Reading Notes: Lang (Japanese Fairy Tales), Part B
Bibliography
"The Magic Kettle" from The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, Read it here
I think the best thing about this story is just how adorable it is. I love that at no point in the story does anyone really trick someone else or get angry with someone else. Even when the tanuki is running around the old man's house, the old man simply gets a friend to help him trap the tanuki, and doesn't harm the tanuki in anyway because he understands that's just how a wild animal acts.
Similarly, I love how the story doesn't have an overt moral or lesson, but it still communicates to readers that they should treat everyone well and be kind. The ending of the story is particularly heartwarming, since Jimmu shares his newfound wealth with the old man simply because he feels it's the right thing to do.
One thing that trouble me about the ending of the story is that the tanuki is returned to the old man. I'm not sure that really is a good ending for the story, since the old man wasn't really able to handle the tanuki's energy. Maybe if the story went into more detail about how the tanuki was calmer after performing for years, then it would be more satisfying.
I think if I rewrote the story, I would end the story talking about how the old man and the tanuki lived in harmony. In order to add more interest to the story, I think I would make the old man wary of the tanuki at first, but have the tanuki cuddle up on the old man's lap or something else sweet in order to show how the tanuki has changed. I think it would also be sweet if Jimmu stopped to visit the old man and the tanuki every once in a while. Then they could all enjoy a cup of tea together with a new kettle that the old man bought with the money that Jimmu gave him from the tanuki's performances.
"The Magic Kettle" from The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, Read it here
I think the best thing about this story is just how adorable it is. I love that at no point in the story does anyone really trick someone else or get angry with someone else. Even when the tanuki is running around the old man's house, the old man simply gets a friend to help him trap the tanuki, and doesn't harm the tanuki in anyway because he understands that's just how a wild animal acts.
Similarly, I love how the story doesn't have an overt moral or lesson, but it still communicates to readers that they should treat everyone well and be kind. The ending of the story is particularly heartwarming, since Jimmu shares his newfound wealth with the old man simply because he feels it's the right thing to do.
One thing that trouble me about the ending of the story is that the tanuki is returned to the old man. I'm not sure that really is a good ending for the story, since the old man wasn't really able to handle the tanuki's energy. Maybe if the story went into more detail about how the tanuki was calmer after performing for years, then it would be more satisfying.
I think if I rewrote the story, I would end the story talking about how the old man and the tanuki lived in harmony. In order to add more interest to the story, I think I would make the old man wary of the tanuki at first, but have the tanuki cuddle up on the old man's lap or something else sweet in order to show how the tanuki has changed. I think it would also be sweet if Jimmu stopped to visit the old man and the tanuki every once in a while. Then they could all enjoy a cup of tea together with a new kettle that the old man bought with the money that Jimmu gave him from the tanuki's performances.
A cute tanuki outside a hotel in Japan.
(Image source: djflowerz on Flickr)
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