My Misunderstood Pain

One day, I had an ache on the right side of the abdomen.  It was like a prickling.  At that time, I walked like a lame since my muscle was pulled.  When I tried to lift up my right leg, I couldn't lift it up.  Besides, since I have chronic appendicitis, I thought the reason for the ache was my chronic appendicitis problem.  From that morning, I was in pain and my pain continued until that night.  I was very scared and I called my friend to ask for her help.  She also was surprised and called a taxi to go to the emergency room for the hospital.  I spent around three hours in that hospital, and I had a blood test. After my blood test, I found that the reason for the pain was a muscle problem.  Since I just had found out that a swimming pool had been near to my apartment, I had gone swimming three times during that weekday.  It was my first time to go swimming in the U.S.A.  If that pain had been real appendicitis, I would have had to have surgery and my parents would be worried about my appendicitis, so after I realized that that pain was a muscle problem I felt very comfortable, and my friend and I laughed.

Matthew's Life

   Many years ago a very rich family had a son called Matthew.
   All his life Matthew never felt a love for school or his job, but in his mind he had great goals, one of them was to be a doctor.
   His parents always made him to go to school.  When he studied at the university he always dreamed that he was the best student of all of them.  Then he started to obtain bad grades and he got really confused about everything that was happening.  He could never obtain all he desired, nor could he understand the situation.  Then he began to have serious problems with the society, and now Matthew is in jail.
   This story teaches you that the higher you go, the harder the fall is, if you don't make any effort to be better.

The Little Girl and the Wolf

A long time ago, an old hunter had a daughter named Mary, who was clever, brave and beautiful.  She was a good hunter, as good as her father.
   One sunny afternoon, her father told her to bring a basket of fruit to her grandmother, who lived on the other side of the dark forest.  Unfortunately, a big and bad wolf was waiting in the dark forest for her appearance.
    The stupid wolf stopped in front of the little girl, and asked where she was going.  AFter the wolf found out where her grandmother's house was, the wolf disappeared into the woods and ran quickly to Mary's grandmother's house.
    When Mary arrived at her grandmother's house, she felt that there was something strange and dangerous there.  She quietly and carefully opened the door.  She saw that there was somebody in bed with a night cap and nightgown on.  She approached nearer to the bed and she discovered that it wasn't her grandmother, but the stupid wolf.  She quickly took out the gun from the basket and shot the wolf dead.
   Although it is an entertaining story, it tells us that it is not as easy to fool a little girl as it used to be.

It's Good Luck and Bad Luck

It's good luck in Japan if:
Your cat has a kitten which is male and red, white, and black
You throw a fish back into the sea.
You eat a big fish.
You find a 5-yen coin on the road.
You have a good dream on the first day of the year.
Meet a white cat.
You see a snake in your dream.
You see a spider in the morning.
You see a stray bullet.
Your nail becomes white.
A tea stalk floats erect in your tea

It's bad luck in Japan if:
You kick something around a temple
Chopsticks break
You see a spider at night
You step on the threshold
You kill a white snake
You rest your elbows on the table
You break a needle or a hairbrush
You whistle at night
You break a rice cup
You cut your nails at night
A cat passes your crotch

It's good luck in Taiwan or China if:
you eat a red egg on your birthday
A baby smiles at your
You're fat
You knock on glass
You throw sugar over your shoulder

It's bad luck in Taiwan or China if:
You put rice on the ground
You open a bottle of wine n the morning
You see moss
You eat an egg on the New Year
You cut your finger while cooking
You walk on the left

It's bad luck in Bangladesh if:
You have a pain in your leg before working
You hear a dog cry near your house at night

Yuzuru

A long time ago, there was a man whose name was Ajohyo.  He was a single; however, he was about 30 years old.  He (had) cultivated farm products.
   One day while he walked on a mountain path, he found a crane that was hurt. (At that time), Ajohyo treated her wound, then, she could fly up again.
   A couple days later, a beautiful woman visited Ajohyo and she asked him to marry her.  He was surprised and glad.  (Since then) they started living together.  Her name was Thu.  She had a skill to weave beautiful clothes and those price were very high.  Before she weave the cltoh, she told Ajohyo, "Don't peep in my room!  Don't!"  At first, Ajohyo agreed her word.  But, after Thu finish to weave clothes, she always got thin. Ajohyo wondered why she was so looked thin therefore she only to weave clothes.
   One day, Ajohyo decided to weep in her room and did that.  And then, he was very surprised because he saw a crain!  He couldn't believe his eyes!!  He saw again, but there was only a crane.  He was at a loss.  Then, Thu came out of her room and told him, "You saw my real figure… Why… I told you do not peep in my room but you…" You know.  Thu was not a woman but a crane.  She told him, "I cannot stay here so long as you know I'm a crane..  Good-bye Ajohyo… Take care of yourself…"  Thu was treated by Ajohyo.  She wanted to repay on obligation.  As soon as Thu went out from the house, she flew up to the sky.  He shouted, "Thu! Thu!!  Returned to my house… Please.. Thu.."

The End
   -Yuki Sato

Who is Luckier?

A thousand years ago, a temple was located on the top of an unkown mountain.  The inhabitants of the nearest village rarely visited this temple.  Therefore, the goddess of the temple was very dull.
   One night, a kid with a la rge lump on the right side of his neck slept in the temple.  Nobody was willing to make contact with him.  The inhabitants regarded him as a monster because of his ugly appearance.  When the goddess saw the kid lying on the floor, she noticed the large ' ball ' of the kid.  She took away the 'ball' and played with the 'ball'.  It was funny.  Then she went away with the ball.
   After a while, the kid woke up.  He discovered his lump had disappeared.  Immediately, he knelt down quickly and told everybody the goddess had cured his lump.
   Another girl also with a lump on her neck heard this.  She went to the temple and lied down.  After the goddess retruned to the temple, she put the large 'ball' back into the girl's neck.
   When the sun was rising, the girl woke up.  She found her self having one additional lump which was much bigger than the one she originally had.  Her heart was broken and she cried.  Then she went away with two lumps.

The Moon and the Light

The light shining out from the big, round Moon was bright, so that the Moon was proud of herself.  She shined on a narrow lane on the dark nights.  Every passer-by praised her when they looked upward and saw the beautiful yellow Moon.
    There was a small street-light and said,
You are so stupid to shine.  Your weak light is no use at all under my light!"
   Suddenly, a strong wind blew a dark cloud towards the Moon.  And, unfortunately it stayed in front of the Moon.  Her beautiful face was covered.
   At this time she heard the voice from a man who passed by the road.  He said, "What a dark night it is!  How would it be without this street light?"
   Then the light said to the Moon, "Now you know that everyone has their own value, and nobody can shine forever!