はるか昔、安達が原という荒れ果てた野原に、一人の旅の僧侶が通りかかった時のことである。日がすっかり暮れてしまい途方に暮れていた折に、前方にポツリと明かりが灯る一軒の粗末な小屋を見つけた。小屋には一人の老婆が住んでおり、僧侶が「どうか一晩泊めていただけないだろうか」と頼み込むと、老婆は少し躊躇したものの、不憫に思ったのか彼を中に招き入れてくれたのである。
A long time ago, a traveling monk happened to pass through a desolate field called Adachigahara. As the sun had completely set and he was at a loss, he found a humble hut ahead with a single light flickering. An old woman lived in the hut, and when the monk pleaded, "Could you please let me stay for the night?" she hesitated for a moment, but perhaps out of pity, she invited him inside.
夜が更けると、老婆は「すきま風が冷たいので、裏山へ薪を拾いに行ってこよう」と立ち上がった。しかし、家を出るにあたって「私が不在の間、決してあの奥の部屋を覗いてはならない。もし少しでも覗こうものなら、恐ろしいことが起きるだろう」と不気味な声で念を押した。僧侶は不思議に思いつつも、約束を守って静かに待つことにした。
As night deepened, the old woman stood up and said, "The draft is cold, so I will go to the back mountain to collect some firewood." However, upon leaving the house, she warned him in an eerie voice, "While I am away, you must never peek into that back room. If you peek even a little, something terrible will happen." Though the monk found it strange, he decided to keep his promise and wait quietly.
しかし、老婆の帰りが遅くなるにつれて、僧侶の心には次第に不安と好奇心が湧き上がりつつあった。「どうしても奥の部屋が気になってならない」と、誘惑に抗えなくなった僧侶は、ついに襖を少しだけ開けて覗き込んでしまった。そこには、床一面に新しい死体や人間の骨が山のように積み上げられていたではないか。僧侶は「この老婆は、旅人を食い殺す鬼婆に相違ない」と悟り、恐怖のあまり震え上がった。
However, as the old woman's return grew late, anxiety and curiosity gradually welled up in the monk's heart. Unable to resist the temptation of wanting to see the back room no matter what, he finally opened the sliding door just a crack and peeked inside. To his horror, the entire floor was piled high with fresh corpses and human bones. Realizing that the old woman must be a demon hag who eats travelers, the monk trembled with fear.
もはや休んでいるどころではなくなった僧侶は、荷物を掴んで一目散に小屋から逃げ出した。ところが、僧侶が逃げるや否や、戻ってきた老婆が約束を破られたことに気づき、恐ろしい鬼の姿に戻って凄まじい速さで追いかけてきた。「おのれ、よくも秘密を見たな」と叫ぶ鬼婆に追いつかれそうになり、僧侶は絶体絶命の危機に陥るほかなかった。
No longer able to rest, the monk grabbed his belongings and fled the hut as fast as he could. However, as soon as the monk fled, the returning old woman realized that the promise had been broken, reverted to her terrifying demon form, and chased after him with incredible speed. Pursued by the demon hag shouting, "Damn you, how dare you see my secret!" the monk had no choice but to face a life-or-death crisis.
逃げ切れないと覚悟した僧侶は、背中の荷物から背負ってきた観音菩薩の像を取り出し、必死に経を唱え続けた。祈りが通じたのか、観音像からまばゆい光が放たれたかと思うと、その光に射られた鬼婆は悲鳴を上げて倒れ、ついに息絶えたのである。僧侶が命拾いをしたのはひとえに仏の加護にほかならなかった。その後、僧侶は鬼婆の餌食となった人々の霊を手厚く供養したということだ。
Realizing he could not escape, the monk took out the statue of Kannon Bodhisattva he carried in his luggage and desperately continued to chant sutras. As if his prayer were answered, a brilliant light radiated from the statue, and the demon hag, struck by the light, screamed and fell, finally breathing her last. It was purely thanks to the Buddha's protection that the monk narrowly escaped with his life. Afterward, it is said that the monk performed a respectful memorial service for the souls of the people who had fallen victim to the demon hag.