Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki) Part B
"The Ogre of Rashomon" was a story about an ogre awaiting the arrival of passing civilians and it was a creepy tale that haunted many in the city of Rashomon. One night a brave knight, Hojo, told this story about the Ogre that nobody has lived to prove exists. Watanabe, another brave knight, said that this story was just a myth because the leader of the knights killed all the ogres a long time ago and it was unlikely that any survived.
Watanabe wants to prove that he is right, so he takes a piece of paper, signed by all the knights, to hang at the gate of Rashomon. As Watanabe was about to leave after hanging his paper, something attacked him from behind. In the darkness, he could not see, so he felt around for whatever he could. He felt a large, hairy arm and knew at once that it had to be an ogre. He drew his sword in defense!
Watanabe was brave and fought the ogre off, but he did not want the ogre to get away!!
The ogre did end up escaping, so Watanabe returned to the gate where he found one of the ogre's arms, that he must have chopped off in the fight, laying on the ground. He picked it up, proud that he had proof of the encounter.
A realization was made that the ogre would probably return for his arm at some point, so Watanabe did his best to conceal the arm and keep it away from the ogre. He made a box and kept it near him always.
I was not expecting the story to end the way it did. A little old woman (Watanabe's old nurse) came to the door pleading to see the ogre's captive arm. After refusing her wishes for so long, Watanabe gave it and took the woman to the protective box. He let the woman see the arm and immediately, a hand reached in and grabbed the arm. The little old woman was actually the ogre that transformed into the woman. The ogre retrieved what was once his and fled.
Bibliography: The Ogre of Rashomon (Parts 1-3) from the Japanese Fairy Tales unit by Yei Theodora Ozaki.
Watanabe wants to prove that he is right, so he takes a piece of paper, signed by all the knights, to hang at the gate of Rashomon. As Watanabe was about to leave after hanging his paper, something attacked him from behind. In the darkness, he could not see, so he felt around for whatever he could. He felt a large, hairy arm and knew at once that it had to be an ogre. He drew his sword in defense!
Watanabe was brave and fought the ogre off, but he did not want the ogre to get away!!
The ogre did end up escaping, so Watanabe returned to the gate where he found one of the ogre's arms, that he must have chopped off in the fight, laying on the ground. He picked it up, proud that he had proof of the encounter.
A realization was made that the ogre would probably return for his arm at some point, so Watanabe did his best to conceal the arm and keep it away from the ogre. He made a box and kept it near him always.
I was not expecting the story to end the way it did. A little old woman (Watanabe's old nurse) came to the door pleading to see the ogre's captive arm. After refusing her wishes for so long, Watanabe gave it and took the woman to the protective box. He let the woman see the arm and immediately, a hand reached in and grabbed the arm. The little old woman was actually the ogre that transformed into the woman. The ogre retrieved what was once his and fled.
Bibliography: The Ogre of Rashomon (Parts 1-3) from the Japanese Fairy Tales unit by Yei Theodora Ozaki.
Ogre Cartoon from Flickr
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