The Three Magic Charms
Once upon a time, there was a young boy who lived in a small village. His parents sent him to study with a wise monk at a temple deep in the mountains. The boy worked hard and was very diligent in his studies.
One day, the wise monk told the boy that he needed to go into the mountains to gather firewood. Before the boy left, the monk gave him three magic charms (o-fuda) and told him, “If you find yourself in danger, use these charms wisely.”
The boy went into the mountains and started gathering firewood. Suddenly, he heard a loud noise and saw a huge, scary demon coming towards him. The boy was terrified and started running, but the demon was fast and quickly caught up to him.
Remembering the monk’s words, the boy took out one of the charms and threw it behind him. Instantly, a huge river appeared, blocking the demon’s path. The demon, however, was strong and swam across the river, continuing the chase.
The boy then threw the second charm behind him. This time, a tall, impenetrable forest of thorny bushes appeared. The demon struggled but managed to break through the thorns, though it took some time.
Now, the boy was down to his last charm. He threw it behind him, and a towering mountain appeared, even higher and steeper than before. The demon tried to climb the mountain but couldn’t get over it.
The boy finally made it back to the temple and told the wise monk what had happened. The monk praised the boy for his courage and clever use of the charms. From that day on, the boy continued to study diligently, knowing that wisdom and bravery could overcome any obstacle.
This story teaches us the value of wisdom, bravery, and using knowledge to overcome challenges.