The Tale of Princess Kaguya

A long time ago, an old bamboo cutter named Okina lived in a small village in Japan. One day, while cutting bamboo in the forest, he discovered a tiny, delicate girl inside a bamboo stalk. He was amazed by her beauty and realized she must be a princess sent from the heavens.

Okina and his wife, Chineye, named the girl Kaguya and raised her as their daughter. Kaguya grew up to be the most beautiful and kind-hearted girl in the village, and many suitors from far and wide came to ask for her hand in marriage.

However, Kaguya knew that she was not an ordinary girl. She remembered her true identity as a celestial being and longed to return to her heavenly home. So, she devised a plan to discourage her suitors by setting them impossible tasks to prove their love.

One day, five suitors arrived at Kaguya’s home, each with a unique talent. The first was a warrior, the second was a poet, the third was a musician, the fourth was a carpenter, and the fifth was a wealthy merchant. Kaguya gave them all impossible tasks, such as finding a legendary treasure or traveling to the moon.

Despite their best efforts, none of the suitors could complete the tasks, and Kaguya remained unmarried. She became increasingly melancholy, longing to return home to the heavens.

One day, Kaguya’s celestial family came to take her back to the heavens. She knew she had to leave her earthly life behind and return to her true identity as a celestial princess. As she left, she asked Okina and Chineye to forgive her for leaving them, as they had always been her true family on Earth.

The moral of the story: The Tale of Princess Kaguya teaches us the importance of knowing our true identity and purpose in life. It also reminds us that love and family can be discovered in unexpected places and that sometimes we must make difficult choices to fulfill our destiny. Finally, it teaches us the importance of forgiveness and letting go, even when painful.