Bamboo Forest

The Legend of Bamboo Forest

 

 

 

 

 

 

I never really met my parents. I don't even know their names. All that I can recall is what transpired briefly after I was born.

I was born in Kyoto. Some time after my brother was also born. Though I was a perfectly normal baby boy the same can not be said about my brother. No one really knows why he was born the way he was; the doctor's were completely dumbfounded. After the birth of my brother my parents were alarmed by "him". It was a given that my brother's appearance was anything but normal, in addition to this his "ways" were also not in the realm of normality - far from it. Beyond his strange appearance my brother had consumption habits that are perhaps equivalent to that of seven healthy baby boys.

Our biological parents were so distraught over the whole thing that they decided they could not handle it anymore. Not only did they conclude they must abandon Flying LlamaFish; they must also abandon me since I have a connection with him.

In a show of great frustration my biological parents hastily hurried me and my brother into the car. They didn't know exactly what they were going to do with us; they only knew they were going to do something. In a moment of great impatience and even anger they buckled us up and drove off. They kept driving and driving as if they were possessed by a demon. 

Suddenly they decided to stop at this certain place. At the time I did not know what they were going to do with my brother nor me for that matter. After they stopped at this mystery location they proceeded to get Flying LlamaFish out of the back seat and layed him down on the ground where they wrapped him in a beautiful red blanket. They then picked him up and carried him over to this mysterious building where they cautiously ferried him up steps that seemed to go on forever. By the time they reached the very top they were huffing and puffing from the sheer physical exertion of climbing so many steps with him in their arms. They quickly placed my brother down by the front entrance leaving him completely and utterly helpless at the door of this enigmatic building. They took one last very brief look at him and then scurried off in order to evade any detection.

They got back in the car and now it was just me and my biological parents on the road.  And off we went and went and went...  After traversing many miles my parents found themselves entering a very rural area of Japan. Finally, and totally out of no where my biological father yelps, "pull over the car!!!" My mother responding to the outburst slams on the breaks, and the car skids perfectly onto the side of the road where it finally comes to a stand still.

Next thing I notice, I'm also being wrapped in a beautiful red blanket. My parents quietly carry me away from the car and into a majestic bamboo forest. They very diligently continue to carry me deeper and deeper into the forest where they finally spot a place with  extensive shading. After walking for a good thirty minutes they gently place me down under a beautiful tree. They didn't know what might become of me; they only hoped that someone would find me.

There I was laying in some rural bamboo forest in Japan for a full six hours before I was ever discovered and crying the whole time too as babies usually do. At the same time I was laying there in the bamboo forest there happen to be a man taking a leisurely hike.  His name is Kyoshi and at the time he was in his 50's. He was simply taking a hike in order to relax his mind, and suddenly in the midst of his outing he hears this faint sound.  His initial impression is that he was "hearing things". After all, deep in the bamboo forest this is not the kind of thing you hear. You do hear the whimsical sound of the wind dancing through the leaves, and the rare sound of wild animals rummaging through the brush, but a baby weeping - never. 

Kyoshi in his burning curiosity had no choice but to find out what on earth he was hearing. So on and on he went getting closer and closer to this mysterious sound. As the gap began to close more and more he realized that it indeed sounded a lot like the weeping of a baby, but then he said to himself, "this can not be!” As he got within eye distance of me he could faintly see what appeared like a small head peering out of some blankets. He could not believe his very eyes. Seeing the impossible he creeped up slowly as he was so taken aback by this scene. As he continued on he fully realized that it was indeed that which he began to suspect. It was a baby sitting under a tree deep in the bamboo forest, and what’s more - this was no native. 

Kyoshi finally arrives with in touch of the baby. He very gradually lowers himself to sit next to the weeping baby in order to adapt to the sheer shock of this bizarre circumstance.  While sitting next to it, deep in the bamboo forest, he looks at it totally perplexed for a few moments and then begins to gently pick it up and hold it in his arms. In his attempt to calm the baby he gently swings it and as he does he begins to warm up to the charm and cuteness of it; a glowing smile ensues on his face. He and his wife always dreamt of having a baby of their own, unfortunately this outcome never did come to fruition.

Kyoshi finally gets up with the baby and carefully situates the baby in such a way that he can safely begin the long journey back to his humble abode. During his journey as he approaches closer proximity to his home he begins to have trepidation as to how his wife will react when he comes home with a baby he happen to find while hiking.

He finally reaches his home and very calmly knocks on the door. His wife hears the knock while in the kitchen relaxing with a cup of tea. She knows exactly who it is and quickly gets up and cheerfully walks towards the door to open it. To her complete and utter disbelief she sees her husband standing there with a cautious smile on his face holding a non-native baby wrapped in a blanket in his arms. She almost faints at the sight and cries out in a sudden burst, "What is this?!" Kyoshi goes on to explain all that had happened on this unprecedented day. After hearing all he had to say and starting to adapt to this utterly strange chain of events she warmly takes the baby from Kyoshi's arms and holds it in her own arms. Soon after she goes over to their crib and places the baby gently into it. 

Prior to this, the crib had not been used all the years they owned it - not even once. This crib was a beautiful hand crafted piece made out of the finest wood in all of Japan.  Kyoshi and his wife bought this crib long ago in hope and anticipation that one day they would have a baby of their own to place in it. Unfortunately this hope and dream of theirs never did come to pass, and so they both decided to keep this baby and raise it themselves. It didn't take long for them to fall in love with the cute baby.

Kyoshi and his wife after all that had transpired decided to name the baby boy quite appropriately, "Bamboo Forest”.  Furthermore, they lived on a tea farm in Uji and reached the conclusion that they were not getting any younger, and it would be a great asset to have an extra hand around as they got older to ensure that the farm would never have to be sold.

The fateful day of the long hoped for reuniting of me and my brother Flying LlamaFish came to pass as a result of a prophecy that he received. More to come on the details of this propitious event.