“You have murdered our daughter before our very eyes.  I shall report the matter to the lord of the manor, and you will assuredly pay for this with your head.  Be prepared for the worst.”

And as he said this, glaring fiercely at Tokutaro, they carried the corpse of his daughter into the store-closet.  As they were sending to make the matter known in the village of Maki, and taking other measures, who should come up but the priest of the temple called Anrakuji, in the village of Iwahara, with an acolyte and a servant, who called out in a loud voice from the front door—­

“Is all well with the honourable master of this house?  I have been to say prayers to-day in a neighbouring village, and on my way back I could not pass the door without at least inquiring after your welfare.  If you are at home, I would fain pay my respects to you.”

As he spoke thus in a loud voice, he was heard from the back of the house; and the master got up and went out, and, after the usual compliments on meeting had been exchanged, said—­

“I ought to have the honour of inviting you to step inside this evening; but really we are all in the greatest trouble, and I must beg you to excuse my impoliteness.”

“Indeed!  Pray, what may be the matter?” replied the priest.  And when the master of the house had told the whole story, from beginning to end, he was thunderstruck, and said—­

“Truly, this must be a terrible distress to you.”  Then the priest looked on one side, and saw Tokutaro bound, and exclaimed, “Is not that Tokutaro that I see there?”

“Oh, your reverence,” replied Tokutaro, piteously, “it was this, that, and the other:  and I took it into my head that the young lady was a fox, and so I killed her.  But I pray your reverence to intercede for me, and save my life;” and as he spoke, the tears started from his eyes.

“To be sure,” said the priest, “you may well bewail yourself; however, if I save your life, will you consent to become my disciple, and enter the priesthood?”

“Only save my life, and I’ll become your disciple with all my heart.”

When the priest heard this, he called out the parents, and said to them—­

“It would seem that, though I am but a foolish old priest, my coming here to-day has been unusually well timed.  I have a request to make of you.  Your putting Tokutaro to death won’t bring your daughter to life again.  I have heard his story, and there certainly was no malice prepense on his part to kill your daughter.  What he did, he did thinking to do a service to your family; and it would surely be better to hush the matter up.  He wishes, moreover, to give himself over to me, and to become my disciple.”

“It is as you say,” replied the father and mother, speaking together.  “Revenge will not recall our daughter.  Please dispel our grief, by shaving his head and making a priest of him on the spot.”