1
The Crane Wife
A Japanese Tale
Retold by Reg Down
© - Copyright 2006
(A) Music – Babukin the peasant enters.
Once upon a time, on an island in the sea, lived a young, handsome peasant,
as poor as poor can be – but this didn’t bother him one little bit – for his
name was Babukin the Dreamer. He was happy and free, and lived in a little
hut deep in the forest on the mountain side.
One winter’s day Babukin went walking amongst the trees.
(B) Music
The snow lay deep upon the ground, and the wind rustled and shook the
trees – the wind rustled and shook the trees.
(C) Music – enter birds.
He saw two little birds, yellow and blue, who sat upon a branch and sang
and sang.
(D) Little bird music continues
2
“Yes, yes!” agreed Babukin, “Yes, yes! I too can nod my little head just like
you – but I cannot fly.”
Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead; it growled and tumbled overhead, and
lightning flashed across the sky. The little birds flew away and Babukin
heard a rustling and flapping of wings in the tree tops.
Rasabasa! Basa-basa! Rok! Rok! Rok!
A snow-white crane came fluttering down through the trees.
Rasabasa! Basa-basa! Rok! Rok! Rok!
The bird lay upon the ground, one wing spread out and wounded with a
deep red cut.
“What’s this? A snow-white crane! Come little one, Babukin will look after
you,” and he picked up the wounded bird, covered her with his cloak and
took her home – he covered her with his cloak and took her home.
(E) Music.
“Ah! Snow-white bird, dear snow-white bird, your wing is hurt and deeply
bleeds, but I shall make it better; I shall make it better.”
So Babukin cleaned the wound, wrapped it in sweet herbs, and looked after
the beautiful crane until its wing was healed.
At last she was ready to fly. Babukin was sad to see her go – for now he
would be all alone in the world; all alone.
He carried the crane outside, raised his hands in the air and – rasabasa, basabasa, rok, rok, rok – the snow-white crane flew up into the deep blue sky.
(F) Crane Music.
3
<<P>> Days passed and nights passed; then weeks and months, until at last
the long winter was over and spring came to the forest.
One evening Babukin was sitting all alone. A storm was outside and he was
sitting all alone, when – rasabasa, basa-basa – knock, knock, knock! He
opened his door – and there before him stood a beautiful maiden dressed all
in white.
“I am lost and the wind is blowing – lost, lost and the wild wind is blowing!
Give me shelter for the night!” – and Babukin let her in.
He blushed to have such a lovely woman in his house. He didn’t know
where to look; he didn’t know where to put his hands, and he stammered
apologies left and right:
“P-p-pardon my house, it is so p-p-poor! F-f-forgive my f-f-furniture – for I
don’t have any! Excuse my b-b-bread and ch-cheese for they are as tough as
boots and... and…..”
“Hush….” said the young woman, “I am glad for a roof over my head, and
a kind heart to take me out of the wind and sky.”
“Take me out of the wind and sky!” – that is a strange thing to say! – but
Babukin held his peace, and soon he and she were merrily chatting around
the fire as if they had known each other for a long, long time; yes, a long,
long time.
(G) Music – passing of the night.
In the morning the young woman said: “We are both alone in the whole
wide world. Will you have me for your wife?”
Babukin was shocked – and delighted! He was elated; cock-a-hoop and on
cloud nine – and gladly took her for his wife.
(H) Merry marriage music.
4
Soon, as if by magic, Babukin’s house was neat and clean, and every
evening a warm supper awaited him when he got home from work.
But, now Babukin had two mouths to feed – and, no matter how hard he
worked, his little store of food became less and less until it was almost
gone; less and less until there was none.
“Dear husband,” said his wife, “build me a loom long and deep. I’ll weave a
cloth to earn my keep.”
So Babukin went into the back room of the hut, and –
Tonkara-tonkara, tonkara tonkay,
Tonkara-tonkara, he worked all day – and in the evening the loom was built.
Then his wife went to the door of the weaving room, and said:
“Dear husband – never, never, at any cost, open this door or all will be lost;
all will be lost”
Babukin thought this a strange thing to say – but he readily agreed – and all
day and all night he heard his wife working the loom.
Whoosh kana-waka,
Whoosh kana-wey,
Whoosh kana-waka – she wove all day.
At last his wife came out of the room. She looked thin and tired, but in her
hand lay the most beautiful cloth Babukin had ever seen. Such a cloth it was
– an exquisite sight – blue and soft and pure snow-white! <<P>>
“Bring this cloth to town and sell it,” she said, “but – not one penny less
than a thousand gold coins must you take for it.”
So Babukin took the cloth and went on his way to town.
(J) Traveling music
5
At the market he met a rich man, who looked at the cloth and exclaimed:
“Such a wonderful cloth! A glorious sight! So fine and soft and blue and
white! A thousand coins I’ll give to you for such a cloth of finest hue.”
And Babukin gladly gave the cloth to the rich man – and went skipping and
tripping happily on his way.
(K) Skipping music – then bird music
“Yes, yes, little birds, yes, yes! I too can nod my head just like you – and
I’m so rich I can fly!”
(L) Skipping music continues.
When Babukin arrived home he cried out: “Look, look, dear wife! A
thousand gold coins! How rich are we – but, if you weave another cloth,
think how much richer we will be; how much richer we will be!” and he
begged her to weave another cloth. <<P>>
His good wife hesitated and looked down at her feet. “Very well,” she
agreed, “if it pleases you, but never, never, at any cost, open the door or all
will be lost; all will be lost.” <<P>>
And for three days and three nights she sat weaving –
Whoosh kana-waka,
Whoosh kana-wey,
Whoosh kana-waka – she wove three days. <<P>>
When she came out she looked very tired and pale, but in her hands she
held an even finer and more beautiful cloth.
“Ah, what a cloth!” Babukin cried. “Such a cloth has never been seen!
Ten thousand coins we’ll get for it, as sure as the grass is green” – and off
he went to market.
(M) Traveling music.
6
At the market he showed the rich man the cloth.
“Ah,” said the rich man, “whoever wove this cloth has paid a dear price –
and some of her bliss,” and he gladly paid Babukin what he asked; all that
he asked – ten thousand golden coins – and Babukin went happily on his
way; he went skipping and tripping happily on his way.
(N) Skipping music – then birds appear.
“No, no, little birds! No, no? You shouldn’t nod thus – for I shall be richer
than any of us!”
(O) Skipping music continues.
7
When Babukin got home he showed his wife the bags and bags of money.
“Oh, wife! Oh, wife! Look what we’ve gained!
Weave just one more cloth and I’ll never ask again; I promise, I swear, I’ll
never ask again.” <<P>>
His beautiful wife looked sad and a tear ran down her cheek – but she
dutifully agreed – if only he would never, ever, at any cost, open the door or
all would be lost; all would be lost– and she went into the weaving room.
Whoosh kana-waka,
Whoosh kana-wey,
Whoosh kana-waka
She wove three days – and still she was not finished.
Whoosh kana-waka,
Whoosh kana-wey,
Whoosh kana-waka
She wove six days – and still she was not finished.
Whoosh kana-waka,
Whoosh kana-wey,
Whoosh kana-waka
She wove on the seventh day – and Babukin could wait no longer.
“What is she doing?” he grumbled. “No cloth is so fine as to take this long
to weave!” and he went to the door and opened it; he went to the door and
opened it. <<P>>
At the loom sat the snow-white crane, her breast covered in blood, for she
was plucking her own breast feathers to weave the precious cloth. <<P>>
She looked sadly at Babukin – then opened her wings and – rasabasa, basabasa, rok, rok, rok – she flew out of the house, and was never seen again;
never, ever, again.
(P) Sad crane music > (Q) Little birds – music
And that, dear children, is the end of the story.