The Creation of Cherry Blossoms

7/29/2019 The Creation of Cherry Blossoms

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For centuries in Japan, little boys and girls skipping through the park and

looking at the pink Cherry Blossoms have asked their parents the same question,

"Haha, Chichi, how were Sakura Trees Created?"


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Their parents would tell them this story; many years ago in Japan there

was a giant storm. Buckets of water fell from the sky. Crops were blown out of

the ground, and thunder and lighting crashed in the air. The thin walls of houses

tumbled in, crushing everything in side. Then one day the golden sun came out

and two little girls were born. The little girls were called Sakura and Shimai.Their parents thought of them as good luck because they were born on the day

the terrible storm ended. When Sakura and Shimai turned 16 they were said to

be the prettiest girls in all of Japan. Their hair was a beautiful raven black that

flowed to their knees, their skin was flawless and tanned, and their eyes shown

brighter then the stars. They were kind and loved everything. They cared for

plants and animals so much they couldn't even kill a fly with out feeling sorry.

Both were equally pretty but not as equally nice. Sakura was the kindest,

everyone loved her and she loved everyone. Shimai was very kind but not as kindas Sakura. When she was little everyone loved her but as she grow older she was

not as kind. She did not love everyone and everyone did not love her, because of

this she always had hatred for her popular sister. She would tease, lie, and hurt

Sakura.

One night while eating sushi Shimai said, "Dear sister, I wish to travel

around Japan."

Sakura muttered, "Why, for this town loves you and cares for you? Why

leave?"

Shimai said nastily, "You've been blinded by your happiness, Sakura. The

towns people love you not me. I am going!"

Sakura, against separation, let a tear fall down her cheek. The next day

Shimai left, leaving all her possession. Months later news had spread that the

emperor proposed to Shimai, overjoyed Sakura went to visit her sister.

Shimai seemed different. She had cut her long hair and her youth had

vanished from her face. When she saw her sister, Shimai started crying, "Why

are you so beautiful? I once looked like you but know I have seen the hate in the

world! I cannot marry the emperor for I do not love him! He is a cruel nastyman!"

Sakura said calmly, "I will switch places with you and tell the emperor I do

not love him." Then Sakura took a knife from the kitchen and cut her beautiful

hair she loved so much. She put on Shimai's favorite Kimono; the pale pink one

decorated in hot pink flowers, and went out to find the emperor. Walking

through the park, Sakura listened to the peaceful songs of birds and hummed


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along. She walked by the pond and leaned down to smell a water lily. The sweet

aroma filled her nostrils. As she stood up she realized the sun was going down.

The orange and red sky highlighted a figure under a tree. It was the

emperor. She wondered over and said, "My dear Ktei, may I speak to you?"

The emperor arose and said, "Of course my dear, how pretty you look!What would you like?"

"We cannot marry I am very sorry. I do not love you." Sakura let out a

tear to show her sadness. Then walked away slowly.

As she got home she said, "My dear sister I told the emperor you cannot

marry him, now I must go."

"Arigato" Shimai said thanking her sister.

"I must go now" Sakura said pleading her farewell, "Sayonara!"

"Sayonara" Shimai muffled.When Sakura arrived home she greeted her neighbors and went inside her

home. For two weeks Sakura tended to the rice crops. On the third week news

had spread about the emperor's plans to imprison Shimai. That night Sakura

sent out to the city. When she arrived at her sisters house she couldn't find her

sister. She looked everywhere. She was too late.

The sun had gone down and the full moon lit the room. Sakura paced back

and forward trying to find away to get Shimai back. Her eyes blinked tiredly and

her shoulders slouched from her journey. She lay in Shimai's cold forgotten bed

and slowly drifted of to sleep. Her mind buzzed with ideas and memories in till

the warm yellow sunbeams lit the room.

Sakura sat up placing her feet on the rough floor. She slowly approached

her sister's peal box, unhooked the latch and found two thousand yen. She was

going to bail her sister out. She wore a light blue kimono with green leaves. She

pulled her hair from her face and set of to the prison. When she arrived she saw

her sister lying on the hard concrete floor shivering in the cold morning breeze.

Sakura paid the guard and rushed to her sister. She helped her up and brought

her home. Sakura tucked Shimai into her bed and made some sushi. She fed hersister and said, "I must go now, Sayonara!"

"Arigoto for everything!" Shimai muttered.

Sakura made her way home. When she arrived, she greeted her neighbors.

For the next three weeks she tended to the rice crops. On the third week she

heard of the emperor's plans to kill Shimai. That night Sakura left for the city.

On her way she saw thundering black clouds roll into the sky.


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When Sakura arrived her sister was on the ground crying, "Sakura...he is

going to kill me!"

"No they won't I will talk to the emperor," Sakura said as she put on the

pink kimono. "Go to the royal pond and hide behind the tree at midnight and do

not make a sound. If I die leave me there and go back to the farm. Sayonara, mydear sister."

"Sa...yo...nara" Shimai whimpered.

As Sakura walked through the park it started to drizzle. The cold air blew

on her face freezing the tears in her eyes. She knew she wouldn't live to see the

morning, but it was the least she could do for her poor sister. A figure

highlighted by a streak of lightning was walking towards her.

"My dear Ktei, why do you wish to hurt me?"

"For you insulted me you must pay! How would you like to be killed?""At the pond at midnight" Sakura said bravely.

As the emperor and Sakura made their way to the pound Shimai hid

behind a tree by the pond. Sakura stood beside the pond looking at the emperor.

"It is a shame I need to kill such a pretty girl!" apologized the emperor.

"I must not be the first!"

Angered by the suggestion the emperor drew his samari sword and thruster

it towards Sakura. "I am Sakura, Shimai's twin sister, you fool! I love you

Shimai! screamed Sakura as the sword hit her. Sakura screamed sounded like

nails on a chalkboard. Shimai covered her ears at the sound of her sisters cry for

help. Her eyes filled with tears, her sister took a sword for her. The sword had

pierced through Sakura's stomach. Tears fell from her eyes when the pain was

too much to bear. Her tanned skin turned white as snow and the black pupils in

her eyes disappeared. Sakura's legs became too weak to support her body and

she stumbled down clutching her bloody wound. Shimai gasped as she saw her

sister fall backwards onto the frosted grass.

The emperor dropped the sword, "What have I done?" he whimpered as

he staggered back.When Shimai could no longer see the emperor she ran to her sister who

was gasping for air, "Sakura! Don't die please don't die!" Shimai screamed.

"Go home tell mother and father I love them..." Sakura stuttered, "Don't

forget me... I... I... I... I love...you..." Sakura's eyes shut as lightning struck

highlighting the bloody wound left behind by the sword.


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"Nooooo!" Shimai screamed. Shimai clutched her sister's cold body close

to hers, "No...No...No...No...This can't be it just can't!" she cried, "Why was I so

stupid! I left home and let her get involved with my problems! I should be the

one dead! I should!"

"What would I do with out my beloved sister" Shimai wonder. Then theclouds opened up and it started to rain, buckets of water fell from the sky. Crops

were blown out of the ground, and thunder and lighting crashed in the air.

In the morning, Shimai arose from the ground, her face covered in tear

stains. She looked down to where her sister's cold body had been but her body

was not there. Instead there was a beautiful tree with pink blossoms.

"Sakura...?" Shimai muffled. Her sister was reborn as a beautiful tree. Shimai

picked some blossoms off of the tree and went around Japan planting the seeds.

When she arrived home she told her parents what had happened, and theyplanted the last seed together in their farm. The trees sprouted from the ground

quickly and in the spring they bloomed the beautiful cherry blossoms that were

on Sakura's kimono.

That is how Cherry Blossom Trees were created."

"Is the first Sakura tree still alive in the emperor's garden?" the children

ask.

"Yes, it is."


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The Creation of Cherry Blossoms