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(A Japanese Folk Tale)

HAPPY MIRROR

Many years ago in Japan, there lived a father, mother and their dear little girl.

There was not a happier family in all the islands of Japan.

They took their little daughter to the temple when she was just thirty days old.

She wore a long kimono, as all the Japanese babies do. On her first doll festival, her

parents gave her a set of dolls. There was no finer set anywhere. Her dolls had long,

blak hair, silky and smooth, and were lad in gowns of satin and silk.

Her third birthday was a happy day. Her first sash of sarlet and gold was tied

around her small waist. !hen that happened, she was no longer their baby daughter.

She was their little girl, fast growing up. "y the time she was seven, she was helping

her parents in many ways. She ould talk and dane and sing, and oh# Her parents

loved her dearly.

One day, a messenger brought e$iting news. The emperor had sent for the

father. He had to go tot Tokyo at one. Tokyo was a long way off and the roads wererough. The father would have to walk every step of the way for he had no horse. There

were no railways or even jinrikishas to travel on.

The little girl was glad her father was going to Tokyo. She knew that when he

ame bak, he would tell her many interesting stories. She knew that he would bring

her presents, too. The mother was happy beause the father had been sent for the

emperor. This was a great honor.

%t last, all was ready. The father looked very fine as he started out on the long

trip. He was going to meet his emperor, so he dresses in fine robes of silk and satin.

The little family stood on the porh of the little house to bid him goodbye. &'o not

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it and look at her fae. She deided to save the lovely gift for the little girl when she

grew up.

The years went by. The little girl grew to be a woman and no longer played with

dolls. (nstead eah day, she helped her mother about the house. How proud her father

was of her# He saw that she was growing more like her mother. Her hair was the same4

her eyes were the same4 her mouth was the same. She was the very image of her

mother.

One day, the mother alled her daughter and said, &My daughter, ( have

something to give you. One eah year, you are to look into it.)

She took the s/uare wooden bo$ from the drawer. -arefully, the daughter

untied the ribbon. !ondering, she lifted the over and looked at the mirror.

&!hy, Mother#) she ried. &(t*s you# ou look just as you used to look when ( was

a little girl.)

&es, dear,) the mother answered, &that is the way ( looked when ( was young.

"e sure to smile when you look at me and ( will smile bak to you.)

rom that day on, the good daughter kept a bo$ near her. One eah year, she

would open it. Her mother*s words were always true. %lways, she saw her mother*s

fae. Oh, the joyful surprise# (t was her mother, more beautiful eah time that she

looked. She seemed to smile at her daughter and the daughter smiled bak at her. The

daughter remembered to bring smiles to the little bo$ and smiles always ame bak to

her.

Joane L. Laqui

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II- Venus