Long ago, Fujiwara Hidesato went out in search of adventure and came across a bridge. He saw a huge serpent coiled around it. He walked ahead and stamped on its head. The serpent vanished and in its place stood a beautiful woman. She said, “I have been waiting for years to find a man brave enough to help me.” She requested him to destroy her enemy, Omukade, a giant poisonous centipede which had killed her sons. Hidesato promised to help her. Armed with a bow and arrows, he awaited the centipede. Soon, he saw the centipede approaching. Each of his legs glowed with shades of gold and green. His eyes looked like enormous lights. Hidesato sent three arrows in that direction, and the centipede died. Filled with gratitude, the dragon woman took Hidesato to the Dragon-palace, and rewarded him with a piece of silk, a sword, an armour, a temple bell and a bag of rice. She said that the bag of rice would never be empty as long as he lived.
Bag of Rice
