The Beautiful Crane

Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between a dense forest and a vast, windswept plain, there lived a poor but kind-hearted man named Peter. He was a simple man, earning his livelihood by weaving cloth, though his skill was modest. Peter had a humble home and lived alone, often finding himself lonely but content with his quiet life.

One winter's evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Peter was returning home after gathering firewood from the forest. The cold wind bit at his skin, and the snow crunched under his feet. As he neared his home, he heard a faint, pained cry coming from the direction of a nearby clearing. Curiosity piqued, Peter followed the sound and discovered a beautiful crane, its wing caught in a hunter's cruel trap.

Moved by compassion, Peter carefully freed the crane from the trap. The bird's feathers were pure white, except for a small patch of red on its head. The crane looked at Peter with grateful eyes before it spread its wings and flew off into the sky, disappearing into the growing darkness. Peter watched until the bird was out of sight, then returned home, thinking nothing more of the encounter.

The very next night, as Peter sat by his meager fire, there came a soft knock at his door. Surprised, for he rarely had visitors, Peter opened the door to find a beautiful young woman standing there, her hair black as night and her eyes as bright as stars. She wore a simple yet elegant kimono, and her face radiated warmth and kindness.

"Good evening," the woman said softly. "I have traveled far and am in need of shelter. May I stay with you for the night?"

Peter, though poor, was generous by nature. He welcomed her into his home without hesitation, offering her the warmth of his fire and what little food he had. The woman smiled, and they spent the evening talking. Peter found her to be charming, intelligent, and full of grace.

Days passed, and the woman did not leave. Instead, she stayed on, helping Peter with his work and bringing light into his lonely life. Peter soon found himself falling in love with her, and to his joy, she returned his feelings. The two were married, and Peter felt as though he had found true happiness at last.

One day, the woman told Peter, "I wish to help you with your weaving. I have a special skill that will bring us great fortune. But there is one condition—you must never, under any circumstances, watch me while I work."

Peter, though puzzled, agreed to her condition. That very night, the woman entered a small room and shut the door behind her. For three days and three nights, she stayed in that room, working tirelessly. When she finally emerged, she held in her hands a bolt of the most exquisite cloth Peter had ever seen. It shimmered like moonlight, soft as the finest silk, and more beautiful than anything he could have imagined.

The woman instructed Peter to sell the cloth in the village. When he did, it fetched a price so high that Peter was stunned. The wealth they received allowed them to live comfortably, and the woman continued to weave her magical cloth, each one more beautiful than the last.

However, as time passed, Peter became increasingly curious about his wife's mysterious weaving. Despite his promise, his curiosity gnawed at him until one night, unable to resist, he quietly crept to the door of the room where his wife worked and peered inside through a small crack.

To his shock, he did not see his wife. Instead, he saw the crane he had saved, plucking feathers from her own body and weaving them into the cloth. The bird was his wife! She had taken human form to be with him, but the price of her magical weaving was her own pain and suffering.

Peter gasped in horror, and at that sound, the crane-woman turned and saw him. Tears filled her eyes, for she knew what this meant.

"You have broken your promise," she said softly, sadness tinging her voice. "I can no longer stay with you."

With those words, she transformed back into the crane, her beautiful wings unfolding once more. Peter watched helplessly as she flew out of the window and into the night sky. His heart shattered as he realized the love he had lost through his own weakness.

Peter never saw the crane again. He lived the rest of his days in sorrow, treasuring the memory of the brief happiness he had shared with his beloved wife. The wealth he had gained from her magical cloth was little comfort to him, for he had learned that some things are more valuable than gold—things like love, trust, and the promises we keep.