Red candle and mermaid

Author: Kikawada Tomomi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: A story set on the plateau before the heavy snowfall. This is a story that takes place on the desolate plain at the foot of a perilous mountain. Coal has been dug out of the mountain. Every day, the coal cars transport the coal from the mountain to the plain. The coal cars, loaded with coal, rumble rhythmically on the tracks. Whenever this happens, the coal in the car，。“We were dug out from the dark and cold mine and brought to this bright world. Everything we see is so fresh. Where will we be sent in the future?” The identical pieces of coal chat with each other. The silent car offers no reply, not to mention it knows nothing about it. But the track knows it very well. Why? Because it has seen many pieces of coal in its own factory, so it knows. Now, hearing the coal talking about their destination, it wants to make them happy.“You will go to a bustling city and work there” the track says. Suddenly hearing this, the coal's shiny eyes widen.“Are we really going to the factory? We heard about these things when we were on the mountain. If so, I hope to be sent to a place even farther away. I want to see as many new things as possible. What will happen to us in the future? Do you know?” the coal asks. The track considers for a moment and says: “I saw you turn red while working and then disappear. It is said that you ascended into the sky continuously. Think about it, how rich your life experiences are. We will always stay here, unable to move even a bit.” The coal is shaken by the coal car, looking puzzled because they find these words hard to believe. At this moment, a bee lands on a nearby red-tinged ivy leaf, wanting to rest for a while, but the sound of the coal car keeps it awake, so it complains: “This noise is too loud, it's terrifying!” the bee says.“You can rest here peacefully. The weather is so bad, you can't go anywhere. The field must be desolate, the late-blooming gentian has already withered. Look at the white clouds in the sky, running so fast. You just stay here until the sky clears and the sun comes out, then it will be warm, and you can fly to the village,” the ivy leaf says kindly. A small pine tree listens to the conversation between the ivy and the bee and sneers: “To be afraid of the sound of the coal car and this weather, how can you live in the mountains? If another storm comes, the ivy doesn't know where it will be blown to, and the little bee will freeze to death. But me, I have to fight against the storm and blizzard. Until next year, I can't lie under the silver sky like in the past summer,” the pine tree says. The red-tinged ivy, hearing the brave and young pine tree's words, can't help but feel old and ashamed of its own situation, speechless. Just as the pine tree said, a terrible storm is coming tonight, and the ivy trembles while looking up at the sky. The little bee that landed on the red leaf flies away and lands on the coal that is running nearby. Because the little bee wants to know what this black, shiny thing is. The coal doesn't speak, just watches the little creature's actions with a smile. The bee sniffs the coal and licks it with its small mouth, trying to use its tiny senses to determine where the coal comes from. Of course, it can't know. The track knows the bee too well. Because this beautiful bee with a pair of small, agile, and transparent wings often flies around the flowers beside the track. In early summer, this bee, along with other bees, built a nest in the flowers. They go to faraway places every day to collect nectar. The track sees that when the morning sun shines like thin, sharp arrows between the shadows of the flowers, they follow the track, some flying south, some flying north. When the bees stop on the flowers, diligently collecting nectar, the sun is already high in the sky. Then, the sound of the coal car rings out, the track begins to heat up, and the wind, shining with a silver light, blows over the plateau. They do the same work every day. Soon, the eggs in the nest hatch, and a bee is born, and they all fly away to unknown places. The few remaining bees stay in the same place until summer ends. The flowers gradually decrease and wither with the passing of the seasons. The bees stop on the track, basking in the sunlight, sometimes motionless.“The coal car is coming soon!” Sometimes the track wakes up the sleeping bees. The bees fly away. The sky is blue and clear. Although the bees can fly freely to anywhere, they never leave here. Autumn comes to the mountain, and it gets colder here earlier than in the village. The insects cry sadly for their fate. But the bee is not as sad as the insects crawling on the ground, because it can fly wherever it wants. However, it still misses this place with the old nest too much. In early summer, they were so happy. This area was filled with their bright songs. Moreover, the beautiful purple, red, blue, yellow, and white flowers would praise their posture and hope they would stay with them for longer. But now, all their companions have scattered, and the beautiful flowers are long gone. Why can't this scene return? The bee fantasizes about these things. The sun gradually changes direction, shadows appear on the track, and the ground begins to cool. When the branches below no longer receive sunlight all day, it lands on the ivy leaf wrapped around the high branches. For some time, the ivy leaves have also turned red. But the gentle ivy leaves often forget that they will soon wither and comfort the bees.“The sun will come out soon. Then the weather will warm up,” the ivy leaf says. However, the young pine tree, full of arrogance, boasts to the surrounding plants and insects.“I can only fight alone. When you all weakly wither, die, and fade away, I have to face the blizzards and storms and shout, fighting,” the pine tree says proudly. No one him, because everything is just as the young pine tree said. The bee that landed on the coal remains motionless, and the coal tells the bee: “Come with us to the city. We will be transported to the factory sooner or later. But in the city, you can fly freely wherever you want. I hear the city is bustling and warm. We are too. The next time we go to the city, I heard it is bright, with all kinds of wonderful things. Let's go together,” the coal says. The bee thinks. While it's not too cold yet, it needs to find a hiding place quickly. Should it stay in this field or go to the city where the coal is going? It needs to think carefully. According to the older bees, when it snows in winter, they all build a hiding place under the eaves of the temple. The snow here is very deep, and it's hard to find a suitable place. If it's really as the coal said, then let's go to the city! The bee flaps its beautiful wings and thinks. At this moment, the worker sitting in the coal car notices the bee.“It seems there's a beehive nearby. My foot was stung last time” saying this, he lifts his foot to step on the bee. However, the bee escapes the danger and flies away. Later, the coal gets involved, and the situation gets chaotic. The bee wants to follow the track back to its original place, where the gentle ivy leaf is waiting for it. As the bee flies along the track, it notices for the first time that the track is painfully bending and crawling on the ground.“Why are you like this?” the bee asks the track. The track looks up at the bee with a stern gaze and says resentfully: “You've only now noticed how painful I am? I've been groaning in pain for a long time. Moreover, the rusty bolts are holding my body tightly.” The bee realizes that the track, which looks strong on the outside, also has such worries and pain. It wants to look more closely, so it flies to the place where the bolt is pressing. Indeed, the rusty bolt with red rust is pressing the track desperately. The bee lands there and asks: “Why do you press the track so hard?”“I was ordered to do so.”“But you and the track are family! You can be considered brothers.” Because they are all made of steel, the bee says this.“But if I forget the order and loosen my grip, I worry that something bad will happen.” the rusty bolt says.“But you're so old. Even if you rest for a while, no one will blame you,” the bee replies. The face of the rusty bolt shows an expression of agreement and listens to the bee's words. The bee quickly flies back to the red-tinged ivy leaf. The ivy leaf looks up at the sky, a look of sadness on its face.“Another storm is coming!” Only the young pine tree is full of arrogance, boasting and showing off. Because of the bee's words, the rusty bolt can't help but loosen its grip on the track. As a result, the track immediately straightens its bent body. At this moment, the coal car carrying other coal comes down from the mountain. Where did the coal that just came down go? Probably it hasn't reached the factory in the city yet. As the bee on the ivy leaf is thinking about these things, the coal car derails! With a strange sound, the coal car slides to this side and overturns next to the young pine tree, crushing it. The bee is stunned by this sudden accident and escapes frantically to the distant birch tree. That night, heavy snow falls on the plateau. (Published in January 1926)