The Story of Oshin, a Japanese Cinderella
SECTION 1
Once upon a time,/there was a young woman named Oshin. Her mother died/and her father remarried. Her new stepmother had a daughter. The two women were cruel. Oshin had to work hard/in a shabby kimono. Her life was difficult.
One day,/an invitation to a garden party came from a nobleman. Oshin’s stepmother ordered,/“Oshin,/make your sister a new kimono.” For three long days,/Oshin sewed all day and all night.
SECTION 2
Suddenly the goddess Benten entered. “Oshin,/don’t you want to go to the party?”/she asked. “I wish I could go,”/Oshin answered.
Benten took her fan/and touched a charcoal bucket. “Bucket to coach!”/she said. An elegant coach appeared. Next,/Benten pointed her fan at two mice. “Mouse to horse!” Two strong horses appeared. She waved her fan at a cat. “Cat to coach driver!” A handsome coach driver appeared. Oshin couldn’t believe her eyes.
Finally,/Benten’s fan touched Oshin’s ragged kimono. It became the finest silk. Oshin looked really beautiful! Benten passed her fan to Oshin and said,/“Life is wonderful. Life is strange. At six o’clock,/all will change.”
SECTION 1
Once upon a time,/there was a young woman named Oshin. Her mother died/and her father remarried. Her new stepmother had a daughter. The two women were cruel. Oshin had to work hard/in a shabby kimono. Her life was difficult.
One day,/an invitation to a garden party came from a nobleman. Oshin’s stepmother ordered,/“Oshin,/make your sister a new kimono.” For three long days,/Oshin sewed all day and all night.
SECTION 2
Suddenly the goddess Benten entered. “Oshin,/don’t you want to go to the party?”/she asked. “I wish I could go,”/Oshin answered.
Benten took her fan/and touched a charcoal bucket. “Bucket to coach!”/she said. An elegant coach appeared. Next,/Benten pointed her fan at two mice. “Mouse to horse!” Two strong horses appeared. She waved her fan at a cat. “Cat to coach driver!” A handsome coach driver appeared. Oshin couldn’t believe her eyes.
Finally,/Benten’s fan touched Oshin’s ragged kimono. It became the finest silk. Oshin looked really beautiful! Benten passed her fan to Oshin and said,/“Life is wonderful. Life is strange. At six o’clock,/all will change.”