>> Atomic Bomb Fires are Still Burning
Silently--Candle Night 1 Pi:ce
>> Ice Candles Shedding the Lights on Snowy Towns
>> Feeling comfortable and part of Nature--Walking in the dark by Jun Nakano
>> A Ceremony to Send Insects Off --"Mushi Okuri"
>> Candle Night with Turban Shells and Waste Cooking Oil
>> Message Sent from Antarctica--Candlescape
>> Beautiful Fireflies Glowing in the Dark
>> Dialogue in the Dark
>> Many People Enjoyed Candle Night--Candle Night Saskatchewan, Canada
>> Candle Night in Zenryouji Temple--'Go home make a wish'
>> Recreating Ancient Night of 'Heian' Dynasty--Lights-down at Kyoto Gyoen Forests
>> Luminaria di Santa Croce--A Festival in Italy
>> Brighten up Afghanistan with Used Candles
>> Candles for Hope and Courage--Relay For Life 2007 in Ashiya, Hyogo
>> A Family's Wishes on Candle Night--The Story of Ivory
>> Lights in Terraced Rice Paddy Field--Minamata, Japan
>> Candle Night on YouTube
>> Easter in Romania
>> Lucia Celebration in Sweden
>> Milk Carton Lanterns Lighting up Kumamoto
>> Beeswax candle workshop and volunteer meeting at JFS
>> Star Festival in Hokkaido
>> The Red Candles and the Mermaid
The Red Candles and the Mermaid
In Japan, there remain many folk tales, stories and local practices
associated with candles. Today, we introduce you to one of those
stories, "The Red Candles and the Mermaid," written by Mimei
Ogawa.
Once, there lived a mermaid in the northern sea .in Japan. The
mermaid, wishing for her daughters happiness, decided to let her
new-born live in human society. The daughter was brought up by an
old couple who made and sold candles. She grew up to be a gentle
girl. She started drawing beautiful pictures on the candles to repay
the old couple for their favor. The candles became very popular as
the rumor spread that if they were offered on the shrine, ships
wouldn't be wrecked. Despite growing very rich, the couple was
enticed by a merchant into selling the girl. The merchant had heard
about the mermaid, wanted her for his freak show. The girl didn't
stop drawing pictures on the candles until the last minute. When
she left the house, she colored some candles all in red. On the night
she was sold, a woman came to the candle shop and bought the red
candle. That night, a big storm broke and the boat the mermaid girl
was onboard sunk. Since then, the superstition has persisted that
if red candles were lit at the mountain shrine, a big storm would
come and the person who saw the flame of the candle light would die
in the ocean. The town was ruined in the end.
December 10, 2004
