"We shall give you a pilgrim's gown and leggings, a rush hat, and a staff; for we have all these things ready here."
Then the wicked stepmother knew that even to save her from death it could not be helped, because she herself had done so wicked a thing before. Shuntoku and his wife were very glad; how rejoiced they were!
The stepmother prayed them to allow her only one small meal a day,—just as Shuntoku had done; but Otohime said to the stricken woman: "We cannot keep you here,—not even in the corner of an outhouse. Go away at once!"
Also Nobuyoshi said to his wicked wife: "What do you mean by remaining here? How long do you require to go?"
And he drove her out, and she could not help herself, and she went away crying, and striving to hide her face from the sight of the neighbors.
Otowaka led his blind mother by the hand; and together they went to Kyoto and to the temple of Kiyomidzu.
When they got there they ascended three of the temple steps, and knelt down, and prayed the goddess, saying: "Give us power to cast another malediction!"
But the goddess suddenly appeared before them, and said: "Were it a good thing that you pray for, I would grant your prayer; but with an evil matter I will have no more to do.
"If you must die, then die there! And after your death you shall be sent to hell, and there put into the bottom of an iron caldron to be boiled."
This is the end of the Story of Shuntoku. With a jubilant tap of the fan we finish so! Joyfully!—joyfully!—joyfully!