Chapter 9 - The Story Continued

VIII
The Story Continued
 
Uraschima Taro willingly agreed to go, and in another moment they were deep, deep down, with fathoms of water above their heads. The speed with which the sea turtle moved was amazing, as well as how warm the deep blue water was. The young man held tight, and marveled at where they were going and how long the journey was, but for three days they rushed on, until at last the great sea turtle stopped before a splendid underwater palace, shining with gold and silver, crystal and precious stones, and decked with branches of pale pink coral and glittering pearls. It was truly a beautiful place to live.  But if Uraschima Taro was astonished at the beauty of the outside, he was struck dumb at the sight of the hall within, which was lighted by the blaze of fish scales.        [/i]
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''Where have you brought me?'' he asked his guide in a low voice.[/i]
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''To the palace of Ringu, the house of the sea god, whose subjects we all are,'' answered the sea turtle. ''I am the first waiting maid of his daughter, the lovely princess Otohime, whom you will shortly see.''                                                                 [/i]
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Uraschima Taro was still so puzzled with the adventures that had befallen him, that he waited in a dazed condition for what would happen next. But the turtle, who had talked so much of him to the princess that she had expressed a wish to see him, went at once to make known his arrival leaving him alone for a time with his thoughts.[/i]

The player dressed as Taro sat down before a screen that had been brilliantly painted to resemble the story palace.  The light from the bonfire only increased the artist’s effect.   After a moment another player appeared.  A female dressed as though she was a beautiful princess.  Like all rest of the players she wore a painted mask.
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 And when the princess beheld him her heart was set on him, and she begged him to stay with her, and in return promised that he should never grow old, neither should his beauty fade. [/i]
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''Is not that reward enough?'' she asked, smiling, looking all the while as fair as the sun itself. [/i]
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And Uraschima Taro said ''Yes,'' and he stayed there.
For how long? [/i]
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That he only knew later.[/i]
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His life passed by, and each hour seemed happier than the last, when one day there rushed over him a terrible longing to see his parents. He fought against it, knowing how it would grieve the princess, but it grew on him, tugging at his heart, till at length he became so sad that the princess inquired of him what the matter was. Then he told her of the longing he had to visit his old home, and that he must see his parents once more. The princess was almost frozen with horror, and implored him to stay with her, or something dreadful would be sure to happen. [/i]
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''You will never come back, and we shall meet again no more,'' she moaned bitterly. But Uraschima Taro stood firm and repeated,[/i]
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 ''Only this once will I leave you, and then will I return to your side for ever.'' Sadly the princess shook her head, but she answered slowly,[/i]
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 ''One way there is to bring you safely back, but I fear you will never agree to the conditions of the bargain.'' [/i]
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''I will do anything that will bring me back to you,'' exclaimed Uraschima Taro, looking at her tenderly, but the princess was silent. She knew too well that when he left her she would see his face no more. And she grieved over it but eventually gave in.[/i]
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Then she took from a shelf a tiny golden box, and gave it to Uraschima Taro, begging him to keep it carefully and above all, NEVER to open it. ''If you can do this,'' she said as she bade him farewell, ''your friend, my maid, the sea turtle will meet you at the shore, and will carry you back to me.''[/i]
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Uraschima Taro thanked her from his heart, and swore solemnly to do her bidding. He hid the box safely in his garments, seated himself on the back of the turtle, and vanished in the ocean path, waving goodbye to the princess. Three days and three nights they swam through the sea, and at length Uraschima Taro arrived at the beach which lay before his old home. The turtle bade him farewell, and was gone in a moment.[/i]
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Uraschima Taro drew near to the village with quick and joyful steps. He saw the smoke curling through the roof, and the thatch where green plants had thickly sprouted. He heard the children shouting and calling, and from a window that he passed came the twang of the koto, and everything seemed to cry a welcome for his return. [/i]
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Yet suddenly he felt a pang at his heart as he wandered down the street. After all, everything was changed. Neither men nor houses were those he once knew. Quickly he saw his old home; yes, it was still there, but it had a strange look. Anxiously he knocked at the door, and asked the woman who opened it after his parents. But she did not know their names, and could give him no news of them.[/i]
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Still more disturbed, he rushed to the burying ground, the only place that could tell him what he wished to know. Here at any rate he would find out what it all meant. And he was right. In a moment he stood before the grave of his parents, and the date written on the stone was almost exactly the date when they had lost their son, and he had forsaken them for the Daughter of the Sea. And so he found that since he had left his home, three hundred years had passed by. Shuddering with horror at his discovery he turned back into the village street, hoping to meet some one who could tell him of the days of old. He found an old man, one who looked as though he might be able to recall what had happened. But when the man spoke, he knew he was not dreaming, though he felt as if he had lost his senses.[/i]
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In despair he thought of the box which was the gift of the princess. Perhaps after all, this dreadful thing was not true. He might be the victim of some enchanter''s spell, and in his hand lay the countercharm. Almost unconsciously he opened it, forgetting all warnings the princess had given him and a purple vapor came pouring out. He held the empty box in his hand, and as he looked he saw that the fresh hand of youth had grown suddenly shriveled, like the hand of an old, old man. [/i]

The player turned his back to the watching crowd and when they could see his face again the mask of a young man’s face had been replace with that of an old man.
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He ran to the brook, which flowed in a clear stream down from the mountain, and saw himself reflected as in a mirror. It was the face of a mummy which looked back at him. Wounded to death, he crept back through the village, and no man knew the old, old man to be the strong handsome youth who had run down the street an hour before. So he toiled wearily back, till he reached the shore, and here he sat sadly on a rock, and called loudly for the sea turtle to come. But when she came she did not see the youth she had brought to the shore, not recognizing the old man. Death soon came for him, and set him free. [/i]
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But before that happened, the people who saw him sitting lonely on the shore had heard his story, and when their children were restless they used to tell them of the good son who from love to his parents had given up for their sakes the splendor and wonders of the palace in the sea, and the most beautiful woman in the world besides.[/i]

“But though Uraschima Taro failed in his promise to the princes, the Turtle did not forget hers to watch over him.  Though she never found him the sea turtle continued to watch over those on the island as did her children for generations to come.”



The story teller took a bow as the audience cheered.  The performers behind him disappeared in to the crowd.  Very soon the other festivities began leaving the Avatar and his friends very little opportunity to find the healer.  They did learn one thing though.  The healer was not at the festivities, having a patient who was dying, and ingredients for the cure needing to be found.



 They decided that the next day would be 

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