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The Pepper Doll

fiction

By BobBamPublished 2 years ago 16 min read
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The pepper doll lives in a pepper tree. Although wearing a green coarse kimono, bare feet, and hair is messy, but is a very cute girl.

The pepper tree, growing in the middle of a poor farmer's field.

"This tree is too much of an obstacle, cut it down, right?" The poor farmer said.

"Yes, without this tree, we can grow more vegetables!" The poor farmer's wife replied.

"But mother, if we cut down the tree, then we won't be able to eat the young shoots in cold sauce, will we?"

It was their daughter, Suzuna, who said this.

"That's right."

The wife nodded her head.

"That's just too delicious!"

It is. The new leaves of the peppers add a particularly nice scent to the spring vegetables. However, Suzuna didn't really want to eat the cold young shoots to say this; she was afraid that if she cut down the tree, the pepper dolls would die.

Underneath the pepper tree, the alfalfa made a small carpet. There, that is where Suzuna plays. Suzuna always spread a piece of straw mat with threads, and arranged empty bottles, empty cans and plates with missing mouths together to play a game of house. The partner of the game was Santaro from the tea store. This boy, either happily as a customer of the bell dishes, or as a "father", and sometimes will play all day long.

As soon as the new leaves of the pepper rested on the white plate, they turned into beautiful fish and fragrant green rice.

"But isn't there any other dish? It's not fun to have leaves all the time!"

One day, Suzuna shook her short hair and said this. Then she came up to Mitarou's ear and whispered quietly.

"Hey, how about spinach?"

All around the two of them was the spinach field. Santaro's eyes darted around. The dark green, jagged leaves around him swayed in the wind. If you chopped it up and served it with a dandelion fried egg, it would be quite a pretty dish! Santaro nodded.

"Pluck a piece!"

Suzuna poked Santaro.

"But ...... won't your father get mad?"

"It's okay. He's got his back to us right now!"

Suzuna's father was working a little farther away, with his back to them.

"Come on, come on!"

Suzuna urged. So Santaro reached out and plucked a piece. To his surprise, a whole plant came out! Suzuna picked it up and put it on the edge of a small cutting board.

"What are you doing!"

At that moment, there came a frightening yell. Suzuna's father turned his face, a face that could be scared to death.

"Run away!"

Santaro shouted. The two of them jumped up with a whoosh and ran like rabbits. The two men ran in a line along the narrow field path, "blah, blah, blah, blah," and in a short time, they reached a small tea store in front of the bus station. There, Santaro's mother had tied the long sleeves of her kimono behind her back with a belt and was working hard to make marigolds.

"Ah... yah!"

"Ah... yah!"

The two men shouted strangely, and once they sat down on the chairs in the tea store, they panted and puffed while eating the freshly made sweet balls.

Besides, over there watching the two people's backs fading away, Suzuki father, said "these two children", about to go back to work, from the unlikely pepper tree, a rustling sound came out. The first time I turned around, my God, the pepper doll was sitting alone on the straw mat, chopping the red roots of spinach.

"Hey?"

Papa Suzuki blinked.

"Who are you?"

The pepper doll stuck its red tongue out at him.

The pepper doll likes the little sack. So when Suzuna played with the little sack, she always watched from the tree.

It's no fun for one person, let's go together for two, out of sight, marabou and dandelion. What my sister likes, violet flowers, rape blossoms, gentle butterflies, nine is a rice store, ten is to say hello.

Suzuna sang over and over again. There are only five small cloth bags in total, but when it comes to Suzuna's two small hands, it looks as if there are ten or twenty of them. The pepper doll thought it was funny.

Under the sun, Suzuna puffed up her round face and threw the sacks with fascination.

It's no fun to go alone, so let's go with two people, and we can't see the end, the marabou and the dandelion.

However, the wind was not blowing, but Suzuna's sachets suddenly scattered all over the place for some reason. Moreover, there were only four sachets that fell onto the straw mat. No matter how you count them, there was one missing. Suzuna looked around.

"It's hanging on the tree, right?"

She looked up toward the pepper tree. But there were only tiny new leaves shining with crystal light on the tree.

This had happened several times.

"I can't help you kid, sewing a few you throw a few!"

Mom muttered, but still sewed her a new small cloth bag. The bag was made of various kinds of scraps of cloth and contained a small handful of small beans.

"Be careful this time!"

When she was told that, Suzuna was immediately drained again, and she wondered: how could it be gone?

She could never have dreamed that the pepper doll did it!

Dusk.

The pepper doll is sitting in the middle of a spinach field where no one is around. Bathed in the red sunset, colorful little bags flying up and down.

One person is no fun, two people go together, can't see the end, marjoram head and dandelion. What my sister likes, violet flowers, rape blossoms, gentle butterflies, nine is a rice store, ten is to say hello.

The song, like the bell choy. And the movement of the hand that throws and receives the small cloth bag, also exactly like Suzuna.

Stealing one a day, the pepper doll already has ten or twenty small sacks. The pepper doll hid them all carefully to a secret place.

One day, the pepper doll came to the tea store of Santaro's house. She sat down on a long, thin wooden chair and called out.

"Please have a plate of pills."

Because the voice sounded so much like Suzuna, Santaro's mother, who was busy cooking pinto beans inside, said to Santaro, "Suzuna has come to eat the balls, so bring them to her."

"Hey? Really?"

Santaro jumped up. He served a plate full of croquettes and rushed into the store with glee.

"Welcome--"

But the smiling Santaro looked up and saw a tiny girl, dressed in a green kimono, sitting there in a serious manner.

"Who are you?"

Santaro asked, frozen in his tracks. To his surprise, the pepper doll bowed at him. Then Santaro thought, "Ah, a child from a neighboring village, right? Must have come by bus. Mom went on an errand and told her to wait here. That kind of thing happens all the time.

Santaro laughed and put the plate carefully in front of the girl. The pepper doll bowed at him again and ate it sweetly.

However, Santaro's eyes left for a little while, and this strange customer disappeared from the store. On top of the clean plate, tiny green leaves fell.

The next day, Santaro told Suzuna about it.

"Ahhh, that must be the pepper doll!"

Suzuna said.

"Pepper dolls often play pranks like that! Santaro, you've been tricked into eating your mouth, haha."

Suzuna bent over with laughter. Mitarou was a little upset.

"You say that, but Suzuna, have you ever seen a pepper doll?"

Suzuna shook her head.

"That must not be, not even seen, how do you know?"

"You said the pepper doll was wearing a green kimono?"

"Haha, that's what I made up. Pepper doll is a green smoke. How could she dress up like a human?"

The two talked like this for a long, long time.

The days passed slowly. The mountains and the fields remained the same, but the children grew up.

Santaro and Suzuna also grew into adults. Santaro grew up to be a handsome boy and Suzuna grew up to be a beautiful girl. So, the village people thought about it.

Suzuna sooner or later is to become the daughter-in-law of the tea store.

And that pepper doll, she also grew into an adult. Grow taller day by day, the green kimono day by day shortened up. To fully grown into an adult that day, the human eye suddenly can not see her body. This is because as soon as the tree spirit grows into an adult, the body becomes completely transparent.

The pepper doll turned into a light green light.

However, the pepper doll has not yet noticed the change in herself, thinking that she is still a girl's appearance and can go anywhere. Even the matter of becoming an adult, she did not quite understand.

In fact, it was Pepper doll a little like the tea store Santaro.

On a smoky dusk in spring, Pepper Doll hummed.

One person is no fun, two people go together, can not see the end, Malan head and dandelion ......

One day, a bus stopped in front of the tea store and a strange lady came down from the bus. This kimono over a black coat, carrying a plastic handbag in her hand, the older woman, without any fear of entering the tea store, inquired about Suzuna's home. Santaro pointed towards the opposite side of the turquoise wheat field, where a tip of the straw house was revealed.

"Never seen this person before, who is it?

Looking at the figure behind her, the customer in the tea store said quietly.

"Who cares!"

Santaro replied without good humor. However, he understood a little bit, that older woman, probably a matchmaker for Suzuna, right? He had known it was bound to happen sooner or later.

In the following days, Santaro saw the older woman get off the bus and hurry to Suzuna's house several times. Every time he saw it, Santaro's heart sank and was filled with sadness.

Gradually, Suzuna stopped coming to the tea store. Even when they met on the road, they would suddenly lower their heads ......

"Suzuna is getting married."

"It's a big rich man from a neighboring village."

"It's a big family with twenty barns alone!"

"That's amazing!"

"That girl is a beauty!"

Unknowingly, such rumors spread in the village. Santaro covered his ears with both hands and stared blankly at the distant mountains.

Suzuna was going to become a rich man this time.

In contrast, Santaro's family became poorer and poorer every day. His mother's health was weakening rapidly, and nothing had gone well since Santaro took over the tea store. A new store opened on the side, the customers were stolen; a storm, the roof was blown away ...... plus Santaro and can not do business. For a while, even the small beans used to make the balls, can not afford to buy. Finally, one day, the tea store's speciality, Maruko, was no longer available.

Spring. The village was wrapped in gentle new leaves.

"The bride is coming, the bride is coming."

The sound of children's laughter echoed down the village road. The bride is riding to the neighboring village. A large bell was attached to the horse, and its ding-dong ding-dong sound came from far and wide. The bride will pass in front of the tea store, then cross the white dirt road and disappear behind the big blackened mountain.

Santaro also crowded in the thick wall of people, watching the bride's procession.

The bride's head was bowed and her face was hidden by a white face and red veil, so she could not be seen clearly. However, Suzuna, who was wearing a beautiful kimono, looked like a dummy.

"Suzuna!"

Santaro shouted quietly. But the bride in full dress didn't even look over her shoulder. He couldn't help but feel sad, and for some reason the procession went by as if it were the procession of the moon on a rainy day. The distant ringing of the bell remained forever in the ears of Santaro.

The pepper doll was in the crowd and kept staring at Mitarou.

"Santaro!"

Pepper Doll called several times, but Santaro was so focused on tiptoeing around to see the bride that he didn't turn his head once.

"Alas -" a soft sigh, pepper doll listlessly went home. She didn't have the slightest idea that the others could no longer see her body. Then, Santaro also sighed and went back to the tea store.

It was that night.

Someone knocked on the door of the tea store.

"Who is it?" Santaro asked.

"Santaro."

A soft voice. Santaro was taken aback because it sounded too much like Suzuna's voice.

How could it be now? The girl had gone to a distant place ...... Santaro pricked up his ears once again.

"Mitarou, Mitarou."

Mitarou's hand trembled as he quietly opened the door.

The misty spring breeze blew in along with the white moonlight. There was no one outside. Illuminated by the moonlight, a pale, uncanny green color appeared in all directions.

"Who is it?"

Santaro asked again in a hoarse voice. Then, all at once, his eyes fell to the ground, only to see a box resting at his feet. He squatted down and saw that the box contained a large pile of small bags! Colorful little sacks, like gentle fruit, lying quietly inside. Santaro just squatted and reached out to pick one up. This cloth how so familiar ah, ah, ah, this is not the former Suzuna kimono pattern ......

Santaro was stunned and raised his head up again. I don't know from where, far, far away floated Suzuna's crisp singing voice ...... No, maybe it's a spiritual effect, right?

As soon as she saw the box full of small cloth bags, Santaro's mother's eyes lit up.

"Ah, this must be a blessing from the gods!"

Santaro looked at his mother with dumbfounded eyes. Mom picked up a small red sack and put it on her palm.

"See, it must be stuffed with small beans!"

Mom's face, glowing with an unusual red light.

"Well, unpack them all and pour out the beans! After all these days, let me make the balls again!"

Mom tied the long sleeves of her kimono behind her with a strap and fetched the shears.

As expected, the little cloth bag was stuffed with bright red beans.

Mom cooked the beans. Santaro grinded them with an old mortar and pestle. It had been a long time since they had worked so happily, and they continued to do so until dawn.

"Got Maruko to buy," in black and white, posted at the entrance of the tea store.

"Hey, it's been a long time since I've bought one!"

"Go get a plate!"

People waiting for the bus walked into the store. It wasn't long before they were replaced by passengers coming off the bus. At noon came the people from the village office, while in the evening came the farmers who were returning from their work in the fields ......

The tea store was flourishing again as before, no, more than before. And, the most incredible thing is, that small beans no matter how to use, just can not be used up.

"This is definitely a gift from the God of Bliss." The tea store owner said.

"Hinky, maybe."

And that's when the son, Santaro, was staring blankly at the big mountain at the end of the village.

It had rained all day in May.

That night, someone came knocking at the door again.

"Mitarou, Mitarou."

Santaro was taken aback by the voice of that day.

"Who, who is it?"

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Santaro was about to open the door when the thought came to him: Who is probably playing a prank on me? Is it a fox, or a civet? If it's not them, it's a kid or a river boy, right?

So, Santaro put his mouth to the door and suddenly shouted.

"Who is it that is calling with the voice of Suzuna? The girl has gone to a distant place!"

Hearing this, the pepper doll standing outside the door could not help but be astonished.

The bell pepper doll outside the door was shocked. I was screaming in my own voice, I did not imitate Suzuna.

However, no matter how she screamed or knocked, the door of the tea store did not open.

"So precious little sack are given to you ......," the pepper doll muttered softly.

Pepper doll has been squatting in front of the tea store. The day dawned, the rain stopped, and it became brighter in all directions. Pepper doll's heart, like crushed flowers.

Soon, by the morning light, the rain-drenched trees emitted a dazzling light. Until this time, the pepper doll only found for the first time that his body has become completely transparent.

Because of the shock, pepper doll can not even make a sound. Her body became lighter all of a sudden, and she felt that she would float up anytime, anywhere. This is a feeling that has never been felt before.

At that moment, a small wind blew by.

"Ah, I can go on the wind."

Pepper Doll suddenly thought this. Then, she stood up, slightly stilted her feet ...... just such a movement, pepper doll has gently floating in the wind.

The wind blew to the south. Over the mountains, over a village, has been blowing to the sea. The wind said.

"I'm going far away, I can't get down on the way. Are you still going?"

"Yes. I want to go far away."

Pepper doll forced sadness, smiled and replied. The wind nodded and ran away with the pepper doll rustling.

Later, the pepper doll never came back.

The pepper tree at Suzuna's house soon withered.

"The tree, after all, withered away."

The farmer said.

"Isn't that just as well? Didn't you think it was a nuisance earlier?"

His wife said.

The dead pepper tree was dug out and thrown to the side of the road. What was left was a field of turquoise and green spinach.

Chadian Santaro's mother spotted the tree that had been tossed aside and stopped in her tracks.

"Ooooh, isn't this a pepper tree? Let me take a section and make a good one!"

She hurriedly returned, brought a saw, sawed off a section of the thorny trunk, and then hurried back to the tea store.

"Santaro, I've found something good! There's a new mortar and pestle!"

She called out.

In this way, the pepper tree finally became a mortar and pestle.

Day after day, the mortar and pestle grinded small beans. In addition, it also ground sesame seeds, ground sauce, and sometimes it was used instead of a rolling pin to roll out the kneaded dough into thin slices. And every time, the mortar and pestle sang a song.

Perhaps this childish nursery rhyme born from under the mortar and pestle is the distant song of the pepper doll that rides away in the wind.

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About the Creator

BobBam

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