and after a grueling, harrowing journey...

After His Majesty returned to his palace...

Soon after, large numbers were invited to the great banquet...

After seeing her with my own eyes... that is entirely possible, my Lord.

Now at last, after all this effort, Her Highness will finally be happy!

Now! After we recieve the gift, you must prepare yourself quickly to be married to the Prince.

And after you have put on that cap as part of the court... I will kill myself.

So right after the new year we'll have a celebration! With putting up with hair, and the naming ritual.

our needs will be supplied. And we'll spin out a beautiful tale.

Once upon a time long long ago now, there lived an old bamboo cutter.

He would make his way into the mountain forest and cut wild bamboo, from which he made all sorts of useful things...

His name was Sanuki no Miyatsuko.

One day he noticed a light shining from inside a bamboo stalk...

Curious the bamboo cutter approached it.

As he approached it, the light flowed into the ground...

creating something he had never seen before.

What is this?

Bamboo shoot sprouting so early? Even before the plums?

What is this?

Have mercy on me!