-Its a 10th century Japanese folktale, also known as The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語, Kaguya-hime no Monogatari). It is considered the oldest extant Japanese narrative
-It primarily details the life of a mysterious girl called Kaguya-hime who was discovered, as a baby, inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo plant. She is said to be from Tsuki-no-Miyako (月の都 "The Capital of the Moon") and has unusual hair that "shines like gold".
I did a research on Princess Kaguya, (かぐや姫/Radiant Light Princess/Kaguya-Hime) and found out that the story is actually by all means quite exciting. The factuals and fantasies are all mixed up in one whole story. What actually amazed me is that the story actually connects to our real life. I'l just summarize the whole story so you readers would not be lost in words.
Once upon a time, there lived an old couple. The old man, Taketori-no-Okina (竹取翁 "the Old Man who Harvests Bamboo") came across a shining bamboo stalk while harvesting bamboo's for living. Amazed, he sliced it open to come upon a baby, as big as a thumb inside the bamboo. Since he and his elderly wife did not have any children, he was overjoyed and brought the baby back home.
His elderly wife was overjoyed too. Both of them planned for a long time to make a name for the baby. The old man then said: " I found the baby while cutting bamboo stalks in the lucent moonlght that shines brightly, thus we will call her Kaguya-hime (かぐや姫 "radiant-night princess"). His elderly wife agreed.
Thereafter, whenever the old man cuts bamboo, he will find a nugget of gold inside. Soon, he became rich and Kaguya-hime grew up to become a woman of extraordinary beauty and jet black hair that shines like gold. Her beauty spread far and wide. Even princes of various countries came to ask for her hand in marriage.
The old man tried to keep her from getting married, but was powerless against the princes and kings.
Kaguya-hime asked for impossible requests whenever the kings and princes ask for her hand in marriage. She asked for five heavenly treasures, which is The Buddha's Stone Bowl, The Jeweled Branch of Penglai, The Fire Rat's Robe , The Dragon's Necklace and lastly, the Swallow's Cowrie Shell.
A Prince once brought her an expensive golden bowl, but Kaguya-hime saw through the trick and refused to marry the prince. Another prince died in an attempt to retrieve the sacred treasures. The impossible requests of Kaguya-hime were never fulfilled.
The story of Kaguya-hime's beauty reached the Emperor of Japan, Mikado Meiji's ears at last. Once he saw Kaguya-hime, he immediately fell in love and asked for her hand in marriage. Although Kaguya-hime did not even ask him to fulfill the impossible requests, she immediately refused. She kept in touch with the emperor, but continued to refuse his request.
That summer, there was a bright full moon in the sky. On this sight, tears dropped from Kaguya-hime's eyes. Her parents asked her what was bothering her.
It was then revealed that Kaguya-hime was a princess from the moon. She fled to earth in an attempt to escape the great celestial war that brewed on the moon at the current time.
As the day of her return approached, the emperor brought his guards and surrounded Kaguya-hime's house to protect her from being forcefully brought back to the moon. However when night falls, the light of the moon became so bright it blinded all the guards.
Kaguya-hime then announced that : eventhough she loved her friends and family on earth, she must return to the moon, her true origin. She then took a sip of the elixir of life(Hourai Elixir) and was brought back to the moon, leaving her parents in tears.
(To be continued)
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