Yaegaki-Hime

This doll’ name is Yaegaki Hime. (Princess Yaegaki) Princess Yaegaki was a heroine of a traditional puppet performance called Ningyou Joruri. The title of the performance is called " Honcho Nijushiko".
Princess Yaegaki is the character's name based on the story about Princess Kiku who was a daughter of Kenshin.
There were two famous Samurai lords named Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. Their relationship became bad because of a special helmet which was an important treasure for Takeda Shingen. He received it from a god named Suwa Myojin in his dream.
There was a legend about this special helmet. When a samurai wore it to battle, he would always win. Whenever a samurai wore the helmet, 808 foxes would appear to protect the samurai from danger. The foxes posed as servants from the gods. A miracle would happen when he was in trouble. However, Kenshin borrowed and kept it at Suwa castle, even though it was a very important treasure to Takeda. It was the beginning of the fight between them. Around that time, a young man called Suisaku was living and working at Suwa castle which was Kenshin’s home as gardener.
Suisaku was trying to return the helmet back to Takeda. Suisaku was Takeda’s son. He disguised himself as a gardener to trick Kenshin to return the helmet to Takeda. His real name was Katsuyori but Kenshin only knew by the name Suisaku. One day, Kenshin’s daughter, Yaegaki Hime was asked to steal the helmet for Suisaku. At that time, she was supposed to have an arrangement marriage to Katsuyori( Suisaku) When she realized that it was her fiancée Katsuyori, instead of Suisaku ( the gardener), she fell in love with him. (During that time, there were arrangement marriages and couples didn’t meet each other until their wedding ceremony) Later, Kenshin promoted Suisaku to Samurai from a gardener. However, he noticed that he was Katsuyori. So, he sent him to the battle base in Shiojiri to have him killed. He also sent an assassin after him. Princess Yaegaki felt grief when she discovered the news and wanted to tell Katsuyori.
Later that evening, she decided to find Katsuyori. But the lake was frozen and she couldn’t use a boat. She wouldn’t be able to catch up with Katsuyori because she couldn’t run fast.
“I can’t stand here and wait for them to kill him.” She thought.
“I want to have wings”
“I want to fly”
She instinctively reached for the helmet, and suddenly fire appeared and she was able to see around the lake and a new road appeared for her to cross.
Katsuyori was saved. Later, Takeda and Kenshin made peace, and Princess Yaegaki and Katsuyori got married and live happily ever after.

Emily made this doll. This doll is her second doll. It's very beautiful!! Eveyone made beautiful dolls. Please check pictures... 2007 June Class
http://washitoningyou.spaces.live.com/photos/