“Once there was a servant girl who lived and worked at the palace of the Emperor Toba. She was a most unusual girl, for though she was but a servant, and labored with her hands, her clothes were always perfect. They never became soiled or wrinkled, despite the nature of the task she was asked to perform. She was also very beautiful, and those standing near to her would always smell a sweet perfume. The girl was clever too, and answered any question put to her, no matter what the subject.”

As the shamisen plays a light melody, a beautiful girl in a red silk kimono enters from the side of the stage, tossing her long dark hair. She has a most unusual entourage with her. Behind her is her puppeteer, clad in a simple dark kimono. He is a master and has studied for many years to be the principle manipulator of the puppet. He controls her body and her right hand, turning her head from side to side, to give the impression of a haughty and beautiful woman. Along with the puppeteer are two black clad, hooded individuals. No, they aren’t ninja! These are also puppeteers; one moves her left hand and the other her legs. Every puppet is controlled in this manner.

“Soon, she became the talk of the palace, and news of the amazing servant girl reached the ears of the Emperor. ‘Bring this girl before me, so that I may see if all that is said about her is true!’ commanded the Emperor, and so his will was done.”

From the other side of the stage enters the Emperor, and his retinue of advisors and courtiers, all skillfully manipulated by their respective puppeteers. At first, it might seem strange to see the ones controlling the puppets on stage, but such is the way of bunraku. Soon, their lifelike movements and gestures enchant the eye, and one tends to forget all about the men behind them.

“’Tell me, girl,’ said the Emperor, as he raises his arm high. ‘Though you appear to be but a maid of twenty, is it true that you know the answer to every question that is put to you? No matter what the subject is? I shall test your knowledge…’”

“He asked her a very complicated question about Buddhist theology and ordered her to reply. She did so, explaining the doctrine and supporting her answer with a word for word quote from a scroll written by monks who lived centuries before. The Emperor and all his ministers and all his court were astounded. How could a servant girl know such? More questions followed.

‘What is the nature of the river of stars in the sky?’ demanded the Emperor.” The narrator makes his voice sound very commanding, as is befitting an august ruler.

And just as quickly, he switches to a more feminine intonation replies in the words of the mysterious girl, “’How should one such as I know that? But I think it is probably the spirit of the clouds.’”

“The Emperor became infatuated with her and cherished her as if she were his Empress. He kept her by his side at all times.”