The mirror of Matsuyama short summary

Long time ago in an ancient days, lived a man and his wife in a remote village of Japan. They had a beautiful little girl whom they loved very much. Their name cannot be told, as it have been forgotten because it is a very old story but the place they live is Matsuyama which lies in Echigo Province.

On the occasion of some business matter, the man was called away in a distant place 'Kyoto', Because the place Kyoto is too far away from where they live, so it was difficult for the man to take his family with him. before going on the occasion of business, he told his daughter that if she behaved nicely and was dutiful to her mother, he will bring some beautiful dolls as a prize to her. The mother had never been far from her home, the farthest she has been is next village, so she was frightened of her husband taking such a long journey but she was proud too. Then the man left his city and his wife and daughter watched him leave.

After long period of time, hearing about the return of her husband, the woman starts to get herself as well as her daughter ready in order to welcome the man,. She dresses her daughter with a beautiful dress and she herself wore a pretty blue dress which her husband liked. When she saw her husband arriving safe and sound she was very happy and delighted. Along with that the little girl laughed and clapped her hands in delight of seeing her father because it had been long time since she last saw her father.

The man then went to his house and then he took his hat and sandals off  and he sat down on a white mat. Then he starts to open a bamboo basket from which he took out some wonderful doll, and lacquer box of cake and also he took out a metal mirror which he handed to his wife as he had brought it as a present to her. The one part of the mirror shinned brightly while the other part was designed with birds and flowers.

When the woman was looking in the mirror, the husband asks her what she saw there. She was really amused that a pretty woman was looking at her, her lips were moving as she was talking to her. She also added that the woman in the mirror had worn same pretty blue dress as hers. Then the husband tells her that it was her own face she was seeing in the mirror. The wife was really pleased with the present she got and she kept on looking in it for many days. The family then stayed happily.

Many days and years passed away, and no long after the happiness of the family, the woman became very ill. Her daughter took deep care of hers and waited for her to become well but the time for the woman had came to an end. Just before her death, she called her daughter and said, take good care of your father after I'm gone and take this mirror and keep it secretly. Whenever you feel lonely just look in to the mirror, there you will see me. Having said all of this she died.

After a year of death of the woman, the family of the man persuaded him to marry with another woman. He then marries with another woman. Even if the girl was kind and gentle to her stepmother, she was not kind towards the girl. The stepmother grew jealousy over the child because her husband loved the child more than herself. The girl was deeply unhappy and then she tries to remember the words said by her mother before dying.

She then remembers to look in the mirror, when she looked into the mirror she saw the face of her young and beautiful mother. Everyday she used to look in to the mirror and get comfort by looking at her mother's face. One day when she was looking in to the mirror by sitting in a a corner of the room, the stepmother saw her looking at an object and thinking the child was casting a magic on her.

Not long before she saw the child's activity she went to her husband and told I'm afraid of your daughter. She was performing some black magic by making my face on it and by sticking pins to it. Not only this she adds that, the child sits in to the room every sing morning and evening. She sits there casting magic and trying to kill me. When the man heard about this about his daughter, he immediately went to her room. When he entered the room without any notice, the girl saw him and immediately hid the mirror into her sleeves because she had promised her mother to not reveal the secret of the mirror to anyone.

By looking at the feared and confused face of the child, the man was more suspicious towards her, he asked, "what are you hiding under your sleeves"? The girl had never been scolded by her father. After hearing the angered voice of her father she couldn't even speak up . Then he suspected even more when she didn't speak up. Then the girl had no other choice to reveal the secret of the mirror. Then she says, I'm hiding the mirror which my mother gave during the time of her death. I look into the mirror every time I get sad and it helps me to get comfort. I see my mother every time I look in the mirror.

After hearing all this the man loved her even more than before. He was touched by her simplicity and kindness. Not only him, the stepmother too felt pity towards the child and loved her. Hearing all this she was ashamed and asked the girl to forgive her. The girl was too kind so she forgave her stepmother and she forever departed from her home.