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A Study on Variation Patterns in the Japanese Tale “A Golden Axe”

Si Jun Lee 1,  Kyung Nam Jang 1,  sung-hee Jin 1

1숭실대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the “Golden Axe” story, a variation of “The Honest Woodcutter” from Aesop’s Fables, as it appears in Korea, China, Japan, and other parts of East Asia through translations. It also analyzes the characteristics of the Japanese oral narrative version of “Golden Axe” through a comparative review. The key variations in Japan’s “Golden Axe” story can be summarized as follows: Transcendent Beings In China and Korea, the supernatural figures in the story are typically “The Fairy,” “The Old Man,” or “The Mountain Spirit.” However, in Japan, water gods, particularly female deities, are common. This likely reflects Japan’s historical belief that water gods are often depicted as female, a tradition deeply rooted in ancient spiritual practices. Dropped Tools In Chinese and Korean versions, axes are the most commonly lost tools. However, Japanese adaptations feature a wider variety of objects. This variation is thought to reflect the tools commonly used in different provinces or those familiar to storytellers, adding a regional and personal touch to the narrative. Settings of Tool Loss In Japanese versions, tools are often lost in ponds, reinforcing the cultural connection between water and rice paddy gods. Reservoirs and irrigation systems, extensively developed during the Edo period for rice farming, further highlight this link, with the loss of an axe in a rice paddy serving as a striking example.

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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