KALASTAJAPOIKA URASHIMA
by Unknown · from Japanilaisia satuja
Adapted Version
Once, there was a kind fisher named Urashima. He went fishing in his small boat. He caught a big, old turtle. The turtle had a wrinkly face.
Urashima felt sorry for the turtle. He did not want to hurt it. He let it go back to the sea. He was a very kind man.
Then, Urashima felt sleepy. He took a nap in his boat. A pretty girl came from the water. She stood in his boat.
"I am the Sea Princess," she said. "I was the old turtle. My father, the Sea King, sent me. He wanted to see if you were kind."
"You are very kind," she said. "Please come with me. Come live in my father's palace. It is under the water. You can be my husband."
Urashima was happy. He went with the Sea Princess. They swam to a pretty palace. The palace was under the sea.
They were very happy there. They lived happy for three years. The palace had shiny walls. It was a magic place.
One day, Urashima felt sad. "I miss my folks," he said. "Can I visit them on land? I will come back soon."
The Sea Princess looked sad. "Please do not go," she said. "But if you must, take this box. Do not open this box. If you open it, you cannot come back."
Urashima promised to listen. He took the little box. He swam back to his home. He walked to his village.
But all was new. His home was not there. The trees were gone. The little stream was still there. But no one was there.
He saw two men walking. "Where is my home?" he asked. "Where is Urashima's folks?" The men looked surprised.
"Urashima?" they said. "No one knows that name. That was a long, long time ago. His folks are not here."
Urashima felt very sad. Time had passed. Many years had gone by. He was all alone.
He wanted to go back. He wanted to see the Sea Princess. He thought of the little box. "Maybe it will help me," he thought.
He forgot his promise. He opened the box. A white cloud came out. The cloud went away over the sea.
Urashima became old. His hair turned white. He felt tired and slow. He sat sadly on the shore.
He could not go back. He had lost his chance. He was very, very sad. Remember, children.
Listen to warnings, or lose what you love.
Original Story
KALASTAJAPOIKA URASHIMA
Kauan, kauan sitten eli Japanin meren rannalla nuori kalastaja nimeltä Urashima, hyvänlaatuinen nuorukainen ja varsin taitava ongenvapaansa ja siimaansa käyttämään.
Eräänä päivänä hän taasen läksi veneessään ulapalle kalastamaan. Mutta kalojen asemesta hän sai jotakin muuta. Arvaatteko mitä? Niin, hän sai suuren kovakuorisen kilpikonnan, jolla oli omituiset, ruttuiset, vanhannäköiset kasvot ja hento häntä. Nyt on minun kerrottava teille jotakin, mitä varmaankaan ette tiedä. Kilpikonnat, näetkös, elävät kokonaista tuhannen vuotta — ainakin japanilaiset kilpikonnat. Niinpä ajatteli Urashima itsekseen: "Kala kelpaisi päivälliseksi aivan yhtä hyvin kuin tämä kilpikonna — vieläpä paremminkin. Miksikä surmaisin eläinraukan ja estäisin sitä nauttimasta elämästään vielä yhdeksänsataayhdeksänkymmentäyhdeksän vuotta. Ei, ei! Minä en tahdo olla niin julma. Varmaankaan ei äitini pitäisi siitä, että olisin niin paha." Ja näin sanoen hän viskasi kilpikonnan takaisin mereen.
Pian sen jälkeen uinahti Urashima veneeseensä. Oli näet sellainen kuuma kesäpäivä, jolloin jokainen mielellään nukahtaa päivällisen jälkeen. Ja nukkuessaan hän näki aalloista nousevan kauniin tytön, joka astui veneeseen lausuen:
"Minä olen meren jumalan tytär, joka asun isäni kanssa lohikäärmelinnassa aaltojen alla. Se ei ollut kilpikonna, jonka juuri äsken sait onkeesi ja niin ystävällisesti viskasit takaisin mereen. Se olin minä. Isäni, merenjumala, oli lähettänyt minut katsomaan, olitko hyvä vai paha.
"Me tiedämme nyt, että olet hyvä, kiltti poika, joka vältät julmia tekoja; ja siksi minä olen tullut sinua noutamaan. Sinä otat minut vaimoksesi, jos tahdot, ja me elämme onnellisina yhdessä tuhat vuotta lohikäärmelinnassa syvän sinisen meren tuolla puolla."
Urashima tarttui siis toiseen airoon ja merenjumalan tytär toiseen, ja he soutivat, soutivat soutamistaan, kunnes vihdoin saapuivat lohikäärmelinnaan, missä merenjumala eli ja hallitsi kuninkaana kaikkia lohikäärmeitä, kilpikonnia ja kaloja.
Hyvänen aika, miten ihanaa siellä oli! Palatsin seinät olivat korallista, puissa oli smaragdeja lehtinä ja rubiineja marjoina, kaloilla oli hopeasuomukset ja lohikäärmeitten pyrstöt olivat täysipitoista kultaa. Kuvitelkaa mielessänne kauneinta ja kiiltävintä, mitä koskaan olette nähneet, ja asettakaa se kaikki yhteen, niin silloin saatte käsityksen, millaiselta tämä palatsi näytti. Ja kaikki tämä kuului Urashimalle; sillä olihan hän merenjumalan vävy, ihanan lohikäärmeprinsessan puoliso.
Näin he elivät onnellisina kolme vuotta, kävellen joka päivä noiden uhkeitten smaragdilehväisten ja rubiinimarjaisten puiden alla.
Mutta eräänä aamuna Urashima sanoi vaimolleen:
"Olen hyvin onnellinen täällä. Mutta kuitenkin tahtoisin käydä kotona tervehtimässä isääni ja äitiäni, veljiäni ja sisariani. Päästähän minut lyhyeksi aikaa. Kyllä minä pian palaan."
"Mielelläni minä en laskisi sinua menemään", sanoi merenneito; "minä pelkään pahoin, että jotakin hirveätä tapahtuu. Mutta jos tahdot mennä, niin mitäs sille voi. Mutta sinun pitää ottaa mukaasi tämä lipas ja tarkoin varoa sitä avaamasta. Jos sen avaat, et enää koskaan kykene tulemaan takaisin tänne."
Urashima lupasi siis pitää hyvän huolen lippaasta ja millään muotoa olla sitä avaamatta. Sitten hän astui veneeseensä, soutaen pois, ja saapui vihdoin oman maansa rannoille.
Mutta mitä oli hänen poissaollessaan tapahtunut? Mihin oli hänen isänsä mökki joutunut? Missä oli kylä, jossa hän ennen oli asunut? Vuoret olivat kyllä entisillä paikoillaan, mutta puut niiltä oli kaadettu. Pieni puronen, joka oli lirissyt hänen isänsä mökin lähellä, juoksi yhä vielä, mutta sen partaalla ei enää ollut naisia vaatteita pesemässä. Näytti hyvin omituiselta, että kaikki oli niin muuttunut kolmessa lyhyessä vuodessa.
Kun kaksi miestä sattui kävelemään rannikolla, kääntyi Urashima siis heidän puoleensa kysyen:
"Tahtoisitteko olla niin hyvät ja ilmoittaa minulle, mihin on joutunut
Urashiman mökki, joka ennen oli täällä?"
"Urashiman?" huudahtivat he — "mitä? hänhän jo neljäsataa vuotta sitten hukkui kalastusretkellä! Hänen vanhempansa, hänen sisaruksensa ja heidän lapsenlapsensa ovat jo ammoin kuolleet. Se on vanha, vanha juttu. Miten voit olla niin hupsu, että kyselet hänen mökkiään? Se luhistui maahan satoja vuosia sitten."
Silloin välähti äkkiä Urashiman mieleen, että merenjumalan palatsi aaltojen alla koralliseinineen, rubiinihedelmineen ja komeine kultapyrstöisine lohikäärmeineen epäilemättä kuului keijukaisten maahan, jossa yksi päivä luultavasti oli yhtä pitkä kuin kokonainen vuosi täällä yläilmoissa, joten ne kolme vuotta, mitkä hän oli viettänyt merenjumalan palatsissa, todellisuudessa olivat olleet vuosisatoja.
Tietystikään ei hyödyttänyt viipyä kotona nyt, kun kaikki hänen ystävänsä olivat kuolleet ja haudatut, vieläpä kyläkin hävinnyt. Sen vuoksi Urashimalla oli kova kiire päästä takaisin vaimonsa lohikäärmeprinsessan luo meren tuolle puolen. Mutta missä oli tie? Hän ei voinut sitä löytää, kun ei ollut ketään sitä hänelle näyttämässä. "Ehkä saan apua tien etsinnässä", ajatteli hän, "jos avaan lippaan, minkä hän minulle antoi." Ja niin tuo hupsu poika oli tottelematon, tai ehkä hän unohti vaimonsa kiellon. Hän avasi kuin avasikin lippaan. Ja mitä luulette sen sisältä tulleen?
Sieltä kohosi vain valkoinen pilvi, joka usvan tavoin leijaili meren yli. Huutaen pilvelle, että se pysähtyisi, hyökkäsi Urashima sinne tänne ja parkui surusta. Sillä nyt hän muisti vaimonsa sanoneen, että lippaan avattuaan hän ei enää koskaan voisi palata merenjumalan palatsiin. Mutta pianpa hän ei enää kyennyt juoksemaan eikä huutamaankaan.
Äkkiä hänen tukkansa kävi lumivalkeaksi, hänen kasvonsa tulivat ruttuisiksi ja selkä käyräksi kuin vanhan ukon. Sitten hänen hengityksensä taukosi ja hän kaatui kuolleena rannalle.
Urashima-raukka! Hän kuoli siksi, että oli ollut hupsu ja tottelematon. Jos hän vain olisi tehnyt niinkuin häntä käskettiin, olisi hän saattanut elää vielä tuhat vuotta.
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANILAISIA SATUJA ***
Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.
Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
Story DNA
Moral
Disobedience to warnings can lead to irreversible loss and tragic consequences.
Plot Summary
Urashima, a kind fisherman, releases a turtle he catches. The turtle reveals itself to be the Sea God's daughter, who invites him to her magnificent underwater Dragon Palace, where they marry. After three blissful years, Urashima wishes to visit his family. His wife gives him a magical box, warning him never to open it if he wishes to return. Upon his return to land, Urashima discovers centuries have passed, his village is gone, and all his loved ones are long dead. In despair, he opens the forbidden box, instantly aging hundreds of years and dying on the shore, a victim of his disobedience and the irreversible flow of time.
Themes
Emotional Arc
kindness rewarded to joy, then confusion to profound sorrow and regret
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The tale of Urashima Tarō is one of Japan's oldest and most famous fairy tales, with origins dating back to the 8th century. It explores themes of time travel and the consequences of leaving one's own time.
Plot Beats (13)
- Urashima, a kind fisherman, catches a large, old-looking turtle.
- Out of compassion, Urashima releases the turtle back into the sea.
- While napping, a beautiful girl, the Sea God's daughter, appears and reveals she was the turtle, sent to test his kindness.
- She invites Urashima to her father's Dragon Palace beneath the waves to be her husband.
- Urashima travels to the magnificent underwater palace, where he lives happily with the Dragon Princess for three years.
- He expresses a wish to visit his family on land, and his wife reluctantly agrees, giving him a small box with a strict warning not to open it.
- Urashima returns to his homeland but finds his village, home, and all familiar landmarks are gone.
- He asks two men about his family and learns that 'Urashima' drowned 400 years ago, and his family and descendants are long dead.
- Realizing that three years in the underwater palace were centuries on land, Urashima is filled with despair.
- Hoping the box will help him find his way back to the palace, he disobeys his wife's warning and opens it.
- A white cloud emerges from the box and floats away over the sea.
- Urashima instantly ages, his hair turns white, his face wrinkles, and his back bends.
- He collapses and dies on the shore, a victim of his disobedience and the irreversible passage of time.
Characters
Urashima ★ protagonist
Initially a healthy young man of average height and build, typical of a Japanese fisherman. After opening the box, he rapidly ages, his skin becoming wrinkled and his back hunched, transforming into an elderly man.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a Japanese fisherman of the era: likely a short-sleeved kimono or a working jacket (hanten) made of sturdy cotton or linen, possibly with a simple sash (obi) and loose-fitting trousers (monpe) or a loincloth (fundoshi) underneath. Barefoot or wearing straw sandals (waraji).
Wants: Initially driven by a desire to provide for his family through fishing and a deep sense of compassion for living creatures. Later, his primary motivation is to return home to his family, and then to return to his wife in the Dragon Palace.
Flaw: Curiosity, forgetfulness, and ultimately, disobedience to his wife's warning, leading to his rapid aging and death.
Begins as a compassionate young man who is rewarded with an enchanted life. He experiences immense joy and love but yearns for his past. His journey culminates in a tragic transformation due to his disobedience, highlighting the irreversible nature of time and the consequences of breaking promises.
Kind, compassionate, obedient (initially), curious, somewhat naive, regretful.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young Japanese fisherman standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a kind, youthful face with dark, straight black hair cut short, and dark brown eyes. He wears a simple indigo blue cotton hanten (working jacket) over a light grey linen kimono, tied with a plain brown obi. His hands are calloused, and he holds a bamboo fishing rod over his shoulder. He has a gentle, thoughtful expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Meren jumalan tytär (Sea God's Daughter) ◆ supporting
Exquisitely beautiful, with an ethereal quality, appearing as a young woman. She can transform into a large, ancient sea turtle.
Attire: Sumptuous, flowing robes made of iridescent silk, possibly in shades of blue, green, and white, adorned with pearls or coral, reflecting her underwater domain. Her attire would be reminiscent of a Japanese princess or deity, perhaps a layered kimono (jūnihitoe) or a more flowing, ethereal gown.
Wants: To find a good-hearted husband, to live happily with Urashima, and to protect him from the consequences of the mortal world's time.
Flaw: Her inability to fully protect Urashima from his own choices and the passage of time in the human world.
Remains largely unchanged, serving as a catalyst for Urashima's journey and a symbol of the timeless, magical world he briefly inhabits.
Kind, loving, wise, somewhat melancholic, protective, mysterious.
Image Prompt & Upload
A beautiful Japanese woman standing gracefully, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has a serene, elegant face with long, flowing dark hair that shimmers subtly, and deep, calm eyes. She wears a layered, iridescent silk kimono in shades of deep blue and seafoam green, adorned with delicate pearl embroidery, with wide, flowing sleeves. Her posture is poised and ethereal. She holds a small, intricately carved lacquered box in her hands. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Kilpikonna (The Turtle) ○ minor
A large, hard-shelled sea turtle with a wrinkled, ancient-looking face and a delicate tail. Its shell would be dark and mottled, showing signs of great age.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To test Urashima's kindness on behalf of the Sea God.
Flaw: Its slow nature makes it vulnerable to capture.
Serves as the initial catalyst for Urashima's journey, transforming into the Sea God's Daughter after being released.
Patient, wise (implied by its age and role as a test), observant.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, ancient sea turtle, full body visible from head to toe, facing forward. It has a dark, mottled, hard shell and a deeply wrinkled, wise-looking face with dark, knowing eyes. Its skin is leathery and textured, with a delicate tail. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Meren jumala (The Sea God) ○ minor
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a powerful and majestic figure, befitting a king of the underwater realm. Likely has features that suggest his connection to the sea, perhaps flowing hair or beard like seaweed, or skin with a subtle iridescence.
Attire: Regal attire befitting an underwater king, perhaps robes of deep blue or green silk, adorned with coral, pearls, and gold, similar to ancient Japanese imperial court robes but with an aquatic theme.
Wants: To find a suitable, kind-hearted husband for his daughter.
Flaw: Not explicitly shown, but perhaps a certain detachment from the mortal world's concerns.
Remains a static, powerful figure, representing the ultimate authority of the magical realm.
Wise, powerful, just, benevolent, observant.
Image Prompt & Upload
A majestic Japanese Sea God, full body visible from head to toe, facing forward. He has a wise, ancient face with a long, flowing dark beard and hair that resembles dark seaweed. His eyes are deep and knowing. He wears elaborate, flowing robes of deep blue and emerald green silk, embroidered with golden dragons and adorned with polished coral and large pearls. He holds a trident made of polished dark wood and mother-of-pearl. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Japanese Coastline
The rugged, natural coastline of Japan, where Urashima's village once stood. It features mountains, a small stream, and a beach. Over time, the trees on the mountains are cut down, and the village disappears, leaving a desolate, unfamiliar landscape.
Mood: Initially peaceful and familiar, later becomes desolate, melancholic, and disorienting due to the passage of time.
Urashima fishes here, releases the turtle, and later returns to find his home and all he knew gone, ultimately opening the forbidden box and dying here.
Image Prompt & Upload
A rugged Japanese coastline at a desolate afternoon. The foreground features a sandy beach with scattered smooth, dark stones. In the midground, a small, clear stream trickles into the sea. Beyond, rolling mountains rise, now largely deforested, showing exposed rock and sparse scrub. The sky is a pale, hazy blue, suggesting a long-passed era. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Ryugu-jo (Dragon Palace)
An opulent underwater palace, the abode of the Sea God and his daughter. Its walls are made of coral, trees within the palace grounds have emerald leaves and ruby berries, fish have silver scales, and dragons have tails of pure gold. It is a place of immense beauty and shimmering brilliance.
Mood: Magical, wondrous, opulent, timeless, and enchanting.
Urashima lives here for what he perceives as three years, marrying the Dragon Princess and experiencing a timeless, joyful existence.
Image Prompt & Upload
An opulent underwater palace interior, inspired by traditional Japanese architecture but rendered in fantastical marine materials. Walls are sculpted from intricate, vibrant coral, forming elegant columns and archways. Within the vast chamber, fantastical trees with glowing emerald leaves and clusters of ruby-like berries grow from the seabed. Schools of fish with shimmering silver scales glide through the water, catching the diffused, ethereal light that filters down from above, casting soft, shifting patterns. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
