HE WISHED TO LIVE FOREVER
A long time ago there lived in Japan a man named Opulo who was quite rich. There was really nothing about which he need worry, but one day the thought came to him that he might fall sick and die. Probably the only reason for this was because he didn't have to earn his living, and so had very little to occupy his time.
"It seems to me," said he to himself, "that a man ought to live a much longer life than he does. I am very comfortable here, with all I want to eat and drink, and plenty of money to spend, so why should I not enjoy life for hundreds of years without sickness or worry?"
He had heard of men in times gone by who had lived as long as that, and recalled the story of a certain Princess who had reached the age of five hundred years. Then he thought of that powerful Chinese King, Shiko, who built the great wall of China and many wonderful palaces, but who, in spite of his greatness and the luxury in which he lived, was never happy because he knew that some time he must die and give it all up.
This great ruler had heard that in a country called Horazai, far away across the seas, there lived certain hermits who possessed the secret of the "Draught of Life," and that whoever should drink of this wonderful elixir would never die. So he ordered Jofuku, a courtier in whom he placed great confidence, to set out for the land of Horazai, and to bring back with him a phial of this magic fluid.
The Emperor had his finest junk made ready for a long voyage, and loaded it with rich gifts for the hermits. The courtier sailed away, but was never heard of again. Mount Fuji was supposed to be Horazai, and ever since then Jofuku has been worshipped as their god.
The story of the Emperor Shiko made such an impression on Opulo that he made up his mind to seek the hermits who held the secret of this marvelous water of life, and if possible to become one of them; so he started out on his quest.
He traveled, and traveled, climbing to the peaks of the highest mountains, and wandering through unknown regions, but meeting with no success.
At last it seemed to him that he was wasting time, so he decided to go straight to the shrine of Jofuku, to whom he would pray for assistance in his search.
He went to the temple devoted to this deity, and every day for a month he knelt there, and made his entreaty.
At the end of this time, while kneeling before the shrine, he was suddenly enveloped in a cloud, and when this cleared away he saw Jofuku himself standing before him.
Opulo bowed his head to the ground, and Jofuku said to him, "Your request is selfish and therefore hard to grant. You imagine that you would like to become a hermit such as those you seek, and so partake of the Elixir of Life. A hermit's life is a hard one and not suited to an idle man who is used to enjoy every possible comfort. To be a hermit one must obey strict rules; he must eat only fruit and berries, and cut himself off from the ways of the world, so that he may become pure and free from unworthy desire.
"You, Opulo, have always been a lazy man, and have been too fond of good living. Do you think you could go barefoot and wear only one thin dress during the cold of winter? No, the life of a hermit is not for you!
"But there is something else I will do for you, and that is to send you to the Island of Continual Life, where death is unknown."
Then Jofuku gave Opulo a small bird made of paper, and told him to sit upon it.
This the wondering Opulo did, and the bird began to grow. Soon it was large enough for him to ride on comfortably. With wings outspread it rose high up in the air, and away it flew.
The flight through the air was swift; on and on they went for hundreds and hundreds of miles without a stop, until at last they came to an island, and there the bird alighted.
Opulo stepped to the ground and the bird grew smaller and smaller. At last it became the same size as when Jofuku gave it to him, so he folded it up and put it in his pocket.
He walked on until he came to a town, where he found a place to lodge. Everything, of course, was strange to him; the streets and buildings were different from what he had been used to, and all the people looked prosperous.
Opulo told the owner of the house in which he obtained lodgings that he intended to live there permanently, so the worthy man kindly promised to help him all he could. He found a suitable house for him, and servants to attend to his comfort, so Opulo took up his residence in the land of Continual Life.
It was a strange country indeed in which he now lived. No one ever died there, nor even became sick, so doctors were unknown. But the people were not happy and contented; they had heard of a place called Paradise, but it was only a legend to them. They knew that one could not reach this wonderful land without dying, and death was something they longed for, but which never came to them.
Ordinary people have a dread of death, but these were very different, for they looked upon it as something very much to be desired. How they wished it could come to them, so that they could enter the happy land of Paradise!
To Opulo everything seemed to be upside down. He had come here hoping to live forever, and found the inhabitants wishing more than anything else that they could die. They had tried everything they could think of to bring this about, but without success. No one could even make himself ill, try as hard as he might; he couldn't even raise a corn on his toe.
But Opulo was happy, for he had found what he sought. He assured himself that he would never tire of living, and was the only contented man on the island.
He changed from his former mode of living, and instead of doing nothing, he set himself up in business. And now that he had something to do, time passed very quickly.
Strange to say, after having lived there for two hundred years life began to be somewhat dull and monotonous. He wanted a change, for it was the same thing day after day, and year after year. He began to think that perhaps the other people were not so foolish when they wanted to die!
It would be fine if he could see his own country again; things would never be any different where he was now, and how wearisome it was getting to be!
Now he wanted to die, but couldn't, and it was no use trying to.
One day he happened to think that his prayers to Jofuku had resulted in bringing him to this country. He would pray to Jofuku to take him away from it. Why did he not think of this before?
So he prayed, and to his surprise the paper bird came into his hand. It grew and grew as it had done before in the temple of Jofuku, and soon it was large enough for him to mount. It spread its wings, and they went flying through the air.
On and on they flew, stopping neither for rest nor food, and at length they reached the Japan Sea. Then he suddenly thought of the valuable business he had left behind. Why hadn't he sold it, and taken the proceeds with him?
As soon as this thought came to him a storm came on. It rained hard, and of course the paper bird became wet, and being paper, it crumpled up and fell into the sea.
Now he was in danger of being drowned, and he was afraid. Not long ago he would have welcomed death. He called aloud to Jofuku to save him, but there was no reply.
He swam and swam, doing his best to keep from sinking. Then right in front of him he saw a huge fish, its mouth wide open, ready to devour him.
In his fright he screamed so loudly for Jofuku to save him that he awakened himself. For, behold, he had fallen asleep during his long prayers before the shrine, and all of this had come to him in a dream.
Then he heard a voice, and before him stood a messenger, who said:
"As you have prayed, so has Jofuku permitted you in a dream to see the land of Continual Life. You were not contented there and wished to return to your own country that you might die. And even your desire for death was not real, for when the fish was there to swallow you, you called on Jofuku to save you. There is only one thing for you to do; return to your home and live an industrious life, be helpful to yourself and to others, and thus will you be happy and live to a good old age. And be sure that any selfish desire you may have, even if it be granted, will never bring you happiness."