Summary
Once upon a time, a wealthy couple lived happily with their young daughter. However, when the daughter turned thirteen, the mother fell ill and said, "The Kannon appeared to me in a dream and told me to place a small box and a wooden bowl on her head to protect her." The mother did as instructed and placed the bowl on her daughter's head, after which she passed away.
The father remarried, and the new wife treated the daughter coldly, constantly saying, "That child is a disabled person; nothing will come of it." Eventually, the father declared, "You can no longer stay here; go wherever you like," and cast her out. The daughter, crying, wandered into an unfamiliar land and attempted to jump into a river, but thanks to the wooden bowl, she floated.
At that moment, a young lord's son happened to pass by and asked, "Who are you?" The daughter replied, "I have lost my mother and am all alone." The young man decided to let the daughter work at his home, and she worked hard as the bath attendant.
One day, while taking a bath, the young man caught sight of the daughter’s face and was astonished by her beauty. He resolved in his heart, "I've never seen such a beautiful person before," but his mother opposed, saying, "She's the daughter of some unknown person." The young man replied, "If you kick her out, I will leave with her."
Finally, a "bride competition" was held, and the daughter appeared with a beauty that transformed her. Everyone was amazed, exclaiming, "She looks like the spirit of cherry blossoms in spring," and admired her talents. She played a magnificent koto and recited a poem: "Only through patience will the spring come to bloom."
The parents recognized their daughter's beauty and education and permitted her to marry. The daughter enjoyed happy days, but when she learned that her father had become a monk, she wished to reunite with him.
Meanwhile, the father prayed to Kannon to see his daughter, and one day he encountered the young man and three children. Tears streamed down his face as he said, "These children resemble my daughter." After hearing the monk's story, the young man brought the daughter back. "Father, it's me, your daughter," they joyfully reunited.
Thus, the father, daughter, and their family were able to live together happily.
