The Princess of the Moon
By SADHANA RAMAPRASAD
Long ago, the world was full of wonder. Animals could speak, humans could make real magic, and so on. At this time, in Japan, a special child used to step on the same soil we step on. It was no ordinary girl.
You see, the king of the moon and his wife gave birth to a tremendously beautiful child. His wife loved the baby very much. But the king of the moon decided that he did not have any time to take care of or fondle the baby. He did not even name the poor thing.
So, he ordered his servant to abandon her on earth. The heavy-hearted servant placed the baby in the garden of the noble king, Daisuke, the ruler of Japan.
Daisuke and his wife longed for a child.
King Daisuke’s wife then asked him, ”Your Highness, I long to go to the garden. I do nothing but sit on the throne and order people, or I just solve people’s problems. I need to go on a stroll with you.”
‘ The king replied, ‘’I too guess that we need to go on a walk and get some fresh air. Let us leave now.”
There, a wonder lay in front of their eyes. The king and queen cheered in joy. They saw a beautiful baby girl with dark black hair, rose-pink cheeks, and lips as red as blood. They held a huge celebration throughout the kingdom. Anybody and everybody were allowed inside.
An ugly lady, cloaked in black cloth came inside. Daisuke could not help laughing at her face.
The lady flew into a rage and cursed him, ” Dear king, you have exceeded your limits. You need to love all your subjects equally. I, therefore, curse you to be separated from your daughter when she is sixteen years old!”
The king got frightened, but he did not utter a single word. He soon forgot about everything. Daisuke decided to name the girl Atsuko. Atsuko was a very bright and sweet girl. She always lent a hand to whoever needed it. Everybody loved Atsuko and nobody spoke ill of her.
One fine day, on the day before her sixteenth birthday, her father told Atsuko, ‘’Atsuko, you are a multi-talented child, but I was once cursed that I will be separated from you on your sixteenth birthday, so I am not going to allow you to leave the palace for the whole day.’’
Princess Atsuko stared, shocked for a few moments. Then she burst into tears. ‘’ How- how could you? You know that I am very obedient and always follow your words, and you still do not trust me?’’
She then stormed the room with a poker face. Daisuke felt bad for making his sweetheart extremely sad. That night, she did not sleep. She just stared out of the window and admired the moon. It gave her a slight sense of belonging. Atsuko glued her eyes to the moon.
She found it very beautiful, but then she heard a loud ” tweet”! She looked back to see a moon bird. ”Hey there, sweet princess. Did you know that you are adopted? Your father is the king of the moon, but he abandoned you, and King Daisuke found you?”
Atsuko laid her mouth open. She had never felt so betrayed in her life. She asked the moon bird, ”Can you take me to my biological parents? I would be most grateful.” The moon bird retorted, ” Of course, I can! What do I get as a memento?”
Atsuko replied, ‘’ O beautiful moon bird, you can take my ring in return. Hurry up though, it is quite late!’’ Soon, the moon bird grew his body into a majestic, huge bird, enough for the girl to sit on him. She gently sat upon him. The moon bird started flapping his wings and soaring through the skies. She cheered loudly, as they both disappeared into the night sky.
She was not welcomed very pleasantly when she entered the moon palace. Her father was discussing serious matters and her mother was sobbing very hard.
She gathered all her courage and went to her mother. ”Mother, I am your actual daughter. Father abandoned me when I was a baby, and I am here to reclaim my position as a princess.’’
Her mother sobbed even more after hearing her. ‘’ What is your name, my child?’’ Atsuko told her mother, and they both soon drowned in a deep conversation.
Soon the hall clock rang, and it was time to go home. The moon bird drew her back home, and she went to talk to Daisuke. ”Daisuke San, I have recently found that I am adopted, and I want to go back to my actual parents this very night.’’
Daisuke collapsed to the floor and sobbed loudly. ‘’No, do not leave me! You are my only universe; my life is meaningless without you. I cannot live without you! I-I am so- sorry….’’
He cried hard, but it was all for the happiness of his daughter, so that night he prepared a thousand white horses to carry his daughter to the moon. That night, he watched his daughter climb up the chariot.
She spoke in a soft, mysterious tone, ‘’Daisuke San, you are a wonderful man and left a deep mark in my heart. I have decided to meet you whenever you call my name. I can always hear your voice from the moon and I still love you a lot.’’
With that, she disappeared into the night sky. There, her father asked her for forgiveness because of abandoning her, and she agreed. But for Daisuke, all he could do is remember his lost daughter.
- Sadhana Ramaprasad is a Class 6 student of Vidya Mandir