Week 6 Reading Diary A: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang)

Image Information: The Stonecutter illustration: Source: Deviant Art

      Since I have been focusing a lot on fairy tales the last few weeks in my reading diary, I decided to go ahead and focus on Japanese fairy tales. Why verge off the path from what is already working for you. As usual, feel free to ignore until cooler stuff comes around. 

The Two Frogs:

Ditch vs. clear water frogs. Random desire to see and explore the world. Both climb opposite sides of the same mountain and meet by chance. Resting before parting. Trusting the other frog to hold them. Don’t realize that they are actually looking back home and not at somewhere new and decide to just go home instead. Misconceptions.

The Stonecutter:

Unbeliever about to be shown the mystical. Made a wish to himself and a voice granted it. Immediately forgot where he came from. Not happy with his new station in life and instead sees a prince and wishes for his life. But yet he is still not content. Realizes the sun is the best thing ever and wishes to be the sun. Then a cloud. Nothing is good enough for this kid. He eventually manages to turn back into a man and learned to not desire that which he didn’t have.

The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet:

Lost everything but their family. Decided to leave the town all together than get any help from their neighbors. Mother and daughter were content but the father yearned for his past riches. He was so upset over it he died. Daughter only grew more lovely and the mother grew worried for her. Taught her to hide herself. Eventually the mother grew ill. Hid her beauty under a wooden cap. But tales of her beauty swept the nation. The son of her master fell in love with her and set out to marry her. Goodness and beauty prevailed.

The Envious Neighbor:

No children, giving all love to their dog. Grateful and kind in response to their love, not spoiled by their affection. Dog told his owner that there was a box in the ground and it contained a ton of money. The old couple treat there dog even better now. Neighbor gets jealous steals the dog and nothing good comes out of it. HE KILLS THE DOG because it won’t bring him treasure too. But even in his death the dog brings his owners great riches. Neighbor filled with hate. Bad to worse to miserable.

The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue:

Peace harmony even though they were very different people. Good husband greedy wife. Old man fond of all creatures and took care of the sparrow that was scared around his home. Woman jealous of her husband’s affection for the bird. Wife tried to kill the bird, but only managed to split its tongue. Pushed it from the house. Husband forlorn. Split tongue allowed the sparrow to speak and one day the man found the bird in the woods transformed into a maiden. She gives him the option of one of two chests as a reward for treating her so well. Wife remained greedy and died.

The Cat’s Elopement:

Beauty and wonderful cat much beloved by is owner, a music teacher. Lady cat not far away. Gon fell in love with her. Entreated his master to buy the lady cat. Loyalty and love.