Odds Bodkin

This is yet another book in my collection with incredible illustrations of Gennady Spirin. I am locating and purchasing as many books illustrated by Spirin as I can find. His works of art never cease to amaze me! This story of the Crane Wife is no exception. His illustrations seem magically sheer and beautifully rendered.

A story of love, but also greed and selfishness, this is the tale of Osamu, who lives high in the Japanese mountains. He makes sails and sells them as his only way of making a living. One cold, cold night a crane was thrown tempest-tossed by the howling wind. Finding the crane outside his door, Osamu couldn't help but help the lovely crane. Three days of providing care, he nursed the lovely bird back to life so that it could once again fly in the lovely mountains.

Years later, another storm brought a lovely lady to Osamu's door. They fell in love and married. Yukiko saw the poverty of Osamu and offered to help by building a sall that he could take and sell in the village. Weaving a magical sail, her only request was that he not watch her as she wove a thing of incredible beauty. Magically, Yukiko wove the wind into her sails. Because of the uniqueness of the sail, it sold and was paid for in gold. There was enough gold to last a year.

When spring returned, so did the gentle, stunningly beautiful cranes. When the money was gone, Osamu pleaded with his wife to make yet one more sail. She told him that making these works of art caused her severe lack of energy. Exhausted, she gave a new sail to her husband, and again he was paid with enough gold to last another year.

Rather than working for both of them, he relied on his wife. And, again, when the gold was gone, he needed yet another sail. When a huge sailing ship arrived in the harbor, upon hearing of the incredible sails, he demanded one to be made and in return enough gold for a last time was promised.

Entreating her husband that making the sails literally takes life from her, nevertheless selfishly demanded another sail...a final one! Another selfish act occurred when the husband broke the rule of never coming into the room as the sails were made. He entered the room, and he say an actual crane weaving the magic. Weaving its white feathers into the sail, the wife/crane lifted herself and sailed out with the wind with the company of the other cranes.

Sadly, Osamu, was once again lonely. He lost his love through his selfish demands. The rest of his life he spun his simple sails and waited, hoping he would once again hear the gentle knock on the door.… (meer)

Folklore
Age Appropriateness: intermediate, middle school
Media: Watercolor and gouache
Review: This book is about a sales maker in Japan who is poor and one Autumn during the storm a pretty and mysterious woman knocks on his door and they end up living together. Later on the sales maker finds out that they mysterious and pretty woman can make magically sails. He uses this knowledge and her gift to allow him to make more money and in the end he makes a lot of money and then the mysterious woman fly's away.
Critique: This is a good folktale because it teaches kids about a Japanese tale in a way that makes them both interested and makes them believe it fully. The author does this by having the woman be the crane that the sail maker saved one Autumn, that in the end flew away and never came back.… (meer)