|| A Japanese folktale ||
Four hundred years ago, in the village called Asamimura, in the province of Iyo, there lived a good man. He was the richest person in the district, and he was the headman of the village.
In most matters he was fortunate; but he reached the age of forty without knowing the happiness of becoming a father.
He and his wife addressed many prayers to the local deity Fudo Myo O.
At last their prayers were heard: his wife gave birth to a daughter.
The child was very pretty; and she received the name of Tsuyu.
As the mother’s milk was deficient, a milk-nurse, called O-Sode, was hired for the little one.
O-Sode, the milk-nurse, loved the girl with her heart and soul.
Tsuyu grew up to be a very beautiful and cheerful girl; but at the age of fifteen she fell sick.
The doctors examined her and declared that she was going to die.
It was sad that such a bright, innocent girl should be robbed of her life so soon.Tsuyu’s parents tried every treatment, but none would work.
In that time, the nurse O-Sode, who loved Tsuyu with a real mother’s love, went to the temple, and fervently prayed to the deity Fudo-Sama on behalf of the girl.
Every day, for twenty-one days, she went to the temple and prayed.
At the end of that time, the girl Tsuyu suddenly and completely recovered.
Then there was great rejoicing in the house and there was a feast to friends and family in celebration of the miracle.
But on the night of the feast, the nurse O-Sode was suddenly taken ill.
On the following morning, the doctor, who had been summoned to attend her, announced that she was dying.
Then the family, in great sorrow, gathered about her bed, to bid her farewell. But she said to them:—
” Grieve not! I prayed to Fudo-Sama that I may be permitted to die in the place of Tsuyu; and this great favor has been granted to me. But I have one request to make.
I promised Fudo-Sama that I would have a cherry-tree planted in the garden of his temple, as a thank-offering. I must beg that you will fulfil that vow for me when I am no more.”
Tsuyu’s parents were very grateful to O-Sode for her love and sacrifice.
After the funeral of O-Sode, a young cherry-tree,—the finest that could be found,—was planted in the garden of the temple.
The tree grew and flourished; and on the sixteenth day of the second month of the following year,—the anniversary of O-Sode’s death,—it blossomed in a wonderful way.
The beautiful and magnificent tree continued to blossom for two hundred and fifty-four years.
It always bloomed upon the sixteenth day of the second month. It’s flowers, pink and white, resembled the nipples of woman.
The local people called it Ubazakura, or the Cherry-tree of the Milk-Nurse and they tell the story in admiration of motherly love, sacrifice and rebirth.
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