Background of the Text :

The Wooden Bowl is a Japanese folk tale that was first published in 1887 as a
children's story. The Wooden Bowl is the 16th book in Hasegawa Takejiro's Japanese
Fairy Tale Series. The illustrations were made by Tosa Matabei, an artist. Mrs. T.H.
James translated the text from Japanese to English. In this story, a young woman is
rewarded for obeying her mother's advice to wear a wooden bowl on her head to hide
her pretty face from others.

Summary of The Maiden With The Wooden Bowl

Once upon a time there was an old couple who lived with their only daughter who
has a remarkable charm and beauty. One day her mother told her that she may follow
her father in heaven. After that her mother told her that she must hide her beauty,
because men could be tempted by her beauty and charm. And in order to hide her
beauty her mother told her that she must wear a wooden bowl.

Few days passed the maiden had no choice but to work at the rice field in order
for her to survive. As she work people do matter why does she wear a wooden bowl.
Some people says that her face must be ugly because of wearing a wooden bowl.

One day a rich farmer had noticed the maiden working on his rice fields. He was
amazed by it's diligence and quickness and excellence the way she perform and do her
task. And yet, he was pleased with that bent and busy little figure and doesn't matter
why does the maiden wears a wooden bowl. Few days later the end of the harvest
came as well as the winter season. And because of being amaze by the maiden he
offered the maiden an anxious to do a service and the become an inmate of his house.
Then the farmer told the maiden that his wife is ill and he wanted to nurse his wife by
the maiden. And the maiden accept the offer of the farmer. And yet, the maiden tented
the sick wife of the farmer with tender love and care. Because of the farmer and his
wife had no daughter they took the maiden as their own child.

One day the only son of the farmer returned to his old home. He was a young guy
with pleasing personality and studied much in gay Kyoto, and adapted his merry life .
 One day the young guy came to his father and said "who is the maiden who wears
the ugly black bowl?", then the father told the sad story of the maiden. And as the
days come and passed by the guy soon noticed that he had fall for the maiden.The
next day, the guy asked the maiden to marry him. But the maiden rejected and refused
to the proposal of the guy and told the guy "I can't marry you I am a barely servant in
your father's house". Then the maiden cry out loud and fell asleep, and in a dream her
mother came to her and said "Let your heart go on and follow what your heart says".
Then the maiden woke up with full of joy and a smile her face. Then her lover came
to her and asked her "will you marry me?" then she replied a big YES!

When all the plans are settled for the wedding. The maiden decided to remove her
wooden bowl, but remain firmly fixed to her head, then the guy told her that "I will
love you with or without your wooden bowl". And he ordered the wedding feast to
proceed. Then the wine cups were brought into the crowded hall and the bride and
groom were expected to drink together the "Three times three " in token of their
marriage and as the maiden put the wine cup to her lips the bowl on her head broke
with a great noise, and gold, silver and precious stones fell on the floor, and the
beggar maiden became rich. Then the guests were amaze upon those shining
shimmering jewels. And yet, they was much amaze by it's glazing beauty. And
declared as the most beautiful woman in all Japan. So they live happily ever after.

https://www.scribd.com/document/14650296/Japanese-Fairy-Tale-Series-16-The-
Wooden-Bowl
https://www.worldcat.org/title/wooden-bowl/oclc/1158474133
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