One day while hiking across Japan, I came across a
secluded shrine nestled on a forested mountainside. It was winter and the wind
had blown leaves onto the steps of the shrine where a young woman was dutifully
sweeping them away. She was a caretaker
or shrine maiden I thought, and I asked her if she could tell me about this
special place. She bade me to have a seat on the steps, and then sat next to
me.
She began to tell me this tale…
=
Many years ago, when kami still walked the earth,
there lived an old couple, a woodcutter and his wife. They lived a quiet life, happy in all
respects save one; they were never blessed with a child.
One day while working in the forest, the old man came
upon a samurai, unconscious and lying on the ground. A warrior from a feudal battle, the
woodcutter thought. He loaded the man
onto his cart and took him to his home, where the couple tended to his wounds
and gave him a place to rest. When the
samurai came to, they shared their food and tea with him to aid with his
recovery. The warrior, deeply moved by
their hospitality, chose to reveal his true self. He was Hachiman, the god of warriors and the divine
protector of Japan.
Because
of the old couple’s kindness, Hachiman decided to grant them three
considerations. The first was that the
old woodcutter would have an endless supply of ready cut wood in his woodshed. The second consideration was that the old
woman’s larder would never be empty. And
for the third consideration, Hachiman held out his hand. A pure white feather floated gently from the
sky onto his palm.
He
told them to place the feather on a pillow overnight and in the morning their
dream of being parents would be realized.
However, there was one stipulation; the child could only stay with them
for a year. Hachiman explained that there were duties that the child would be required
to fulfill. The old couple was thankful
for the kami’s thoughtfulness and Hachiman made his way off into the
night, promising to return in a year.
The old man and his wife followed his instructions and lay the feather
onto a pillow for the night.
The
next morning, they awoke and rushed to the pillow and discovered the feather
had been replaced by a beautiful baby girl, just as Hachiman had promised. They marveled at her tiny fingers and toes as
most new parents do, then decided to name her Miu, which means ‘beautiful
feather.’ She was a delightful child and
readily absorbed all the love the woodcutter and his wife gave to her.
As
winter waned and turned to spring, the couple noticed something unusual. Their daughter grew from infant to toddler in
those three months. Then, as spring moved to summer, summer to autumn, and
autumn to winter, so did Miu change as well.
By the time winter had arrived, she was a beautiful, mature young woman. Her countenance reflected the caring and
compassion from the everyday lessons of the simple life of her parents.
Alas,
the day of Miu’s departure arrived.
Hachiman arrived on the steps of the old couple’s home and bowed to them
with gratitude. “Thank you again for your hospitality last year. Your kindness was much appreciated.” Miu appeared and he nodded, “I apologize for
taking your daughter, but she is my emissary and I need her for an important
task.” He directed his gaze beyond the
mountain where they stood. “Conflict has
enveloped this land, and it is essential that Miu deliver a message for me. ‘On
this day, from now until the end of time; on this day, peace shall be upon the
land.’”
Hachiman
saw that the old woodcutter and his wife were saddened about their daughter’s imminent
departure, and his heart was filled with compassion. He fashioned a token from a piece of paper and
handed it to the couple saying, “I pledge that Miu will return to you. Take this as a seal on my vow.”
Hachiman
beckoned to Miu, and with a soft burst of light, she transformed into a
beautiful white dove. Then, bowing to the old couple, Hachiman and the dove
disappeared. From that day on and for
every year afterwards, peace reigned over the land for that day. And true to the promise, Miu returned to her
parents as the dutiful daughter that they raised. Legend has it that she still returns to live
her days on earth, and on that one day, she makes the transformation to spread
peace across the world.
=
I must have been daydreaming, mesmerized by the story,
because the rattling of the shrine’s bell startled me. I turned to see who had shaken the bell, and
seeing no one there, turned to ask the young woman a question.
There was a soft rush of a bird’s wings, but otherwise I
was alone. When I looked around, all I
found, resting on the step, was a folded paper dove.
