Yuki-onna

Long ago, Mosaku and Minokichi hunted in the mountains near Mount Shirouma. They found nothing that day. Heavy snow then fell, darkness came early, and they lost their way. They sought shelter in a small hut near the river.

They lit a fire, dried their clothes, and ate dried meat. Soon they fell asleep. During the night, Minokichi heard someone calling his name outside. A woman appeared at the hut. She was beautiful but frightening, and the visit filled him with fear.

Mosaku died during the encounter. Minokichi found him unresponsive and saw what seemed to be blood from his mouth. He wept until morning, carried the body back to the village, and buried him with respect.

The snow woman spared Minokichi on the condition that he never spoke about that night. He kept silent. In the years that followed, his hunting skill improved, and his standing in the village grew.

During another blizzard, Minokichi met a woman named Koyuki. She said that her parents had died and that she was travelling to an acquaintance’s distant home. The storm continued, so she stayed with him. Their trust grew, and Minokichi asked her to live with him.

They married and lived happily. They had ten children, who were very good-looking and had unusually fair skin. Koyuki remained beautiful and did not seem to age.

One night, Minokichi watched his wife sew by candlelight. He said that she reminded him of someone he had met long before. When she asked who, he described the night when Mosaku died. He then said that the woman had been a Yuki-onna.

Koyuki accused him of breaking his promise. She said she had been about to kill him but could not do so because of their children. She ran into the blizzard and disappeared. Minokichi followed, but only falling snow remained.