Izunushi, who has received the King’s order to go to Hokuzan, calls over his children Umichiru and Kamiju and his wife Utudaru (the children’s stepmother) and asks them to look after their home while he was away. However, Utudaru bullies Umichiru by making her work in the snow spinning yarn for weaving and clearing the snow in the garden while it was still snowing. She scolds Umichiru, saying that she has not been doing what she had told her to do. Utudaru pulls off Umichiru’s clothes and kicks her out of the house. Finding his older sister lying in the snow, Kamiju helps Umichiru put her clothes back on, and begs for their stepmother's forgiveness. However, Utudaru turns a deaf ear, and Umichiru is left alone in the snow.

On his way back home from Hokuzan, Izunushi is shocked, finding Umichiru, who has fainted from the cold. He returns home and tries to slash Utudaru to death, but he restrains himself when his two children ask him not to kill their stepmother. Utudaru repents for what she has done so far and changes herself to become a better person.