Urashima Tarō - Japanese

My name is Urashima Tarō, and I have always been a fisherman. The sea is my best friend; I love the salty smell on the wind and the gentle sound of waves kissing the shore. One bright afternoon, while walking on the beach near my village in Japan, I saw something that made my heart feel heavy. A group of children were laughing and poking a small sea turtle with a big stick. The poor turtle couldn't get away. I hurried over and said, "Please be gentle. This little creature is a friend to the sea." I carefully helped the turtle back into the cool, blue water. It looked back at me with its wise, old eyes as if to say thank you before disappearing into the waves. I didn't know it then, but this simple act of kindness was the start of an amazing journey. This is the story people now call the legend of Urashima Tarō.

The very next day, as I was getting my boat ready, a gigantic turtle rose from the ocean. It was much bigger than my boat, with a shell that looked like it held all the secrets of the sea. "Urashima Tarō," it said in a deep, rumbling voice. "I am the turtle you saved. As a reward for your kindness, the Dragon King of the Sea has invited you to visit his palace, Ryūgū-jō." I was so surprised I could barely speak, but I climbed onto his strong back. We dove down, down, down into the water. The palace was more beautiful than anything I had ever imagined. It was built from glowing coral and decorated with thousands of sparkling jewels. Fish wearing colorful silk kimonos swam past us like they were royalty. A beautiful princess named Otohime greeted me with a warm smile. For three days, I lived in a dream. We ate the most delicious foods, listened to music played on seashells, and danced in the grand halls. It was wonderful, but a part of my heart started to ache. I missed my mother and my quiet village. I knew I had to go home.

Princess Otohime looked sad when I told her I had to leave. Before I left, she gave me a beautiful, lacquered box called a tamatebako. It was tied shut with a red silk ribbon. "This box will protect you," she said softly. "But you must promise me one thing. Promise you will never, ever open it." I promised her I wouldn't and thanked her for everything. The giant turtle carried me back through the water and left me on the sandy shore of my home. But as I looked around, my heart dropped. Everything was different. My little house was gone. The familiar trees were now huge and ancient. I didn't recognize any of the people in the village. I stopped a kind-looking old man and asked, "Excuse me, do you know the family of a fisherman named Urashima Tarō?" The old man thought for a moment. "I think my grandfather told me a story about a man with that name," he said. "He was lost at sea three hundred years ago." Three hundred years. The three perfect days I spent in the Dragon Palace had been centuries on land.

I felt so terribly lost and alone. All my friends and family were gone. I sat on the beach, holding the beautiful box from Princess Otohime. My fingers traced the silk ribbon, and in my sadness, I completely forgot my promise. I untied the knot and slowly lifted the lid. A puff of soft, white smoke drifted out and wrapped around me like a cloud. In an instant, my black hair turned as white as snow. My back became bent, my face filled with wrinkles, and I became a very old man. The box had been holding all of my lost time. My story teaches us that kindness can lead to unbelievable adventures but also that time is very precious. Even today, the legend of Urashima Tarō is told all over Japan, reminding everyone of the magical world under the sea and the fisherman who visited it so long ago.