Tōtaro

Tōtaro

Tōtaro is the name of the main character from the tales known as The Gratitude of the Samebito.

This man gives shelter to the creature known as the Samebito. After a few months he sees a girl during a festival at Miidera and falls in love with her. However, he falls into a sickness of the heart, after he learns he has to give a gift of 10,000 jewels so that he may marry her.

The Samebito, it turns out, cries tears of blood, and so Tōtaro eventually collects enough of these tears to marry the girl.¹

Footnotes

1. Davis, F. H. (1992) “Myths and Legends of Japan.” New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

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