ervice with him and laboured for him early and late, and every
night when she went to bed she was at peace, for she had not forgotten
one thing that she had promised her mother; and, however hot the sun
might be, she always kept the wooden helmet on her head, and the people
gave her the nickname of Hatschihime.

In spite, however, of all her care the fame of her beauty spread abroad:
many of the impudent young men that are always to be found in the world
stole softly up behind her while she was at work, and tried to lift off
the wooden helmet. But the girl would have nothing to say to them, and
only bade them be off; then they began to talk to her, but she never
answered them, and went on with what she was doing, though her wages
were low and food not very plentiful. Still she could manage to live,
and that was enough.

One day her master happened to pass through the field where she was
working, and was struck by her industry and stopped to watch her. After
a while he put one or two questions to her, and then led her into his
house, and told her that henceforward her only duty should be to tend
his sick wife. From this time the girl felt as if all her troubles were
ended, but the worst of them was yet to come.

Not very long after Hatschihime had become maid to the sick woman, the
eldest son of the house returned home from Kioto, where he had been
studying all sorts of things. He was tired of the splendours of the town
and its pleasures, and was glad enough to be back in the green country,
among the peach-blossoms and sweet flowers. Strolling about in the early
morning, he caught sight of the girl with the odd wooden helmet on her
head, and immediately he went to his mother to ask who she was, and
where she came from, and why she wore that strange thing over her face.

His mother answered that it was a whim, and nobody could persuade her
to lay it aside; whereat the young man laughed, but kept his thoughts to
himself.

One hot day, however, he happened to be going towards home when he
caught sight of his mother's waiting maid kneeling by a little stream
that flowed through the garden, splashing some water over her face.
The helmet was pushed on one side, and as the youth stood watching
from behind a tree he had a glimpse of the girl's great beauty; and he
determined that no one else should be his wife. But when he told his
family of his resolve to marry her they were very angry, and made up
all sorts of wicked stor