In the months that followed, Issunboshi ground the girl's ink, polished her musical instruments, and helped her fold up poems written in reply to her suitors. Only once, when he seemed to the girl to be taking his job too seriously, was he asked to join her dolls. The girl soon came to think of Issunboshi as a close friend as well as a servant.
Issunboshi often escorted the girl to temples, and sometimes to shrines. He would wait at the entrance, usually practicing the fierce expression of Fudo, while the girl prayed about her private concerns inside.
One day as they were walking back from a temple east of the city, they heard the crude laughter of what turned out to be a huge blue oni. The oni snatched up Sanjo's daughter before she could cry out. Just as quickly, Issunboshi grabbed her hem and climbed to the oni's hand, where he began wrestling with a huge and hairy finger.
The oni was amazed when he discovered the little escort. He stopped running and stood with his mouth hanging open. But rather than ask questions, he tightened his grip on the girl and popped Issunboshi into his mouth.
By the time he hit the oni's tonsils, Issunboshi had drawn his needle sword and began thrusting and slashing. The terrible oni coughed and spit, but Issunboshi caught his wisp of mustache and climbed, slashing, past the flaring nostrils to the pale round eyes. The oni dropped the girl-- he dropped everything-- and ran back into the hills with no thought of ever returning.
Issunboshi made his way back to the dazed girl. She was soon able to stand, and when she did she discovered the magic wishing mallet the oni had dropped a few feet away. Sanjo's daughter did not need or take any time to consider her wish. She shook the mallet, then put her arm around Issunboshi and gazed up at his resolute but gratified face.
Sanjo no Daijin was also pleased with the new, full-sized Issunboshi (who kept the name even though it no longer fit). He had Issunboshi bring his old parents from their village to the capital, where a wedding to Sanjo's daughter was arranged before the new year came.
