The Girl's Gratitude
Cast
The Girl: Yanagiba Panda
The Young Man: Sasuga Chisa
The Kimono Shop Owner: Kathrina Griebel
Act One -
Long, long ago, there lived a young man in the mountains. Though poor, he was sincere, good natured, and hardworking.
One winter day, the young man came across a crane caught in a trap set by a hunter.
When he removed the trap and tended to its wounds, the crane regained its energy and flew away.
Then, several days later, on a day of heavy snowfall, a voice called out "Excuse me" at the young man's house.
When he opened the door, there was a young girl asking if she could rest until the snow stopped.
The young man readily agreed, and when he served her a humble but warm meal, the girl was very pleased.
However, while she was resting, the outside became a terrible blizzard.
"My house is old, but you can stay until the blizzard passes."
After letting her stay for several days, the girl helped with housework, and naturally the two grew closer.
When the rough weather subsided, just as he thought she would leave, the girl blushed and made a proposal.
"Um...would you please take me as your bride?"
When the young man asked if she was truly fine with not having a good life, the girl said she didn't mind.
And so, they became husband and wife.
Act Two -
Though poor, the two care for each other and live happily together.
One day as New Year's Day approached, the young man apologised, saying he wanted to prepare a lavish meal since she came to be his bride, but he cannot and feels sorry.
The girl grasps the young man's hand and says it's fine.
"I want to work too. I'd like to weave cloth to sell, so could you prepare a loom and a room for that purpose?"
For the girl's sake, the young man struggles but manages the preparations, and the girl makes a serious request with a stern face.
"While I'm weaving, please absolutely do not open the door."
Beyond the thin door, only the sound of the loomton—ton-karari, ton-karari—could be heard.
For three whole days the girl didn't rest, and a wonderful bolt of cloth was completed.
When the young man went to town and sold the cloth, it fetched a high price, sold out immediately, and quickly became famous.
Having obtained enough money to live on for the time being, when the young man returns home and joyfully shares the news, the girl smiles, looking slightly worn out.
Act Three -
After finishing cloth several more times this way, the girl had lost energy, perhaps from fatigue, and occasionally rubbed her back as if in pain.
"I'm sorry...could I rest for a little while?"
Meanwhile, the young man was asked by the kimono shop owner who liked the cloth to sell more, as even the lord desired it.
Though concerned for his wife, unable to refuse the lord's request, the young man agrees.
"By the way, how does your wife weave such wonderful cloth?"
"I don't know either. She told me not to watch her weave."
When the kimono shop owner laughs, asking why there would be such secrets between husband and wife, the young man finds himself unable to argue back that indeed, it's strange.
As always, the girl worked in the weaving room to finish cloth for the lord.
Does she have some secret she doesn't want known? The young man gradually became unable to suppress his curiosity about wanting to know the reason for the secrecy, wanting to peek beyond the door.
"Please absolutely do not open it."
The more he was forbidden, the more his desire to see grew.
Finally, the young man opened the door-
Inside the room is the girl in a mysterious form, with pure white wings growing from her back, enveloped in light.
Act Four -
"So you've seen..."
While hiding her tattered wings, the girl smiled sadly.
"I'm not really human but a crane. I wanted to repay the debt for you saving me when I was caught in the trap, so I stayed by your side."
So that's why such wonderful cloth had beautiful crane feathers woven into it.
But those wings had patches where feathers had fallen out, looking truly pitiful.
"However, now that you've seen my form, I can no longer stay here."
"No," the young man grasps the girl's hand. Though he was sorry for breaking the promise, he begged her to stay regardless of what she was.
The girl didn't listen, left the house, and once she returned to crane form, flew away from before the young man's eyes.
The young man chased the crane through the snow, but in an instant it's form vanished far into the distant sky, and he stood frozen.
No matter how much he regretted breaking the promise, it was too late. The young man lived on lonely, repeatedly recalling the happy days spent with the crane and how she tried to repay her debt while sacrificing herself.
Yanagiba Panda
Alright! It's finally the final performance! Theater fans, everyone, pay attention to Panda's starring role! ...And, posted~
Yanagiba Panda
Yeah, this newly added filter is the best. Hey Sassu, isn't Panda cute in this picture!?
Sasuga Chisa
When you're the star, you really put effort into selfies and social media too.
Yanagiba Panda
Of course! Gotta broadcast Panda's success to the whole world!
Sasuga Chisa
The crane in the story was a more modest girl though. The gap between the role and the real person is amazing.
Yanagiba Panda
What? Does Sassu prefer Panda as the crane
over the usual Panda?
Sasuga Chisa
No. I think either Panda is fine.
Yanagiba Panda
...When you completely affirm me to my face like that, it's embarrassing!