Miyoko Matsutani (1926–2015)

One snowy winter an old man aids a trapped crane, and then shortly thereafter a mysterious young woman visits him and his wife to help with housework and weave valuable cloth to sell so that they can live comfortably until spring. She asks only that no one watch her while she weaves, so you know someone is going to peep eventually.

This is a retelling of the Japanese folktale "Tsuru no Ongaeshi," which is sometimes called "The Crane Wife" and has the mysterious woman marrying the man who aids the crane.

I've seen different versions her and there, and this is one of the better ones, well-told and beautifully illustrated.… (mais)

A kindly old couple find their fortune transformed for the better in this traditional Japanese fairy-tale, despite the machinations of their greedy and jealous neighbors. When the old man puts out his fishing nets, only to have his fish stolen by the neighbor, he takes the root left for him instead, intending to use it for firewood. The magical dog Shiro is born from this wood, the first time that the old man attempts to chop it, and this canine companion soon leads his human to a place on the nearby mountain, where treasure is buried. The jealous neighbors attempt to force Shiro to lead them to buried treasure as well, but find only dirt and worms, leading them to beat the dog to death. The heartbroken old man mourns beneath the willow tree that sprouted where Shiro lay buried, and taking a piece of its wood home with him, carved a wooden bowl. When this bowl began to turn the old couple's rice into gold and jewels, the jealous neighbors commandeered it for themselves, only to find their own rice transformed into dirt. Their actions, in burning the bowl, lead to the final episode, as the ashes from the bowl transform the old couple's garden into a place of great beauty, while leading the neighbor into great trouble with a passing prince...

Originally published in Japan by Kodansha, and then in the United States by J.B. Lippincott, this bilingual picture-book from author Miyoko Matsutani and illustrator Yasuo Segawa is read in the traditional Japanese style, from back to front, and right to left. It is a lovely book, pairing an engaging tale of two couples who each get their just deserts - the kindly couple being rewarded with wealth, and a beautiful garden; the jealous and cruel couple gaining no wealth, and finding themselves punished by the prince - with gorgeous artwork. This is the second picture-book I have read that was produced by Matsutani and Segawa, after their The Fox Wedding, and I found that I enjoyed it a little bit more than that other title, from the visual perspective. I particularly liked the scenes depicting the beauty of the old couple's garden, after the ashes had been sprinkled on it, as Segawa's use of color and form here was just beautiful. I also liked the humor in his human characters throughout the story, as the artist ably captures the variety of their expressions, whether dismayed or happy. Highly recommended, both to readers who enjoy folk and fairy-tales, and to anyone who appreciates lovely, expressive picture-book illustrations.… (mais)

Ojiisan the miller comes across an abandoned young fox in this retelling of a traditional Japanese folktale from Nagano Prefecture, and taking the vulpine orphan in, cares for and raises her. When Osato goes missing one day, Ojiisan looks for her everywhere, eventually witnessing a fox wedding procession in a rainbow that he sees, and realizing that his erstwhile companion has moved on to the next stage of her life. This impression is solidified when Ojiisan is visited by a fox who brings him a bundle of food from the wedding feast...

According to author Miyoko Matsutani, it is common in Japan to refer to a rainfall that occurs in the sunshine as a "fox wedding," and the folktale here reflects that saying. As a fox lover, I enjoyed the story of The Fox Wedding, despite the melancholy ending, and I appreciated the watercolor artwork from illustrator Yasuo Segawa. That said, I think Matsutani's The Crane Maiden was a stronger book, probably because I prefer the work of illustrator Chihiro Iwasaki to that of Segawa. Leaving that aside, this is one I would recommend to young folklore enthusiasts, and to readers interested in Japanese lore.… (mais)

When an old man rescues a trapped crane in this beautiful retelling of a traditional Japanese folktale, he and his wife are rewarded by the appearance of a beautiful and loving young daughter. Helping her new parents in every way she can, this young maiden weaves a lovely cloth for them to sell, bringing prosperity and good fortune into their lives. But her request that no one watch her while she weaves leads to trouble, as the old woman's curiosity gets the better of her, leading to a discovery - the maiden is in fact the crane that the old man rescued - which brings an end to their time together...

Originally published in Japan in 1966 as つるの おんがえし, Miyoko Matsunai's retelling of this classic Japanese folk story was translated into English in 1968 by American children's author Alvin Tresselt. It is a lovely book, featuring an enchanting and melancholy tale, and gorgeous artwork from illustrator Chihiro Iwasaki. I was already familiar with the variant of this story in which the crane appears as wife to the man who rescued her (see the Odds Bodkin and Sumiko Yagawa versions for different retellings), so I was interested to see what I thought of this version in which the crane is a daughter. On the whole, I found it equally heartbreaking, as curiosity and a lack of trust leads to the loss of a great blessing. I initially sought The Crane Maiden out because I am such a great admirer of Chihiro Iwasaki's artwork, which I had previously only seen in retellings of European folk and fairy-tales such as The Little Mermaid, The Red Shoes and The Wise Queen. Her luminous watercolor paintings are always so full of motion, with a gorgeous palette and expressive figures, and this title was no different, lending great beauty and delight to the reading of the story. If ever I get to Japan, I will surely visit the two museums dedicated to her work, in Tokyo and Azumino! This is one I highly recommend, to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-book art. For my part, I finished it with a desire to read more from Matsutani, from Tresselt, and (naturally) from Iwasaki. If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is!… (mais)