A child with one eye and one horn: the bond between parent and child and the sad memories that reside in this strange creature

Today, I would like to introduce a beautiful yet very sad story from this handmade booklet, Folktales of Izu.

"The Child with One Eye and One Horn"

Once upon a time, in the mountain village of Shuzenji, Izu, there was a couple who could not have children. For many years, unable to conceive, the couple prayed deeply to the sacred springs of Shuzenji. Their prayers were so earnest that they eventually came to this conclusion:

"Even if it's just one eye or one horn, please give me a child."

Eventually, as if their prayers were answered, his wife became pregnant and finally gave birth to a child. However, the child really was deformed, with one eye and one horn. Even though people were shocked and even frightened by his appearance, the couple never gave up on the child, but rather lovingly raised him as their "son."

The son was a very kind-hearted child. He always followed his parents' instructions, didn't cause trouble for others, and lived a quiet life. However, one day, an unexpected crossfire occurred. The son heard the couple talking in the bedroom.

"Your son is cute, but... with just one eye and one horn, he's only going to have a hard time in this world." "You're right... I feel sorry for that boy..."

The couple had no ill intentions. They were simply saddened by the harshness of the world and worried about the future. But those words cut deep into the son's heart. Aware that he was a deformed child, he was no doubt quietly trying to repay his parents' love. That's why that conversation was so unbearable.

That night, my son left the house in silence.

The couple was shocked to find this the next morning. The doors and sliding doors were still intact, and only the futon was cold and submerged. The parents broke down in tears, searching for the child over mountains and valleys, crying out "My child, my child!" They called out all night long, "I wonder if the one-eyed child is not here? He is our child..." "Yes, he is..."

But the boy never showed up again.

But something strange happened. From then on, freshly caught deer meat was placed in front of the house. Sometimes mountain fruits, and on cold nights, a brazier with charcoal fire. There was a shadow that supported the couple's life, as if watching over them from somewhere.

Although the son lived alone in the mountains, he never forgot the kindness shown to his parents and quietly and dutifully returned their love.

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A deformed child and a parent's love: a universal theme found in folklore

This story of "The One-Eyed, One-Horned Son" from Shuzenji, Izu, is not just a ghost story. Rather, it is woven with a story of human prayer, unrequited love, and forgiveness.

When the couple was blessed with a deformed child, they accepted it as a gift from God. However, as the days went by, they became worried about the reality of how society would see them and how difficult it would be to live, and finally they confessed their true feelings. But that one word tore the son's heart apart.

My parents loved me. But they just couldn't express it a little. My children loved me too. But they just couldn't accept me.

What emerges from this tragedy are universal issues we all face: "Even in love, misunderstandings can occur," and "The more important someone is to us, the more likely we are to hurt them without realizing it."

And yet, the son returned the favor.

I can't help but feel that this figure embodies a deep love for humanity, entrusted to the strange being that is the yokai.

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The forms of "yokai" to be remembered

"The Child with One Eye and One Horn" certainly looks inhuman, but his actions were more human than human, kind and sincere.

The reason this legend is still passed down to the present day is not only because of its sadness, but also because the sincerity and love contained within it resonates deeply in our hearts.

Yokai are not just beings to be feared,A mirror that reflects the depths of people's heartsHow do we face the feelings that dwell within strange creatures? A story that asks this question lives quietly in the mountains of Shuzenji, Izu.