with you (a thousand blessings)

“ Within a thousand blessings, soon enough, a thousand tears are shed; and we are left to either regret or be grateful of what we had.

A story of a young man who saves a crane, and what his kindness came to be.“

IN cold, cold winter, there was no life around. No traces of voices to be heard, no traces of joy to be found.

In cold, cold winter, people were struggling. Days were frigid enough to cause one's muscles to tense and nights howled with raging winds and heavy snow, enough to wake one from their sleep.

In cold, cold winter, nothing is easy, the farmer had thought to himself. His garment was thin, sewn out of cheap fabric that he managed to trade from the money he had gained from two week's worth of hard work, sacrificing three day's worth of food. Even still, he was grateful for what he had, and never complained of what he managed to earn out of it. With the bamboo basket he carried on his back, he walked along the snowy path that led him back home, legs freezing and fingers numb.

Nothing was to be heard aside from the crunching of snow underneath his feet, not until he heard the scraping of snow and the flap of a wing. The young farmer turns to look around, his legs following the sound of the wings. 

Behind the bare trees was a crane, a magnificent creature, a deity of happiness. He had never seen one in his life, never seen such a beautiful creature to exist. Wings large and whiter than snow, satin-like feathers that shone even in the peak hours of dusk. The crane is still now, aware of his presence. Had it not been the kind heart of the young farmer, the bird would have become his dinner, his breakfast, his lunch and his dinner again, for the next following days.

He approaches the crane and spots the rope that tied one of its robust legs to the tree. Perhaps it was a trap for wild rabbits, he bent down to untangle the rope. His knees hurt and his fingers were close to frostbite, but nothing could beat the satisfaction he felt while witnessing the crane that flapped its free wings and soared into the sky, the beat of its wings that resonated louder than the sound of his own heart.

Returning home, the farmer eats of what he had left; a bowl of rice and slept.

He had always woken up in the middle of the night, sometimes from the rattling of the roof or the whistle of the wind that passed through the cracks of his shabby home, but never has he woken up to the sound of someone knocking on his front door.

The young farmer struggles to get up. Shivering, he forces himself to walk to the door, finally awake when he realizes there was a figure outside, a silhouette of a human. He takes anything; a blunt knife, a rusty arrow, anything sharp that he owned and braces himself to open the door, for anything, or anyone that would attack him.

There was nothing to kill, and there was nothing to defend. In front of his doorstep was a beautiful young woman, skin as white as snow and fingertips red from the cold. He does not let his guard down, however, and stares at her suspiciously. 

Tell me your name, and what you want from me.

When the girl finally looks up to meet his eyes, he was enchanted; as if pulled into a world he had never been in before. The young woman was so enchanting, more gracious than any of the young maidens he had seen in the town, more alluring than any of the women offered in the finest brothels. Her eyes that looked back to meet his; he swore he saw the stars twinkle inside them, as if it contained a whole vast galaxy, or perhaps even more.

Please allow me to stay here for the night, Her voice would remind one of spring. Flowers, like plum blossoms or canola, and more buds that bloomed in spring. He acknowledges that, too engulfed in her beauty to send her away.

The next morning he prepared some rice for her and offered her his best leftovers that were kept only when he really needed them, and left for work. When he returned, she was still there waiting for him by the door.

Young lady, please tell me your name. I must learn about you. He asks as he watches her from afar.

I do not have a name. She answers in the same sweet voice. She does not talk much; and does so when only asked to. Perhaps you could give me one.

Very well, the young man decides. I shall call you Miyuki. It was snowing quite heavily when we first met.

Miyuki, now with a name, turns to hide her blush.

Miyuki, I am a man with nothing to offer, you must not stay with me.

Tell me your name.

Akio, he answers, heart beating fast as the young woman repeats his name several times, familiarizing herself with it. Soon enough, it glides smoothly off her tongue, and it makes Akio's heart pound faster than ever before.

Several days had passed since the two learnt more of each other, and Akio had fallen in love with her, just like any other man would. Not because of her pure beauty, but also because of her kind heart that supported him, all while living through the poor conditions of his household.

On one cold night, clear of snow the sky was, when the moon finally shone and lit up their home, Akio had proposed to her, confessing his love for her kind soul and her honest heart. Miyuki, who had fallen for the hardworking man accepted his marriage, and the two lived together ever since then.

Spring came, prominent from the blossom petals that stuck to her hair, and the greenery that slowly resurrected to life after a long, long sleep. Miyuki greeted the birds and the flowers around her every morning, and Akio wishes he could stay at home and watch her more, smiling to himself over how beautiful she was. Now that it was warmer, both Akio and Miyuki were able to work, and with that, they were able to gain more than before, enough for a poor couple to continue living.

Sometimes, Miyuki brought the tea she had picked and dried herself home, a gift given to her by the villagers. In the evening they would watch the sun set under the cherry blossom tree, and as the sun illuminates her soft skin, more petals fall onto her hair. Akio reaches out to brush them off her but leaves it, stroking her cheek instead.

He thought that she looked beautiful that way.

Seasons come and seasons go. The cherry blossoms that greeted her home now gone, replaced by the shocking sight of her husband's body spread out under the tree, blood trickling from his mouth. She rushes to his side, and carefully brings him inside their home, tucking him into the thin mattress that they owned.

She could not sleep a wink, but the night passed by within spring dreams and lullabies of dawn. Akio had gotten up earlier than she did, and was getting ready to go out.

My dear husband, you are sick. You must rest, Gently, she reaches for his arm, persuading him not to go.

If I don't, we will not be able to earn enough.

I will try and ask from the merchant. You must rest, Akio.

So he does, and Miyuki goes out of her way into town, finding the medicine that she needed. The merchant gave it to her at a cheaper price, knowing the young woman long enough to recognize and acknowledge her kindness, but Miyuki knew there was never a next time. The medicine now in her hands, she calculates the amount of money they had left in their savings on the way home.

Miyuki sits down next to Akio and gave him the medicine to drink.

We do not have any money to afford my medicine, my love. Please, let me go to work tomorrow. Akio reaches for her hand outside the cotton blanket. Her hands felt cold, but Akio's were colder.

Miyuki grasps her husband's rough hands. You must not. I will weave for us, my love, so please give me some time.

She walks to the room at the furthest corner of the house and slides the door open, turning to Akio once again.Whatever you do, you must not open this door, nor must you enter this room.

Several hours had passed by, and when Miyuki exits the room, Akio was fast asleep. She clutches the newly woven cloth in her hands, now sore and swollen from continuous weaving. The wife slips into the mattress and closes her eyelids, waiting for dawn to struck.

In the morning, she leaves for town and brought the roll of fabric to the merchant. With such fine details and shiny thread, she was able to sell it to the merchant with a high price. Then she finds her husband's medicine, and then she finds some food to feed on.

But nothing lasts forever, not even their wealth. Akio's condition was getting worse by day, and even after the doctor had visited him to prescribe an herb, nothing was changing. 

My love, we cannot afford my medicine without any money. Please, let me work. Akio weakly pleads, a sad look in his eyes. But nothing was more melancholic than the eyes of his own wife, the eyes that stared down at him and pleaded for him not to go. I love you with all my heart. I cannot bear to see you like this, Miyuki says as tears formed in her eyes. That was the very first time Akio had seen her cry, and he relishes the feeling of falling in love with her all over again.

My love, you have done so much for me. When you weave, your fingers are hurt, those beautiful fingers of yours. Will you not let me work, then?

I would offer any part of my body to God, sacrifice my limbs and bones for you if it means that you are able to stay alive and heal.

She embraces her husband into a hug. Slowly, he felt his left shoulder dampen with her tears, and he strokes her small back gently. Her love for him was true, and he had never felt happier and sorry than the moment he was in now.

I will weave, and you must not come into this room no matter what happens. She had given him the same advice as before. Although his curiosity had arisen, he trusted his beloved wife and waited for her. The next morning, with the same swollen fingers she holds a beautiful roll of cloth, woven with fine details of gold. Akio had meant to ask how she had woven the cloth out of nothing, but she had left to buy his medicine.

Days pass by, and as winter arrives at their doorstep once again, they have no savings left and no food to eat. Work in winter was restricted, and it meant that her only choice left was to weave.

Miyuki and Akio stayed in the weaving room that night; the only room with a fireplace. My love, tonight I will weave for us two. You must not look behind you until dawn arrives and I wake up in your arms. Miyuki places her hand on Akio’s cheek, her husband leaning into her touch. I trust you, my love.

But Akio could not sleep. He could not when the sound of fabric being woven bothered him. How did she produce it? He had always wondered so. He had always wondered why she had never allowed him to see her weaving before. The curiosity had befallen over him, and without thinking twice he peeks over his shoulder to see the back of his wife who was wearing.

But it was not the small back of his wife he had known. It was a crane, plucking her very last feather as tears streamed down her face, and she uses it to complete the final row of fabric that she had woven. When she turned around, she was shocked to see Akio staring at her, an expected look on his face.

My dear husband, I have told you not to look!

My love, tell me; who are you?

Miyuki bit her lower lip.

I am the crane you saved during the winter we first met. Because you were kind to me, I transformed into a beautiful woman, in hopes that I could repay you with happiness. Miyuki answers, lifting an arm so that he could see. I have plucked my very last feather for you, my love; for I love you with all my heart.

What will become of you now, Miyuki? Akio asks, voice trembling.

You have seen my true form. I must not return to your arms ever again. Akio’s heart shattered with her words. She remained in the form of a crane, and exited their home; her very first home without a single look back. That was Akio’s final goodbye to her, and he has not seen her ever since then.

Akio lived his life being resentful of himself. He loved Miyuki dearly and that was the only thing he could think about, if only I had not turned around, if only I trusted her, if only I...

If only, if only, if only.....(until his very last breath)

Soon after he opened his eyes, he saw her familiar small figure turned against him. Flower petals stuck to her hair, a melodious voice that serenaded the birds. With tears of joy, Akio reaches out to her, finally reuniting with his loved one.

My love, I have returned for you.