Urashima Taro, which in Japanese means "son of the island," was her only child and is a favorite of an old fisherman and his wife.
He is very good, young and strong, he can sail the boat much more clever than people who live in his house by the beach. He often sailed far out to sea, where neighbors often commemorate her parents that maybe one day he would go too far out to sea and never come back again.
Her parents know this has, however, they understand that their children are very good at sailing, and they are never too worrying. Even if Urashima home more slowly than expected, they are always waiting for him without anxiety. Urashima they love more than their own lives, and is proud that he is very brave and stronger than boys neighbors.
One morning, Urashima Taro went to take a catch in his net, as her sown last night. In one of the webs, among the fish is caught, he found a small turtle that come entangled. Turtle grab it and placed it in his own boat, kept in a safe place, until she could take him home. But with awe, listening to the turtle Urashima was pleading with a very soft voice. "What's the point I for you?" Asked the turtle. "I was too little to eat, and too young to take a long time until I became great. Have mercy on me and take me back to the sea, because I do not want to die. "Urashima Taro kindly pity paa little turtle who begged that he let go of the little turtles back into the sea.
A few years after this incident, when Urashima Taro go sailing far out to sea, a bad storm came and broke the boat hit the boat to pieces. Urashima is an excellent swimmer, and she continues to strive in order to get to the beach to swim, but the distance between him and the beach is too far away and at that time the sea was ferocious, strength finally weakened and he has started to sink slowly. When he gave up and thought that she would never see her father again, she heard her name called and saw a big turtle swimming toward him.
Slip to my back, "cried the turtle," and I will take you to the land. "When Urashima Taro was safe and sitting in the back of the turtle, the turtle and then went on to say:" I am a turtle that you loose when I was small and not helpless in your net, and I'm very happy to be able to repay you. "
Before they arrived at the beach, the turtle Urashima Taro asked that if he wanted to see the beautiful life that is hidden beneath the sea. The young fisherman replied that it was an experience that would be very nice. In an instant, they both dived into the green water. Urashima clutching the back of turtles that took him to the depths immeasurably. After three nights, they reached the bottom of the sea, and arrived at a very beautiful place, filled with gold and crystal. Coral and pearl and various kinds of precious stones to make her eyes sparkle and awe, and what is inside the palace over to make him amazed again, illuminated with fish scales beautiful shine.
"This," the turtle said, "This is the palace of the goddess of the sea. I was one of the maids of the daughter of the goddess of the sea. "
The turtle Urashima Taro then delivered to the arrival of the Princess, and not long after he returned, bringing Urashima before the princess. Daughter of the goddess of the sea was so beautiful that when his daughter asked that Urashima want to stay in that place, Urashima readily agreed happily.
"Do not leave me, and you will always look young as now, old age you would never experienced," said the Princess.
That's how Urashima Taro lived in the palace under the sea along with the daughter of the goddess of the sea. He was so excited to not feel that the time went by unnoticed. How long was he there was never realized. But one day, she was reminded of her parents; he recalled that his parents might feel lost with his absence. Increasingly, the desire to keep coming back and getting stronger. Ultimately, Urashima say the words to her daughter that she had to go to visit her parents. The Princess cried bitterly and begged Urashima not go.
"If you go, I probably will not see you again," cried the princess.
Urashima but the desire is very strong and can not be persuaded again. Urashima was eager to see his parents once again and promised to return to the palace and lived with her daughter forever. The Princess finally agreed and gave her a gold box and advised that the box was never opened.
"If you heed my words," he said again, "you may still be able to come back to me. When you are ready, penyuku will be there to get you, but if you forget what I told you, I will never be able to see you again. "
Urashima Taro eagerly assured him that no one in the world that can separate them, and said goodbye. By riding a turtle's back, he quickly left the palace far behind. For three days and three nights they swim, and finally turtles that arrive on the beach near his old house.
He excitedly ran to the village and searched all his old friends. All the faces looked familiar to him, even his house was looked different. Children were playing on the edge of the street where he lived, never seen before. He stopped in front of his house, with a pounding heart, he knocked on the door of the house. The sound of music from the upper window and a woman who was a stranger to him to open the door. The woman could not explain about his parents and had never even heard the name of her parents. Urashima went out of the house and questioned everyone he encountered. But all that was asked just looking at him suspiciously. Finally he headed to the graveyard outside the village. Searching among the existing cemetery, and he quickly found himself standing near the name that has been sought for him. The date on the tombstone shows that the father and mother died shortly after he left; and he discovered that he had been away from home for three hundred years. With great sorrow she bent to honor his parents one last time and returned to his village. At every step he was hoping that he would wake up from his dream, but people who met and of the road is real.
Then he thought of the princess and gold box given to him. He thought that might be the princess has bewitched him, and this box has charms to break the magic. Impatiently she opened the box, and a tuft of purple smoke out leaving an empty box. With surprise, he realized that his direct look into old and trembling. he became aware that the box contains a talisman that restrain himself from the process of aging for three hundred years, and it has lost his magic box. Frightened, she ran to the edge of the stream of water flowing over the top of the mountain, and saw herself reflected in the water it is the shadow of someone who is very old.
He returned to the village with fear, and no one is sure who recognize him as a strong young man a few hours ago. With fatigue, she finally reached the edge of the beach, where he sat on a rock and called sea turtles that took him to the sea palace. But calling in vain, it never turned turtle, and finally swallowed his voice is lost in death.
Before his death, people throughout the village gathered nearby and listen to his story very strange. Shortly after the incident, the villagers told her children about a person who loves his parents, left the palace under the sea and a very beautiful princess, and it was named Urashima Taro.
(END)
