Japanese Folk Tales - The Bamboo Princess

[AsahinaKimi]

Long ago, in a village near the capital there was an old man called
"old man bamboo cutter (taketorinookina)".

Each day the old man went to the mountain to cut bamboo and,
with that made a living by weaving baskets, and making bamboo sieves.

One day, when the old man tried to cut bamboo, he saw (there was) a
bamboo with a sparkling base.

"It is a mysterious bamboo".

The old man was surprised, and gently cut and saw the bamboo.
Inside the bamboo there was a little girl.

"What a cute child!"
The old man very happily took the girl up in his arms,
he took her back home.

"I am certain this is a gift from the god."

The old woman also happily embraced the girl.

Together they treated her like a treasure and raised her very carefully.

However a strange thing happened the next day. Each time the old man cut bamboo
gold came out. Suddenly the old man became the richest in the village.

The girl grew up quickly, and before long she became a maiden.
She is beautiful as if sparkling, and pretty as if fragrant, and from this
she came to be called Kaguyahime (fragrant princess).

Kaguyahime's beauty was also known in the capital, One after another, people wanting to take a look
came to the old man's residence. "By all means, please give me Kaguyahime as my wife."
The men all asked with their hands put together.

Among them even on rainy days and windy days there came to the old man's
residence, five persons who say that by all means they want Kaguyahime as a wife.

All of these (five) persons also have high social positions and are very rich.

"Kaguyahime is a daughter granted from the god.

"I can't give her to just anybody."

No matter how many times the old man refuses the five men do not give up.
The old man told Kaguyahime that he is completely at a loss.

"The are all only magnificent people.

Please give us piece of mind and soon also become a bride."

And then Kaguyahime said, "In that case I will become the bride of the person who finds rare things."

Then the old man told Kaguyahime's words to the five men.

"Prince Ishizukuri go to India and please bring a stone bowl which Buddha used.

Prince Kuramochi go to the mountain on the Isle of Eternal Youth,
break a branch from the golden tree that bears white fruit and bring it.

Right Minister Abe, go to China and bring the skin clothing of the fire mouse.

Sir Ohtomo bring the five colored jewel ball from the dragon's neck.

Mr. Isonokami please bring the shellfish that it is said was born
together with the egg of the swallow."

Such treasures do not enter the hands of normal people. The five men looked blankly at each other's faces. And yet if they can not somehow get it into their hands, they can
not receive Kaguyahime.

Prince Isizukuri only left the capital, but told a lie that he went to India.
He went around to temples here and there,
and found and brought back an old stone bowl.

He put it into a brocade bag,
and brought it to Kaguyahime's place.

"Finally I found the bowl, and returned from India."
But Kaguyahime looked at the dirty bowl and said.
"This a bowl that you could find and bring from any temple, isn't it? If this was truly Buddha's bowl, it ought to shine with a more beautiful light. Prince Ishizukuri became embarrassed, and secretly ran away.

Prince Kuramochi said he will go to the mountain on the Isle of Eternal Youth
and boarded a ship. But he didn't know where the Isle of Eternal Youth was.
Thereupon when he returned, he gathered some gold work masters and had them make a golden branch.

As may be expected they are masters. Kaguyahime also could not make such a distinction from the genuine. Kaguyahime was troubled, and then the masters delivered a letter to her.

"In spite of our making the gold branch, Prince Kuramochi did not pay us. Please princess pay us from your side." Suddenly upon knowing of the counterfeit, Prince Karamochi confusedly ran away.

Right Minister Abe went to the harbor where the ship came from China
and paid a lot of money, he got the skin of the fire mouse. She opened the box and found a beautiful skin.

"This is a thing that an Indian monk brought all the way to China."

The Right Minister proudly explained.

"Then let's put it in the fire and see.

If it is the skin of the fire mouse it will not burn."

But regrettably in the fire, the skin immediately began to burn. The Right Minister became angry and said;

"That despicable merchant, how dare he cheat me!"

Sir Ohtomo got on a ship by himself and went out to search for a dragon. As soon as he set off, it became terribly stormy. The ship shook like a leaf, and was about to sink.

"Because I tried to catch a dragon the dragon king got angry."

The boatmen also trembled violently. Sir Ohtomo didn't feel alive any more. Without thinking he put his hands together in prayer and shouted;


"Dragon king please forgive me. I no longer dare to want a dragon's ball."

And yet the sea remained rough for three days and three nights. Finally they floated to the beach. After that Sir Ohtomo did not return to the place of Kaguyahime.

Mr. Osonokami was very pleased. In the case of swallow's nests, they are everywhere.
One day he found a swallow's nest under the eaves of the storehouse
of the emperor's mansion. Right away he had his men make a scaffolding, and hang a basket.


Mr. Osonokami got in the basket and put his hand in the nest and the
shellfish was there.


"I found it! Quickly bring down the basket."


While his men hurriedly let the rope up, the basket fell,
Mr. Osonokami also fell down on his back. He was still holding the shellfish firmly. But, when they looked closely, there was a swallow's dropping.


Kaguyahime who nobody could make their bride became increasingly beautiful. However, it happened about when the Spring came in the fourth year after that. Kaguyahime came to shed tears whenever she looked at the moon.

"Is there anything worrying you, or something?"

No matter whether the old man asked or the old woman asked, she only smiled
gently and turned her head. But as the moon became round, Kaguyahime came to show more sadness and wept.

"It also makes me sad to see your sad appearance."

"Please tell us the reason why." said the old man and old woman, shedding tears. And then Kaguyahime's eyes filled with tears and she said;

"To tell the truth, I am of the capital of the moon. When the night of the next full moon comes the people from heaven will come to get me and bring me home. Thinking that I leave my loving mother and father I am sad..."


"We will not permit such a thing," the old man said. "No matter who comes we will not hand you over,"


the old woman said while crying. The old man decided to ask the emperor to protect Kaguyahime. When the day of the full moon came, as many as 2000 of the emperor's attendants came and surrounded the old man's home. The attendants holding bows and arrows are even lined up on the roof, ready to kill every one of the moon capital people. Kaguyahime was put in the deepest room of the house, and the old man and woman held her firmly in their arms.


Before long it became evening, the full moon began to rise and, the sky became bright like high noon.
And then a large cloud came down slowly. Above the cloud, there stood a great many people from heaven, in a great golden chariot. The attendants who were looking absorbingly, hastily fixed their bows. However, a strange thing happened! Power went out from all of the attendants, and they could not move their bodies at all. The chariot on which the people from heaven were riding stopped a little above the garden. A very clear voice sounded over all;


"Old man bamboo cutter, we came for Kaguyahime. Thank you for raising the princess until now."


At that moment,the completely closed door of the house opened without a sound, and Kaguyahime departed from the company of her parents. Kaguyahime went out to the garden and she wore a heavenly woman's robe of feathers.

"Father, mother, it is farewell. Please think of this as me and treat it as valuable."


Kaguyahime gave the kimono was wearing to her father and got into the chariot.


"Sayonara." (good bye)


Kaguyahime surrounded by the heavenly people went up up in the shining light of the full moon never to be seen again.

http://life.ou.edu/stories/kaguyahime.html

[RandySF]

1. Where can I find these?

I would like to read them to my kid.

[AsahinaKimi]

2. I can give you one for kids..

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/folk/

[midnight]

3. I liked... Thanks..

[Lint Head]

4. This is a beautiful story and your are beautiful for sharing it.

[AsahinaKimi]

5. You are too kind, sir.

Doumo arigatou gozaimashita!

[Free Tibet 2011]

6. I really liked it as well