A HAPPY MIRROR A JAPANESE FOLKTALE

Many years ago in Japan, there lived a father, a mother, and their dear little girl. There was not a happier family in all of
Japan. She was their little girl, fast growing up. By the time she was seven, she was helping her parents in many ways. She
could talk and dance and sing, and oh! Her parents loved her dearly. One day, a messenger brought exciting news. The
emperor had sent for the father. He had to leave for Tokyo at once. 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 nor even rickshaws to travel
on. The little girl was glad her father was going to Tokyo. She knew that when he came back, he would tell her many
interesting stories. And she knew that he would bring her presents. The mother was happy because the father had been sent
for by the emperor, a great honor.
At last, all was ready. The father looked very fine as he started out on his long trip. The little family stood on the porch of
the little house to bid him goodbye. Do not worry. I will come back soon, said the father. While Im away, take care of
everything. Keep our little daughter safe. Yes, we shall be alright. But you must take care of yourself. Come back to as
soon as you can, said the mother. The little girl ran to his side. She caught hold of his sleeve to keep him a moment.
Father, she said, I will be very good while waiting for you to come back.
The days seemed very long for the mother and the little girl. Many times each day, they would pray for the good father, for
his journey to be safe. One morning, the little girl saw someone coming over the mountains. She ran to tell her mother. They
both went to the garden gate to watch. As he came nearer, they knew that he was the father. They were all happy again.
Inside the house, the little girl ran to untie her fathers straw sandals. The mother lovingly took off his large straw hat. They
all sat down on the white mat, for he had bought presents. There in a bamboo basket was a beautiful doll and a box full of
cakes. Here, he said to the little girl, is a present for you. It is a prize for taking care of Mother and the house while I was
away. Thank you, Father dear, said the little girl. Then she bowed her head to the ground. In a second, she had picked up
her lovely new doll and gone to play with it. Again, the husband looked into the basket. This time, he brought out a square
Wooden box tied with grey-colored ribbon. He handed it to his wife saying, And this is for you, my dear.
The wife took the box and opened it carefully. One side had beautifully carved pine trees and storks on it. The other side
was bright and shining as smooth as a pool of water. Inside, there was something made of silver. She had never seen so
lovely present. Then she looked closer at the shining side. Suddenly she cried: I see someone looking at me in this round
thing! She is very lovely. Her husband laughed but said nothing. Then the mothers eyes grew big with wonder. Why, the
lady I see has a dress just like mine! She seems to be talking to me! My dear, her husband answered, that is your own
face that you see. What I have given you is a mirror. All the ladies in Tokyo have them. If you bring a smiling face to the
mirror, you will see a smiling face. If you are angry, you will see a angry face.
The wife thanked her husband for the lovely gift. She promised to always bring a happy face to the mirror. Then she shut the
box and put it away. Often, the mother would take out the box and look inside. Each time, she was surprised. She liked to
see her eyes shine. She liked to see how red her lips were. She always brought a happy smiling face to the mirror, that she
might see a smiling face reflected. But eventually, she grew tired of looking in that mirror, and she put it away. In time,
opening that box and gazing upon that happy mirror became no more than a yearly ritual.
Then the mother decided to save that lovely gift for her lovely daughter when she grew up. The years went by. The girl grew
to be a young lady and no longer played with dolls. Instead each day, she helped her mother about the house. Her hair was
the same; her eyes were the same; her mouth was the same. She was the very image of her mother.
One day, the mother called her daughter and said, My daughter, I have something to give you. Once each year, you are to
gaze into it. She took the square wooden box from the drawer. Carefully, the daughter untied the ribbon. Wondering, she
lifted the cover and looked into the mirror. Why, Mother! she cried. Its you! You look just as you used to look when I
was a little girl. Yes, dear, that is the way I looked when I was young. Be sure to smile when you look at me and I will
smile back to you.

From that day forth, the young woman kept the mirror near her. Once every year, she would open it up. Her mothers words
always proved true and within that mirror she saw her mothers face. It was her mother, more beautiful each time that she
looked. She seemed to smile at her daughter and the daughter smiled back at her. As long as she kept a smile on her face,
that happy mirror reflected her mothers smile back at her.
Literary Analysis
The Happy Mirror
A Japanese Folktale
Summary:
Many years ago, there was a small family in Japan. There lived a father, mother and their little daughter. They took their
daughter to the temple when she was only thirty days old wearing a long kimono like all Japanese babies do. The parents
gave the baby a set of beautiful dolls on her first doll festival, and when their daughter turned three, she was no longer a
baby but a little girl fast growing up. She was loved by her parents very much. One day, a messenger came and brought
news that the father is needed by the Emperor to Tokyo. They havent had a horse so the father will need to walk the long
way. The mother and the little daughter bid farewell to the father and promised him that they will take care of each other and
will wait for him. After many days, the father came back and brought the mother and daughter presents. The little girl
received a doll and she was very glad while the mother was amazed by the present. It was a thing which she saw a beautiful
face of a woman. The husband laughed and told her it was a mirror and she only saw her own reflection. He told her that if
she brings a smile to the mirror, she will see a smiling face and if she didnt it will reflect the mirror. The wife thanked her
husband and promised that she will always bring a smiling face to the mirror. She often looked at the mirror and does what
she had promised. She would always see a happy face in it. Many years passed and she grew tired of looking at it. She
decided to give the precious gift to her daughter who grew into a woman exactly like her mother. One day, she called the
daughter and gave a beautiful box and the daughter was surprised of what she saw. It was the image of her mother inside the
round shiny thing. It was the image of her mother she used to look at when she was a little girl. The mother told her to smile
every time she will look at her inside the mirror and assured her that she will smile back. For that day on, the daughter kept
the box near her. Once each year, she opened it and proved that her mothers words was always true. Always she saw her
mothers smiling face when she smiles at her. The daughter always remembers to bring smiles to the thing inside the little
box, and always the smiles come back at her.
The Narrative Element:
Settings:
The story happened in Japan many years ago. The little house of the little family was home full of love and affection to each
other.
Characters:
Father a loving husband and father. He value and appreciates his wife and daughter very much.
Mother a good and loving wife. She was a perfect example to their daughter.
Daughter a good daughter to her parents. She was exactly like her mother.
Plot:
The plot of the story The Happy Mirror is in organic form. Unlike the episodic, it is not divided into separate related parts. It
only revolves n a single theme and there is unity in the ideas of the short story.
Conflict:
Man Vs. Himself
Point of view:
The story is in the third person point of view because the story is not told by a character but by an invisible author, using
the third person pronoun (he, she, or it) to tell the story.

Theme:
Everything we do reflect to what kind of person we are.
Literary movement:
This story may be classified under Realism because it aimed to depict ordinary life of a Japanese family. Although it
happened a long time ago, it still falls in this literary movement because of the ordinary language used and it gives an honest
portrayal of the characters.