Anchin-Kiyohime
When Kiyohime heard the news that the priest was not stopping at their manor, she realized that Anchin had lied to her. Full of sadness at his betrayal, she ran out of the house, not even bothering to put on her shoes. She ran after him down the road towards the Dojo-ji temple.
Anchin, seeing her catch up, asked the boatman Chikanobu to help him cross the swollen Hidaka river. He then requested that the boatman not help Kiyohime cross. Anchin was relieved after reaching the far shore, believing that he had finally escaped from Kiyohime’s pursuit.
However, it was too soon for Anchin to relax. Kiyohime, full of grief and anger at the priest’s lies, dove straight into the Hidaka river. As she was tossed by the waves, her body transformed into a giant dragon. With her new form she easily crossed the raging torrent and continued to chase after Anchin, all the way to the Dojo-ji temple.
The priests at Dojo-ji, seeing the transformed Kiyohime, hid Anchin beneath the large, bronze bonshō bell. But not even the metal of the bell could stop her. Kiyohime twisted her long body around the bell, and began to breathe fire. The her fury became an incandescent heat, hot enough to melt the bell’s metal. As the heat rose, Anchin hiding inside, was roasted to death.
Although Kiyohime’s vengeance was complete, her heart was empty, as she had killed the man she loved. She dove into the Hidaka river, drowning herself, to follow him even in death.
