Books: Japanese Fairy Tales
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Yei Theodora Ozaki >> Japanese Fairy Tales
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"This is not the sea! This is only a brook! Why do you men want so
many boats? I could jump this if I would."
When at last they had all embarked and were fairly on their way
across the straits, the sky suddenly clouded and a great storm
arose. The waves rose mountains high, the wind howled, the lightning
flashed and the thunder rolled, and the boat which held Ototachibana
and the Prince and his men was tossed from crest to crest of the
rolling waves, till it seemed that every moment must be their last
and that they must all be swallowed up in the angry sea. For Kin
Jin. the Dragon King of the Sea, had heard Yamato Take jeer, and had
raised this terrible storm in anger, to show the scoffing Prince how
awful the sea could be though it did but look like a brook.
The terrified crew lowered the sails and looked after the rudder,
and worked for their dear lives' sake, but all in vain--the storm
only seemed to increase in violence, and all gave themselves up for
lost. Then the faithful Ototachibana rose, and forgetting all the
grief that her husband had caused her, forgetting even that he had
wearied of her, in the one great desire of her love to save him, she
determined to sacrifice her life to rescue him from death if it were
possible.
While the waves dashed over the ship and the wind whirled round them
in fury she stood up and said:
"Surely all this has come because the Prince has angered Rin Jin,
the God of the Sea, by his jesting. If so, I, Ototachibana, will
appease the wrath of the Sea God who desires nothing less than my
husband's life!"
Then addressing the sea she said:
"I will take the place of His Augustness, Yamato Take. I will now
cast myself into your outraged depths, giving my life for his.
Therefore hear me and bring him safely to the shore of Kadzusa."
With these words she leaped quickly into the boisterous sea, and the
waves soon whirled her away and she was lost to sight. Strange to
say, the storm ceased at once, and the sea became as calm and smooth
as the matting on which the astonished onlookers were sitting. The
gods of the sea were now appeased, and the weather cleared and the
sun shone as on a summer's day.
Yamato Take soon reached the opposite shore and landed safely, even
as his wife Ototachibana had prayed. His prowess in war was
marvelous, and he succeeded after some time in conquering the
Eastern Barbarians, the Ainu.
He ascribed his safe landing wholly to the faithfulness of his wife,
who had so willingly and lovingly sacrificed herself in the hour of
his utmost peril. His heart was softened at the remembrance of her,
and he never allowed her to pass from his thoughts even for a
moment. Too late had he learned to esteem the goodness of her heart
and the greatness of her love for him.
As he was returning on his homeward way he came to the high pass of
the Usui Toge, and here he stood and gazed at the wonderful prospect
beneath him. The country, from this great elevation, all lay open to
his sight, a vast panorama of mountain and plain and forest, with
rivers winding like silver ribbons through the land; then far off he
saw the distant sea, which shimmered like a luminous mist in the
great distance, where Ototachibana had given her life for him, and
as he turned towards it he stretched out his arms, and thinking of
her love which he had scorned and his faithlessness to her, his
heart burst out into a sorrowful and bitter cry:
"Azuma, Azuma, Ya!" (Oh! my wife, my wife!) And to this day there is
a district in Tokio called Azuma, which commemorates the words of
Prince Yamato Take, and the place where his faithful wife leapt into
the sea to save him is still pointed out. So, though in life the
Princess Ototachibana was unhappy, history keeps her memory green,
and the story of her unselfishness and heroic death will never pass
away.
Yamato Take had now fulfilled all his father's orders, he had
subdued all rebels, and rid the land of all robbers and enemies to
the peace, and his renown was great, for in the whole land there was
no one who could stand up against him, he was so strong in battle
and wise in council.
He was about to return straight for home by the way he had come,
when the thought struck him that he would find it more interesting
to take another route, so he passed through the province of Owari
and came to the province of Omi.
When the Prince reached Omi he found the people in a state of great
excitement and fear. In many houses as he passed along he saw the
signs of mourning and heard loud lamentations. On inquiring the
cause of this he was told that a terrible monster had appeared in
the mountains, who daily came down from thence and made raids on the
villages, devouring whoever he could seize. Many homes had been made
desolate and the men were afraid to go out to their daily work in
the fields, or the women to go to the rivers to wash their rice.
When Yamato Take heard this his wrath was kindled, and he said
fiercely:
"From the western end of Kiushiu to the eastern corner of Yezo I
have subdued all the King's enemies--there is no one who dares to
break the laws or to rebel against the King. It. is indeed a matter
for wonder that here in this place, so near the capital, a wicked
monster has dared to take up his abode and be the terror of the
King's subjects. Not long shall it find pleasure in devouring
innocent folk. I will start out and kill it at once."
With these words he set out for the Ibuki Mountain, where the
monster was said to live. He climbed up a good distance, when all of
a sudden, at a winding in the path, a monster serpent appeared
before him and stopped the way.
"This must be the monster," said the Prince; "I do not need my sword
for a serpent. I can kill him with my hands."
He thereupon sprang upon the serpent and tried to strangle it to
death with his bare arms. It was not long before his prodigious
strength gained the mastery and the serpent lay dead at his feet.
Now a sudden darkness came over the mountain and rain began to fall,
so that for the gloom and the rain the Prince could hardly see which
way to take. In a short time, however, while he was groping his way
down the pass, the weather cleared, and our brave hero was able to
make his way quickly down the mountain.
When be got back he began to feel ill and to have burning pains in
his feet, so he knew that the serpent had poisoned him. So great was
his suffering that he could hardly move, much less walk, so he had
himself carried to a place in the mountains famous for its hot
mineral springs, which rose bubbling out of the earth, and almost
boiling from the volcanic fires beneath.
Yamato Take bathed daily in these waters, and gradually he felt his
strength come again, and the pains left him, till at last one day he
found with great joy that he was quite recovered. He now hastened to
the temples of Ise, where you will remember that he prayed before
undertaking this long expedition. His aunt, priestess of the shrine,
who had blessed him on his setting out, now came to welcome him
back. He told her of the many dangers he had encountered and of how
marvelously his life had been preserved through all--and she praised
his courage and his warrior's prowess, and then putting on her most
magnificent robes she returned thanks to their ancestress the Sun
Goddess Amaterasu, to whose protection they both ascribed the
Prince's wonderful preservation.
Here ends the story of Prince Yamato Take of Japan.
MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH.
Long, long ago there lived, an old man and. an old woman; they were
peasants, and had to work hard to earn their daily rice. The old man
used to go and cut grass for the farmers around, and while he was
gone the old woman, his wife, did the work of the house and worked
in their own little rice field.
One day the old man went to the hills as usual to cut grass and the
old woman took some clothes to the river to wash.
It was nearly summer, and the country was very beautiful to see in
its fresh greenness as the two old people went on their way to work.
The grass on the banks of the river looked like emerald velvet, and
the pussy willows along the edge of the water were shaking out their
soft tassels.
The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water into
wavelets, and passing on touched the cheeks of the old couple who,
for some reason they could not explain, felt very happy that
morning.
The old woman at last found a nice spot by the river bank and put
her basket down. Then she set to work to wash the clothes; she took
them one by one out of the basket and washed them in the river and
rubbed them on the stones. The water was as clear as crystal, and
she could see the tiny fish swimming to and fro, and the pebbles at
the bottom.
As she was busy washing her clothes a great peach came bumping down
the stream. The old woman looked up from her work and saw this large
peach. She was sixty years of age, yet in all her life she had never
seen such a big peach as this.
"How delicious that peach must be!" she said to herself. "I must
certainly get it and take it home to my old man."
She stretched out her arm to try and get it, but it was quite out of
her reach. She looked about for a stick, but there was not one to be
seen, and if she went to look for one she would lose the peach.
Stopping a moment to think what she would do, she remembered an old
charm-verse. Now she began to clap her hands to keep time to the
rolling of the peach down stream, and while she clapped she sang
this song:
"Distant water is bitter,
The near water is sweet;
Pass by the distant water
And come into the sweet."
Strange to say, as soon as she began to repeat this little song the
peach began to come nearer and nearer the bank where the old woman
was standing, till at last it stopped just in front of her so that
she was able to take it up in her hands. The old woman was
delighted. She could not go on with her work, so happy and excited
was she, so she put all the clothes back in her bamboo basket, and
with the basket on her back and the peach in her hand she hurried
homewards.
It seemed a very long time to her to wait till her husband returned.
The old man at last came back as the sun was setting, with a big
bundle of grass on his back--so big that he was almost hidden and
she could hardly see him. He seemed very tired and used the scythe
for a walking stick, leaning on it as he walked along.
As soon as the old woman saw him she called out:
"O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come home for
such a long time to-day!"
"What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?" asked the old man,
wondering at her unusual eagerness. "Has anything happened while I
have been away?"
"Oh, no!" answered the old woman, "nothing has happened, only I have
found a nice present for you!"
"That is good," said the old man. He then washed his feet in a basin
of water and stepped up to the veranda.
The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the
cupboard the big peach. It felt even heavier than before. She held
it up to him, saying:
"Just look at this! Did you ever see such a large peach in all your
life?"
When the old man looked at the peach he was greatly astonished and
said:
"This is indeed the largest peach I have ever seen! Wherever did you
buy it?"
"I did not buy it," answered the old woman. "I found it in the river
where I was washing." And she told him the whole story.
"I am very glad that you have found it. Let us eat it now, for I am
hungry," said the O Fii San.
He brought out the kitchen knife, and, placing the peach on a board,
was about to cut it when, wonderful to tell, the peach split in two
of itself and a clear voice said:
"Wait a bit, old man!" and out stepped a beautiful little child.
The old man and his wife were both so astonished at what they saw
that they fell to the ground. The child spoke again:
"Don't be afraid. I am no demon or fairy. I will tell you the truth.
Heaven has had compassion on you. Every day and every night you have
lamented that you had no child. Your cry has been heard and I am
sent to be the son of your old age!"
On hearing this the old man and his wife were very happy. They had
cried night and day for sorrow at having no child to help them in
their lonely old age, and now that their prayer was answered they
were so lost with joy that they did not know where to put their
hands or their feet. First the old man took the child up in his
arms, and then the old woman did the same; and they named him
MOMOTARO, OR SON OF A PEACH, because he had come out of a peach.
The years passed quickly by and the child grew to be fifteen years
of age. He was taller and far stronger than any other boys of his
own age, he had a handsome face and a heart full of courage, and he
was very wise for his years. The old couple's pleasure was very
great when they looked at him, for he was just what they thought a
hero ought to be like.
One day Momotaro came to his foster-father and said solemnly:
"Father, by a strange chance we have become father and son. Your
goodness to me has been higher than the mountain grasses which it
was your daily work to cut, and deeper than the river where my
mother washes the clothes. I do not know how to thank you enough."
"Why," answered the old man, "it is a matter of course that a father
should bring up his son. When you are older it will be your turn to
take care of us, so after all there will be no profit or loss
between us--all will be equal. Indeed, I am rather surprised that
you should thank me in this way!" and the old man looked bothered.
"I hope you will be patient with me," said Momotaro; "but before I
begin to pay back your goodness to me I have a request to make which
I hope you will grant me above everything else."
"I will let you do whatever you wish, for you are quite different to
all other boys!"
"Then let me go away at once!"
"What do you say? Do you wish to leave your old father and mother
and go away from your old home?"
"I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!"
"Where are you going?"
"You must think it strange that I want to go away," said Momotaro,
"because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to
the northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is
the stronghold of a band of devils. I have often heard how they
invade this land, kill and rob the people, and carry off all they
can find. They are not only very wicked but they are disloyal to our
Emperor and disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, for they kill
and eat some of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall
into their hands. These devils are very hateful beings. I must go
and conquer them and bring back all the plunder of which they have
robbed this land. It is for this reason that I want to go away for a
short time!"
The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy
of fifteen. He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and
fearless, and besides all this, the old man knew he was no common
child, for he had been sent to them as a gift from Heaven, and he
felt quite sure that the devils would be powerless to harm him.
"All you say is very interesting, Momotaro," said the old man. "I
will not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish.
Go to the island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and
bring peace to the land."
"Thank you, for all your kindness," said Momotaro, who began to get
ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know
what fear was.
The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the
kitchen mortar to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his
journey.
At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his
long journey.
Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people
were filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said:
"Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!"
Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he
was coming back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely
they would be while he was away. But he said "Good-by!" quite
bravely.
"I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away. Good-
by!" And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes of
Momotaro and his parents met in farewell.
Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel
hungry, so he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and
sat down under a tree by the side of the road to eat it. While he
was thus having his lunch a dog almost as large as a colt came
running out from the high grass. He made straight for Momotaro, and
showing his teeth, said in a fierce way:
"You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission
first. If you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may
go; otherwise I will bite you till I kill you!"
Momotaro only laughed scornfully:
"What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro,
and I am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold
in the northeast of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I
will cut you in two from the head downwards!"
The dog's manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs,
and coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the
ground.
"What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I
have often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I
have behaved in a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my
rudeness? Are you indeed on your way to invade the Island of Devils?
If you will take such a rude fellow with you as one of your
followers, I shall be very grateful to you."
"I think I can take you with me if you wish to go," said Momotaro.
"Thank you!" said the dog. "By the way, I am very very hungry. Will
you give me one of the cakes you are carrying?"
"This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan," said Momotaro. "I
cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one."
"Thank you very much," said the dog, taking the piece thrown to him.
Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they
walked over the hills and through the valleys. As they were going
along an animal came down from a tree a little ahead of them. The
creature soon came up to Momotaro and said:
"Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the
country. Will you allow me to go with you?"
The dog answered jealously:
"Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a
monkey like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils!
Get away!"
The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two
animals always hate each other.
"Now, don't quarrel!" said Momotaro, putting himself between them.
"Wait a moment, dog!"
"It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that
following you!" said the dog.
"What do you know about it?" asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the
dog, he spoke to the monkey:
"Who are you?"
"I am a monkey living in these hills," replied the monkey." I heard
of your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go
with you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!"
"Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with
me?"
"Yes, sir," replied the monkey.
"I admire your courage," said Momotaro. "Here is a piece of one of
my fine rice-cakes. Come along!"
So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on
well together. They were always snapping at each other as they went
along, and always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very
cross, and at last he sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the
monkey behind with a sword, and he placed himself between them with
a war-fan, which is made of iron.
By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and
alighted on the ground just in front of the little party. It was the
most beautiful bird Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five
different robes of feathers and its head was covered with a scarlet
cap.
The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But
the bird struck out its spurs and flew at the dog's tail, and the
fight went hard with both.
Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it
showed so much spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good
fighter.
Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back,
said to the bird:
"You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I
will take you with me. If you don't I will set this dog to bite your
head off!"
Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into
Momotaro's company.
"I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog,
your servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a
pheasant. It is very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to
take me with you. Please allow me to follow you behind the dog and
the monkey!"
"I congratulate you on surrendering so soon," said Momotaro,
smiling. "Come and join us in our raid on the devils."
"Are you going to take this bird with you also?" asked the dog,
interrupting.
"Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn't you hear what I
said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!"
"Humph!" said the dog.
Then Momotaro stood and gave this order:
"Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an
army is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that 'Advantage on
earth is better than advantage in Heaven!' Union amongst ourselves
is better than any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst
ourselves it is no easy thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you
three, the dog, the monkey and the pheasant, must be friends with
one mind. The one who first begins a quarrel will be discharged on
the spot!"
All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a
member of Momotaro's suite, and received half a cake.
Momotaro's influence was so great that the three became good
friends, and hurried onwards with him as their leader.
Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of
the North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the
horizon--not a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was
the rolling of the waves upon the shore.
Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely
all the way through the long valleys and over the hills, but they
had never seen the sea before, and for the first time since they set
out they were bewildered and gazed at each other in silence. How
were they to cross the water and get to the Island of Devils?
Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea,
and to try them he spoke loudly and roughly:
"Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards
you are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me
to fight the demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I
discharge you all at once!"
The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung
to Momotaro's sleeve, begging him not to send them away.
"Please, Momotaro!" said the dog.
"We have come thus far!" said the monkey.
"It is inhuman to leave us here!" said the pheasant.
"We are not at all afraid of the sea," said the monkey again.
"Please do take us with you," said the pheasant.
"Do please," said the dog.
They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said:
"Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!"
Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind
and weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea.
It was the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at
first the dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the
waves and the rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew
accustomed to the water and were quite happy again. Every day they
paced the deck of their little ship, eagerly looking out for the
demons' island.
When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all
their exploits of which they were proud, and then played games
together; and Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the
three animals and watching their antics, and in this way he forgot
that the way was long and that he was tired of the voyage and of
doing nothing. He longed to be at work killing the monsters who had
done so much harm in his country.
As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made
a quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a
sight of land rewarded the four watchers at the bow.
Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils' stronghold.
On the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large
castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in
thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should
begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for
orders. At last he called to the pheasant:
"It is a great advantage for us to have you with us." said Momotaro
to the bird, "for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and
engage the demons to fight. We will follow you."
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