Japanese Folk Tale

Stepchildren Stories 53
Further reference:
Shizuoka-ken densetsu mukashibanashi shu 399, "Dipping water
with a basket" (Mekago de mizu kumu hahashi). This episode is found
in "The girl who built fires" and "The stepchild and the flute." The
relationship between these two stories can be seen here.
41. The Bottomless Bag
This belongs to the group about the stepchild gathering acorns.
See entry for that story.
Saga, Saga-gun: MK II 7 35, "The torn bag" (Hoge bukuro).
Kumamoto, Tamana-gun: MK I 5 33, "The bottomless bag" (Sokonashi
bukuro).
Kagoshima: MK I 6 29, "Abusing the stepchild" (Mamako ijime).
Further reference:
Mukashibanashi kenkyu I 10 12, Seki Keigo discusses this group in
"Mamako no shii hiroi."
42. Otsuki, Ohoshi
[or Ogin, Kogin]
This title has probably been used either because the story is like
the Korean story in which the two climb to the Sky, or because it
shows the connection with the escape to the Sky in "0 Sun, the
chain."
It should be considered different from the Nukabuku story because
of how the younger girl protects her stepsister. Besides, it is a well
told story.
Once upon a time there were two girls called Orinko and Korinko
in a certain family. Orinko was a child by an earlier marriage. The
stepmother hated Orinko so much that when her father was away in
Kyoto, she had a box made and ordered Orinko to be buried alive in
the forest. The younger girl heard about that and secretly had holes
made in the bottom of the box. She gave Orinko poppy seeds.
Orinko dropped the seeds a few at a time while she was being
carried away in the box and buried. After there had been enough time
for the poppies to sprout, Korinko followed their course into the
forest, calling to her sister. She dug her sister out with the help of an
old man who came along, and the two children were allowed to stay
with him.
When the father finally came home, he was so grieved over the
fact that both girls were gone that he lost his sight. He looked like a
blind pilgrim as he wandered around, singing and searching for his
daughters.