雪女 (Yuki Onna)
or "Snow Woman", or "Woman of the Snow". It's a bit of a ghost story.
My version picks and chooses from some of the many extant versions.]
Narrator: Two woodcutters were caught in a snowstorm.
Minokichi: Where is the ferryman?
Mosaku: We should take shelter in his hut.
Narrator: It was a very cold night, but the two men went to sleep.
Mosaku: Zzzzzz. Cough. Zzzzz.
Minokichi: Zzzzzz. Cough. Zzzzz.
Narrator: Minokichi woke up.
Minokichi: Zzzzzz. Cough. Mmm?
Narrator: Mosaku did not wake up.
Mosaku: Zzzzzz. Cough. Zzzzz.
Narrator: A strange and beautiful woman was bending over Mosaku.
Mosaku: Zzzz zz z z.
Narrator: Then the woman bent over Minokichi.
Snow Woman: You are young. I like you. I will not take you now.
Narrator: Minokichi was afraid.
Snow Woman: If you ever tell anyone, I will kill you.
Narrator: The woman left.
Minokichi: Mosaku?
Narrator: Mosaku did not answer.
Minokichi: Mosaku is dead!
Narrator: Minokichi made it home, but he was very sick for a long time.
Minokichi: Cough cough!
Narrator: A year passed. Minokichi was working again.
Minokichi: I’m lonely!
Narrator: He met a beautiful young woman on his way home.
O-Yuki: My name is O-Yuki.
Minokichi: My name is Minokichi.
O-Yuki: I’m going to Yedo to find work.
Minokichi: You can rest at my house for a while.
Narrator: O-Yuki and Minokichi got married.
Villagers: Congratulations!
Narrator: One night, O-Yuki was sewing.
Minokichi: O-Yuki, we have lots of children.
O-Yuki: Of course.
Minokichi: They are beautiful, just like you.
O-Yuki: Thank you. I think they are beautiful, too.
Minokichi: You know, it’s strange.
O-Yuki: What’s strange?
Minokichi: I’ve only seen one woman as beautiful as you.
O-Yuki: Oh? Who was that?
Minokichi: I don’t know if it was a dream or real.
O-Yuki: Sometimes reality seems like a dream.
Minokichi: Sometimes you remind me of her.
O-Yuki: Is that good or bad?
Narrator: And Minokichi told his wife about the night Mosaku died.
Minokichi: Do you think it was a dream? Did I see the Snow Woman?
O-Yuki: It was not a dream. But I told you never to tell anyone.
Minokichi: Was it you?
O-Yuki: Yes. I told you I would kill you. But I can’t kill the father of our children.
Minokichi: That’s a relief.
O-Yuki: But we can’t be together any more.
Minokichi: What? Why?
O-Yuki: Take very good care of our children. Good-bye.
Minokichi: No! Don’t go!
Narrator: But O-Yuki was never seen again.
And Minokichi always took very good care of their children.
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