World and Lore / Kyoto mystery

The Long Black Tresses

A man once enjoyed the love of two women, who lived together with him under one roof, without so much as a mean word passing between them. Then late one night, the man checked in on his wives while they were sleeping only to see that their hair had transformed into a nest of serpents, and that these venomous tresses were engaged in a fierce struggle. For although the two women appeared get along famously in the light of day, in truth they harbored a bitter resentment towards one another. These ugly feelings brought on that terrible nocturnal transformation. After having witnessed this scene, and with a heavy heart, the man parted ways with the two women and remained a bachelor for the rest of his life.