Long ago, in a village nestled beside whispering bamboo forests and clear mountain streams, there lived an old bamboo cutter named Taketori no Okina and his gentle wife. They were childless, their cottage filled only with silence and the rustle of wind through the stalks.
One morning, as golden sunlight spilled through the misty grove, the old man was cutting bamboo when he saw a soft glow emanating from within a stalk. Carefully splitting it open, he gasped, inside sat a tiny, radiant girl, no bigger than his thumb, swaddled in silken cloth that shimmered like starlight.
Overwhelmed with wonder, he carried her home. “She is a gift from the heavens,” his wife whispered. They named her ‘Kaguya hime’, which means “Princess of Radiant Beauty.”
From that day, strange blessings followed. Each bamboo stalk the old man cut was filled with gold. The once poor couple became prosperous, but more than anything, they cherished the joy their daughter brought.
Kaguya Hime
Kaguya-hime grew with unnatural swiftness. Within three moons, she had become a maiden of such breathtaking beauty that even the birds fell silent in her presence. Her hair shimmered like obsidian, her eyes held the sorrow of galaxies, and her voice was soft as falling petals.
News of her beauty spread like wildfire. Suitors came from across the provinces; princes, nobles, and even the Emperor himself. But, Kaguya-hime declined them all with kindness.
To five noblemen she gave impossible tasks: one to fetch the Buddha’s stone bowl from India, another to retrieve the jeweled branch from Mount Hōrai, one to bring a robe made of fire-rat fur, another to obtain a dragon’s jewel, and one to find a cowry shell born of Swallow’s nest.
All five failed, some tried to deceive her, others perished. She wept for each loss but remained firm.
Even the Emperor of Japan, enchanted by her grace and purity, visited in secret. They shared poems by moonlight and spoke of eternity, but still, she declined to marry.
Kaguya Hime’s Return
When the summer waned and the full moon of autumn approached, Kaguya-hime’s sorrow deepened. She would stare long at the sky, tears slipping down her cheeks.
“Father… Mother… soon, I must leave you,” she confessed one night.
The bamboo cutter and his wife pleaded to understand.
“I was never truly yours,” she said. “I come from the Moon Kingdom. I was sent to earth as punishment, and my time here is ending. On the fifteenth night of this moon, they will come for me.”
The old couple wept bitterly. The Emperor, upon hearing this, dispatched guards to surround their home and shield her from the celestial beings.
But on the night of the full moon, the sky parted like a lotus bloom, and a radiant chariot descended, escorted by beings clothed in silver light.
All the guards froze. The arrows dropped from their bows. No earthly power could stop them.
Kaguya-hime turned to her human parents, kissed their hands, and bowed low. “You gave me the warmth of love, something even immortals forget.”
She left behind a letter and a vial of the elixir of immortality for the Emperor.
Then, she donned the robe of moonlight. Her memories of Earth faded as the chariot rose.
Heartbroken, the Emperor refused the elixir. “What is eternal life without her?” he said. He ordered the letter and the elixir burned at the summit of Japan’s tallest mountain.
To this day, they say the smoke from Mount Fuji reaches toward the sky, carrying a mortal’s love to the Moon.
Moral of the Tale
The tale of The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess teaches that some loves are destined but not meant to remain. It speaks to the Japanese values of impermanence (mono no aware), self-sacrifice, and the quiet dignity of letting go. Beauty, even divine beauty, cannot be possessed. What matters is the warmth shared, even if it lasts but a moment under the moonlight.
Knowledge Check
1. What is the moral of the folktale “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess”?
The story teaches a lesson about impermanence and dignity, showing how love and beauty, while cherished, cannot always be held forever, reflecting traditional Japanese values.
2. What cultural group does the tale “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess” come from?
This folktale originates from the Japanese storytelling tradition in Asia.
3. Why did Kaguya-hime refuse all her suitors and leave Earth?
In the tale, Kaguya-hime refused marriage out of loyalty to her celestial nature and her punishment, which sets the story into motion and reveals her grace and sorrow.
4. How does the folktale “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess” explain a natural feature?
The story offers a cultural explanation for the smoke rising from Mount Fuji, tying it to the Emperor’s eternal longing and the burning of the moon elixir.
5. Is “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess” considered a trickster tale, ghost story, or moral fable?
“The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess” is a celestial myth that reflects the beauty, sadness, and wonder of Japan’s spiritual and cultural worldview.
6. How is this folktale relevant to modern readers?
The message of “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon Princess” remains relevant as it teaches timeless truths about letting go, cherishing love, and honoring duty, even in the face of loss.
Origin: This folktale comes from the Japanese tradition in Asia and is considered Japan’s oldest recorded story, known as The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari), dating back to the 10th century.
