One of Okiku's many tasks was to take care of a set of ten plates that had been passed down the samurai's family. They were gorgeous, priceless family heirlooms, and every day the girl polished them.
One day, before Okiku could care for them, the samurai took one of the plates and hid it- and when the girl came to clean them, as she usually did, she counted them each as she did her work. This time, however, there were only nine plates. She counted them again and again, with the same result each time, and finally, in tears, she went to the samurai to confess that she had lost one of the plates.