...which means "My Lady Bag of Rice." Now, you must admit that that is an unusual name for a Japanese Lady. This is the story of how she came to have that name.

One day was very much like another for Lady Hidesato. In the morning her servants would wake her and then, after breakfast she would visit her brothers, aunts and uncles, and they would tell her what must be done that day.

It wasn't long before she came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi that spanned the length of beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had she set foot upon the bridge than she saw lying across her path an enormous serpent-dragon. Its body was so huge that its coils took up the entire width of the great bridge. Its huge talons were stretched out and glittered sharp and bright in the sun. It seemed to be asleep, but hot fire and black smoke curled from its nostrils.

The young Lady was alarmed at this horrible creature lying in her path, but turning back meant going back to her brother and uncle and the rest. Hidesato was a brave woman and was determined to find her adventure, so putting all fear aside, she strode boldly onto the bridge. Bravely she stepped over and between the great coils of the sleeping serpent, smelled the black stench and felt the searing hot flame of the hideous creature's scorching breath, stepped carefully around the razor sharp talons that would tear through the mightiest armor, knowing that at any moment the beast might awaken and rend her limb from limb...

Oh. Sorry. I got carried away

...and when she had crossed the bridge she didn't look back but continued on her way.

She hadn't taken three steps when she heard a voice behind her.

I AM MOST UNHAPPY AND I WANTED TO FIND A HUMAN HERO WORTHY OF TAKING ON THIS GREAT ADVENTURE. I TOOK THE SHAPE OF THAT GREAT DRAGON YOU SAW AND WAITED FOR A BRAVE STRONG WARRIOR TO COME ALONG. BUT ALL WHO SAW ME GREW AFRAID AND RAN AWAY. YOU ARE THE FIRST I HAVE FOUND WHO DID NOT LOOK UPON ME WITH FEAR.

I BEG YOU, HAVE PITY ON ME. WILL YOU NOT HELP ME SAVE MY FAMILY AND DEFEAT MY ENEMY?

So Lady Hidesato was conducted to the Palace of the Dragon King. As they stepped into the lake, Hidesato beheld a wonder as the waters parted around them and not even the hem of her robe grew damp. The palace was the most beautiful creation she had ever seen, carved all of white marble and jade.

When they came to the palace steps, the Dragon King's wife and family greeted them.

And with that, the young Lady was ushered into the halls of the Dragon King. Such wonders and delights she saw there. The servants were all gold fish and red carp and silver trout and they waited graciously on the King and his guest.

A feast was called forth of crystallized lotus leaves and bright spring flowers, and the chopsticks were of rarest ebony. When the meal was complete, the Dragon King clapped his hands.

The hours passed quickly amid such gracious revelry, but suddenly the palace began to shake

[kids playing centipede start tromping off-stage]

The sound grew louder, as though a great army where moving down from the mountains.

The Dragon King did as he was asked, but was so nervous that he spilled the quiver of arrows. In his haste he snatched up three of them and ran back to Hidesato, who stood calm and confident on the balcony. She took the bow and fit an arrow to the notch, took careful aim and let fly.  

They both watched as the arrow arced through the air, zooming with deadly accuracy between the eyes of the great monster centipede. But when the arrow struck, the Dragon King let out a cry... it bounced harmlessly off the centipede's thick hide.  

Hidesato was not the least bit worried and she carefully notched another arrow and let it fly. Again the arrow flew straight and true, only to glance off the armored hide and fall to the ground.

Hidesato wasted no time. As the centipede drew closer and closer to the Dragon King's palace, jaws dripping in anticipation of feasting on the Dragon King's children, she drew her last arrow and placed the tip in her mouth. Then she fit the arrow to the string... took careful aim... and let fly.

The arrow struck the monstrous centipede squarely between the eyes, but this time it sank deep into the creature's skull. The great fires of its eyes flared and then grew dull like the sunset of a stormy day. A great darkness fell over the heavens, and winds roared with fury... it seemed as though the world was going to end. Then, with a hideous scream, the centipede twitched and died.

[centipede kids all twitch and "die" one after the other. Story teller shrugs]

Hey... everybody loves a good death scene.

The Dragon King and his family emerged from their hiding places and a great cheer went up

With a clap up his hands, servants brought forth four gifts - a large bronze bell, a bag of rice, a roll of silk, and a cooking pot. Hidesato didn't want to accept the gifts, but it was the right of the host to offer and the guest could not refuse without offending. So she took the Dragon King's gifts and, with a promise to return for a visit some time soon, she set off for home.

When she arrived home, her family and friends greeted her warmly. She told them of her adventure and showed them the gifts of the Dragon King.

But unbeknownst to Hidesato, some the Dragon King's gifts were magical. The bell was just a beautiful work of art, but the roll of silk never ended - it kept unrolling and unrolling the most beautiful silk in the entire province and never ran out. The cook pot was also magical and would cook the most wonderful meals, no matter who tended it. And the bag of rice was never empty. No matter how much rice you took from it, there was always a handful left in the bag.  

Since she no longer had to worry about silk for clothes, rice for food, or fire to cook it in, she soon became the richest Lady in the whole province. The people loved her dearly and soon everybody was calling her Tawara Toda - "My Lady Bag of Rice"