In her book of essays, Ordinary Wonder Tales, which I mentioned in my previous Substack, Emily Urquhart recounts the Japanese folk tale, “Urashima Taro,” in which Taro, a fisherman, saves a turtle that is being tormented by a group of children. In gratitude, the turtle, who is in fact Otohime, the daughter of the Emperor of the Sea, rewards Taro by taking him to the Palace of the Dragon God, at the bottom of the ocean, where Taro and Otohime fall in love and marry. Taro spends three years with Otohime, then declares that he wants to return to his homeland and family. Otohime gives him “a protective gift, a box made of shells and gems and light,” and tells him he must not open it unless he is in extreme distress (in some versions, he is told never to open it).
Thx for flagging Ordinary Wonders. I ordered and I am making my way through. It is a brilliant, beautifully written and important book. And for this thoughtful trail. Cranes. I hope. I am biased. I prefer birds to old age or poof. Something about endless possibilities when there are wings involved.
Time collapsing. Magic. It’s fascinating stuff. Starting with the physics, but psychologically it also rings true.
And I am smiling widely thinking of all the fun you must have had with that Einsteinian illustration, ending with that delightful “E me”!
I love your columns. I’m reading it at Rustica, SMA. A place I know is your second home as it is mine.
I meant delicious
Delisvious!
Thx for flagging Ordinary Wonders. I ordered and I am making my way through. It is a brilliant, beautifully written and important book. And for this thoughtful trail. Cranes. I hope. I am biased. I prefer birds to old age or poof. Something about endless possibilities when there are wings involved.