The Crane Wife

Retold by
Sumiko Yagawa
Translation from Japanese by
Katherine Paterson
Illustrated by
Suekichi Akaba
1981

High in a mountain village, peasant, Yohei, rescues a crane that has an arrow in its wing. Later that night, he opens his door to find a beautiful, young woman, who wishes to be his wife.

This is, so I read, one of Japan's most beloved folk tales, and it's easy to see why. The story is great, with the tragic end of many traditional folk tales. Yohei is faced with a decision between living a simple but not rich life, or a life of wealth against the urgings of his new wife (who happens to be a crane that fell in love with his simple loving nature).

H says, "I love the part where he goes into a deep faint, but that's not so sad part. I love the crane, I really love her."
M says, "[don't have her qoute yet]"