The Two Frogs: The introduction reminded me of The Parent
Trap, where the two twins do not know about each other before meeting at camp
and then they both wanted to explore the life of the other to see what their
other parent was like. When the frogs forget their eyes are in the back of
their heads, and think where they came from is the unexplored town, I gave a
little giggle. This story was funny and you almost feel bad for the poor little
frogs that they will never know that the other town actually is completely
different and they will never explore it.
The Stonecutter: I think this story provides a good message,
that even when the stonecutter got what he wanted, he always ended up
discontent. It was never enough for him. Many people find this problem when
they turn to fulfillment through material things. The ending explains this
perfectly: “he had learned to be satisfied with it and did not long to
be something or somebody else. And as he never asked for things he had not got,
or desired to be greater and mightier than other people, he was happy at last
and heard the voice of the mountain spirit no longer.” It is so important that
we be happy with who we are and what we have. That is when we will find we are
our happiest selves.
The Maiden and the Wooden Helmet: This
story included an idea that beauty should be hidden. In many Japanese stories
and movies I have read or seen, it seems like this is a common idea. The story
ends as a typical Fairy Tale I think of would, with a woman and man living
happily ever after with children and were famous for their beauty and goodness.
**** After reading these first three
stories, I wanted to note how vastly different these Fairy Tales are than the
fairy tales of the unit I read last week: Persian Tales. It is black and white
with the two focusing on happiness and important life lessons vs tales of death
and horrible incidents. ***
The Sparrow and the Slit Tongue: This story was very
interesting and I actually enjoyed it a lot. The woman got what she had coming
for her, after she treated the sparrow so horribly for no reason. The husband
was rewarded for his faithfulness and his lack of greed in taking the small
box, which happened to be filled with jewels. The woman let her eyes deceive her
and her greed take over, as she expected the big box be filled with even
greater jewels. She got what she deserved though, when serpents attacked her. I
enjoyed the connection of the serpents with “forky tongues” to the sparrow
whose tongue was slit.
The Cat's Elopement: Cupid made an appearance in this story, which I was
intrigued by as Cupid is a Greek mythology character. It shows how universal
Greek mythology is that it shows up in a Japanese fairy tale. I also drew the
connection to Romeo and Juliette of “unrequited love.” This is another story
that ends with a “happily ever after.”
Schippeitaro: This story mentions the Spirit of the Mountain
again. I think it might be interesting to research the significance of the
Spirit of the Mountain in Japanese culture. This was more of a whimsical story
with the cats being evil and the black cat being the Spirit of the Mountain.
But the ending still ends happily with the maidens living safely and a feast
each year in the brave boy’s honor.
The Crab and the Monkey: Most of the stories so far have
included animals taking on seemingly human characteristics. All the lessons
that could be explained with humans, instead use animals in the Japanese Fairy
tales. The crab was “a very good housewife” which is not something we would
normally attribute with a crab. I especially enjoyed the image attached with
the story.
How the Wicked Tanuuki was Punished: This story started out
so happy and I thought the fox and tanuki were such clever little animals, but
I was not expecting the tanuki to betray his wife like that. I actually had to
read that paragraph twice to make sure I had read right that he told the buyer
she was not dead. The little boy was actually the clever one, and of course, he
ended up living happily after he avenged his mothers death.
The Slaying of the Tanuki: I felt bad for the poor woman in
this story that the Tanuki tricked into letting her go. It plays on the idea
that women always find the best in people and believe they will help them. The
offer to help her pound the rice “melted the good woman” and I think this is a
character statement about women as well because a man would not be so easily to
melt at the offer of help. From this story I am able to see that
the Tanuki is an evil little trickster and the people and forest animals do not
like his cunning ways. I felt so bad for the poor man who ended up eating his
wife due to the evil deed of the Tanuki. This story also mentions how greed is
not a good quality, because the Tanuki chooses the large boat thinking he will
get more fish, only to come to his death.
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