then they were glad,
knowing that it was Jiraiya, (Young Thunder.) In this manner his name
soon grew to be the poor people's watchword in those troublous times.

Yet Jiraiya was always ready to help the innocent and honest, even if
they were rich. One day a merchant named Fukutaro was sentenced to death,
though he was really not guilty. Jiraiya hearing of it, went to the
magistrate and said that he himself was the very man who committed the
robbery. So the man's life was saved, and Jiraiya was hanged on a large
oak tree. But during the night, his dead body changed into a bull-frog
which hopped away out of sight, and off into the mountains of Shinano.

At this time, there was living in this province, a young and beautiful
maiden named Tsunade. Her character was very lovely. She was always
obedient to her parents and kind to her friends. Her daily task was to go
to the mountains and cut brushwood for fuel. One day while thus busy
singing at the task, she met a very old man, with a long white beard
sweeping his breast, who said to her:

"Do not fear me. I have lived in this mountain many hundred years, but my
real body is that of a snail. I will teach you the powers of magic, so
that you can walk on the sea, or cross a river however swift and deep,
as though it were dry land."

Gladly the maiden took daily lessons of the old man, and soon was able to
walk on the waters as on the mountain paths. One day the old man said, "I
shall now leave you and resume my former shape. Use your power to destroy
wicked robbers. Help those who defend the poor. I advise you to marry the
celebrated man Jiraiya, and thus you will unite your powers."

Thus saying, the old man shrivelled up into a snail and crawled away.

"I am glad," said the maiden to herself, "for the magic of the snail can
overcome that of the serpent.