turning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of the
Usui Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect
beneath him. The country, from this great elevation, all lay open to
his sight, a vast panorama of mountain and plain and forest, with
rivers winding like silver ribbons through the land; then far off he
saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a luminous mist in the great
distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for him, and as he
turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of her love
which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his heart burst out
into a sorrowful and bitter cry:

"Azuma, Azuma, Ya!" (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there is a
district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of Prince
Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into the sea
to save him is still pointed out. So, though in life the Princess
Ototachibana was unhappy, history keeps her memory green, and the story
of her unselfishness and heroic death will never pass away.

Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father's orders, he had subdued
all rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to the peace,
and his renown was great, for in the whole land there was no one who
could stand up against him, he was so strong in battle and wise in
council.

He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come, when
the thought struck him that he would find it more interesting to take
another route, so he passed through the province of Owari and came to
the province of Omi.

When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great
excitement and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the signs
of mourning and heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the cause of this
he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in the mountains, who
daily came down from thence and made raids on the villages, devouring
whoever he could seize. Many homes had been made desolate and the men
were afraid to go out to their daily work in the fields, or the women
to go to the rivers to wash their rice.

When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said fiercely:

"From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I have
subdued all the King's enemies--there is no one who dares to break the
laws or to rebel against the King. It. is indeed a matter for wonder
that here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked monster has