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THE AGED MOTHER by Matsuo Basho #teking titser
Teking Titser
Overview
This video tells the Japanese folktale of "The Aged Mother," a story set in a time of cruel leadership. When a despotic governor orders the death of all elderly people, a devoted son is forced to carry his aging mother to a mountain to abandon her. However, his mother's cleverness and love save them both, ultimately leading to the abolition of the barbaric law. The story highlights the value of wisdom that comes with age and the strength of familial love.
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Chapters
- A poor farmer lived with his widowed mother at the foot of a mountain.
- The province was ruled by a despotic leader who feared weakness and decreed that all elderly people must be put to death.
- This cruel custom was not uncommon in those times.
- The farmer, deeply loving his mother, was filled with sorrow but felt compelled to obey the governor's mandate.
This chapter sets the stage for the central conflict, establishing the oppressive environment and the impossible choice the protagonist faces, emphasizing the theme of survival against unjust authority.
The governor's cruel proclamation ordering the immediate death of all aged people.
- The farmer prepared provisions: dried rice and water, and carried his mother up the steep mountain.
- The mountain paths were confusing, made by hunters and woodcutters.
- The aged mother, despite her dim sight, noticed her son's disorientation.
- To guide him back, she quietly broke twigs from bushes and dropped them at intervals along their path.
This section demonstrates the mother's foresight and selfless love, showing how her wisdom and actions directly counter the immediate danger posed by the environment and her son's lack of knowledge.
The mother snapping twigs from bushes and dropping them every few steps to create a trail.
- Upon reaching the summit, the farmer prepared a soft cushion of pine needles for his mother and tearfully said goodbye.
- The mother, with unselfish love, instructed her son to follow the path marked by the twigs to find his way safely down.
- Overwhelmed by her kindness and wisdom, the farmer's heart broke.
- He refused to abandon her, vowing to stay and die with her, and carried her back down the mountain, hiding her in a closet beneath the kitchen floor.
This pivotal moment reveals the profound depth of the mother-son bond and the transformative power of wisdom, leading to a direct act of defiance against the cruel law.
The farmer crying, 'Oh honorable mother, your kindness breaks my heart! I will not leave you. Together we will follow the path of twigs and together we will die.'
This chapter showcases the enduring value of the mother's wisdom in solving seemingly impossible problems, directly challenging the governor's arbitrary power and setting the stage for the law's repeal.
The mother's instructions to make a rope of twisted straw and burn it on flat stones to create a rope of ashes.
- The governor demanded to know the source of the farmer's wisdom.
- The farmer confessed that his aged mother had provided the solution.
- The governor, upon hearing this, meditated and realized the truth in the saying, 'With the crown of snow, there cometh wisdom.'
- He immediately abolished the cruel law, recognizing the invaluable contribution of the elderly.
This concluding chapter illustrates the story's central moral: that age brings wisdom, and that societal progress depends on valuing the knowledge and experience of elders, not discarding them.
The governor's realization and grave statement, 'Shining needs more than strength of youth... with the crown of snow there cometh wisdom.'
Key takeaways
- True wisdom often resides with the elderly, whose life experiences provide unique insights.
- Familial love and devotion can inspire acts of great courage and defiance against injustice.
- Cleverness and ingenuity can overcome seemingly impossible challenges.
- Societies that discard their elders lose valuable wisdom and perspective.
- The value of a person should be measured by their wisdom and contributions, not just their physical strength or youth.
- Unjust laws, even when seemingly absolute, can be overturned by demonstrating their inherent foolishness and the value of what they suppress.
Key terms
Despotic leaderCruel ProclamationBarbarous daysReverenceMandateSummitUnselfish loveIngenuityCrown of snow
Test your understanding
- Why did the despotic governor issue the cruel proclamation against the aged?
- How did the aged mother ensure her son could find his way back down the mountain?
- What was the governor's second unreasonable demand, and how was it fulfilled?
- What realization did the governor have after learning the source of the farmer's wisdom?
- How does the story illustrate the proverb 'With the crown of snow, there cometh wisdom'?