Children walking alone at night may encounter a woman wearing a surgical mask. This is not an unusual sight in Japan, as people wear them to protect others from their colds or sicknesses. The woman will stop the child and ask, "Am I beautiful?" If they say no, she kills them with a pair of scissors she always carries. If they say yes, the woman removes her mask to reveal her mouth has been slit from ear to ear. The woman—Kuchisake-onna—will ask, "How about now?" Regardless of whether the child answers yes or no at this point, the woman will kill them: If they say no, they are cut in half; if they say yes, she cuts their mouths to be exactly like hers. To escape the Kuchisake-onna, you can answer her second question with "You're average" or "So-so", and you can escape while she is confused; or you can throw fruit or sweets at her which she will pick up, thus giving the victim a chance to run. One other way is to ask her if you are pretty: She will get confused and leave.
