Japanese tale #63 – The contest

Once upon a time, there was in old Kyoto a wide sanctuary which was the pride of the locals. Dedicated to the thunder gods, the shrines stood at the North-East of town, shielding the capital from disasters and demons.

For those old days, many strange creatures still haunted Japan. And in the forest surrounding that holy sanctuary, a fox and a tanuki lived – but not in peace nor harmony.

The beasts were not friendly neighbors and did not get along well. Both sly and mischievous, they were also consummate shapeshifters.

Conte japonais #47 – La renarde voleuse

Il y avait une fois, une jeune renarde qui avait établi son terrier près d’une route très fréquentée. Fidèle à la nature espiègle de son espèce, elle adorait duper les passants innocents.

Avec de tendres regards et de jolis sourires, l’animal malin avait conduit bien des voyageurs hors du droit chemin, droit dans les ténèbres de la forêt. Là, elle les détroussait sans vergogne et disparaissait en riant, laissant ses proies d’infortune nues dans la nuit.

Japanese tale #47 – The Vixen thief

Once upon a time, there was a young female fox who had set her den near a very passing road. True to her kin’s mischievous nature, she loved to trick innocent passersby.

With coy looks and pretty smiles, the cunning animal had lead many travelers astray, into the dark wilderness. There, she would rip them off and ran away laughing, leaving her unfortunate victim naked in the night.  

Japanese tale #19 – The Demon and the Waterfall

Once upon a time, deep in the heart of Japan, was a village hidden in a mighty forest. Everywhere, tiny houses were surrounded by huge ferns and tall cedars reaching for the sky.

People there lived a quiet life, mostly hunting small game and gathering mushrooms and wild plants.

The forest was both their blessing and their curse. It was so rich they could find everything they needed to survive. But it was also such a wide and unfathomable land that travelers seldom dared cross it.

Conte japonais #19 – Le démon et la cascade

Il y avait une fois, au plus profond du Japon, un village caché au cœur d’une imposante forêt. Partout, les petites maisons étaient entourées de fougères immenses et de grands cèdres qui semblaient vouloir toucher le ciel.

Ses habitants vivaient une vie tranquille, chassant du petit gibier et récoltant champignons et plantes sauvages.

La forêt était à la fois un bienfait et une malédiction. Elle était si riche qu’ils y trouvaient tout ce dont ils avaient besoin pour survivre. Mais, elle était aussi si grande et insondable que les voyageurs osaient rarement s’y aventurer.