As some of my more loyal readers may have noticed, I’m very much into Japanese culture. I speak the language, for one (read & write as well). I used to play judo; and my hobbies include calligraphy and reading manga. I also used to grow bonsai (hmmm… can you say ‘grow’ in this case?).
In 2002, my very good friend Ichido gave me my Japanese nickname: Maru (accent on the 1st syllable, please). And last week, he gave me my real name’s kanji equivalent (see image) — it’s for ‘Oliver’ but in Nihongo it’s read ‘oriba‘.
For the Japanese, these two characters put together have a special symbolism. Literally, they mean ‘weave’ and ‘feather’. Ichido thought of this combination when he suddenly remembered a childhood fable called "Tsuru no Ongaeshi" (The Crane Repays a Kindness). Here’s a summary that I’ve translated from the original tale:
There was once a young woodcutter who chanced upon a wounded crane in the forest. He helped the fallen bird and when it was healed he set it free. The crane circled around the man, cawing in gratitude, and flew away.
One night, a young woman appeared at the doorstep of the woodcutter’s home, asking for refuge. The young man said he was just a poor fellow and had nothing to offer her. But he let her in after she prodded him. And she took care of him and his home.
Consider how poor he was, the woman asked the woodcutter to build her a separate room with a loom so she could weave cloths. Also, she asked him to promise never to enter the room while she was working. The following day, she emerged with a beautiful bolt of cloth, which the young man was able to sell in town right away. After several more times, the woodcutter began to grow rich. But a curious thing, each time the woman brought forth her splendid creations, she would come out thinner. Still, the young man asked for more.
Finally, the woman said it would be the last time she would weave the cloth, lest she die. That time, the young man could no longer contain his curiosity, so he peeked inside the woman’s room while she was weaving.
Lo and behold! Instead of a woman, he saw a crane, plucking her feathers to weave into cloth. She was almost bare of her plumage.
When she emerged for the last time, she gave him the exquisite cloth and bade him farewell. She told him that she wanted to repay him for his kindness when she was wounded in the forest. But because he broke his promise, she had to go away forever. She then turned back into a crane with almost no feathers and flew away, cawing sadly.
Yeah, it does end on a sad note, but Ichido tells me that this story is read to children to teach them the importance of repaying kindness. And of keeping one’s promises as well, I suppose.
And on that note, I’d like to express my gratitude to my friend Ichi for my name’s kanji representation!
Icchan, arigatou gozaimashita!
10:17 am on 23 Apr 2007
awww… it sure is a sad story T_T. But the lesson is great. nice tale…
1:54 pm on 24 Apr 2007
tragic story..
lesson well learned ^_^
btw, I sorta moved, I was wondering if you could change my link at the blog feeds dun sa Davao Blogs ^_^
5:15 pm on 24 Apr 2007
@tina — thanks for the comment!
@Avy — thanks too! and pls email me (blogie[at]davaoblogs[dot]net) about this request. pls let me know what the old blog’s address is, and the new address that you’d like me to include in the Davao Blogspace.