Setsugekka: Kishu, Hidagawa no tsuki, Tsuki-hime. (Kii, Moon over the Hida River, Princess Tsuki).

Based on the kabuki play Musume Dojo-ji, in which the maiden Kiyo-hime, here called Tsuki-hime, has fallen in love with a Buddhist monk from the temple of Dojo-ji on the Kii Peninsula. Burning with passion, she turns herself into a serpent to cross the flooded Hida River, and then resumes her human form (shown here) in order to attend the dedication ceremonies of a temple bell. On seeing the monk, she chases after him, but he hides beneath the bell which was still on the ground. Tsuki-hime turns back into a serpent, wrapps herself around the bell and turns it red hot, killing the monk. Inset: Kiyo-hime has knocked down the monks to mount the bell right. From the series Setsugekka. &quotSnow, Moon, Flowers&quot.