Once upon a time there lived a young fisherman who loved the sea more than anything in the world. He lived in a hut on the shore. Morning and evening, winter and summer, he never stopped admiring the sea. His name was Urashima. Every day he caught fish. But since he was in love with the sea and kind by nature, he always released the caught fish back into the sea.
One day, having cast his fishing rod, Urashima suddenly felt that the line was very stretched. Pulling it out, he saw a large turtle caught on the hook. Urashima freed the turtle and sent it back to the sea. “I’d rather starve today,” he thought, “than kill a young turtle.” You know that turtles live for many, many years, but this one was still very young. The turtle disappeared in the waves, and after a while a girl of extraordinary beauty appeared at Urashima’s boat. Sitting down on its edge, she said:
- I am the daughter of the sea king. We live at the bottom of the sea. My father allowed me to turn into a turtle to test your kind heart. You are truly kind and noble. I invite you to visit me and see my underwater palace.
Urashima could not utter a word, amazed by her unearthly beauty. My only desire was to follow her everywhere.
“Yes,” he could only say, and, giving her his hand, he followed her to the bottom of the sea. A crystal fish with golden fins accompanied them. Before sunset they reached the underwater palace.
It was made of coral and pearls and sparkled so much that it hurt the eyes. Dragons with soft velvet skin guarded the entrance to the palace.
Urashima lived in the silence and luxury of the palace for four years with the beautiful princess. Every day the sea sparkled and shone in the rays of the sun. They were happy until one day Urashima met a little turtle. She reminded him of the day he went to the sea. He remembered his village and his family.
The princess knew that one day he would remember and become homesick. “You must return to earth, to people,” she said. “If you stay here, you will hate me and die of boredom.” If you go now, you can go back. Take this pearl box tied with a green ribbon. But be careful not to untie the ribbons. Once you do this and open the box, you will never be able to go back.
Urashima got into his boat and the princess carried it up. He swam to his native shore. Seeing him, he cried with joy.
There was still a hill there, cherry trees were growing, and the coastal sand was still golden, from which he had built beautiful castles as a child. Urashima hurried up the familiar path. When he got up, he did not recognize the surroundings. The sun was still shining, the birds were singing and the sea was turning blue and shimmering. There was no hut, there was not even a tree under whose shade she stood. He moved on. What happened during the four years while he was in the underwater kingdom?
Suddenly he saw a gray-haired old man resting under the shade of a tree, and went up to talk to him. “Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Urashima’s hut?” he asked. “Urashima?” - the old man asked. - This is a very ancient name. I heard it once as a child. It was in my great-grandfather's story about a boy who drowned at sea. His brothers, their sons and their grandchildren lived and fished here. But they were all already dead. This is a very sad story, isn't it? A young man went to sea 400 years ago and never returned home. Not even a chip of wood from his boat was found. The sea swallowed everything,” said the elder.
Without a family, without a home, unknown and unwanted to anyone, Urashima was a stranger in his village.
The elder, pointing towards the hill, said: “There is a village cemetery there, and there you will find his grave.” Slowly Urashima walked to the cemetery. There, among the names of his mother, father and brothers, he saw his own name carved on a gray gravestone.
And suddenly he understood. Nothing connected him anymore with his village. Here on earth he was dead, he was 400 years late here. He must return to his beloved princess. He knew that he could not lose his box, tied with a green ribbon. He knew he had to hurry, but he felt tired and useless.
He slowly returned to the shore, sat down on the sea sand and placed a pearl box on his lap. He dreamed of returning back to the sea kingdom. Mechanically, he untied the green ribbon and opened the box.
White fog slowly floated out of the box and rose high into the sky. There he acquired the outline of his beloved, lovely princess.
Urashima extended his arms to her and rushed after her, but the fog dissipated in the sea air. Urashima felt very old. His back instantly hunched, his hands shook, and his hair turned gray. His muscles became flabby and his legs could barely move.
Soon, on the seashore, the children found the skeleton of an unknown person. And on the sea waves a small pearl box kept floating, swaying. A green ribbon swirled lightly in the wind above her.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru