Urashima Taro the Fisher Lad

Long, long ago, in a little fishing village called Mizu-no-ye on the coast of Japan, there lived a young fisherman named Urashima Taro. His father had been a fisherman before him, and Urashima had inherited every bit of his father's skill, and almost double again. No one in the whole region could catch as many bonito and tai in a single day as he could. But he was not best known for his skill. He was best known for his kind heart. Never in all his life had he hurt any living thing, large or small, and when he was little the other children had often laughed at him because he would never join in their games of tormenting animals.

One soft summer evening, Urashima was on his way home after a long day at sea. Then he caught sight of a group of children down on the shore. They were shouting and shoving and seemed very excited. As he came closer, he saw why: they were tormenting a tortoise. One boy pulled it this way, another pulled it that way, a third struck its shell with a stick, and a fourth hammered on it with a stone. Urashima's heart ached. 'Look here, boys,' he said calmly, 'you are treating that poor tortoise so badly that it will soon die.' But the children did not care. 'It is ours,' said the eldest. 'We caught it ourselves.'

Urashima thought for a moment. Then he smiled at the boys and drew a few copper coins from his sash. 'I am sure you are good boys,' he said. 'Would you not sell the tortoise to me? With this money you can buy yourselves all kinds of fine things, much finer than an old tortoise.' The boys looked at the coins, and their faces softened. They were not bad children, only mischievous, and Urashima's kind voice won them over completely. 'Very well, Ojisan,' said the leader, and held out the tortoise. Urashima gave them the coins and carefully gathered the creature into his arms. The boys ran off with a cheerful shout, and the beach grew quiet again, so quiet he could hear the waves whispering.