STORY TIME!!!

The Crane Maiden

A/N So this is an actual story, and if you listen to Vocaloid then you might have heard of this song. Anyway there are debatable variations of The Crane Maiden, and because of that the story below will be much different from the Vocaloid story. I recommend reading the story below, then reading the one above. When you do watch the video, remember to read the lyrics carefully so you could understand the story. If you still don't get it, I'll just make the next chapter a summary of the video above.

This story has literally dozens of variations. The common theme is that a person is kind to an animal (usually a bird) and is then visited by very kind, beautiful young woman. Eventually, she takes it upon herself to weave a beautiful length of cloth in secrecy. Selling the cloth brings the person previously unimagined wealth. When she weaves another bolt of cloth, her true nature is discovered and she must leave.

There are three primary characters in this story: Tsuru - The Crane Maiden, Tochiro-the old man, and Lan-his wife. This story is most appropriate for use with grades three through six, however, its appeal is very broad.

Once upon the time, in old Japan, there lived a poor but honest and gentle wood cutter. Tochiro lived happily with his wife of many years in the snow country of Japan. For as long as he could remember, each day he would enter the forest to collect fallen wood. He brought the wood back to his house where he and his wife, Lan, would break the wood into small pieces, tie them together in a bundle, and carry it to the village to sell.

Although they had very little to call their own, they were very happy.

"I think it will be a very cold winter," said Lan.

"Yes, I hope that I will be able to get home before the storm," said Tochiro.

"Do you think it will storm tonight?" Said Lan.

"Almost certainly," said Tochiro, "see the clouds up by the mountain? But that means I should have no trouble selling the wood."

"If you can get a good price, be sure to pick up some of that fine green tea. There's nothing better for keeping warm on a cold night," said Lan as she helped Tochiro put the wood on his back. "Be careful on the road Tochiro. Come home safely."

"I'll be home before night fall." And with that, Tochiro started down the road to the village. Although the road was long, Tochiro enjoyed walking to the village each week.

Suddenly, as he walked along the road, he heard pitiful cry from the woods. Following the sound, he came upon a beautiful Crane caught in a cruel trap. Tochiro was moved to great pity by the animal's plight. Soothing the Crane with soft words, he freed it from the trap. The crane paused for brief moment, almost as if thanking Tochiro for his help, then with a mighty flap of its wings, it flew gracefully into the sky and was gone.

That evening, he returned home to his wife and as they sat down to dinner, there was a knock at the door. A young girl in a flowing white kimono was standing outside their door in the snow. "Forgive my intrusion, but I seem to have lost my way. May I stop and warm myself at your fire?"

Tochiro and Lan were stunned by the subtle beauty of the girl's face. Lan said, "Of course, please come in." The girl smiled, but did not move. Tochiro said, "Come in and make yourself warm. What is your name child?"

Stepping through the door, the girl said "My name is Tsuru."

"Come in and warm yourself by the fire Tsuru," said Tochiro.

When Tsuru was seated by the fire, Lan pulled Tochiro aside and whispered to him, "We can't possibly let her go back out in this storm." Tochiro agreed. "She can sleep in our bed tonight." And so the couple bundled the girl off to their bed and set the about making themselves comfortable sleeping on the floor for the night.