Once in 12th century, the monster Nue appeared. It came on the roof of the imperial palace every midnight. People didn't see the monster clearly, but they heard its crying of bird like voice. The emperor suffered it, and became sick. Then, the master archer Minamoto Yorimasa was called to shoot it down.
Yorimasa and his most trustable servant Ino-Hayata went to the imperial palace and settled themselves at the south hall. In the midnight, black cloud appeared from the east forest and turned toward the palace. The cloud came to the palace and hung over the roof. Yorimasa watched the cloud carefully and found something strange in it. He took an arrow and shot. "I did it", he said. The monster was falling down from the cloud. Ino-Hayata ran to the monster to take it down, and stabbed it with his dagger 9 times. Then, people took torches in their each hands and lit up the monster. The feature of it was monkey-like face, tiger-like feet, and snake tail. It was too scare to tell.
The emperor was very pleased with Yorimasa's work, and awarded him a sword titled "Shishi-Oh".
(=> The sword "Shishi-Oh")
The monster's body was put in a canoe and floated away the river.
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This story appears on the motif of sword fittings sometimes.
Kashira, the master archer Minamoto Yorimasa
Fuchi, the servant Ino-Hayata and the monster Nue
In truth, it might be imagined from an unknown bird crying in the night. It is told that the bird was a golden mountain thrush what cries in night with weird voice.
The bird "nue" (golden mountain thrush)
