C1 Reading: The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Advanced English Short Story)
- Alex
- Mar 29
- 19 min read
Updated: Apr 2
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C1 Advanced English Reading Practice: Retelling the Tale of Princess Kaguya
Word count: 4,871
Written by Alex Makar
1.
Taketori wiped the sweat from his brow and slung the bamboo bundle over his shoulder. The forest was growing darker every minute and the moon was full—it was time to go home. But as the old bamboo cutter set off down the road, a soft light flickered among the trees to his right.
That's strange, he thought, setting down his bundle and picking his way through the towering green and yellow columns. The glow was coming from the base of a bamboo stalk. With eyes narrowed, he pulled the axe from his belt and chopped just above the light.
The sound of crashing bamboo echoed and Taketori peered eagerly into the gleaming stump. Gasp! He fell to his knees. Inside the bamboo was a tiny sleeping creature—a baby girl!—no bigger than his thumb. Carefully, the bamboo cutter reached out his hand and scooped up the remarkably small, glowing child.
"This can only be a sign from Heaven," Taketori whispered, carefully stepping back onto the path, the newborn cradled in his palm. Transfixed by the miracle he carried, he left his bundle behind and rushed home, eager to share Heaven's blessing with his wife.
2.
The cottage was at the edge of the forest. Taketori hurried inside and found his wife folding clothes in the common room.
"Megumi, look," he urged, stretching his cupped hands towards her. Megumi inhaled sharply at the sight of the fragile infant.
"She's shivering," she said. The sleeping child, her milky skin faintly aglow, suddenly twitched, opened her eyes, and started to cry.
"We must care for her," Megumi said, fetching a clean cloth and wrapping it around the newborn. The infant stopped fussing and smiled at Megumi, who beamed in return. "And we must give her a name."
Taketori opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He shook his head, spellbound, and said, "Perhaps madness has taken me today, but a name came to me as I stepped out of the forest. She will be Kaguya-hime, the Shining Princess of the Young Bamboo." Taketori took a shaky breath and met his wife's eyes. "Is this foolishness, my love? Are we truly going to do it? Us? Two old commoners, raise a child?"
Megumi's features softened in compassion. "I do not know why it has happened, Husband, but perhaps the gods have given us a chance to have the child we could not have before."
With those words, the old couple decided to care for Kaguya as if she were their own daughter. They marveled as her radiant skin lightened to a normal human hue, then placed her in a basket between their sleeping mats, closing their eyes, grateful for Heaven's grace and generosity.
3.
In the morning, Taketori woke with the sun, gazed at his sleeping wife and daughter, and marched back to the forest.
"I must do all I can for her," he whispered, feeling the sudden weight of fatherhood as he knelt before a fine bamboo tree.
He took out his axe and started chopping. When the column fell, he raised a hand to block his eyes—something was sparkling brilliantly inside the stump. The old man blinked in disbelief. Gold! Nuggets of gold! Taketori scooped up the shiny bits and placed them in a small pile next to the previous day's bamboo. Curious to test his luck, he cut down another stalk and found more glittering pieces! He continued chopping and gathering until sunset, then carried the nuggets home in the bottom of his rolled-up shirt.
Back at the cottage, Megumi was in the common room, sitting with her back against the wall, Kaguya asleep in the basket next to her. Taketori knelt in the centre of the room and carefully poured the gold onto the ground. His wife's eyes widened in wonder.
"We have been doubly blessed," Taketori said. "Tomorrow, we shall go into the city and buy everything we need."
The next day, Taketori used the gold to purchase building materials, then started working day and night to build a new home for his family—one fit for a child of Heaven. And whenever he was in need of gold, he harvested all the shining nuggets he could carry from the bamboo forest.
4.
Time felt holy. Weeks streamed by like daydreams. And the old couple witnessed another ongoing miracle—day after day, Kaguya grew faster in size and spirit than any human child ever had. Within three days, she grew to the size of a six-month-old. A day later, she started walking, and within a week, she could form words. Within two weeks, she was laughing over dinner and excitedly telling her parents how she had been splashing in the nearby river and trying to catch a fish with her bare hands.
On and on, the days blew past, and on and on, Kaguya grew, continuing to love and delight in everything around her. Yet, no matter the day, every night before bed, she would stand outside the cottage and stare up at the moon, as if she were waiting for something—whether with worry or wonder in her eyes, her parents could not say, until one night, her mother came up behind her.
"What enchants you so?" she asked.
"I do not know, Mother," Kaguya said, turning away from the moon and gazing at the ground. "But sadness and a creeping fear threaten to engulf my heart."
"Fear and sadness are part of life, Kaguya," her mother said. "But so are joy, love, and the quiet peace you feel at the edge of the river. It is the way of the world. All things—and all feelings—pass."
With tears in her eyes, Kaguya rushed into her mother's arms and clung to her in desperate longing.
5.
The days faded away, and so did Kaguya's quiet sadness, but her body kept growing. Within three months of her miraculous bamboo birth, she was a full-grown adult woman—one whose beauty was only matched by her grace and humility. During this time, she hurried out of the new cottage every morning and spent her days in the city. There she mingled with all sorts of people, from shopkeepers, to beggars, to joyful children flying kites in the square. And wherever she went, tales of Kaguya's warmth and kindness followed.
Her purity of spirit even drew the attention of city nobles, who invited her to spend time with them at court. Though flattered, Kaguya refused, but this only elevated her reputation—so much so that everyone began calling her Princess Kaguya.
When her parents heard the news, they were pleased, and, wanting to continue providing a life worthy of a child of Heaven, they moved their family once more, this time to the very heart of the city. There, they spent a day speaking to tailors, commissioning the finest silk garments for their daughter, wanting her appearance to match the city's perception of her.
"But Mother, Father," Kaguya said. "This is not necessary."
"You are of age, my child," her father said. "And soon, I am certain, you will have the attention of many more people of high standing."
Kaguya shook her head. "I am happy as I am," she said. However, there was more truth to her father's words than she knew, for as her presence in the city grew, whispers of the beauty and humility of the uncrowned princess reached the ears of potential suitors across the land, until one morning, Kaguya stepped out of her home and found a man and horse waiting for her.
6.
"Greetings, Princess Kaguya," the well-dressed man said with a bow, "I bring a message on behalf of the honourable Lord Tamagawa no Omi. He has heard tales of your surpassing warmth and beauty, and wishes to express his intentions of courtship." The messenger presented the scroll to Kaguya, who stared at it in confusion, making no motion to take it.
"Courtship?" she said. "My regards and apologies to your lord, but I am not interested in courtship with anyone, though I will read his letter if it pleases him."
The messenger gaped a moment, then said, "He would be most grateful."
Kaguya accepted the scroll.
"Thank you," she said. "And I am sorry that you have had to travel all this way. Would you like a cup of tea before parting? We also have food inside. And does your horse need watering?" Kaguya invited the man inside and offered him food and drink before directing him towards a nearby pond. She then untied and read the scroll in private. It was full of lovely words, comparing her to spring breezes, sunsets, and cherry blossoms. After reading the letter, Kaguya rolled it up and placed it in a corner of her room with a sigh. Little did she know this was just the beginning of her troubles.
7.
All at once, men began appearing outside Kaguya's home, hoping for a glimpse of her face or a minute of her company. Some were messengers while others were nobles who wished to express their intentions directly. The nobles were of all ages, though most looked much older than Kaguya. And always, she rebuffed them, wishing to remain free regardless of their cries when she did step outside.
"I shall build statues in your name!" one called.
"We shall travel all of Japan together!" another promised.
"For you, I shall gather the most beautiful flowers daily!" another shouted, presenting her with a bouquet.
Kaguya turned on her heel, went back inside, and shut the door.
"Mother, Father, what am I to do?" she said, frustrated. "They do not listen."
Taketori and Megumi looked at her with sympathy in their eyes.
"You will find a solution," her mother said.
"Perhaps we, or just you, should leave this place," Taketori suggested recklessly. Megumi lightly hit his arm.
"We are not moving again, Taketori. Running away is not the solution. Kaguya must solve this on her own."
And so, Kaguya's mornings continued to be filled with nobles and messengers gathered in front of her home. However, as time passed, most of the suitors began to disperse, for men are not all equally persistent. Thus, the crowds grew smaller and smaller until only five high-ranking nobles remained. Whether the sun shone or the clouds poured down rain, they were steadfast in their mission to win the heart of Japan's greatest treasure.
Seeing that they would not leave, Kaguya devised a plan.
8.
One sunny morning, Kaguya stepped outside and stood before the five men, who met her with military postures and raised chins.
"What is your name, my lord?" she asked the first man.
"I am Prince Ishitsukuri, my lady." He bowed deeply and smiled confidently. He looked Kaguya's age.
"And what will you do for me, Prince Ishitsukuri?" she asked, raising her chin and her eyebrows. The prince's face twitched, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Anything for a princess of your surpassing grace and beauty," he said. Kaguya nodded, approvingly. "And will you all do the same?" she said, shifting her gaze to the four other men. All bowed deeply and said, "Yes."
"Tell me your names." Kaguya held out a hand, palm up, towards the man next to Prince Ishitsukuri. He looked much older and had a well-fed belly.
"I am Prince Kuramochi."
Kaguya motioned to the next man.
"I am Minister Abe no Miushi, my lady," he said. His voice was deep and his brow was lined with the passing of years.
Kaguya looked at the fourth man.
"The Great Counselor Otomo no Miyuki," he said a bit too proudly with his wide chin a bit too high.
"And you?" Kaguya said, directing her attention to the last man.
"Middle Counselor Isonokami no Marotari," he said softly. He was smaller and thinner than the other men.
Satisfied, Kaguya started pacing slowly before her suitors.
"I shall give each of you a task," she said. "The one who accomplishes their task first shall be my husband." The eyes of the suitors grew. Immediately, Prince Ishitsukuri fell to one knee and said, "What is my task, my lady?" The other men followed suit and asked for instruction. Kaguya motioned for them to rise.
"Prince Ishitsukuri," she began. The prince leaned forward in anticipation. "You must bring me the stone begging bowl of the Buddha." Kaguya heard the man's voice catch in his throat.
"But princess," he began, but Kaguya continued on.
"Prince Kuramochi, you must bring me a jeweled branch from the island of Horai." Prince Kuramochi froze, unsure how he would find an artifact only told of in myth.
"Minister Abe," she said, as Abe pursed his lips in discomfort. "You must bring me the legendary fire-rat's robe. It is said that no flame can touch it." Abe closed his eyes tightly but nodded.
"Counselor Otomo," Kaguya said. "From you, I ask for the jewel from the neck of a dragon." Otomo kept his expression passive.
"And you, Counselor Isonokami," Kaguya said, then paused. "I wish you to bring me the cowry shell from a swallow's nest."
"But cowry shells are from the sea, not from birds' nests," Counselor Isonokami replied quickly.
"Then you shall have to look hard," Kaguya said, elegantly placing her hands behind her back. "You have all been given your errands. Do not return empty-handed."
The five men left with downcast eyes. Knowing she had given them impossible tasks, Kaguya was confident she would never see them again.
9.
Two months later, Kaguya was surprised to see Prince Kuramochi at her doorstep. In his hands, he held a beautiful jeweled branch. Kaguya opened her door and looked at the mythical artifact in disbelief.
"But how?" she began.
"I searched far and wide," Prince Kuramochi said in a somber tone. "Until I came upon the island of Horai. There, I hiked wicked trails and mountains for weeks, until finally, as I was near the peak of a mammoth mountain, battered by rainfall, I saw the branch shining near the edge of a cliff. I reached out and pulled it from the ground, then returned home in a terrible state. I came to you as soon as I could."
Kaguya evaluated the branch and the prince. He did not look to be in a poor state and something about the branch seemed unnatural.
Just then, someone shouted nearby.
"Kuramochi! Kuramochi, you thief!" the voice said.
Prince Kuramochi turned, clenching his eyes shut.
"Oh, no," he said. "Not now."
A middle-aged, rosy-cheeked man stood and pointed his finger at him.
"You have not paid me for my work!" he shouted. "And you stole the branch!"
Kaguya raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you, sir, and what do you speak of?"
"I am an artisan, my lady," the rosy-cheeked man began. "I was commissioned by Prince Kuramochi to craft the jeweled branch of Horai, which he now holds, but he has not paid me for my work!"
Kaguya snatched the branch from Kuramochi, walked past him, and handed it to the artisan.
"Thank you for your honesty," she said, then looked back at the prince. "At least there is one honest man at my doorstep today. You are not worthy of my hand, Prince Kuramochi, for I would never marry a fraud. You have risked nothing in this endeavour but your honour."
Upon hearing these words, Prince Kuramochi covered his face, turned, and ran away in shame.
10.
It was a month before Kaguya received another visitor. The most finely dressed messenger Kaguya had ever seen stood on her doorstep, a scroll in his hand. Kaguya's father was behind her in the common room, and he immediately fell to his knees.
"We are honoured," he said. Kaguya did not understand why her father was prostrating himself before a messenger, and she did not mirror his display of reverence.
"On whose behalf have you come?" she asked plainly.
"On behalf of His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor," the messenger said in an official tone. "He wishes to communicate a message to you."
"We are truly honoured," Kaguya's father said, his face still pressed to the floor.
"Father, stand up," Kaguya said, then turned her attention back to the messenger. "What words does the Emperor have for me?"
"He has heard tales of your grace and kindness towards all people," the messenger began, speaking softer than before. "And he wishes to learn more about you, and to begin a channel of communication. He is heartened to hear of such a lively spirit within the dominion. He has written more in this scroll and has humbly asked you to read it and respond in kind. If it pleases you, I shall find lodging in the city and return for your response in two days." The messenger inclined his head in gentle courtesy.
Kaguya, taken aback, stood frozen to the spot for several seconds. Then, she opened her palm to accept the scroll. Status-seeking nobles were one thing. The emperor of Japan was another, especially when presented with such grace.
"Thank you. I shall honour the emperor's wishes and respond to him in two sunrises." She bowed.
From that time until the end of her days, Kaguya wrote to the emperor regularly, sharing her dreams and sorrows, and reading of the emperor's own hopes, thoughts, and disappointments. Through these communications, she began to feel a closeness she had not felt with any other man, until one day, the emperor came to visit her in person. Struck by her beauty, and knowing of her exceptional character, he asked her to marry him.
"I am sorry, but I am not of your country," she said with a knot in her stomach. "I cannot marry you."
Saddened, the emperor asked, "May we continue writing?" Kaguya nodded, feeling the continued pull of something beyond her understanding, sensing her time was nearing its end.
"Until we meet again," the emperor said, then returned to his palace. Despite heavy hearts, the two continued writing to one another over many moons.
11.
It was during these communications that certain events transpired with the four remaining suitors. First, two messengers arrived. The first represented Grand Counselor Otomo.
"Has the Grand Counselor found a jewel from the neck of a dragon?" Kaguya asked.
"The Grand Counselor Otomo searched for a true dragon," the messenger began. "But he was faced with a horrible storm at sea, and had to flee and return home. He wishes to inform you that he has given up his pursuit of the dragon and of you, my lady."
"I am glad he is alive," Kaguya replied. "But cowardly is the man who seeks glory but flees when faced with true danger." The messenger bowed and left.
The second messenger came on behalf of Counselor Isonokami, who had been tasked with finding a cowry shell in a swallow's nest.
"Why has the Counselor not come himself?" Kaguya asked.
"He is filled with disgust and shame, my lady," the messenger said, shifting his gaze to the floor. "He no longer seeks the cowry shell. He became so obsessed with it that he asked a coterie of men to seek out swallows' nests and cut the birds open before their eggs were laid." Kaguya frowned, disturbed.
"I would never accept such cruelty in a husband," she whispered. "May he think about his brutal actions and seek repentance through good deeds." The messenger, a conflicted expression upon his face, bowed and left.
A few days later, Minister Abe no Miushi arrived in the evening with a fabulous robe draped across his arms.
"A fire-rat's robe, as you requested, my lady," he said with a sly smile. "I searched far and wide—and spared no expense," he added with pride.
Kaguya took the robe from the minister's arms. It was bright red, made of high quality silk, and was light as an evening song. She brought it inside and walked straight to the fireplace. There, she threw the fine robe into the dancing flames—and watched it burn up.
Minister Abe no Miushi yelped like a scolded dog. "No! That cost a small fortune!" Kaguya turned to him.
"Some things cannot be bought, Minister," she said. "Especially not impossible things like a fire-rat's robe, or the love of another." The minister, open-mouthed, slumped his shoulders and went back home.
Several months later, Prince Ishitsukuri appeared on her doorstep at sunrise. It had been two years since Kaguya had last seen him. His face looked grave, and he held a cloth-wrapped bundle in his hands.
"I have come to take your hand in marriage, my lady," he said. "May I enter?" Kaguya led him to the kitchen table, where they sat across from each other. Ishitsukuri placed the cloth bundle in the centre of the table and unwrapped it, revealing a smooth stone bowl engraved with ancient characters. He tapped it with his finger. A clear musical note filled the home.
"I have returned from a journey that challenged me physically and spiritually, my lady. I traveled past our borders and back to bring you this," he said, his expression still grim. "The begging bowl of the Buddha." Kaguya's eyes met his, then shifted to the bowl. She narrowed her gaze and picked up the item, appraising it with care. She smiled as she looked back at Prince Ishitsukuri.
"It is a fine bowl," she said. "But it does not belong to the Buddha. As you know, the Buddha's bowl shines eternally, and this bowl lacks light of any sort, divine or otherwise."
The prince pursed his lips and furrowed his brows in sudden anger.
"You asked for the impossible," he spat out.
"And your pride allowed you to believe it could be done," she said. "Or that you could fool a young woman, for I do not believe you traveled past our borders. Your face has neither the wear nor the colour such a journey would leave upon it."
The prince clenched his fist in silence. With reddened cheeks, he re-wrapped the bowl and left, humiliated.
12.
That evening, Kaguya stepped outside and gazed at the moon. She thought of the suitors and the emperor—and her parents—and tears flooded her eyes. Her body shook with sobs. Bitter drops hit the ground, emptying her mind, slowly uncovering what she had been made to forget. The realization struck her like water bursting a dam. Drawing air into her lungs, she fell to her knees and trembled upon the earth.
"Mother, Father," she muttered, then stood slowly before going back inside. She shook her parents awake on their sleeping mats.
"Listen," she said. "I remember. I know."
"What is it?" her mother said, rubbing sleep from her eyes and resting on her elbow.
"I'm sorry," Kaguya said, "but I must leave. Soon."
"What?" her father asked in a raspy voice. "Why? When?"
Kaguya placed her hands on her heart.
"I am from the moon," she said. "I was sent here as punishment, but I have served my time. My people will come for me on the fifteenth night of the eighth month."
"But that's only two months away," her father stammered. Her mother stood and gently grasped Kaguya's arms.
"Must you truly leave?" she said.
"I do not wish it," Kaguya said, "but I fear I must."
"There must be something we can do," her father said, rising and moving next to his wife and daughter. "The emperor..."
Kaguya pulled her parents close.
"He cannot do anything," she said. "But I will write to him."
Thus, Kaguya wrote to the emperor and explained why she could not marry any man and of her imminent parting. The emperor replied, and this is what he wrote:
Kaguya-hime of the Young Bamboo,
Do not fear the moon's cold hand, for a thousand shields shall rise around you, and your radiance shall remain rooted to this earth.
He marked the letter with the imperial seal. It was a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Would it be enough? Only time could tell.
13.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Kaguya's parents watched her pace around the common room. A thousand guards surrounded their home, shields and lances held high. The sun disappeared behind the horizon, and night fell, accentuating the ominous full moon.
Taketori lit the lanterns and leaned out a window. "What now?" he asked.
A sudden gust of wind blew through the room. Kaguya gasped, inhaling the cold air. Her eyes grew wide; she reached inside her robe and pulled out a bottle of red, glowing liquid.
“What is that? How did you...?” her mother asked—but Kaguya did not answer. Her eyes were fixed on the world beyond her door. She pulled the topper off the bottle and took a drink, then sealed it again. Someone shouted outside as Kaguya wandered to the entrance.
"Princess, no," her father said, grasping at her arm, tears in his eyes. Her mother grabbed her other arm. The wind grew stronger, forcing her parents' eyes shut. The captain of the guard, in his fine armor, hurried to the front door.
"Princess, get back inside," he said. Kaguya met his eyes and placed her hand in his.
"Give this to the emperor," she said, handing him the bottle and a folded piece of paper. "May he rule justly forever." The captain stared at the bottle and paper, perplexed. Behind him, Kaguya could see a light growing in the sky, getting closer and closer to the earth.
In a trance, the princess turned to her mother and father.
"It is impossible," she said. "I cannot stay. But you have loved me and been good to me, and I shall love you and remember you always. Our hearts are bound forever." The family embraced, and Taketori and Megumi sobbed into their daughter's shoulders.
"We love you," they said. "We will never forget you." Kaguya's defenses splintered, and tears burst out of her.
"Farewell," she said softly, her voice cracking at the end. She broke away from her parents' embrace, turned to face the sky, and stepped outside with her arms out wide. There was a large commotion as the imperial guards braced themselves for the oncoming celestial army.
But it was no use.
Light blinded the men as a wave of white-robed figures flew over them, enveloped Kaguya, then flew back over the shields and spears like a cool breeze. And where Kaguya had stood, only the gentle glow of moonlight remained.
Her parents fell to their knees and wept.
14.
The imperial guard returned to the palace, their captain holding the folded paper and bottle of red liquid. He knelt at the emperor's throne and presented him with the objects.
"Where is Kaguya?" the emperor said, ignoring the captain's outstretched hands. The captain's body tensed. He suddenly felt small, knowing he must convey the news.
"She has returned to the moon, Your Majesty," he said. The emperor lowered his head.
"I see," he said. "And what is it that you offer me?"
"Gifts from Princess Kaguya," the captain said. "She pressed them into my hand before departing. They are meant for you, Your Majesty. I have kept them safe these many days." The emperor rose from his throne, stepped forward, and took the gifts. He placed the bottle upon his throne and unfolded the paper—it was a letter, and it was meant for him.
Your Majesty,
I gift you the elixir of immortality. You are a just and compassionate ruler, and this land requires a man of your character on the throne. Drink this and you shall dwell forever upon the earth, as I shall dwell forever among the stars.
Kaguya-hime
The emperor's arm fell to his side and the letter dropped to the ground. The ruler of the empire turned to his throne, picked up the bottle, and sat, staring at the swirling elixir behind the glass.
To live forever.
The ultimate dream of humanity.
Given freely.
But how could he live with his heart torn into a million pieces? How could he dwell all the ages of the earth without ever looking upon the face of Kaguya? Overcome with grief and sorrow, he turned his gaze to the captain, still kneeling before him.
"Take a small group of your best men," he said, picking up the letter from the ground and pressing it against the bottle. "And bring these to the highest peak of the Great Mountain. There," he paused, holding the objects out towards the captain. "Burn them both. May the smoke carry the weight of my heart back to the moon."
The captain rose to his feet and collected the items. He departed with his men, and the sound of footsteps echoed and faded in the vast, lonely chamber.
15.
Atop the Great Mountain, a gentle wind blew. With tired hands, the captain motioned for a torch and put flame to the letter and liquid. A white hot flame burned brightly, and a great smoke rose, reaching towards the sky, like longing fingers grasping at the moon.
Many ages have passed since then, but the Great Mountain still stands. And though it may be plumed by clouds today, some believe that traces of that ancient smoke still remain, forever drifting, forever seeking Heaven.
References
English Reading Practice
Note: This text was written by Alex, a human. It was not generated by AI.
