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| 村落中，樱花盛开の景 |
那是在那一年头的某一天，在村落里的石桥边出现一棵与众不同的樱花树。鲜红色的樱花，是有如唇红色的樱花。随着春风，樱花飘逸着一阵谈谈的芳香，别与一般樱花的甜，这香气让人沉醉在其中。
奇特的樱花吸引了许多人前来围观，大家都露出震撼不已的表情。一些人情不自禁地检起了落在地上的花瓣，忍不住地轻闻着樱花发出的香气。到了深夜，捡过红樱花的人陆续地浑身发烫并接开始昏迷不醒，根本找不到疗愈之药物。村民们议论纷纷，都说那是一棵受到诅咒的樱花树。
半夜，明月高挂的时候，原本昏迷的患者会呈现一种梦游的状态。他们一个接一个地走向鲜红色的樱花树，取出利刀，划破自己的手指，让鲜血一滴一滴地滴在樱花树的根部。直到太阳升起的时候，他们都再度再回到昏迷的状态。
没有任何可以阻止这种奇异的行为，不少人因此而丧失性命。直到有人发现，只要在白天的时候，剪下患者的头发，用红线捆绑，并埋在树下，患者才方可苏醒。接下来的几春天，每当樱花盛开时，没有任何村民敢接近那鲜红色樱花树。唯有从外地来的游子，依然被空气弥漫着的香气吸引，不停地为这颗樱花树灌溉着自己的血液。
Blood Cherries of the Spring
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| The Blood Cherry Tree |
It was
on one particular day, early in the year, that a cherry tree unlike any other
appeared in the village near the stone bridge, flowers as red as the color of a
woman’s lipstick, hung loosely from the tree. The billowing spring breeze blew
through, carrying the sweet scent of the flowers across the land. The pungent
yet sweet odors cast a seductive spell on every passer-by that laid eyes on
them.
People soon
gathered around the tree, with amazement and awe written all over their faces.
Some people bent down, to pick up the pink petals. They could not help but take
whiffs of the flowers sweet smell. Unexpectedly, late in the night, those that
picked up the petals started burning up and passing out. A cure was sought, but
none was found. The villagers were outraged and claimed the tree was cursed,
blaming the tree for what had happened.
At
midnight, when the full moon hung high in the heavens, those that were passed
out started sleep walking. One by one, they all started walking towards the
cherry tree. Once there,they took out knives and cut themselves, dripping their
blood on the roots of the tree. This continued until dusk, whereby the people
succumbed back to unconsciousness.
Nothing
could be done to stop this strange happening which had cost the lives of many
people. However, some people soon discovered, if the hair of the victims was
cut, tied up in red thread and bury under the tree, the victims awoke from their
eternal slumber, their lives saved.
In the
springs to come, nobody would dare venture near the cherry tree. Only unknowing
visitors, attracted by the pungent smell of the cherry tree were drawn towards
it, in the end bathing the tree in their own blood.
