(A Japanese Folk Tale) HAPPY MIRROR Many years ago in Japan, there lived a father, mother and their

dear little girl. There was not a happier family in all the islands of Japan. They took their little daughter to the temple when she was just thirty days old. She wore a long kimono, as all the Japanese babies do. On her first doll festival, her parents gave her a set of dolls. There was no finer set anywhere. Her dolls had long, bla k hair, silky and smooth, and were lad in gowns of satin and silk. Her third birthday was a happy day. Her first sash of s arlet and gold was tied around her small waist. !hen that happened, she was no longer their baby daughter. She was their little girl, fast growing up. "y the time she was seven, she was helping her parents in many ways. She ould talk and dan e and sing, and oh# Her parents loved her dearly. One day, a messenger brought e$ iting news. The emperor had sent for the father. He had to go tot Tokyo at on e. Tokyo was a long way off and the roads were rough. The father would have to walk every step of the way for he had no horse. There were no railways or even jinrikishas to travel on.

The little girl was glad her father was going to Tokyo. She knew that when he ame ba k, he would tell her many interesting stories. She knew that he would bring her presents, too. The mother was happy be ause the father had been sent for the emperor. This was a great honor. %t last, all was ready. The father looked very fine as he started out on the long trip. He was going to meet his emperor, so he dresses in fine robes of silk and satin. The little family stood on the por h of the little house to bid him goodbye. &'o not

worry. ( will ome ba k soon,) said the father. &!hile (*m away, take are of everything. +eep our little daughter safe.) &,es, we shall be alright. "ut you must take are of yourself. -ome ba k to as soon as you an, said the mother. The little girl ran to his side. She aught hold of his sleeve to keep a moment. &.ather,) she said, &( will be very good while waiting for you to ome ba k.) Then he was gone. He went /ui kly down to the little garden and out through the gate. There, they ould see him go down the road. He looked smaller as he went farther away. Then all they ould see of him was his peaked hat. Soon, that was out of sight, too. The days seemed very long for the mother and the little girl. Many times ea h day, they would pray for the good father. They prayed for his safe journey. The days slipped by one and morning, the little girl saw someone oming over the mountains. She ran to tell her mother. -ould that be her father0 They both went to the garden gate to wat h. %s he ame nearer, they knew that he was the father. They both ran to meet him, the little girl on one side, the mother on the other side. They were all happy again. %s soon as they went into the house, the little girl ran to untie the father*s straw sandals. The mother lovingly took off his large straw hat. Then they all sat down on the white mat, for the father had bought some presents. There in a bamboo basket was a beautiful doll and a bo$ full of akes. &Here,) he said to the little girl, &is a present for you. (t is a pri1e for taking are of Mother and the house while ( was away.)

&Thank you, .ather dear,) said the little girl. Then she bowed her head to the ground. (n a se ond, she had pi ked up her lovely new doll and had gone to play with it. %gain, the husband looked into the basket. This time, he brought out a s/uare wooden bo$. (t was tied with gaily2 olored ribbon. He handed it to his wife saying, &%nd this is for you, my dear.) The wife took the bo$ and opened it arefully. One side had beautifully arved pine trees and storks on it. The other side was bright and shining as smooth as a pool of water. (nside, there was something made of silver. She had never seen so lovely a present. She looked and looked at the pine trees and stork, whi h seemed almost real. Then she looked loser at the shining side. Suddenly she ried, &( see someone looking at me in this round thing# She is very lovely.) Her husband laughed but said nothing. Then the mother*s eyes grew big with wonder. &!hy, the lady ( see has a dress just like mine#) she said. &She seems to be talking to me.) &My dear,) her husband answered, &that is your own fa e that you see. !hat ( have given you is a mirror. %ll the ladies in Tokyo have them. (f you bring a smiling fa e in the mirror, you will see a smiling fa e. (f you are ross, you will see a ross fa e in it.) The wife thanked her husband for the lovely gift. She promised always to bring happy fa e to the mirror. She then shut it up in the bo$ and put it away. Often, the mother would take out the bo$ and look inside. 3a h time, she was surprised. She liked to see her eyes shine. She liked to see how red her lips were. She always brought a smiling fa e to it, so that she might always see a smiling fa e. Soon, she grew tired of looking in the bo$ and she put it away. Only on e a year did she open

it and look at her fa e. She de ided to save the lovely gift for the little girl when she grew up. The years went by. The little girl grew to be a woman and no longer played with dolls. (nstead ea h day, she helped her mother about the house. How proud her father was of her# He saw that she was growing more like her mother. Her hair was the same4 her eyes were the same4 her mouth was the same. She was the very image of her mother. One day, the mother alled her daughter and said, &My daughter, ( have something to give you. On e ea h year, you are to look into it.) She took the s/uare wooden bo$ from the drawer. -arefully, the daughter untied the ribbon. !ondering, she lifted the over and looked at the mirror. &!hy, Mother#) she ried. &(t*s you# ,ou look just as you used to look when ( was a little girl.) &,es, dear,) the mother answered, &that is the way ( looked when ( was young. "e sure to smile when you look at me and ( will smile ba k to you.) .rom that day on, the good daughter kept a bo$ near her. On e ea h year, she would open it. Her mother*s words were always true. %lways, she saw her mother*s fa e. Oh, the joyful surprise# (t was her mother, more beautiful ea h time that she looked. She seemed to smile at her daughter and the daughter smiled ba k at her. The daughter remembered to bring smiles to the little bo$ and smiles always ame ba k to her.

Joane L. Laqui

II- Venus