Episode 3

Available for 57 days

Lady Shonagon and Lieutenant Yukinari return! The feral girl is sheltered and housed within the Palace walls, given Lady Shonagon as her tutor, and allowed to frequent the company of the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor insists that the girl has something to teach them, and that he for one intends to listen. Meanwhile, there is trouble abroad beyond the palace walls – forest fires, earthquakes and wolves coming out of the hills and down into the towns. The people of the palace are beginning to wonder whether the girl wields an uncanny power over it all. Inspired by the writings of Sei Shonagon, a poet and lady-in-waiting to the Empress of the 10th Century Japanese court. Written by Robert Forrest. Shonagon...Ruth Gemmell Yukinari...Cal Macaninch Empress...Laura Rees Emperor...Paul Ready Uzume...Jessica Hardwick Directed by Lu Kemp. A BBC Scotland Production for Radio 4.