Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Foreign language >Classical stories of the world

文・イラスト　龍之進　　三絶堂

The Greatest Treasure

Translation　Laurence Hunter

Japanese　←→　Japanese ＆ English　←→　English

　One upon a time long ago there lived a man who’s fancy it was was to collect valuable things.

　The man had traveled the world and had collected shiny precious stones, gold statues and beautiful cloths.



　One day, while on his travels the sun was setting and it was getting dark.

　So the man decided to head off in the direction of a small village nearby stay in one of the houses for the night.

"I have nothing to offer, but please, welcome to my humble abode."

　The youth that lived in the house served the man some soup in a poor looking bowl.

　While putting on a false smile the man muttered to himself.

"This really is a place with nothing.

　The house is falling apart and look at this bowl, its completely worthless "

　While the man was eating his soup, he started to boast about all the treasures he had collected."

　The youth was listened silently, but after a while spoke out.

"There is also wonderful treasure in this village you know."

"What is that? Is that true?"

"Yes, there is."

"Well, then I wonder if I might not be able to see those treasures eh!"

"Ok, please wait till tomorrow evening."

　Although the man wondered why he had to wait until the following day,

　he decided to do as the youth had asked.



　On the evening of the next day, the youth took him to the outskirts of the village.

　There were almost no houses there and the sky appeared wide and expansive.

　The youth pointed to a mountain way off in the distance.

"There you go, please look "

　The man looked in the direction of where the youth was pointing and stared in amazement.

　The empty sky which stretched out before him was dyed in beautiful colors of red, orange, yellow and purple and pink clouds were hanging over that.

　And below that, the dark black shape of the mountain was to be seen rising up into the sky.

　The man stared at the view without uttering a single word.

　Before long, tears started flowing from the mans eyes.

"How was it? It was so beautiful, wasn’t it."

　On the way back to the house the youth smiled at the other man.

　The man then nodded in agreement.

　How the sky had been lit up with so many colors,

　And what clouds of cherry pink,

　And how majestic the mountain had been

"Wasn’t that a marvelous treasure? "

　The youth spoke to the man again.

　The man then turned to the youth and answered.

“Yes, that was The Greatest Treasure."

The end

One piece of advice: The greatest treasure can be found in the heart in the heart.

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