Japanese Folk Tale

196 The Yanagita Guide to the Japanese Folk Tale
that it is not separated from Lake Omi. (Refer to the next story
group.)
Kagoshima: Kikai 89, 92, "Forecasting fortunes" (Unsadame banashD.
Both with the same title. The first is type one. In the second,
which is of the second type, precaution was taken to avoid danger
that was overheard. Shima II 424, "Forecasting the fortunes of
two" (Futari no unsadame banashi). One would die from a nail that
would drop from the ceiling and the other would die from kicking
his heel with his toe nail. Friends of the former gathered to pray
for his repose when he was about to die, and his life was saved.
The other kept going in and out of his house in worry, and finally
died.
Amami Oshima: TD I 8 49, "The God of Fortune" (Unmei no kami).
Koshikijima: Koshiki 120, 163, "Determiing fortune" (Unsadame
banashD. One is the first type and the other the second type.
Okinawa: Iro 36, No. 59. No title.
Further reference:
Konjaku monogatari, maki 28. No. 19. A man went to Azuma and
stopped at a house where a baby was born.
186. Miidera
A hunter who was caught in an evening shower took refuge in a
mountain temple. He overheard the conversation of the gods and learned
his son just born had only the worth of three bamboo trees as his
fortune. He decided to have him marry the daughter of a neighbor who
had been born with a fortune of 1000 sacks of rice. The boy became
poor and could only make things of bamboo to sell. He had illness and
other troubles until the couple finally separated. His wife went to
Otsu to find work and became the second wife of a very rich man. Not
realizing this, her former husband went to her house to sell winnowing
baskets. She bought a basket from him each time he came. The Kannon
temple at Otsu caught on fire later. There was a lack of water for
putting out the fire. The woman brought out her winnowing baskets
and helped extinguish the flames. The temple was called Miidera of
Otsu from that time.
Kagawa, Mitoyo-gun, Shishijima
Chiba, Awa-gun, Tomizaki-mura. No source. Long ago a girl from
Miidera was married to a snake. She drank iris wine to rid herself
of the snake's child.
In the charcoal-maker group there is a version about building a
temple from selling baskets.
The story about the snake mother gives the origin of the
temple bell at Miidera. There may have been a group of story
tellers there.
Kagawa, Mitoyo-gun, Shishijima: Sanuki SS 102, "Miidera."