Characters:
A Wealthy Man
The Mans Servant
Mother and Daughter
Tea Stall Proprietress
Mount Atago is in the northwestern part of Kyoto City. The shrine on the mountain houses the God of Fire. The worshipers pray for fire prevention, and return with a fire prevention charm that is kept in the kitchen. In former days there were many tea stalls as well as places to throw the small plates. In this play, rice crackers are substituted for the plates and tossed to the audience. Those viewers who eat the crackers are cleansed of evil spirits.
A young maiden wearing a deep brimmed straw hat and her mother enter a tea shop. They are followed by a wealthy man and his servant. The men drink tea, throw some plates and purchase some sakaki-sacred foliage.
The wealthy man becomes enraptured with the
young girl when he notices her flowery kimono.
His servant intervenes and arranges a marriage
with her mother. The servant offers a sword
and jacket as a wedding gift, but the mother
insists on having both men's kimonos. The
servant tries to hide his kimono but to no
avail. The young bride-to-be is given to
the man and the mother and servant depart.
As the man removes the hat of what must be
a beautiful young girl, he discovers quite
the opposite, she's quite ugly. Running off
stage to escape he is chased by the ugly
daughter.
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