The Bamboo Princess

Once upon a time there was an old man who cut bamboo and wove baskets. One evening, walking in the bamboo forest, he saw a glow like moonlight coming from inside a bamboo stalk. He carefully cut the bamboo; inside was a tiny baby girl, no bigger than his palm, shining brightly.

The old man took the baby home. He and his wife named her Kaguya, which means "radiant". From that day on, every time the old man cut bamboo, gold dust came out of it, and the old couple were never poor again. In three months Kaguya grew into a young woman. She was so beautiful and so kind that the whole house seemed to light up with her.

Her fame spread throughout the land. Five princes wanted to marry her. Kaguya gave each of them a task: one was to bring the stone bowl of the Buddha, one a pearl tree with golden branches, one the robe of the fire-rat that never burns, one the shining jewel from a dragon's neck, and one the shell from a swallow's nest. The princes either brought fakes or gave up on the way. Kaguya chose none of them.

As the years went by, at every full moon Kaguya sat by the window and gazed at the Moon for a long time, quietly crying. The old couple asked: "Daughter, why are you crying?" At last Kaguya told them her secret: "I came from the Moon. At the next full moon they will come to take me back. I don't want to leave you, but I must return."

On the night of the full moon the sky grew as bright as day. A chariot of light came down from above the clouds. Kaguya hugged her old mother and father and left them a letter and a keepsake: "Every time you look at the Moon, I will be looking at you too."

Then she climbed into the chariot of light and rose slowly towards the Moon. The old couple kept that letter always. At every full moon they went out into the garden and smiled at the Moon.

If you look at the Moon through your window tonight, perhaps you too will see Kaguya smiling at you. Now close your eyes, and let the moonlight wrap you softly.