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This, too, is a tale of long ago. The lady known as Nijō no Ōmiya was a daughter of Retired Emperor Shirakawa and had stood in a mother’s place to Retired Emperor Toba. Her residence lay north of Nijō and east of Horikawa. When it fell into disrepair, Arikata, Minister of the Treasury and governor of Bingo Province, undertook to restore it as a service toward securing another term in office, and the princess moved elsewhere while the work was done. Now a court musician named Kiyonaka had long been in attendance upon her. Even after she had gone, he stayed on in one end of the carriage house, tearing down wood to burn—not merely old timbers, but even newly fitted posts and shutters. Arikata complained of this to Retired Emperor Toba, who summoned Kiyonaka and said, “The princess is no longer there, yet you remain, pulling down old wood and new alike for fuel. What is the meaning of this? The man carrying out the repairs has lodged a complaint. To begin with, why are you still lodging there when the princess herself has left? Explain yourself.” Kiyonaka replied, “There is no other reason, Your Majesty. It is on account of the firewood.” At this the retired emperor laughed and said, “Really, there is no need to discuss a matter like this at any length. Turn him out at once!” This same Kiyonaka, in the days of Lord Hosshōji, was called upon when riders were being appointed for the Kasuga ceremonies. All those who were to serve as sacred-horse envoys had some impediment, and there was no one to fill the post. “Kiyonaka alone has performed this service before,” the lord said. “We are short of men, so you must make every effort to undertake it. At the very least, see that the duties here in the capital are carried out without mishap.” Kiyonaka respectfully accepted the charge and promptly went all the way to the shrine. The lord was deeply impressed. “You have performed your duties admirably,” he said, and presented him with a horse. Kiyonaka threw himself down and rolled about in delight. “If this is how it is to be,” he said, “I should certainly like to serve as your regular messenger!” Both the man conveying the lord’s words and those standing by burst into helpless peals of laughter. The lord asked what had happened, and when they told him, he said, “What a splendid thing to say!”