There was once a beautiful princess who lived alone on an island. She was the only human there and made friends with all the native animals. Her best friend was a turtle. He didn’t say much, but she knew he could understand her words.
Far into the distance the princess could see thousands of people having fun along the shore. She had special senses that tingle when certain people entered the water. She thought it was the world’s way of telling her it was true love.
A few sailors have sailed by her island, and a few have even rested there. They never stay though. Not long enough anyways.
You see, the princess had another special power; she never aged. She could also give others that opportunity as well. Often the guests take up the offer, but eventually they miss home and would try to go back. The princess has learned that nothing good lasts forever.
One morning, her turtle friend ended up far away from home. He was caught in a nets that were thrown into a boat. A fisherman was utterly surprised to see such a creature in those nets because this has never happened before. The turtle was terrified for his life. He trembled and begged as the fisherman picked him up. The fisherman simply released all the netting and gently put him down in the sand. Graciously, he gave the turtle a nudge to set him free into the water, and off the turtle went.
The turtle arrived back home and told the princess all about his encounter. Immediately, the princess was infatuated. She was desperate for the attention of any man, for it had been decades since anyone had stopped by her island. She needed to devise a plan to meet this kind fisherman. She needed to find herself a keeper.
She observed from afar all the days he set ashore to go fishing. There is this feeling that won’t go away. He was the one.
It was a stormy night out and this was the perfect opportunity to reel the fisherman in. His boat coincidentally hit a rock and broke right beneath him. When out of nowhere the turtle came towards him to save his life. “I am the turtle whose life you once saved. I will now pay my debt and show my gratitude.”
With that, the fisherman latched onto the turtle, and they headed back to the princess’ island.
Here the princess tended to the wounds he received during the storm and took care of him as he passed out. The next morning the young fisherman was surprised to see how much better he felt. He looked up and was captured by the beauty the princess possessed.
She noticed he was awake and swiftly walked back to him. They chatted for a few hours… which turned into a few days. When finally the princess gave him the proposition of staying young forever. The idea sounded too good to be true, but he accepted her invitation.
It’s amazing how time flies on an island isolated with just two people living there. Years passed and the fisherman never even noticed.
But.
One day, the fisherman told the princess he missed home and wanted to go back. Like the rest of the men that end up on this island, they never last.
She let him go back to a place he calls home, but really it is no longer his home. He doesn't realize that it’s been hundreds of years stuck on that island with her.
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Author’s Note: I wanted to do it from the princess’ point of view instead of the fisherman’s. To tie in the original version and mine a little bit more, I incorporated a quote from the turtle.
Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales by Andrew Lang
