“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” answered Kadzutoyo:  “only don’t tell any one about it, that is all I ask;” and so they went home in silence.

As Kadzutoyo was very tired, he went to bed, and slept undisturbed by any sense of guilt; for he was brave and fearless.  But the retainer grew very uneasy, and went to his young lord’s parents and said—­

“I had the honour of attending my young lord out fishing to-day, and we were driven home by the rain.  And as we came back by the bank, we descried a girl with a spasm in her stomach, and her my young lord straightway slew; and although he has bidden me tell it to no one, I cannot conceal it from my lord and my lady.”

Kadzutoyo’s parents were sore amazed, bewailing their son’s wickedness, and went at once to his room and woke him; his father shed tears and said—­

“Oh! dastardly cut-throat that you are! how dare you kill another man’s daughter without provocation?  Such unspeakable villany is unworthy a Samurai’s son.  Know, that the duty of every Samurai is to keep watch over the country, and to protect the people; and such is his daily task.  For sword and dirk are given to men that they may slay rebels, and faithfully serve their prince, and not that they may go about committing sin and killing the daughters of innocent men.  Whoever is fool enough not to understand this will repeat his misdeed, and will assuredly bring shame on his kindred.  Grieved as I am that I should take away the life which I gave you, I cannot suffer you to bring dishonour on our house; so prepare to meet your fate!”

With these words he drew his sword; but Kadzutoyo, without a sign of fear, said to his father—­

“Your anger, sir, is most just; but remember that I have studied the classics and understand the laws of right and wrong, and be sure I would never kill another man without good cause.  The girl whom I slew was certainly no human being, but some foul goblin:  feeling certain of this, I cut her down.  To-morrow I beg you will send your retainers to look for the corpse; and if it really be that of a human being, I shall give you no further trouble, but shall disembowel myself.”

Upon this the father sheathed his sword, and awaited daybreak.  When the morning came, the old prince, in sad distress, bade his retainers lead him to the bank; and there he saw a huge badger, with his head cut off, lying dead by the roadside; and the prince was lost in wonder at his son’s shrewdness.  But the retainer did not know what to make of it, and still had his doubts.  The prince, however, returned home, and sending for his son, said to him—­

“It’s very strange that the creature which appeared to your retainer to be a girl, should have seemed to you to be a badger.”

“My lord’s wonder is just,” replied Kadzutoyo, smiling:  “she appeared as a girl to me as well.  But here was a young girl, at night, far from any inhabited place.  Stranger still was her wondrous beauty; and strangest of all that, though it was pouring with rain, there was not a sign of wet on her clothes; and when my retainer asked how long she had been there, she said she had been on the bank in pain for some time; so I had no further doubt but that she was a goblin, and I killed her.”