Visu, the Woodsman

Once upon a time there lived a woodsman called Visu. He lived in a hut in the plain of Suruga, with his wife and two children. He used to work hard and provide for his wife and children.

However, one day after a visit from a priest, Visu decided that he had not spent any time praying and that all he had done was work.

From that day onward, Visu spent all his time praying. He failed to work and spent all his time praying. His family starved, but still Visu did not work and continued praying.

His wife was increasingly furious with him for having neglected them. One day she angrily scolded her husband as she pointed her painfully thin children.

Even after seeing that Visu did not change his mind. But he was very angry with his wife and he picked up his axe and walked away from the house with a vow that he would never return again and that he would spend all his time praying, away from his family.

He was still praying in the morning and that was when he saw a beautiful fox run before him.

Visu thought that it was very auspicious to see the fox and he ran after it. The fox ran into some bushes as Visu ran after it.

Visu could not see the fox anymore, but he came upon a brook and near the brook he saw two women playing Go.

The game of the ladies went on and on for a long time and the ladies paid no attention to Visu. They were moving the pieces of the board and as Visu watched the game mesmerized he realized that the game had no end. But Visu saw the women and nothing else and soon he remembered nothing else as he was watching the game for the whole of the afternoon.

Suddenly, when it was almost evening, one of the women played a false move.

“That is not allowed!” Visu remarked loudly as he saw the move.

Even as he had spoken, Visu saw both the women turn into foxes before his very eyes and they ran away from him.

Visu tried to run after them, but he found that he could not move very fast. His shoulders which were usually strong and powerful, felt heavy and stiff. His hair was long and his beard nearly touched the ground. Visu had had the axe in his hand and though the axe had had the finest wood, the wood just withered away.

Visu could not walk easily. But slowly he stumbled along and walked back to his own hut. Or at least, it was the place he thought he had seen his hut. Now, the hut was no longer there. Just a very old woman was standing there.

“My family lived here in my hut. Can you tell me where they are?” Visu asked the old lady.

The old lady looked very strangely at Visu. “Family? Who are you?”

“I am Visu. Visu, the Woodsman.”

The old woman looked shocked and then she shook her head. “That is impossible. Visu, the woodsman lived here three hundred years ago! He left the place one day and never came back.”

Visu was terrified as he heard the woman. “Three hundred years?” He croaked miserably. “Where are my wife and children?”

“Dead and buried.” The old woman said unhappily. “Not only the children. Even your children’s children have been buried now.” The old woman looked around the place. “If you are indeed Visu, then I think that the Gods have prolonged your life as punishment for having neglected your wife and children.”

Hearing that Visu wept.

“I prayed when my family starved and needed the labour of my strong hands.” Visu looked at the old woman and shook his head. “Please remember my last words: ‘If you pray; work too.’”

It remains unknown as to how long the repentant Visu lived. But it is believed that his soul haunts the Fujiyama when the moon shines bright.

- Japanese Folk Stories