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The Crane Wife

Japan Folktale Swan maiden Taboo Reciprocity

A man rescues an injured crane; soon after, a mysterious woman becomes his wife. She secretly weaves wondrous cloth from her own feathers, warning him never to watch. Curiosity and greed shatter the fragile happiness.

Story beats

  1. 1) A poor man frees a crane caught in a trap during winter.
  2. 2) A woman arrives seeking shelter; they marry. Money is scarce, so she offers to weave cloth if left alone in the room—no peeking.
  3. 3) Her cloth sells for high prices. Pressure and curiosity grow; the man peeks and sees a crane plucking her own feathers to weave.
  4. 4) Exposed, she laments the broken promise. As the rescued crane repaying a debt, she must leave, flying away, leaving the man with regret.

Context & symbolism

The tale warns against greed and broken taboos. Hospitality and reciprocity create magic; suspicion and excess ruin it. Feather-weaving evokes sacrifice for love; the body pays for prosperity. The crane embodies grace and gratitude, but boundaries matter—trust sustains the gift.

Variations feature swan maidens whose feather cloaks are hidden; here, the maiden is self-revealed through kindness, not theft. The story reflects rural hardship and the allure of sudden wealth.

Motifs

  • Swan/crane maiden repaying a debt
  • Taboo against looking
  • Weaving with self-sacrifice
  • Prosperity followed by loss
  • Regret as moral residue

Use it in play

  • An NPC artisan weaves wonders but demands privacy; peeking ends the boon.
  • Cloth woven from feathers grants flight or warmth but costs the weaver health.
  • A rescued creature returns as a lover/ally; honoring their conditions keeps them.
  • A village’s prosperity hinges on respecting a no-entry room.
  • Breaking taboo releases a majestic bird spirit that departs, altering local fortune.

Comparative threads

  • Swan maidens: Widely seen in European and Asian tales with stolen feather cloaks; here the twist is gratitude, not capture.
  • Taboo rooms: Bluebeard’s forbidden chamber and Orpheus’ no-look rule parallel curiosity hazards.
  • Debt repaid: Similar to animal bridegroom tales where kindness is later rewarded.

Hooks and campaign seeds

  • A feather-cloth can heal frostbite; the maker risks death if overused.
  • A jealous merchant pressures PCs to spy on the weaver; moral choice affects outcomes.
  • A crane spirit leaves behind one feather—key to summoning help once.