"Shinji Takeda" " Tomoko Tabata Ryuhei Matsuda" "Yasuko Matsuyuki" "Kenichi Endo Kitaro" "Masto Hagiwara Tetsuro Tanba" "DEMON POND" "Directed by Takashi Miike" "The water is so beautiful." "Always... so beautiful." "Though it's white." "Well, you're rinsing the rice in it." "Because I'm rinsing the rice." "Yes." " Good work." "Here, let me help you." " I'll be fine, thank you." "You'll ruin your pretty hands with all this housework." "What is it?" "Isn't it cold?" "It's cold and feels good." "Just now I happened to see your reflection there in the water among the irises." "You were prettier than ever." "I wanted to say it's pretty." "What are you talking about?" "A compliment, my dear." "Nobody hates to be praised, surely." "You're only making fun of me." "No." "I am honestly praising you." "I am seeing your reflection in the water among the irises and you're prettier than they." "You're prettier than ever." "If you were really praising me, you wouldn't beat around the bush." "Just say, "You're pretty." It's much nicer and simpler." "I take it as making fun of me, your talk of irises and reflection in the water." "All right." "Besides, it's not right for the master of the house to be in the kitchen." "Hurry back to your desk." "It's a weird kind of master who makes his living ringing bells." "My master is my master, even if you make your living ringing bells." "Don't be so mean." "I don't mean to be mean." "Yes, you do." "You kept telling me to return to my desk even though I'm so hungry." "Yeah?" "Do you know how hungry I am now?" "It's a lot." "I see." "I'm so famished it occurred to me that... the wooden bell clapper would do me better service as a cane." "You can't imagine such a silly thing if you're not so famished." "It might be true." "Now look, Why am I here like this..." " Staying and demanding" " Yes." "Surly demanding." "I wonder how quickly it will be ready." "I'm sorry." "Then I should hurry and prepare the supper." "Yes, that's what I'm talking about." " Your supper will be ready in a moment." " Yes, please." "Can I help you?" "Still Yuri is rinsing the rice." "My, but you are persistent." "This is tomorrow's rice I'm preparing." "This is for tomorrow." "What's wrong?" "That's as it should be the model housewife." "What a relief to hear you say that." "Wow." "Still, I'm empty handed, and my belly's emptier than ever, too." "Again?" "I'll keep getting more and more hungry if you don't take care of it." "People would laugh to hear you go on like that." "Who might you be worrying about?" "People would rather react favorably because it's honest." "Oh, the Bell Ringer is hungry!" They would smile and wave their hands at me." " You're talking gibberish again." " Then I would wave back to them..." "Please stop." "How embarrassing." "It's not embarrassing." "I'll tell you, folk laugh at us when..." "Yes?" "When they catch us sleeping together." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Damn the mosquitoes!" "I'll go smoke-out the room in back." "The heat has burned the clouds clear out of the sky... and Three Province Peak looks like it's on fire." "All the mountains and peaks..." "Omi to the west, Kaga to the north, and far-off Mino, too... they're all burning in the drought, like a chain of tens of thousands of torches." "Demon Pond must be a glow with their flames... the evening star high above it is red, too." "Not a whiff of rain up there." "I'm talking about rain." "They say our water comes from Demon Pond... the pond where that dragon dwells." "Perhaps it's just my fancy, but it seems even our spring has been running terribly thin." "The village folk have been having a bad time of it too." "What's bad?" "It's about the drought." "I see." "We' re so cut off up here in the hills, ...it's hard to find enough to eat, and I do so worry about your health." "Don't worry so much." "But you're so hungry." "Yes, just for now." "Of course I'm famished." "But I don't pretend to live in luxury in the first place." "What do I care that our stream's a bit thin?" "Yuri, touch the moon-face flower." " I don't understand." " I will explain later." "Just touch it." "My, how cold it is!" "It's cold" "As cool as my hands from washing the rice." "The flowers are drenched through." "After all, that's what I meant." "What did you mean?" "In this world, folk would need money, or land, or rain for sure... but we won't die of thirst even if the sun bakes us for a hundred days straight." "Because we have this moon-face..." "touch it again," "It's cold." "As long as we have the dew, we've got plenty." "Won't you be hot, my dear?" "You can leave them open;" "I doubt anyone will be passing by at this hour." "Really, do you think I'm worried about that?" "Then, why don't you open them?" "When I shut all the doors before dark, and light a bit of incense, the mosquitoes aren't near as bad." "Isn't it too smoky for you?" "It is." "But it's OK..." "This morning I crossed the Matins Bridge." "And now I hear the vesper bell." "Hey, that's the spirit!" "Oh, hello." "No sooner had I passed the bamboo grove along the footpath... than I heard it just now, as it was getting dark." "That'll be the bell that marks the hour, eh?" "That is correct." " And such a fine sound!" " Excuse me?" "An excellent bell." "You don't mind if I climb up and have a look, do you?" "Not at all." "Thank you, then..." "You can take a look, but..." "Yes?" "But you mustn't be foolish, sir, and strike it with your umbrella." "Oh." "Yes?" " Can't I?" " You can't do that." " Just strike once with this." " No way!" "Seriously, you can't." "Oh, I can't?" "This bell is rung only three times a day and never more than that... at matins, vespers, and the mid watch of the night." "No matter what?" "No matter what." "You're right." "If you ring randomly people around here would be confused about what time it is." "Exactly." "It would be amusing to see, in its way, if they got confused." "What are you thinking?" "I swear I won't try to tap it." "But to be sure, I will leave this here." "Look, is this OK?" "Please be my guest, climb up and have a look." " Ah, Madame..." " Yes?" "I'd like to see the bell." "Yes." "But now that I have your attention... would you mind sparing me a cup of tea?" "Nothing's simpler." "Come over here, sir, and sit down." "Thanks." "Our house is nothing to be proud of, really." "Why, not even a temple kitchen, by the looks of it." "No." "The main hall, is it someplace else?" "No, it burned down a long time ago, they say." "This hasn't been a temple for years." "Just the bell?" "Yes." "Just the bell..." "I see." "By the way, I have something important that I'd like to talk about." "What is it?" " Actually..." "I am very hungry." " Oh, again!" "Never mind." "Under the water trough, there are some pears being chilled." "Would you like some?" "Ah, they have opened!" "They must've caught a glimpse of your own." "The moon-faces." "Look!" "I see." "Or rather, the color of your hair." "I'm getting on in years, certainly I'm no flower." "I'll soon dry up like an old gourd ...that's all I have to look forward to now." "That story makes me hungry again." "Oh," "Pass me the knife, I'll peel them." "I don't want to cause you any more trouble than I have already..." "I travel light and I'm all thumbs, but given the proper tool I can still do a decent job of peeling a fruit." "Ah!" "This is colder than ice!" "It's nice and chilled, isn't it?" "Cutting a jewel would be like this." "This is great." "I take it you are a traveler, sir..." "Yes, I am." "Where are you from, and where might you be headed?" "It's not that serious." "Would you like to peel it?" "Lt'll be a waste if we don't take turns and peel it." "I know how it is." "How?" "You haven't peeled this yet." "You really should peel this one." "Because I brought that pear." "Because that pear was from my place." "I see." "That's very true." "You're right." "So where are you from?" "I'm just a school teacher on a summer field trip ...On my way home, as a matter of fact." "I'll cross Yunoo Pass." "My destination's Kyoto." "And tonight sir." "Where will you stay?" "Watch what you say there, ma'am, for I'm not above taking a hint and asking you to put me up." "Honestly!" "I'm cute when I cry." "Cute?" "As has often been said, "with tears I'm so cute that you'll want to give me a place to stay."" " Who says that?" " Oh, everybody!" "I see." " I should show you how I cry, shouldn't I?" " You'll cross Yunoo Pass." "You changed the subject." "It's over there." "Yes." "But if I take this route, it's one mountain piled atop another, and come to think of it... that peak up there... the rock looks as if it's been set on fire by the sunset." "Yes." " It seems a little tough." " I think it's pretty tough." "It looks tough." "It might just be you're better off going by way of Naka no Kawachi instead." "I agree." "Whichever, it sure is hot." "There have been some deaths down in the valley, I hear." "Indeed." "It's easy to imagine people dying in such heat." "I've been slogging through it for some eight, nine leagues since morning..." "Honestly I cried a little bit." "Because it's hot?" "Yes, I cried because it's so hot." "You think you won't cry when it's so hot." "But people do cry over heat." "Don't you cry?" "Is that so?" "I cried." "Therefore I was glad when I saw this crystal water." "I walked so far and this was my first time to see water." "I walked so far and this was my first time to see water." "The spring runs down here from the cliff behind." "It's only a little stream, but when it strikes the rocks, it makes a lovely ringing sound." "That's why this valley's called Kotohikidani, "Koto Strumming Valley."" "Shall I pour some?" "This is cold, sweet water, sir." "No thank you, I had enough before I came here." "How awful of me!" "There I was, washing the rice!" "Downstream the water was as clear as crystal." "Still, I could swear the whole village was in a hard way for water, and yet it appears none of them come here to draw water from the spring." "Really quite remarkable..." "I suppose they've got their reasons..." " Ah." "The spring is in the cliff behind..." " Yeah." "But the water's source is Demon Pond." "Demon Pond." "People say a dragon lurks there ...they're afraid of the water, and say..." "It's poison." "Yes." "It's too late for you to see clearly, sir, but you'd find little pebbles among the rocks where the water strikes them, purple and green and rouge..." "very pretty they are." "But they fill the villagers with horror, for it's said they're the fishy scales... of those who serve the mistress of the pond." "I must've guzzled a good gallon." "You did?" "Is it safe to do so?" "Is it safe to do so?" "It's all right, isn't it?" "It is safe." "All these years we've been drinking the very same, morn and night." "That's right." "Can you have some now in front of me?" "Of course." "Here." "Look..." "A good gulp." "There, it's not poison at all." "Good." "It's good." "I feel much safer now." "But people in the village doubt." "To doubt, ma'am, is human nature." "But I felt much better to see you drink in great draft." "Now I feel if something happens to me, I'm not alone." "Oh." "It's lonely to be alone." "Is that so?" "Yes it's lonely." "It's very lonely." " Just how old are you?" " What?" "How old?" "Forgive me, sir." "Forgive me?"" "Forgive me, sir." "I understand." "How rude to ask a lady her age." "Yes." "Then when is your birthday?" "It's the same." "Right." "You saw the trick." "Now then, how much?" "How much?" "How much?" "No, no." "How much do I owe you for the tea and the pear?" "I'd be hurt if you didn't take something." "For the tea and the pear, I won't accept a penny." "Go ahead and charge me." " But..." " Really." "If it really troubles you, then perhaps, I should..." "Certainly, how much?" "But, ah!" "My charge, as you call it, doesn't have to be in coin." "No?" "Could I prevail on you instead to offer me a story?" "Something short will do." "Tell you a story ...What do you mean exactly?" "I'm sure you've heard something interesting and out of the ordinary in your travels... for the tea and pears." "A story." "You're not alone, sir." "All kind of folk come by... medicine peddlers, ascetics, and pilgrims, even people from down in the village..." "I offer them refreshments, and those who ask me what they owe ...whoever..." "I ask for a story in return." "And if they're generous, sometimes I even offer them a place to stay for the night." "Even without crying in a cute way?" " Yes, but it happens very rarely." " Fair game, I'll give you a story." "Yes, But don't rush me." "I will think about which story I should tell." "Which story should I tell..." "Did you decide?" "Actually I just started to think about it." "It gives me pressure, could you please stop?" "Ah, I have it." "And one from this province, too." "Not ready yet?" " Excuse me..." " Yes?" " Are..." " Yes?" " Are you alone here?" " Yes?" "Are you alone?" "Yes." "To be sure, a light went out in you cottage and, uh, I couldn't see well for the smoke, but..." "What about the story?" "Where was I?" "A story from Echizen." "Yes, a story from here in Echizen." "Here goes:" "Once there was a bewitched peony bun sitting under the veranda of a house..." "For example, say I said something." "Well, a voice under the veranda would parrot what I said." "The villagers banded together." "Who'd that be talking back?" They said." "Is it a fox?" No, came the reply. "A badger?" No. "Otter?" Wrong again. "A devil?" "A goblin?"" " Nope..." "Finally they asked, "Are you a peony bun?"" "Ye-es, it said, and up and disappeared." "Actually this story wasn't so good." "Because you're telling the story without enthusiasm." "You told the ending without excitement." " Yes." "Ok." "That's it for the story." " Yeah?" "This was only two summers ago." "Two summers ago..." "For some years, a good friend of mine had set his heart on gathering up all the most interesting, strange, and wondrous tales, tales handed down from province to province." "Not a place in Japan was to be left out that was his aim." "Well, that summer on school break, he left Tokyo bound for the North Country, deep in the mountains over valley and peak." "And that was the last we've seen or heard of him." "His family did all they could to find him, but he was gone." "Not even a hint of a trace." "Even his friends, I among them, had given him up for dead, and so we set the day he left Tokyo as the anniversary of his death." "There was a terrible fuss for a while, even made the papers." "Was it suicide?" "An accident, or death by misadventure, as they say?" "Whenever my friends and I met, we'd weep and grieve for the poor man!" "He had no cause to be on the run, or die, surely." "Ah, but in this world, ma'am, strange things do happen..." " Ah, I thank you, sir." " No problem." "Really most kind of you." "Do you mean to say I've paid up for the tea?" "That was quite enough." "How was it?" "How was what?" "Did you like my story?" "I preferred the one about the bun." "I didn't care for the second." "But you gave me negative feedback, about the ending of the peony bun story." "I didn't mean to." " By the way," " By the way?" "My story's just begun." "That was just the prologue." "Thank you, but I've heard all I want..." "Now sir, it's getting dark and you may have a hard time finding a place to stay." "Yes?" "I was ready to stay at your place." "No you weren't." "According to what you told me, sometimes you let people stay." " I was totally planning to stay." " That'd be a problem." " Because the real story starts from now." " You should go around Nako No Kawachi." "I will feel unpleasant if I don't complete the story." "It'd be more unpleasant to keep listening to the story." "Did you say unpleasant?" "!" "A single woman, all alone, and you demand shelter!" "Because YOU said to me, you sometimes let people stay." "You have a comeback for my every remark." "That's not the case." "Then, I am going to cry now." "Please don't!" "You think you're better than others because you're from Tokyo." "Not at all." "I didn't say anything like that." "Go on, get out." "You're throwing me out?" "This is an outrage!" "I don't care what you say." "Go on." "Leave." "Here." "Leave!" "Now!" "This isn't The Potted Tree." "Why, you've even got the kindling to burn for the mosquitoes." "At least it's not snowing." "It doesn't matter what you say, Tokyo!" "Don't scream "Tokyo!" at me in anger." "I couldn't care less if it did from this drought-ridden, midsummer sky!" "That's a parable." "Farewell." "Good-bye." "Yamazawa!" "Yamazawa" "Hagiwara, is that you?" " Oh Akira!" " Don't be afraid." " But..." " I won't leave you." "Nine out of ten it was you, I thought." "Now I'm sure, of course." "But before..." "well, I could scarcely believe my eyes" "Really, I don't know what to say, Yamazawa." "I'm at a loss for words myself." "Long time, no see." "Your head, what have you done to it?" " This?" " Yes." "You'd think living in the mountains I must've been swallowed up by a serpent." "A serpent?" "Were you all right?" "I was going to say it's not because of a serpent." "Don't surprise me." "You surprised yourself." "Then what is it?" "Is it stress?" "It's a wig." "Wlg..." "So then..." "What is it?" "She is your..." "She is my wife." " I see" " What?" " Nothing" " What?" "I thought you made your hair match your wife's white hair." "This is Yuri." "Yuri..." "What are you crying about, Yuri?" "Dry your tears now, and greet the man properly." "Yuri!" "What's wrong?" "She's afraid." "Why?" "You'll tap me on my shoulder, and I'll wake from my dream and go back to Tokyo." "What's wrong?" "No, Hagiwara, there's little one look at my face will tear you away." "Why, I dare say, if it's so good, by all means dream on..." "Yamazawa." "But even so, surely you haven't forgotten your folks back home in Tokyo." "Of course, worry over you has shortened their years I'm sure." "Yeah." "Don't forget that even if you're in a dream." "How's..." "All the same, they're well." " I see." " Yeah." "Good." "My thanks." "No need to be thanking me." "Because I only have you to say that here." "If I were to say that to Yuri, it would be awkward and surprising." "I agree, she would be surprised and it'd be awkward." "That's why I thank you." " Your welcome." " I'm truly sorry!" "No, it's enough." "By the way..." "Yeah?" "Now tell me." "What's going on here?" "I'll tell you, but you'll think it's a dream." "Of course, it's a dream." "I could go on all night if I told you everything." "You know, I set off for the north hoping to gather tales from the countryside." "The fact is, I've turned into one of those stories myself." "They say a witch can take a mountain and set it down into the sea, or turn a man into a tree, a rock, or the rock into a leaf..." "Just by coming here, no doubt you've been turned into a character from an old folktale..." "As for me, well I've gone a step further, I myself have become one of those tales." "Don't give me the shivers, man." "But, what about the missus...?" "Changing, or putting up her hair, I imagine..." " Your wife wears a wig too?" " Yes." "What are you looking at?" "She's just taken off her wig, and her hair glistens, her comb catches the moonlight among the reeds." "Is it the water, I wonder?" "Or is it because of this talk about snow country?" "It's as if the nape of her neck, the line of her back, were as white as snow... transparent, even..." "It's so lovely, it's scary..." "What, she's not a witch is she?" "Nonsense." "But she's just like..." "Stop peeking." "It's enough." "I meant to tell you this whole place, the hamlet and the valley around, is bewitched" "But if you see this..." "I told you to not to peek." "Does anybody stop peeking when somebody says don't?" "So, should I say look?" "But if I say so, you would peek more, right?" "Of course." "If somebody says Peek, I would do so." "You are like that." "You've never changed." "You too." "Yamazawa, did you hear about the pond up there?" "Demon Pond." "Sure I heard." "What's more," "I made a point of coming to see it, getting off... at lmajo and trekking five leagues to get here." "I did, too, the year before last." "I came alone, to this valley, and this is what happened to me." " There's a bell here..." " Indeed there is." "Rung twice by day and once by night, at matins, vespers, and the mid-watch?" "The rule is, it mustn't be rung any other time, I was told..." "That's right." "It must never be rung, except for those three times." "Well?" "There's a legend:" "A long time ago, when water fought with man and was about to lay waste to the hamlet below," "Saint Taicho of Etsu used his magical powers to lock up the dragon goddess in Demon Pond." "The goddess said:" ""Take away my freedom, lest mortals down and the land be turned to sea." "So be it." "Cast me a bell, set it up at the mountain's base and ring it three times a day." "Rouse me and remind me then of my promise." "My nature is to crave freedom, liberty, to have my way." "But should I do so and forget my vow, such a little pond as this could flood the seven roads of Hokuriku." "In other words..." "Hokuriku would be drenched." "Wow," "Neither man nor beast would be spared for my freedom." "But I'll not go back on my promise or break my vow." "Now must you forget." "Do your duty and ring the bell." "The story means "don't forget even if you don't ring the bell."" "No, not at all." "If it was forgotten, even once, why then, sure as you stand here, a huge wave would rise from Demon Pond with rain... and wind and lightning in its wake, and bury both village and hamlet deep under water," "and the goddess would be free as she pleased to run abroad on earth and in the heavens." "And that's why the bell is struck at matins, vespers, and the mid-watch of the night..." "Wow!" "Not just "wow." It's important." "Indeed." "It's important." "Yes it is." "It's important." "I understand." "Now who do you think rings the bell?" "Now who do you think rings the bell?" " You." " That's right." "The bell ringer is Hagiwara Akira." "You've got a shrewd instinct." "How did you know?" "It's a natural guess." "The way you're speaking." " Is that so?" " Yes." "But how come?" "Would you listen to my story?" "I have heard up to this point." "So I would listen." "You would be sad if I said I wouldn't listen because the story might get long." "It would be a shame." "I'll listen." "Can you listen with your body more forward?" "Why?" "To enhance the mood." "Now, please tell me the story," "OK." "You see the cottage here..." "This is the bell ringer's cottage." "Till I came two summers ago..." "I see." "And what?" "Your nodding faster than my story." "My apologies." "I'll be careful." "Till I came two summers ago and took his place, there was an old man by the name of Yatabei living alone here." "For fifty years of his seventy-nine, he'd ring that bell three times a day, and never missed a single day of duty." "Is he that one?" "Yeah, he was like that." "I see, so he was like that." "I'll tell you, Yamazawa." "Just as men's eyes and hearts are drawn to flowers and water, so the Demon Pond lured you here..." "Me too... when I came to see the pond, I heard the vesper bell ring." "Old Yatabei took me in for the night and guided me to the pond in the morning, and so I spent the night here, and he told me all about the bell." "That night, he'd just rung the mid-watch and come down the steep steps of the belfry... to the veranda here, when he was struck down by sudden illness." "Are you all right?" " Yeah?" " Are you all right?" "Are you all right?" "No, I'm asking you." "I might not be all right." " Hang on." " You, hang on." " No, I want you to hang on." " That's right." "I can't die yet." "So don't die." "If I died, who'd be the one to ring the bell." "In this circumstance, it's not time for you to worry about the bell, is it?" "The world's in a sorry state and there's not a soul... in the village who believes in the bell anymore:" "Who would ring the bell?" "Say something." "Why are you worried about the bell?" " You're stupid." " Stupid?" " You're stupid, aren't you?" " That's horrible!" "If but once it was forgotten, then in the wink of an eye, all the earth..." "both fields and paddies... would turn to water, to bog, to deep." "The lives of thousands, tens of thousands..." "I can't die, knowing this." "His voice was weaker than a bug's and still all those years... he'd kept the faith, sweated blood to serve that bell." "Why the old codger was nothing but skin and bones." "His words rang in my ears as if the bell had tolled of its own accord... the agony of his last hour was dreadful, and taking pity on the man I up and said," "To offer him relief..." "Yes." "And I said..." "Don't worry, Gramps, I'll ring the bell." " One more time." " What?" "Say what you've said one more time." "The old man was very suspicious..." "Don't worry, Gramps, I'll ring the bell." "Yes." "I surely heard your words." "Most certainly." "No sooner had I said it than with what joy I cannot tell you, a big grin lit up his face, and with his hands pressed together in prayer, he passed away." "Even now I can't forget the look on his face." "But I had no intention of ringing the bell for the rest of my life." "You spoke to him pretty strongly." "But I didn't think I'd have to do it for the rest of my life." "The mid-watch had been rung." "I'll do it just once at dawn." "My intention didn't go any farther than that." "Is it too shallow hearted?" "However it was, I thought that way at the time." "And yet, the old man's dead, and even to call the villagers for help, the next house is so far away." "Come flood or fire, I can't ring the bell any more than just three times." "Why can't you ring it more than three times?" "Since the whole purpose of ringing the bell is to rouse the dragon, it'd be graceless to break the promise if she were disturbed more than three times a day." "So that's the reason." "Then, that explains the debate a little while ago." "The umbrella." "That's absolutely out of the questions." "It's OK now." "I didn't do it after all." "And?" "I ran about gathering villagers together." "Looking for somebody who could ring" "Yes." "But no one said he'd agree to ring the bell." "I warned them." "I went on about the legend the old man told me, how their ancestors had commanded it and so forth." "How their ancestors had commanded it and so forth." "The villagers burst out laughing." "Why did they laugh?" "How could they believe such a story?" "But the old man kept it preserved for 50 years." "That was his own indulgence." "But you might really be protected because of him." "We might, right?" "It's just an assumption." "How about this... would you bring a wooden sword instead of a wallet with you, if you might be robbed in the street at night?" "You wouldn't, would you?" "That's a strange example." "Today is cloudy with a chance of rain." "It might rain later, so I should bring an umbrella." "Would you do that?" "It's quite usual, isn't it?" "It's not usual!" "Oh, then, it's usual~ why are you singing?" "First of all, it's hard to understand that legend." "Why are you staying so high up?" "I like height." "It's a really silly legend." "If it's a legend, how about Nessie?" " I would understand if it was Nessie." " Why?" " How about Kussie?" " Kussie is from lake Kushiro." "How about Tama-chan?" "That's right, Tama-chan." "Where did Tama-chan go?" "At least if it's a legend of emerald?" ":" "Yeah, emerald." "I would like to be in an emerald colored love." " Chupacabra" " Chuca..." "I can't pronounce." "What is it?" "It's supposed to inhabit South America." " What are you guys talking about?" " That's enough!" "Oh well." "Then we are done as well." "Excuse us now." "So be it!" "What is his problem?" "Would you like to have some drinks and make fun of him at my shrine?" "That's a good idea." "How about you Mr. Saida?" "Are you coming?" "Actually I am not..." "Just shut your mouth and come with us." "OK." "They left the valley after that." "At the edge of town, standing under a hawthorn at the foot of the bridge, there she was, the only one sad to see me go." "That day the school children were the first to laugh and point, but I rang the matins bell." "Given the way things were, I thought, there'll be no bell at vespers..." "And what if a great wave were to rise up and over the mountain?" "And what?" "I mean..." "You mean what?" "This girl would be swept away with the villagers." "All right, I'll serve the bell for a couple of days or so, I thought." "Then it was four or five days, then a fortnight and a month, and so the time's flown by and this'll be the third year." "Till you came, I'd clean forgotten." "Let's say, I've tried to forget." "I've hidden myself from the world and made myself look old, and resigned myself to my fate." "That's why I wear the wig." "But no, that's not all..." "I do it to beguile my companions in solitude:" "The geese in the sky, the swallows under the eaves, the eyes of passersby." "Don't look at me that way." " And so..." " Yes." "It was for Yuri, it was for her sake you went into hiding here." "I guess that's right." "There's nothing for you to be ashamed about." "I don't feel ashamed." "But what do you say, why don't you bring your lady and come back to Tokyo?" "What?" "How about bringing her to Tokyo." "I can't." "If we abandoned them, what'd happen to this village, this hamlet, the lives of everyone living below the mountain?" "What?" "Hagiwara!" "You believe this?" "The legend the old man told you?" "I believe it." "I didn't, but I do now." "Hagiwara may not, but this is Kotohiki Valley, beneath Echizen's Three Province Peak, and Yatabei the Second, guardian of the bell and Yuri's husband... he believes." "I won't say a word." "Go ahead and believe it, with your heart." "Who knows?" "The very sight of your wife's unearthly beauty makes me think:" "Maybe heaven made Yuri for this village, gave it a bell ringer, too." "Maybe heaven made Yuri for this village, gave it a bell ringer, too." "You and she are the gods, the pillars of this village." "To be sure, Yuri is..." "Cute!" " Well, what should I do?" " Well, well..." "I am sorry about earlier." "I say, pleased to meet you ma'am." "Oh dear!" "Yuri, "Oh dear" is not the word." "Greet him properly." "He's practically a brother." "Good, good." "We're through with the introductions." "Anyways, she is cute." "Oh my," "Lucky man!" "You're lucky." "You've put the powder on a little thick, haven't you?" "You say the most hateful things!" "Look, the powder is flying." "Why did the smoke come out from the face?" "Oh dear," "I could almost hear you flirting." "Yamazawa!" "Yuri, it was rude of us to be talking behind your back." "No." "Any folks?" "Any brothers or sisters?" "She has no one." "The only child of the priest of the village Hachiman shrine, and he's dead too." "She does have an uncle who now looks after the shrine he's not a good sort." " Was he in your reminiscence sequence?" " Yes he was." "He was the small one." "That was him?" "That's not good." "He'd thrust his niece on anyone handy altogether a bad customer." "Really, I'm quite helpless, you see." "I'm slow-witted and awkward, but please sir, take pity on me." "Madame, you've won me over." "Now then, dispense with formalities." "Treat this man to our specialty..." "broiled eggplant... and give him a drink." "We've plenty time to talk." "Yamazawa!" "You really ought to try our vegetables." "Our vegetables are so good." "Why are you making pause when you talk about your vegetables?" "I don't get it." "I don't understand it either." "Then now..." " Madame, don't lift a finger." " What's wrong?" "Which reminds me," "Hagiwara, I've a mind to go see Demon Pond, though it'd take the whole night's climb." "Now?" "That was my plan and now I've heard so many strange tales, I'm all the more eager to see it." "Some home cooking would be much appreciated, but no sake please." "As you know, I can't touch a drop." "Well, Demon Pond." "The trail's about a league or so, but it's a steep climb." "In this heat, it's better at night." "That's perfect." "Still, you can stay a few days, so why not tomorrow night?" "School." "I'm no longer a student, so my time's not my own any more." "I've dawdled too long as it is and used up all my break." "Pity." "I thought you said you were headed for Kyoto." "That's right, been there since last year..." "Court service shows no mercy." "So..." "I'd best be going." "Very well then, I'd be happy to guide you." " You'll come?" " Why not?" " You don't have to." " Let's get a start on it." " In that case, I'm sorry for the missus." " Don't be an old bore." "No, you really don't have to." "Do go." "See!" "What about the dinner?" "Look, obviously she's unhappy..." "We'll pick up some nishime down at the shop by the earthen bridge." "That'll be quicker." "Sound good, Yamazawa?" "Splendid." "That's settled." "The sooner the better, then." "Fix us up something, ma'am, for when we get back." "Myself, I'm fond of miso soup... put some nice, fresh veggies in it for me, will you?" "Yes." "Just when do you think we'll be back?" "The night's short." "Not till dawn, I expect." "Dawn." "Hold on." " Wait a minute, are you serious?" " What are you talking about?" "You're really hopeless." "What are you talking about?" "Here we are traipsing off, but what about the mid-watch bell?" "Yeah?" ""Yeah" You just explained your determination." "Yuri will take care of it." "I'm not old Yatabei, no magician either." "Just a man, prey to illness and the like." "Sometimes Yuri takes over for me." "Isn't it cheating." "Is it OK to do that?" "If you ask me OK or not, I say it's OK." "Good, we'll hear the bell up at the pond." "Madame, we beseech you." "I'll do my duty sir." "Please think of me." " Wlll do." " However Mr Veggie," "I like Veggie, but don't call me Mr Veggie." "Listen, put out the sickle." "The path's hardly used at all... we'll not get far if we don't cut our way through!" "Sharp as a razor." "Look at how the blade catches the light under the moon." "Come along." "This way." " Please be careful." " What've you got there?" " Taro wants to say bye bye." " Oh my." " Later, take care!" " He is a pretty dry kid." "Hurry home." "He'll miss Uncle too." "Why, certainly." "Don't fret, you have my word." "She's worried that I've brought back your past, and now you'll go off never to return." "That's why she has been acting up." "Silly child." "Why do you act like a hero?" "I don't." "Silly child..." "That was hero-like." "That's enough!" "Let's leave Hey!" "See you, Yuri." "See you Veggie," "All right, don't forget to say "Mr"." "They'll be back, eh, Taro." "Yes, they will." "Yes, Papa's coming home." "Why, my pretty one, have some milk." "Mama doesn't want dinner all alone." "We'll clean up and mind the house while they're gone." "The village folk would bother us if they knew we're on our own." "The moon will be enough for us, so let's blow out the light and lock the door." "Oh, we got us a big one." "They say snow is a sign of a good harvest, but when there's a drought, there's fish to fry." "I don't understand difficult things." "Our marsh is but a puddle, so I was able to scoop up the fish with a splish and a splash." "Look at the silver scales!" "I bet this would fetch a good thirty pound in weighing." "He's bigger than that cascade climber the village headman has as a pot hook." "Let's sell it to the village headman." "Why?" "Let's eat it!" "You will be full if you eat it, but if you sell it, it will bring a fortune." " Really?" " Yeah." "Come carp." "You'll be fine ransom for the village headman." "Look at the silver scales!" "All glittering gold say I." "What's wrong?" "Talking about scales and what glitters ...the bell ringer here..." "You Where?" "Here." "He's clapped his hands on a fine one, he did the priest's daughter... and when she was still living at home enshrined, as it were her back, they say, was all covered with scales like a serpent." "A serpent?" "A snake." "At night, a prowler spied on her while she was asleep, and..." "I swear it's the truth... the man sees a long white snake coiled and... wrapped around the girl." " Really?" " Really." "But there seems nothing wrong with the bell ringer, by the looks of it." "Still fit as a fiddle, so no way she can swallow him up." "That's how it is." "How is it?" "Look at you now!" "Afine catch, like pennies from heaven you are." "If I thought you were goblin or serpent, I never would have touched you, but then I'd have been out a drink, wouldn't I?" "Yeah..." "Do you know what I mean?" "White powder is misting from your face." "Why is smoke coming out of your face?" "I think it's stress." "Damned if it ain't all dark, and at this hour." "Let's take a look at her." "What?" "Well, I'm sure she won't lick me dead." "Hey, can we stop now?" "Ouch!" " It's the monster crab from the scrub bog!" " That's right." " Ogani!" " Koishich!" "You saved my life." "Thank you." "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." "No problem." "Yeah!" "If fish is nice to water, water is nice to fish" "Yeah!" "Water" "Water" " Water." " Fish." "This is not like a password." "Well, I've finally understood the hardships of the long draught that humans speak of." "Looks like you mistook that hat for another cascade of yours." "I took a shortcut and leapt into a stream too small to accommodate me, you might say." "My fins slipped on the rocks and there was nothing to get a grip on." "Does that happen so often?" "Yes, sometimes." "In addition to that, I was attacked." "When I couldn't control my fins because the water was low." "By this guy?" "Yes, by this one." "Hey, Hat!" "Say something." "Say something." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry?" You agree to everything that farmer says." "Farmer's dog!" "I am not a dog." "I am a hat." "Don't give me an excuse!" "Water!" "Lecher..." " You have to say "Fish" Stupid!" " Ouch!" "Do your service in a pumpkin patch!" "If I say water, you have to say fish." "Again, this is not a password." "Why, looks like a head took off!" "Serves you right, numbskull!" " Water!" " Fish!" "Again," "I told you this is not a password." "You said something scary about severed heads, so I wanted to make sure you were with me or not." "Ok then," " we should make it into a password." " That's all right." " I mean we should do that." " It's OK." "It sounds like nothing but a password to me now." "Where are we headed now?" "Well, I've got a bit of business to attend to in the village." "So I came down that waterfall." "What with the drought, it's like the peasants were kicking up a storm, swarming about the pond, home to the princess... and crying "Water!" "Give us rain!"" "They always depend on somebody when they have a problem." "I'll be damned if I know what magic they're at... they are bringing nails and iron fire sticks, rusty swords and bits of broken cooking pots." "What is it?" "It's trash." "And if that weren't bad enough, their blood runs mad with their "offerings"" "now they are giving us the heads of dogs and cats, all glassy-eyed with their tongues flopping out." "It's better to see human heads instead." " Water!" " Fish!" "It's a good password." "If it's a cucumber, Kappa at Hinogawa would bite it." "But dog's or cat's heads are dirty, smelly and gross." "Three big negatives!" "It's all the ladies-in-waiting can do to clean up the mess." "I bet." "So, the princess's nurse, Lady Myriad, gave me an order:" "The rain won't come even if you strew your filth around."" "Proclaim it to the villagers, she said." "And all for the sake of that I got my fins pinched." "Blasted mortals!" "So that's why." "Good work, my friend." "Thanks for rescuing me." " Well, how is it in reality?" " What?" "Tell me though the little princess, is she still reluctant to give us some rain?" "I have no idea." "Whatever, she's got nothing to do with the drought." "You yourself know the story." "The princess has fallen for her kin, the young master in Serpent Pond over by Sword Peak at the foot of Mount Hakusan." "She pines and she pines and can't think of a stitch else." "She's almighty." "No need for the lady to suffer, she can spread her sleeves and fly straight this moment to Sword Peak." "Why did you throw the stone at me?" " No reason." " You don't know why?" "It seems like more than nothing." "Say it." "What?" "Should she choose to transport her throne, a dreadful wave would rise up and plunge the village, mortals, horses, everything down to the deep." "Why not!" "Lt'd give me more room to stretch my legs." "But..." "So what's stopping her from turning the village into a mud-flat?" "I'm all for it!" "Have you forgotten the bell?" "Her solemn promise with the mortals not to destroy the village so long as they ring it night and day, three times?" "Even the little princess is bound to it." "That's the reason she is suffering like that." "And I pity and adore her." "We shouldn't forget that." "What can I say." "It's hot." " It's a long drought." " It's not about that." "You said, "She is suffering..."" "Your feeling towards the princess seemed hot and burning." "I envy her." " No." "Because I'm in front of the bell." " I know." "I was just a little upset." "But I am right in front of the bell." "I understand." "But don't get so hot-blooded about the Sis." "Don't call the Shirayuki Princess "Sis"!" " I told you not to be so hot-blooded." " I am not hot-blooded!" "Water!" "It doesn't matter anymore." " Koishichi" " Ogani" "I'm sorry." "Are you OK?" "Sit down." "Are you OK?" "Look at the moon!" "The mountains and fields sparkle." "Unless we get some damp to keep the ash on my cigarette," "I'll leave my bog for your barracks in the pond up yonder." "Carp, come with me..." "Of course." "And after that, can you come to village with me?" "Though it's not because I'm lonely or anything." "Then why?" "It would be boring to go alone." " You're lonely aren't you?" " No I'm not." "Be honest, Koishichi." "Well, I'm a little bit lonely." "Just a tiny bit." "Can you come with me because I'm just a very little bit lonely?" "All right." "So I shall, and back to the pond, too." "As we follow the footpath in the moonlight, let's sing a song." " Why?" " Sing for a nightjourney." " Are you afraid of the dark?" " I'm not afraid." "I'm worried that someone will show up from somewhere I can't see." "Isn't that being afraid?" "Well, I'm a little afraid." "I'm afraid of the dark just a very little." " What shall we sing?" " Yeah!" "How about..." "How about this song..." "We'll turn the mountains to rivers!"" "I like it, but let's sing it more wildly!" "Wlldly?" "We'll turn the mountains to rivers!"" "That's the same thing." "What's that coming our way down the path?" "Are you already scared?" " No, just look!" " Something strange, for sure." " What shall we do?" " Let's go closer and spy on them." " Let's take cover and find out." "What's wrong with you?" "Oh how long the night, how long..." "Why, surely a summer night is short, or so I thought." "Can't you sleep either, Taro?" "Did you hear someone just now singing" " "We'll turn the mountains to rivers"?" " Yes, that's right." "It must be the villagers, no doubt they'd be wishing for even that." "Poor things!" "My what a lovely night!" "In this moon you can even see the grass on the mountainside." "We might even catch a glimpse of Akira and Mr. Veggie among the pines." "We might even catch a glimpse of Akira and Mr. Veggie among the pines." "Let's climb up the belfry and look." "On second thought, better not." "Atouch of my sleeve would set the bell a-ringing." "We'll go out into the fields instead." "I've come a long away." "Good work!" "Not at all..." "I feel lonely." "This scandalous drought has made my journey more arduous than I thought..." "Ah, there's mist in the sky over yonder peak" "That'll be Demon Pond, there's no denying." "Halt!" " Water!" " He doesn't know that." " What?" "Fish!" "Fish!" " Fish?" "Fish?" "This here is the first barrier afore the pond, and the guard from the scrub bog bars our way." "Show yourself." "Squirm Squirmy" "Clipp Clippy" "Slopp Sloppy" "You're creatures not strange to me." "Gentlemen, I hail from that holy mount in the North Country, the unparalleled Hakusan... an emissary of the young prince of Serpent Pond by Sword Peak, on a mission to your princess here in Demon Pond." "I deliver a letter." "Then, you are..." "I hail from that holy mount in..." "Don't make me say it twice." "I apologize." "Oh, reverend Black, is it?" "We've heard of you." "That's right." " Is the catfish a priest, then?" " Yes, that's right." "And both of you are kin of the princess of Demon Pond." "Well that we met here, sirs." "Lead the way, I beg you." "I myself was on my way to the village, but an embassy from the young prince..." "by all means, join us, sir." "Great." "That's nice of you." "I can already see the happy face of our little princess." "We'll be honored by your company." "Come, Reverend." " I came from that side." " That's only your imagination." "This way, sir." " Which way?" " This way." "It should be this way." " Are you all right?" " Oh well..." "Reverend, if you're tired, I'll take your hand." " No, no." "I'm quite fine, I assure you." " Then what's wrong?" "The strangest thing happened just now, and it troubles me." "What is that?" "Why, I came this far and I thought to myself" "The pond's in sight!" when suddenly this letter box I carry became so heavy." "Love's heavy load," you say?" "If the prince poured out his heart in the letter, then the closer to the pond, the closer in spirit grow the two lovers, so grows the weight in your letter box." "Why do you speak so strangely, by gritting your teeth?" " I didn't grit." " You did." "It's scary." "I didn't mean it." "It's the presents the little princess has set in store for the Reverend... gold and silver, rice and millet overflowing." "I bet you are feeling the weight of the magic millstone." "No, gentlemen." "I've just now had a premonition of what the cause of this burden is." "What do you mean?" "I'd be all too happy were the lady to reward me, millstone or no." "But what if the letter reads: "Cut up this priest and make mock turtle soup of him." "Dine on him when you rise from your siesta, my dear." Heaven forbid!"