The acolyte of a priest of the Wakamiya Temple was the object of a girl's love, but when he did not return her affections, she fell ill and died. Her parents kept the ashes in a box for later burial.

Soon after her death, the acolyte, too became ill and during his infirmity his parents heard voices and when they sneaked a peak inside, they found the boy talking with a serpent. Not long after this discovery, he, too, died.

After services, his parents found that his body was so entangled with a serpent that they had to bury the two bodies as one and later the girl's parents, too, found that her bones had changed into small snakes.