Week 7 Reading: Japanese Mythology B

For the conclusion of the Japanese mythology, one particular story that better fits the themes I discussed in the Part A readings is the story of Urashima (I read the prose version, since I find verse particularly hard to digest), that is, Uraschimataro and the Turtle. This story more closely hits my "fairy tale or fable" theme I was hunting for in the first half, since my Thursday writing will likely be in the same direction.
The story of Uraschimataro is a tale of a how a diligent man's mercy of a small creature, the turtle, leads him to utmost luxury and love, while his desire to return home and see his loving parents leads to his downfall. The tale's moral isn't obvious, or concrete, at least how I read it. At first, it stresses the importance of benevolence and mercy, showing how anyone can become a prince through good deeds, while it later shows how not fully believing in your place leads to your downfall. It seems to be a rewarding tale for those show mercy, and a cautionary tale for those who forego the lives they have. As far as fairy tales go, this one certainly sticks out as one of the more sad ends - though, I'm sure many fairy tales were a lot more sad before they were Disney-fied. The way he automatically opens the small trinket given to him (that he's told to not open, of course) expresses his grief, doing something so unthinkingly in a madness of melancholy, showing just how deep he was struck by the revelations ashore.
A Japanese Pond turtle

My story this week, despite my plans, might not be as happy as I originally intended. Perhaps I'll include a negatively learned moral as well as a positive one, or maybe a path to redemption from tragedy.
Bibliography: UN-Textbook

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