00:00Long ago, in a coastal village, there lived a young man named Urashima Taro.
00:17He was a skillful fisherman and always provided for his parents.
00:22One day, when walking along the beach, he came upon a group of shouting boys.
00:28They'd caught a little sea turtle and were busy poking and kicking the poor creature.
00:33Urashima glanced down at the turtle and saw tears in her eyes.
00:38He told the boys to let her go, but they replied saucily,
00:42It's our turtle and we'll do what we want.
00:45Urashima took out his wallet, placed several coins in the palm of his hand and declared,
00:51Boys, sell your turtle to me. I'll take care of her.
00:55The boys grabbed the coins and ran off, pleased with their reward.
01:00Urashima examined the turtle to be sure that she wasn't hurt.
01:05Then he waded with her into the shallows.
01:08As she swam seaward, he called after her.
01:12Be careful! Good luck!
01:14A few days later, Urashima was again on the beach, repairing some fishing gear,
01:24when he spotted a giant turtle swimming land.
01:29Hello there, Urashima-taro, the turtle called out.
01:33Thank you for saving me. I'm grown up now, and as a token of my gratitude,
01:38I'd like to invite you to the deep sea palace of the Dragon King.
01:42Climb upon my back.
01:44Urashima was speechless.
01:46And the next moment, he found himself sitting astride the turtle's massive shell.
01:53When they were far out at sea, the turtle dove down below the waves.
01:57But Urashima was able to breathe just the same, as if it had grown gills.
02:03Eventually, they arrived at the deep sea palace.
02:07A beautiful princess welcomed Urashima at the entrance gate.
02:13You must be hungry.
02:15Such a long journey.
02:18Come in and enjoy.
02:22Urashima was ushered into a magnificent room with magical panels,
02:26showing the endless cycle of the four seasons.
02:29He sipped fragrant wines and savored tasty mortals.
02:33Then the entertainment began, with a chorus of sea creatures singing,
02:38and the princess performing an elegant dance.
02:43Days and nights streamed by.
02:45Weeks passed.
02:47And all the time, Urashima was mesmerized.
02:50Yet, when three months had elapsed,
02:54he suddenly remembered his home village.
02:58The princess tried to convince her guest to stay longer,
03:01but he insisted it was time to go home.
03:06Before Urashima departed, the princess gave him a lustrous black box.
03:13Your ageless life is safe here inside, she said.
03:18But you must never open this box.
03:22Farewell.
03:23The giant turtle carried Urashima over the waves,
03:30back to the very place where they'd first met.
03:41But once Urashima was on shore, he noticed that his village had changed.
03:45The houses seemed to stand in odd places, and he couldn't even find his own home.
03:52The villagers were all strangers, and they stared at him suspiciously.
03:57Urashima asked them.
04:00Don't any of you know Urashima Taro?
04:03No one answered, until one of the village elders stepped forward and said,
04:08I once heard an ancient tale about a man named Urashima.
04:12He disappeared into the sea, never to return.
04:16But it all happened some three hundred years ago.
04:19That was when Urashima Taro realised he'd been gone longer than three months.
04:27He stared down at the box in his hands, wondering what it could mean.
04:32Then he lifted the lid.
04:35A wisp of smoke rose from inside the black box,
04:41and instantly Urashima's hair turned white.
04:43A long white beard appeared on his chin, and his face became wrinkled.
04:51He gazed silently at the waves.
04:54An old man now, tired and bent.
