when the prince reached omi he found the people in a state of great excitement and fear. in many houses as he passed along he saw the signs of mourning and heard loud lamentations. on inquiring the cause of this he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in the mountains, who daily came down from thence and made raids on the villages, devouring whoever he could seize. many homes had been made desolate and the men were afraid to go out to their daily work in the fields, or the women to go to the rivers to wash their rice.