Karaito Soshi - Karaito Soshi

Otogi Zoushi (Fairy Tales). This beautiful tale of filial piety by Princess Manju, which transformed historical figures into legendary structures, was even quoted in elementary school reader books before the Second World War. In 1183 (Juei 2), around the time Minamoto no Yoritomo was about to assassinate Kiso Yoshinaka, there was a woman named Karaito in Kamakura. She was the daughter of Tezuka Taro, who was on Yoshinaka's side, and she plotted to assassinate Yoritomo, but was discovered and placed in the care of a convent. She managed to escape the temple with the help of the nun, but was captured again and put in a stone prison. Her daughter Manju, who was in her hometown, went to Kamakura, prayed at Tsurugaoka Hachiman, and secretly supported her mother in the stone prison. One day, when 12 young ladies were recruited in Kamakura to sing modern folk songs, Manju joined in, and Yoritomo was so moved by her modern folk songs that he forgave his mother as a reward, praised her for her filial piety, and bestowed upon her the gift of 10,000 kan from the village of Tezuka in Shinano.

[Shogo Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

御伽草子(おとぎぞうし)。歴史上の人物を伝説的構成に変えた万寿姫の孝行美談で、第二次世界大戦前の尋常小学読本にも引用された。1183年（寿永2）源頼朝(よりとも)が木曽義仲(よしなか)を討とうとしたころ、鎌倉には唐糸という女房がいた。彼女は義仲方の手塚太郎の娘で、頼朝暗殺を企てるが、露見して尼寺に預けられる。尼公の手で寺を逃れるが、ふたたび捕らえられ石牢(いしろう)に入れられる。故郷にいた娘の万寿は鎌倉に出て鶴岡八幡(つるがおかはちまん)に祈り、石牢の母をひそかに養う。ときに鎌倉で12人の乙女を募り今様(いまよう)を謡わせたおりに、万寿が加わり、その今様に頼朝が感じ、褒美に母を許し、孝心をめでて信濃(しなの)手塚の里1万貫を与えた。

［渡邊昭五］

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