Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/466

378 restoration of the Ming dynasty. His parents arranged to sail there after his departure, and agreed to meet him at Senri-ga-Také, a famous bamboo forest in China. It was planned that the Princess should accompany Kokusenya on a part of his voyage, and take shelter on some suitable isle, and he should send for her as soon as a favourable opportunity should occur.

After the discussion was over, Kokusenya bade his parents farewell, and taking the Princess by the hand proceeded to go on board the boat with her. At this moment his wife returned, and when she saw what was taking place, she was filled with amazement. She concluded that all three of them had agreed to cross over to China, and leave her behind. When they were in China, she was convinced, her husband would make the Princess his wife. Her jealousy then got the better of her, and she wept and stormed like a virago. Kokusenya tried to explain matters to her, but she would not listen. He was so perplexed that he did not know what to do; so he raised an oar to defend himself against her attacks. Suddenly she threw herself on her face and cried out: "Kill me! Kill me! My only desire is to die by my