Cuff,+Amanda

**The Beginning of Japanese Folktales ** Japanese folktales were first known to be told around the fourteenth century by narrators called, “otogi-no-shu". These tales were first told for special occasions then later told for evening talks, to children and artistic stories. ”Japanese Folktales are known in several terms and can be called, “mukashi-banashi, otogi-banashi, or d6wa. Mukashi-banashi literally means an old tale or a tale of ancient times”, which means long time ago (Seki 2). Folktales were first told by word by mouth and later placed in written form. Although folktales were told by mouth and later by text the beginning and ending phrases never changed, “Each tale in Konjaku Monogatari, compiled in the early twelfth century, begins with the phrase, "ima wa mukashi" (it was a long time ago). As for the ending phrase of folktales, five kinds can be mentioned, (a) a phrase which explains that the hero or the heroine becomes happy; (b) which tells of the prosperity of the main characters' offsprings; (c) which indicates the end of the story; (d) which gives moral or instructive teachings; (e) which explains the origin of a species or a form of animals or plants. The last one appears mostly in fables.”(Seki 3). When folktales were transitioned into written form they were published into small books, pamphlets, mimeo-graphed prints, local magazines and newspapers and topographies.
 * Topic: Japanese Folktales[[image:Japanese_Folktales.jpg align="left"]] **

**A Better Understanding of Japanese Folktales ** When having an English translation of a Japanese folklore piece there can be a loss of mythology. To makes sure this does not happen then there needs to be a sense of organization and Professor Richard M. Dorson provides three stages to better understand Japanese folktales. Those three stages are divided by; those of collecting, classifying, and theorizing. Dorson uses these three stages to, “I attempt to conduct a study of thematic patterns in certain Japanese folktales and present interpretations that should pro-vide theoretical and comparative grounds for Japanese tradition and hopefully for traditions beyond Japan” (Yen 2). He uses methodology to define the elements that formulate the meaning of patterns within the folktale. Methodology is known as, “story-pattern” or “thematic-pattern” analysis. By using these three stages he found a better understanding of Japanese folktales. Dorson provides analysis using these three stages in, “//The Tale of Yuriwaka”// in the //Folk Legends of Japan//. Finding many different meanings in these piece, on was poverty. Poverty is universal and he found that within the text the narrative of the piece showed essential elements of thematic- patterns, and explains, “a typical example of oral narrative because it contains repetition on different levels-repetition, as well attested by oral theorists, is an important principle in oral composition.” (Yen 6). The poverty that is expressed in the piece, “The Tale of Yuriwaka”, can relate to all cultures and societies. Poverty is compared to the wealth of others, the hierarchical needs to live, a journey, and what wealth actual can mean to different individuals. When using these three stages or finding the methodology the reader of the folktale can comprehend the story-pattern or the thematic-pattern that is used within the piece to make a better interpretation. Professor Richard M. Dorson separated Japanese folktales into an organizational form to help provide readers with a full comprehension.

**Some Japanese Folktales: **[|Folktales] **The Two Frogs****: media type="youtube" key="yrtEaRw96oY" height="278" width="405" align="left"**One of the most known folktales//. [|Text]//

  

References: Dorson, Richard M. “//National Characteristics of Japanese Folklore//”. Journal of the Folklore Institute. (1975).pp. 241-256 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Seki, Keigo. “//Types of Japanese Folktales//”. Asian Folklore Studies. (1966).pp.1-20

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Yen. Alsace. “Thematic-Patterns in Japanese Folktales: A search of Meaning”. Asian Folklore Studies. (1974).pp 1-36