收获井戸
柴、米、油、盐、酱、醋、茶，是人类文明生活重要的生活物资。米，自古以来是人们最基本的主食，随之衍生出的是，日本的信仰、民俗
柴、米、油、盐、酱、醋、茶，是人类文明生活重要的生活物资。米，自古以来是人们最基本的主食，随之衍生出的是，日本的信仰、民俗
山林的深处，四座以种稻为生的部落，被清澈的河水环绕，也滋润了四座村落的稻田。稻米一般一年只有一次收成，但这四座村落的收成却有两次或以上。常年的丰收也因此被人们称为稻米之村。四座村落分别为银流村，河川村，石河村，川溪村，以田字摆列而建，方才获得如此的丰收。古时的村民都相信唯有这样，村落才受到水神的眷顾。
某一年的秋天，水神和稻神不再眷顾着四合村，干枯的溪水使稻米面临有史以来的失收。紧接几年的秋天，河水都会莫名地消失，稻田得不到溪水的滋润而开始枯萎，村民叫苦连天。各村村长以及村民们纷纷地积聚在一起讨论对策，但无一解决方法。直到某一天，石河村的稻田又莫名地丰收。
烈日之下，石河村必然也难逃河流干枯稻米枯萎的命运。但，不到几个日夜的时间，稻米也奇迹般地在短时间内生长，稻蕙粒粒结实。至此之后，唯独石河村年年都获得了大丰收。其他部落的村民们议论纷纷，甚至有传闻指石河村牺牲初生的孩儿来祭拜稻田里的稻神。
在稻田的中央，有着那么一口井。放眼往去，井口的部分被一块大石紧紧地堵盖着，据说是一口死井，不过谁也没有真正地见过井的底部究竟有些什么。没有村长的命令，谁都不许接近那口井。
那天，他默默地开垦干枯的田地，汗流浃背后忍不住停下乘凉一会儿。在树下，他看见村长带领了十几名强健的年轻人，推开井口的大石。村长倒了一壶疑似香醋的老酒后，大汉们再次把井口给盖上，离开了。接下来，他听见了井口里传出了滔滔不绝的水泉涌出的声音。
隔天，背着锄头的他，不敢相信眼前的景象，原本干枯的稻田，隔了一夜之后便湿润了起来。怪事却开始发生了。日落时分，稻田中央的井口便会传出水泉的声音，溜达在外的小孩儿都会莫名地失踪。找遍了整个村落，唯独田中的死井，终没有打开过，也没有人可以独立地打开它。
另一年秋天，村长又再一次命人打开井口。今年，他是其中一个帮手。在村长还没把纯酿的老酒倒入时，他看见井底，一滴水都没有，只有失踪孩子的衣物。石河村的传闻也像井口里泉水声一样，始终没有停止过。
The Reaping of Well Spring
The Reaping of Well Spring
Wood, wheat, oil,
salt, sauces, vinegar and tea are all the bases of human civilization. Wheat
has been mankind’s basic food source since the beginning of time. And from that
food source sprouted forth the Japanese beliefs and cultures.
In the depths of
the forest, there were 4 villages which depended on wheat for survival. The
tribes were surrounded by crystal clear waters that watered the fields of all 4
tribes. Usually paddy harvests are done only once a year, but these 4 villages
managed to have 2 or more harvests a year. The ever plentiful harvests these
tribes enjoyed earned them the collective name of “Paddy Villages”.
The names of these
4 tribes are Village of the Silver Stream, Village of the Flowing River,
Village of the River Creek and Ishikawa Village. The reason for the every
bountiful harvests is that these four villages were arranged in the shape of
the Chinese character for paddy field, “田”. Tradition
has it that this is the only way to earn the blessing of the Water God.
During autumn one
year, the River God and Paddy God rescinded their blessing that they bestowed
upon the Paddy Villages. The rivers and creeks dried up, resulting in the first
failed harvest in many years. In the ensuing years, each autumn the river
waters would just magically disappear, depriving the paddy of their precious
water and causing massive loss to the community and bitterness started to seep
in among the people.
The Village Elders
called for an emergency meeting to discuss their course of action to combat the
apparent drought, but to no avail. This continued until one day, when
Ishikawa Village’s paddy began to grow under miraculous circumstances.
Under the searing
heat of the sun, Ishikawa’s paddy was expected to suffer the same fate as the
other village’s paddy. However, miraculously, the paddy matured in a very short
span of time that was not naturally possible. Since that summer, Ishikawa
Village was the only one of the Paddy Villages that enjoyed bountiful harvests
again.
Naturally, rumours
began flying around as to the reason behind this sudden turn of events, with
some even speculating that Ishikawa villagers were sacrificing their first born
sons to appease the Paddy God.
In the middle of
the 4 paddy fields, there is a large well. At a glance,
any man can notice a large boulder blocking the opening of the well. Legend has
it that it is just an empty well, but it is impossible to tell what exactly is
at the bottom of the well. And without orders from the Village Elders, nobody
dared to even lift a finger and touch the boulder.
It was on that
fateful day, when a man was painstakingly working in the field, his entire body
drenched in sweat, that he decided to take a short breather under a nearby
tree. Not long after, he saw the village elders leading a team of around 10
robust, young men towards to the well. Together, they pushed away the stone blocking
the entrance with ease.
The village elder
poured a wine that looked like vinaigrette into the opening. Once this was
done, the men closed the entrance to the well once again before leaving. He
stayed on and watched, hoping to get a glimpse of something spectacular. His
wish came true when, he started hearing what sounded like gushing waters
underground.
The next day, he
returned to the field, hoe and pail in hand. Never in his wildest dreams could
he have imagined what was before him. The once desert dry field was transformed
into a wet wonderland, perfect for paddy. However, strange occurrences soon began
to haunt the lives of the villagers. Every sunset, the sound of gushing waters
could be heard underground, whilst little children would vanish. The search for
the missing children was initiated by the villagers, but to no avail. The only
stone unturned was the massive boulder blocking the entrance to the well, where
no man strong enough was able to lift the boulder all by himself.
The autumn of the
following year, the village elder once again ordered young men to help open the
well. This time, he was one of the men. Right before the elder poured in the
wine, he caught a glimpse of the bottom of the well. Dry as a bone, but
littered with the clothing and belongings of the lost children. From then on,
the myth of Ishikawa Village has since been told and retold among the masses.
Chances are it will never be forgotten.
