Red Candles and the Mermaid and Other Tales by Mimei Ogawa (Nihon Tosho Kan Kokai)
Mimei Ogawa was born in Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture in 1882. He went to Waseda University and studied Russian and English literature. After graduating, he focused on writing children’s literature and is often cited as the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan. Red Candles and the Mermaid is a collection of some of his most popular stories.
“Red Candles and the Mermaid” is a story of human greed and revenge It is about a mermaid whose only wish is for her daughter to live a happy life. She decides to let her baby be brought up by humans because she heard “towns where human beings live are beautiful. People are kinder and more gentle than fish and beasts.” The daughter is brought up by an old couple who makes and sells candles in a small coastal town.
The daughter pays back their kindness by painting pictures on the candles. They sell really well and the shop becomes very prosperous. Rumors spread that if the candle is offered to the local shrine, ships would be protected at sea. However, the now rich couple are persuaded by a man to sell the girl knowing she is not human. The daughter begs her parents not to sell her but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Still, the girl kept drawing and colored some of the last candles all in red.
Around midnight, a woman comes to the house wanting to buy a candle and is sold a red one. That night a huge storm came and a rumor soon spread that whenever there is a red candle burning at the shrine, a violent storm would come no matter how nice the weather. The candles became associated with bad luck. The old couple stopped selling candles and the town perished as well.
“The Cow Woman” is a story that incorporates Buddhist beliefs concerning the afterlife. The tale centers around a very tall and strong but gentle deaf woman. She has a son that she loves very much. She is very protective of him and she fears people making fun of him because of her disability and because the boy has no father. Even after her death, the mother continues to look after her only son.
“The Lord’s Bowl” is a story about beauty and practicality. A famous potter is requested to make a bowl for the Lord of the land. The official tells the potter the bowl must be light and thin. The potter makes the bowl as light and thin as possible. When the official presents the bowl to the Lord, he asks, “How do you decide whether the bowl is good or not?” The official responds by saying, “The more light and thin, the better. A heavy and thick bowl is vulgar.” Unfortunately, the Lord isn’t pleased with the bowl. The potter is brought to the castle and instead of the praise he thought he would receive, is reprimanded for not being considerate or practical when making the bowl.
This collection of twenty-five short stories will appeal to children and adults alike. Ogawa believed that his stories were written for people who never forgot the innocence of their youth. The stories will take you back to a world you may have forgotten and will once again stir your imagination. ~Ernie Hoyt