The Tale of Urashima Tarō


 Once upon a time, in a quiet fishing village by the sea, there lived a kind-hearted fisherman named Urashima Tarō. He spent his days fishing and caring for his elderly parents. One sunny morning, as he walked along the beach, he saw a group of children tormenting a small turtle. The poor creature struggled to escape, but the children were relentless.

Urashima Tarō couldn’t stand to see such cruelty. “Stop that at once!” he said firmly, and the children, startled by his voice, fled. He gently picked up the turtle and noticed it was trembling with fear. “There, there,” he whispered, carrying it to the water’s edge. “You’re free now. Be careful.”

The turtle looked up at him as if to say thank you and swam away.

A few days later, while fishing in his boat, Urashima Tarō saw something extraordinary. The same turtle he had saved rose from the waves and began to speak. “Kind fisherman, I am a servant of Ryūjin, the Dragon King of the Sea. He wishes to thank you for saving my life. Please, come with me to his palace.”

Astonished but curious, Urashima agreed. The turtle invited him to climb on its back, and together they dove beneath the shimmering waves. As they descended, a magical world unfolded before his eyes. Coral reefs glowed in vibrant colors, and schools of fish shimmered like jewels. Soon, they arrived at Ryūgū-jō, the Dragon King’s palace, a magnificent castle made of coral and crystal.

At the palace gates, Urashima was greeted by Otohime, the Dragon King’s beautiful daughter. She thanked him warmly and invited him inside. For days, he enjoyed feasts, music, and dances that seemed to come from another world. The palace was so enchanting that Urashima lost track of time.

One day, though he was happy, Urashima began to feel homesick. He remembered his parents and his village. “Princess Otohime, thank you for your kindness, but I must return home,” he said.

Otohime’s smile faded, but she understood. “If you must go, I will not stop you. Please take this as a gift.” She handed him a lacquered box tied with a silk cord. “This is the tamatebako. It will protect you, but you must never open it.”

Urashima promised to keep it closed, climbed back onto the turtle, and returned to the shore.

But when he reached the beach, nothing looked familiar. The village had changed completely, and no one recognized him. He asked about his family, but no one knew of his parents. Finally, an old man explained, “There was a fisherman named Urashima Tarō, but he disappeared 300 years ago. It’s just an old story now.”

Urashima was stunned. What had felt like a few days in Ryūgū-jō had been centuries in the human world. Overwhelmed with despair and confusion, he forgot Otohime’s warning and opened the tamatebako. A puff of smoke rose from the box, and in an instant, he aged into a frail old man. The tamatebako had contained his true age, which had caught up with him at last.

As he gazed out at the sea, he thought he heard Otohime’s voice on the wind, whispering farewell. Then, he disappeared, leaving only the legend of his kindness and the mysterious palace beneath the waves.

This tale teaches lessons about kindness, time’s fleeting nature, and the consequences of breaking promises. It’s one of Japan’s most beloved fairy tales! 

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