Urashima and the Tortoise
By J. L. Henderson
Urashima stretched the best he could on his small boat; his shoulders ached from the labor of pulling the crab baskets up all day. The catch today wasn't the worst he had seen, but he wasn't going to be a rich man from the haul. He was confident it would take care of his parents, though--and help the rest of the village.
"One last basket," he said out loud to get himself moving. On days like this, he wished he had a wife to massage his shoulders when he returned home. He wasn't the most handsome of men, nor was he the richest. His father was lame from a fishing accident and his mother did the best she could. However, in a small village, he found no one to be his.
Immediately, he knew something was wrong with the net. The weight was far too great, unless this was greatest catch of crabs ever! He knew something was fouled in the net--a rock, seaweed still attached to the bottom, something. Urashima was nothing if not strong, and with a final great heave, he pulled the net and all its contents over the side. The boat tilted slightly under the sudden weight and then righted as the contents settled on the deck.
Urashima was amazed! He had caught a tortoise! A beautiful, large tortoise!
Wait.
Urashima wasn't the most brilliant of men, but he was never called stupid or foolish. He was in the middle of the sea. This was a tortoise. Something didn't quite fit.
The large creature's shell glistened as the lowering sun danced off seawater beading along the shell's ridges and gullies. As Urashima looked closer, he saw that the dance of light was also caused by the fantastic colors of the shell. The creature carried a home that looked closer to mother-of-pearl than tortoise shell, yet the design and shape was that of a regular tortoise.
The price this shell would fetch! A five color tortoise shell! His family would never again be hungry or want for anything! His parents would never have worries again, nor would he. Lords would pay a premium for items made from this beautiful artifact.
Urashima watched the tortoise struggling within the net. It truly was a magnificent creature; not normal by any means. He opened the net and grabbed the creature by the shell as a few crabs scuttled away on the deck.
With one clean jerk, he picked up the tortoise and swung it. He was rewarded with a splash of seawater in his face as the creature plunged into the ocean. I have accepted my fate and who I am, Urashima thought. If I hadn't found this creature I wouldn't be rich, so there is no real loss in releasing it. His death for my gain doesn't seem fair. I'm a crab fisherman, not a tortoise hunter.
Urashima decided not to tell anyone of what he saw. This was a secret for himself; a good deed he could console himself with on cold nights.
Urashima set a course for home.
"This doesn't look good," Urashima said to himself. He was in the habit of making statements like this while at sea, even though there was no one to hear.
He saw a large amount of debris floating near a submerged reef. After he returned home the night before, a storm came up and kept all the ships in port for a day. Urashima was afraid someone may have run their boat into the reef and the ship broke apart.
He cast his eyes out over the water, squinting from the morning glare bouncing off the glassy surface of the ocean. Urashima thought he saw something bigger than just driftwood and steered his craft that way.
"There's someone there! I wonder if they survived?"
A body lay on top of a large piece of wood, a body with a very feminine shape.
Very feminine, indeed, Urashima thought. She had long, dark hair and wore some sort of green wrap he wasn't familiar with. He prayed she wasn't dead, but he didn't have much hope. Pulling the ship as close to her, gently as he could, he reached over and scooped her up. She was light as a feather to a fisherman like Urashima.
She moaned lightly as he lay her on the deck. She's alive!
He grabbed a cup and filled it with water, placing it to her lips he gently poured it in. Urashima truly thought it was the proper thing to do in this situation. Of course, the woman might disagree. She began coughing and choking on the sudden liquid in her throats. Urashima stopped immediately.
She sat up and looked around, now coughing demurely. She was beautiful! Her skin had a light almond hue. Her eyes sparkled a special emerald that only a mariner could recognize, Urashima thought.
"Where am I?"
"You're on my boat. My name is Urashima; I'm a fisherman. I pulled you out of the sea."
Urashima berated himself in his thoughts. Not exactly the most suave thing to say, but he fished for crabs, he wasn't a poet.
"Then I owe you a great deal! But..."
"But, what?"
"I'm so far from home. Please, great fisherman, could you take me to my home?"
"Where do you live?"
"I live far east from here on a small island. If you follow where the sun sets for three days and follow the brightest star for one night, you'll find my home."
"That's a week journey round trip! I don't know if this old boat could handle such a thing. And my home! My family and friends would be so worried. We should head back and find a larger ship."
"Please, I must hurry home! And, I wish for only you to take me."
Just me? That's odd, Urashima thought. He had heard that there were some peoples that lived on small islands in the sea, perhaps she wanted to protect her home. Still, its so far.
"I'll make sure you are rewarded!"
"I need no reward, this is just a difficult decision."
"Of course," she said sounding so sad--like tears would start to pour at any moment.
"Oh, please, don't be sad!" Urashima said; he wasn't very comfortable around women. "Of course I'll take you. I'm just worried about your safety."
"I'm sure with your abilities, I'll be fine," she said smiling, yet shyly.
Urashima couldn't figure her out. She also never offered her name, and he thought it to rude to ask. So, instead, he simply began the journey.
Urashima followed her directions for three days until he reached a fog bank so deep he couldn't see the waves breaking on the bow. The sea was furious, yet the mist was so steady! Urashima had never seen anything like it, and he was afraid.
"My lady, should we turn back? I fear I am placing you in more danger."
"No, please let us continue on. I am nearly home."
Against his better judgement, Urashima continued on. He did make a promise after all, and no one had accused him of being smart. Yet, surprisingly, the seas did calm--suddenly and totally, but the mist did not abate. Urashima asked if there were any reefs or rocks near, but she assured him the passage would be safe.
The sudden brightness startled Urashima. The mist ended as if he had walked in from a dark room to lit one. The seas were beautiful, and the skies were a light and peaceful blue. Urashima looked behind him and saw a wall of mist towering above, reaching off seeming to circle the island before him.
Urashima was trying to ignore the island. Two impossibly large doors stood in what seemed to be a channel through the impenetrable mountains. The island didn't seem to be too large, but the mountains ringing it reached as high as any he had seen.
He was more afraid now than ever. Whoever lived here was very, very powerful!
As Urashima sailed towards the doors, the parted slowly, the large waves they created gently rolled his boat back and forth. As he passed the doors, his boat seemingly began to sail itself! The tiller had a mind of its own, and, even though the wind had disappeared, they moved as quickly as before. Urashima was sure there were magical forces at work in this place!
The boat brought itself to a dock, that led to a street, that led to a town made of white marble, that led to a palace made of Jade. Urashima was distraught! Should he even be here?
He followed the woman into the beautiful palace, past two guards that stood still as stone. The first two people he had seen here. They stood before two large doors that opened as she waved her hand in the air. Urashima swallowed hard and looked in. Hundreds of people stood in a grand ballroom or throne room, but the path to the powerful figure seated at the front was clear.
Ryujin! The dragon king of the sea! Urashima fell to his knees. It must be Ryujin, Urashima tried to think of someway to save his life.
"Please, Urashima, stand and follow me," said the woman in a kind voice.
She knew his name? Somehow, her voice gave him strength. He stood and followed, but kept his eyes averted from the figure seated before him.
"Father, I have returned home!"
"Otohime, we have seen your ship from afar. We are thankful and rejoice for your safe return! We ask that you do not again depart from our home."
Urashima was amazed! Not simply because that he was standing before a god, and not because the woman he had been with for three days was a princess, but because--even in its formality--the words Lord Ryujin spoke to his daughter clearly carried his love and worry. Could this fearsome figure be so caring?
"I've missed you, too, father," she turned to the crowd, "I've missed all of you!"
A murmur of approval and happiness ran through the assembly.
"And you, Urashima..."
Urashima quaked to his very spirit as the great lord spoke his name.
"For your honor and bravery allow us to welcome you."
"My lord...I don't feel very brave," Urashima said shakily. The crowd burst into laughter as did the king.
"We believe that it is Princess Otohime's desire that you should remain with us."
Urashima looked at the princess in shock. Really? She was no longer in the ocean soaked clothes he had found her in, but a five-colored wrap--colored exactly like the tortoise. She smiled as he thought this.
"My lord, I would wish nothing else, but my parents...they are unable to care for themselves, I cannot leave them behind."
"As it should be, a son's first thoughts should be of his parents, as a daughter's should be of her husband. Yet fear not, we promise your parents shall prosper in their late years and shall be watched over."
Tears poured down Urashima's face. Just the thought of his parents being cared for as they deserve...finally.
So, Urashima married Otohime and lived with her happily for three years.
However, his thoughts returned to his parents and he wish to see them again before they left this world. His homesickness began to consume him.
"Please, husband, I beg of you, do not leave. Stay here, this is your home. Nothing good can come of your journey," Otohime pleaded.
Urashima refused, although he loved his wife very much, he couldn't stand the thought of his parents being alone until death. Ryujin would not allow Otohime to leave with Urashima, even though he understood Urashima's desires. Most likely, Urashima would never find his way back to his wife.
So, the crab fisherman who became a prince left to return to his old home. It took him nearly a week to reach his home shore, but he was surprised--somehow the mountains of his home seemed different. The shape of the beach was not quite the same. He was amazed at the changes, but he was far more shocked when he arrived in town. The fashions were so different! There were so many more businesses and homes. When he arrived at his own dwelling, a cold shiver gripped his soul. Nothing but the foundation remained!
"What has happened here! Why has everything changed so?"
Urashima quickly returned to town and immediately went up to the first person he came across.
"Excuse me, may I ask you a question about this town?"
"Good morning! Of course, how may I help?"
"Have you heard of a fellow by the name of Urashima Taro and his family? I was looking for relatives of his."
"Urashima? I'm don't believe I know an Urashima here. Goto-san, have you heard of an Urashima?" said the young man, turning to a gentleman that had been heading in the same direction. "This gentleman is asking for someone by that name."
"He must be speaking of the legend," the gentleman replied.
"Oh! Did you mean the fisherman that supposedly went to live at the palace of the dragon king of the sea? The last people here holding that name passed away nearly 300 years ago. You can find their burial site near the sea at a place called Dragon Tooth Rock. Supposedly, a servant of the dragon king visited them one stormy night and told them of their son. He saved the king's daughter and had gone to live there forever. The servant gave them many riches, supposedly including the mirror the lord of this town holds. They hired many servants and their riches allowed this town to grow, but they lived happily alone until they passed away."
Urashima was in shock. He hadn't been gone three years but 300 years.
He stammered thanks to the young man and raced to the sea to visit the gravesite of his parents. Upon reaching Dragon Tooth Rock, he began to weep bitterly. He should have listened to his wife. He could feel the spirits of his parents--he felt as though they were disappointed in him for returning after he had found such happiness. All they ever wanted was a good life for him. Of course he knew they loved him, but they would never have wanted him to abandon his wife.
Urashima walked into the waves of the ocean and wept. He promised if ever given the chance, he would never abandon his duties or his promises. His happiness and the fortune that was brought to him and his parents came from him doing the right thing, but he had strayed from his own path.
Ryujin took great pity on his son-in-law, as did all the spirits watching him that day. He was a good man feeling great anguish. The king's own daughter felt great sadness over the loss of her husband.
Urashima was suddenly transformed into a beautiful white crane. He soared high into the sky and was led by the spirits to one of the mountains of everlasting life. Looking down, Urashima saw a brilliant flash of rainbow colors--the sun reflecting off the five-colored shell of a very special tortoise. And so, once more--and forever more--Urashima was with his princess.
This story is more or less a direct retelling of an often-told fairytale in Japan. In some retellings, the tortoise is actual a turtle, possibly a sea turtle. In most artistic renderings, the princess is indeed a tortoise. As goes with many stories of oral traditions, the tales change. My contributions here are the motivations of Urashima, as well as all the dialogue. The story was inspired by a fantastic netsuke from the collection of Joseph Kurstin. A picture of the piece, as well as some background, can be found in his book Netsuke: Story Carvings of Old Japan.
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