Hanaca’s Hat

Englishstory12 - Hanaca, the daughter of a samurai was made to wear a strange, wide-brimmed hat which concealed her entire face. Her father had placed it on her head shortly before he died, and from that moment on no-one had been able to take it off.

Everyone in the town laughed at the maiden because of her hat, and eventually she wearied of being ridi­culed and decided to go away. She walked for a long time, until she arrived at another city where Hanaca entered into the service of the king to earn her living. There, however, It was the other servants who began to laugh at her and treated her badly.

One day the king's son found Hanaca in tears. He listened to her story and was so moved by it, that he desired to marry her. To put an end to the affair, the king expelled Hanaca from the palace.

Tearfully, Hanaca turned towards the palace gates, when there came a great gust of wind which blew her wide-brimmed hat off her head. Everyone could now see the maiden's extraordinary beauty, and they could also see, sparkling In her hair, the many jewels which had been con­cealed for so long beneath the hat. One of the royal ministers recognised the girl as the daughter of the samurai, whereupon the king at once allowed the marriage to take place after all.