"T
he tempo of the music depicts the turmoil taking place within the heart of the astrologer. “He is certain he will be killed, but he speaks the truth,” says the narrator. “’It is Tamamo No Mae,” Yasunari said. “She is the evil influence that is making the Emperor ill. Get rid of her, and his health will return.”
A loud thunderclap comes from off stage, and the ministers shake their heads and wring their hands in despair. Though they are in reality inanimate puppets controlled by rods, their distress is so lifelike that those watching cannot help but feel their plight. They don’t feel too secure about their own fates at the moment! “But His Highness is madly in love with her! He will never do it!”
“’He must, if he wishes to live,” replied the astrologer. ‘For, by my powers, I have seen that Tamamo No Mae is no ordinary girl. She is in fact, a many-tailed fox spirit in disguise. She is so clever and knowledgeable, because she has lived for thousands of years. That is the nature of the kitsune. She is stealing the life force of the Emperor. Once she has taken all his life, she is plotting to take the throne!’”
“Aghast, the ministers put their heads together and wondered how to rid the kingdom of this terrible demon. For they knew the foxes were very powerful and had all manner of magics at their command. They went to the Emperor and told him of the astrologer’s vision. As they expected, he became angry and would hear no slander against his beloved Tamamo No Mae. Returning to Yasunari, the ministers asked him what they should do next.”
“’Tell Tamamo No Mae to make an offering at the shrine for the Emperor’s health,” replied the astrologer. ‘She will have to touch the sacred objects and when she does, her true form will be revealed to all.’”
“So, the ministers asked the girl to make an offering for the Emperor, but she was reluctant to do so, which made them very suspicious. But they insisted, telling her that if the Emperor recovered because of her actions, she would gain even greater status at court. Upon hearing this, Tamamo No Mae agreed to make the offering.”
The painted silk scene backdrop behind seamlessly shifts from the Emperor’s palace, to that of a shrine, and the narrator continues with the tale.
“When she approached the shrine, and took up the sacred objects, all who were there saw the woman vanish, and in her place, there stood a fox, with nine long tails streaming out from behind her body! With her secret revealed, the kitsune flew out of the palace and disappeared. As soon as she had gone, the Emperor regained his strength and ruled for many years thereafter.”
