The Tale Of Tabuki and Masumo

China 1402


Stone surrounded the court yard. The moon was high in the sky, the trees swayed with the cool night breeze. There was one tree in the middle of the courtyard, which at the turn of midnight turned a light pale pink. Much different from it's daily green tone. To the residents of the stone fortress it seemed to be a blessing from Buddah. Somehow, a gift of approval from their most high God. The family created traditions over the years, the daughters were always married beneath the tree at the turn of midnight. If a member was sick, they were placed beneath the tree. Over the years many rumors escaped from the strong stone walls. Some of them were very disturbing to the family. So disturbing in fact that the fifth family locked themselves inside at night, and no one was allowed to leave. They beleived that the lord had favored them,with the honor of protecting of the sacred tree.

It wasn't until the fifth family died away and the three daughters were left. The three daughters Ella, Kartra and Masumo beleived that the tree was simply magical, and was of no use. All it did was sit there and turn pink at night. The eldest daughter ordered the tree removed in order to build her new throne room. No one could have guessed what would have happened.

Once the tree was removed and the construction of the new throne room was being built, strange things began to happen. On the twelfth day of construction four workmen were killed. Smashed by stone tablets meant to encase the floor. None the less, the eldest daughter Ella, demanded that the throne room continue to be built.
Even stranger things were beginning to happen. Ella's personal slave came down with an unknown disease and had an intolerable urge to kill her master. Ella demanded that the young slave be killed for attempted murder. The deed was done. Convinced that all these strange occurrings were just coincidences. She couldn't have been more wrong.

Ella demanded that no one leave the castle at night. It seemed that the strange deaths happened during the night. Ella beleived that the tree had been a curse and Buddah was fighting a battle with the trees evil aura. She made sure that the night was calm, quiet and undisturbed.

On the final night of the throne room's finished contruction Ella took a seat on the newly marbled throne. Suddenly, she heard an eerie voice whispering on the wind.

The Eldest daughter went pale as a shadowed figure floated before her. The face of the stranger was narrow and eyeless, her face was painted white. Her lips were deep black, her cloak a dark green trimmed and etched with blood red seams and designs. The moon was no longer visable, and the breeze was no longer flowing through the open windows. The place in which the pink turning tree had rested, was now completely covered and the moon could no longer shine down upon the earthy soil.

"You are the Eldest Daughter of the Haruang Fifth family are you not?" the eerie voice asked in hushed tones.

"I am." Ella replied with much confidence and pride.

"Your family has worshipped and believed in me for many years. And you have destroyed that sacred balance."

Ella tilted her head, her golden talismans on her crown jingled at the movement.

"I don't beleive this.." she said laughing, "You're just a trick of my imagination!" she shouted pointing a bony finger at the shadowed figure.

"Replant the tree and maybe I'll leave you alive! Refuse me, and I shall kill you and your second sister."

Ella was unmoved by this Ghosts demands, as far as she was concerned there was no way the being could harm her. She was the princess of the fifth family. She was near being immortal!

"I deny your request! Be gone!" Ella demanded standing and walking through the ghostly figure.

At the entrance of the door Ella suddenly stopped, her third sister Masumo was standing in the doorway. She peered over to see the ghost floating over the floor.

"What's going on?" Masumo asked meekly.

"None of your business." Ella said sending a hand across Masumo's cheek. "I told you to stay in your room and to not come out."

Masumo shed a tear, "Where is the pretty pink tree?" she asked softly. Her sister glared at her with a vengance.

"None of your business." she said walking back toward her stone throne.

Masumo followed like a lamb to the shepard.

"I want to know what happened to the pink tree that used to stand here."

But Ella was unwilling to answer her sister. She simply sat down and looked bravely out the door.

Masumo waited, she stood beside the ghost.

"Do you know what happened to it?" she asked the ghost politley.

"Yes, it was my soul bearing tree. I blessed your home for many a generation. But your sister ruined it by turning my tree to mulch. Now I have come to exact vengance on your family."

The ghost looked at Masumo with a kind expression, "But not you." the ghost then replied.

Masumo smiled, "What is your name."

"Tabuki," the ghost said smiling a toothless smile.

"Tabuki, I think I can resolve this problem. Come and look."

The ghost agreed to follow but demanded that Ella accompany them.

Ella followed but very unwillingly.

Masumo led the two up the circular stairway, they walked the red hallway the sound of the two womens heels clicking on the floor. Masumo stopped at her bedroom door. There sitting on a small table was a small green tree. Masumo stood beside it smiling.

"What do you smile for child?" asked Tabuki.

"Look.." she said opening the curtain. The moonlight shone through strongly and beautifully. With the milky glow shining down on the tree the change began to happen. The leaves turned a light pink, the trunk of the tree laced itself with sacred markings identical to the original tree. Tabuki gasped, she looked to Masumo.

"You saved my tree?" she said admiring the beauty.

"Only a small part of it. I cut off a root when I was very young, and placed it in soil from the same spot. This is like a child to the tree, over the many months it has grown exceptionally. If we replant the tree I beleive it will grow strong and tall."

Tabuki looked to Masumo with a smile, "You are strong spirited child. Your sister has an unchangeable yearning for destruction. Your second older sister has fear unwilling for change. But you, you have the gift of sight. The gift of love. Thank you for using your love to help this tree to grow. My soul will be able to rest in peace once more when the tree is old enough."

Masumo bowed her head and took the potted tree. Tabuki and Masumo chose the perfect spot for the tree. Within a year the tree was large enough for Tabuki to rest within it's base.

Once he rested the strange things stopped happening around the castle. Night was no longer fearful, the family stepped out of the castle walls at night. Admiring the lakeshore and village they had been deprived of for so long.

Thus is the tale of Tabuki and Masumo.