Die Auster
by Unknown · from Japanische Märchen
Adapted Version
Deep in the sea, lived The Little Oyster. It had very strong shells. It closed them very fast. This happened with any sound. The Little Oyster felt safe. Its shells kept it safe. No bad things could happen. It was always very alert. The Little Oyster liked its safe home.
The Other Fish swam around. They saw The Little Oyster. "You have a strong house!" they said. "Your shells are like a fort. You are always safe inside. We wish we were like you. The fish spoke of its safe life. The Little Oyster felt proud of its shells. Its home was very strong.
The Little Oyster felt a little bored. It was safe, yes. But life was often slow. "I am safe," it thought. "But it is not always fun. My life is very quiet. Still, my shells are good. I am safe from danger. This is very good. I am proud of my strong shells."
Then, the water moved fast. The Other Fish swam quickly. There was a big noise. The water stirred all around. The fish were very scared. They swam here and there. A big thing was coming. The Little Oyster felt the water move. It heard the loud sounds. It knew danger was near.
The Little Oyster closed its shells. It closed them very tight. "I am safe now," it thought. "The Other Fish are in trouble. They have no strong shells. They cannot hide like me. I am glad I am safe. I am always alert. My shells keep me very safe."
The noise stopped. The water was quiet again. The Little Oyster waited. It waited for a long time. Then, it slowly opened its shells. It opened them just a little bit. It wanted to see outside. What happened to the fish? Was the danger gone now? It looked out slowly.
The Little Oyster saw a new thing. A small paper tag was on its shell. It had a number on it. This was a very big surprise! The Little Oyster did not know this tag. It was never there before. What did this tag mean? It was a strange, new thing.
The Little Oyster looked around. This was not its home. It was not the seabed. It was a strange, new place. It was on a flat, hard table. The Little Oyster was taken away. This was a big surprise! Even when safe, surprises can happen. We must always be alert.
Original Story
Die Auster.
uf dem Meeresgrunde lebte einmal eine Auster. Diese hatte, wie alle Austern, sehr starke Schalen, die sie, wenn ein verdächtiges Geräusch ertönte, jedesmal fest schloß; denn dann konnte ihr, wie sie glaubte, nie etwas Böses geschehen. Die Fische im Meere beneideten sie deshalb und sagten zu ihr: „Frau Auster, Ihr habt eine schöne Festung; wenn Ihr sie schließt, seid Ihr sicher und könnt daher ein recht schönes Wohlleben führen!“
„Es ist nicht weit her,“ erwiderte die Auster bescheiden aber mit Stolz; „wenn ich auch vor äußerer Gefahr sicher bin, so bin ich doch nicht ohne Not; denn es ist gar zu langweilig das Leben!“
In diesem Augenblick gab es unter den Fischen eine große Unruhe und das Wasser wurde aufgerührt, flugs schloß die Auster ihre Schalen und dachte: „Ach, die armen Fische! Jedenfalls ist da wieder ein Netz oder eine Angel. Ich bin nur froh, daß ich in meiner Schale sicher bin! Ja, ja, man muß stets vorsichtig sein!“
Die Auster verhielt sich ganz ruhig; nachdem das Geräusch verstummt war, wollte sie sehen, was geschehen sei und öffnete vorsichtig die Schalen, aber o Schreck: An ihrer Schale hing ein Zettel, auf dem stand: „Diese Auster kostet 2 sen!“1
Sie befand sich auf dem Ladentisch eines Fischhändlers.
Hieraus kann man lernen, sich nie in Sicherheit zu wiegen und nie vor einer Gefahr die Augen zu schließen.
1. Ein Sen, jetzige japanische Münze = 2 Pfennig.
Story DNA
Moral
One should never feel completely safe or close one's eyes to danger, as perceived security can be a trap.
Plot Summary
An oyster on the seabed prides itself on its strong shells, which it closes at any sign of danger, believing itself invulnerable. Despite admitting to boredom, it feels superior to other fish who envy its safety. During a commotion, the oyster smugly closes its shells, confident it is safe from whatever troubles the other fish. However, when it cautiously reopens its shells, it discovers a price tag attached and realizes it has been captured and is now on a fishmonger's counter, its perceived security having led to its demise.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to shock
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The note about 'Sen' and 'Pfennig' indicates a specific historical context for the story's publication or translation, likely when these currencies were commonly known and compared, providing a subtle anchor to a pre-WWII era.
Plot Beats (8)
- An oyster lives on the seabed, always closing its strong shells when it hears a suspicious sound, believing this keeps it safe.
- Other fish express envy for the oyster's secure life, praising its 'fortress'.
- The oyster, while acknowledging its safety, admits to a hidden 'boredom' but still expresses pride in its security.
- A great commotion and stirring of water occurs among the fish.
- The oyster quickly closes its shells, thinking itself safe and pitying the 'poor fish' caught in a net or by a hook.
- After the noise subsides, the oyster cautiously opens its shells to see what happened.
- To its horror, the oyster finds a price tag attached to its shell, reading 'This oyster costs 2 sen!'.
- The oyster realizes it is no longer on the seabed but on a fishmonger's counter.
Characters
Die Auster
A bivalve mollusk with two very strong, thick, rough, and irregularly shaped shells. The shells are typically greyish-white or brownish-grey on the exterior, often encrusted with barnacles or algae, and have a smooth, iridescent mother-of-pearl interior.
Attire: N/A (no wardrobe)
Wants: To remain safe from external dangers and live a secure, if somewhat monotonous, life.
Flaw: Overconfidence in its own security, leading to complacency and a failure to perceive threats that don't fit its preconceived notions.
Starts as a complacent and secure creature, believing its strategy of closing its shells makes it invulnerable. It ends up on a fishmonger's table, realizing its perceived safety was an illusion, learning a harsh lesson about true vulnerability.
Cautious, self-satisfied, somewhat proud of its perceived security, but also prone to boredom and a touch of naivete.
Die Fische
Various types of fish, swimming in schools, with typical piscine features: scales, fins, gills, and streamlined bodies. They are agile and quick-moving.
Attire: N/A (no wardrobe)
Wants: Survival, avoiding predators and nets.
Flaw: Vulnerability to fishing nets and hooks, lack of a strong defensive mechanism like the oyster's shells.
No significant arc, they serve as a contrast to the oyster's perceived security.
Envious, easily agitated, prone to panic when danger approaches.
Locations
The Seabed
The very bottom of the ocean, where an oyster lives. It is a place of relative quiet, occasionally disturbed by the movements of fish or the distant sounds of human activity.
Mood: Initially secure and peaceful, but with underlying anxiety about external dangers.
The oyster lives here, believing itself safe within its strong shells, and experiences the initial disturbance that leads to its capture.
Fishmonger's Stall
A bustling market stall where fish and seafood are sold. The oyster finds itself unexpectedly on a wooden counter, with a price tag attached.
Mood: Shocking, abrupt, and commercial, a stark contrast to the ocean depths.
The oyster's rude awakening to its capture and commercial value, revealing the irony of its perceived safety.