Urashima Taro

The Legend of Urashima Taro

One day, a good-hearted fisherman named Urashima Taro was returning from his morning fishing excursion.  He’d had a difficult morning for the fish had not been interested in his lures and he had little to show for his effort.  

When he pulled his canoe up on the shore, he saw three naughty teenagers torturing a sea turtle on the beach. Enraged by their behavior, he berated the teens and saved the turtle from further harm.  The turtle smiled appreciatively and then swam away.

The following day, when Urashima Taro returned to the beach, the turtle he’d saved was waiting for him in the shallow water.  The turtle motioned for Taro to hold on to his back, and the fisherman complied.  Suddenly, the turtle began to swim with superhuman speed, rushing into the deeps with the intensity of a motorboat.  

Taro reached up to scratch a slight irritation in his neck and was momentarily stunned by what he found.  Somehow, he’d sprouted gills and now had the ability to breathe under water.  It was clear that this was no ordinary turtle.

The turtle dove deep; passing stately whales, playing with spirited dolphins, and revealing to Urashima Taro all the wonders of the sea.  At last, they arrived at the bottom of the sea.  The shining palace could be seen for quite a distance; it radiated light and appeared to be made out of an iridescent, pearl-like substance.  

Taro let go of the turtle and started toward the majestic edifice.  When he turned back toward his companion, he was puzzled.  For standing behind him was not a turtle at all, but a beautiful woman with flowing tresses dressed in a robe of pure light.  Tiny seahorses carried a silver tiara to her crown.  And even the floral sea kelp seemed to bow with respect. 

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered haltingly.  “My name is Otohime, and I am the daughter of the Sea Emperor, Ryujin.  Welcome to our home.”

Taro was too stunned to speak, so he nodded.

Otohime continued, “My father would like to thank you for rescuing me from the naughty children.  He says you may stay with us, here, in our underwater paradise for as long as you wish.”

Urashima Taro was ecstatic and praised his good fortune.  He and the princess became very close friends.  She showed Taro the secrets of the deep while Taro told her about his life on land.  

After three days passed, Taro began to miss his home and family.  Reluctantly, he told the princess he wanted to go home.  Sadly, she agreed to let him return.  As a parting gift, she gave Taro a finely carved box and told him never to open it.  Taro promised he would not and then climbed on the back a dolphin waiting to take him back to shore.  The journey was quick and Taro barely noticed as his gills closed up and smoothed into his neck.  

Once on shore, Taro looked around.  Nothing was as he remembered it.  It was the same beach but not really.  The land seemed to shift.  Strange buildings clustered around the shore, and people seemed much different.  He could not locate his home or family.

Finally, he asked a passer-by if he had ever heard of the fisherman Urashima Taro.  The man said that Urashima Taro had been reported missing at sea almost 300 years earlier.  Taro realized that his time under the ocean had amounted to 300 earth years.   He cried because all he knew and loved was gone.

In desperation, he opened the box given to him by the princess.  A cloud of white surrounded him and suddenly, his hair turned white and his body doubled over with age.  Taro realized that his old age had been kept in the box, and he was a fool to let it out.  Since no one can live 300 years, Taro’s body began to crumble and turn to dust.  Soon nothing was left but a trail in the wind.