'The Tale of Ochikubo' (Ochikubo Monogatari) is a 'stepchild bullying' tale in Japanese classical literature, written in the mid-Heian period (late 10th century). The beautiful protagonist princess was confined by her wicked stepmother, the second wife of her father, in a shabby room where the floor was sunken ('ochikubo'), and was bullied, not even given sufficient meals.