Japanese Fairy Tale Series 01 #20- The Enchanted Waterfall

8/14/2019 Japanese Fairy Tale Series 01 #20- The Enchanted Waterfall

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.Published by T. HASEGAWA, 17 Kami Negishi,

TOKYO.


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The Enchanted Waterfall

ONCE upon a time, therelived

alone with his father andmother a simple young wood-cutter. He worked hard all day

on the lonely hill side, oramong the shady trees

of the forest.


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But, work as hard as he might,he was still very poor, and couldbring home but little money tohis old father and mother. Thisgrieved him very much, for he wasan affectionate and dutiful son.

For himself he had but fewwants and was easily pleased.His mother too was always cheer-ful and contented. The old father,however, was of a selfish disposi-tion, and often grumbled at thepoor supper of rice, washed downwith weak tea, or, if times werevery bad, with a cup of hot water."If we had but a little sake,


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now," he would say, "it wouldwarm one up, and do one's heartgood." And then he would re-proach the simple young fellow,vowing that in his young days hehad always been able to afford acup of sake for himself and hisfriends.


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Grieved atheart the youngman would workharder than everand think to himself:"How shall I earn somemore money? how shallI get a littlesake for my


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poor old father, who really needsit in his weakness and old age ! "He was thinking in this wayto himself one day as he was atwork on the wooded hills, whenthe sound of rushing water caughthis ear. He had often worked inthe same spot before, and couldnot remember that there was anytorrent or waterfall near. So, feel-ing rather surprised, he followedthe sound, which got louder andlouder until at last he came upon abeautiful little cascade.The water looked so clear andcool that he stooped down where it


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was flowing away in a quiet stream,and using his hand as a cup, dranka little of it. What was his amaze-ment to find that instead of waterit was the most excellent sake !

Overjoyed at this discovery, hequickly filled the gourd which washanging at his girdle, and made thebest of his way home, rejoicingthat now at last he had somethinggood to bring back to his poorold father. The old man was sodelighted with the sake that hedrank cup after cup. A neighbourhappening to drop in, the storywas told to him, and a cup of sake


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offered and drunk with many wordsof astonishment and gratitude.

Soon the news spread throughthe village, and before night there

was hardly a man in the


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"SV

place, who had not paid his visitof curiosity, been told the tale ofthe magic fountain, and smelt thegourd, which alas ! was now empty,Next morning the young wood-cutter set off to work earlier even


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than usual, not forgetting tocarry with him a large gourd, forof course the enchanted waterfall


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was to be visited again. What wasthe surprise of the young manwhen he came to the spot, to findseveral of his neighbours alreadythere, and all armed with buckets,jars, pitchers; anything that wouldcarry a good supply of the covetedsake. Each man had come secretly,believing that he alone had foundhis way to the magic waterfall.The young wood-cutter wasamused to see the looks of dis-appointment and anger upon thefaces of those who already stoodnear the water, as they saw fresharrivals every moment. Each one


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looked abashed and uncomfortablein the presence of his neighbours;but, at last one bolder than theothers broke the grim silence witha laugh, which soon the others werefain to join in.

"Here we are," said he, "allbent on the same errand. Let usfill our jars and gourds and gohome. But first -just one tasteof the magic sake." He stoopeddown, and filling his gourd, putit to liis lips. Once and yet againdid he drink with a face ofastonishment which soon gaveplace to anger.


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f"Water!" he shouted in a rage,

"Nothing but cold water! we havebeen tricked and deceived by aparcel of made up stories whereis that young fellow? Let us duckhim in his fine waterfall ! "

But the young man had beenwise enough to slip behind a bigrock when he saw the turn thingswere taking, and was nowhere to befound. First one and then anothertasted of the stream. It was buttoo true; no sake, but clear coldwater was there. Crestfallen andout of temper, the covetous bandreturned to their homes.


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When they were fairly gonethe good young wood-cutter crept

from his hiding place.


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"Could this be true," he thought,"or was it all a dream?" "At anyrate," said he, "I must taste oncemore for myself." He filled thegourd and drank. Sure enough, therewas the same fine flavoured sakehe had tasted yesterday. And so itremained. To the good dutiful sonthe cascade flowed with the finestsake, while to all others it yieldedonly cold water.

The Emperor hearing thiswonderful story, sent for the goodyoung wood-cutter, rewarded himfor his kindness to his father, andeven changed the name of the


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year in his honour, as an encourage-ment to children in all future time

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to honour andobey theirparents.


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JAPANESE FAIHY TALE SERIES.1. Momotaro or Little Peacliling.2. The Tongue Cut Sparrow.3. The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab.4. The Old Man who made the Dead Trees Blossom.5. Kachi-Kachi Mountain.6. The Mouses' Wedding.7. The Old Man and the Devils.8. Urashima, the Fisher-boy.9. The Eight-Headed Serpent.10. The Matsuyama Mirror.11. The Hare of Inaba.12. The Cub's Triumph.13. The Silly Jelly-Fish.14. The Princes Fire-Flash and Fire-Fade15. My Lord Rag-o'-Rice.1 6. The Wonderful Tea-Kettle.17. Schippeitaro.18. The Ogre's Arm.19. The Ogres of Oyeyama.20. The Enchanted Waterfall.2nd Series No. I. The Goblin-Spider.1 9 n 2 . The Wonderful Mallet* * '3. The Broken Images.


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Japanese Fairy Tale Series 01 #20- The Enchanted Waterfall