Preface
When Chihiro came upon Yubaba's bathhouse, she was initially rejected for being human. Many viewers of this wonderful film were puzzled, as it appeared the bathhouse had a full staff of humans and human-sized frogs. The studio provided many direct answers in promotional materials and left many more to open interpretation. As I present the characters below, they are fully within the generally accepted explanations.
In the film, all of the characters except Chihiro were animals. Through some unexplained magic, they all assumed general human shape and acquired the ability to speak. Ghibli described the older bathhouse women--the Yu-na--as "Namekuji Onna," which translates to slug-women, and the male workers as "kaeru," or frogs. Insiders at Ghibli who saw the initial concept drawings were able to ascertain that Rin (Lin) and her type were "kitsune," which means fox.
The time frame for this story is approximately 1994, when Rin (I shall spell use the more phonetically close spelling of Lin) was eight years old. As it is with my other stories, I give Yubaba fairer treatment than most do. This is because I didn't see her as evil, just the consummate materialist.
The usual disclaimer about all the characters being the intellectual property of Studio Ghibli applies, as well as the possibility that my use of common Japanese names might coincidentally match, but nothing was intended.
If I were transformed from human shape to something else, say a large insect of some sort, I'd probably need training to use my new anatomy. What are those antennae for? How do I use that nutcracker attached to my face? How do I talk to other ants? Where and how do you go when you gotta go? The same goes for the bathhouse, so there must be some form of educational facility which trains the individuals to function. In the beginning chapter, I introduce the school and two new characters: Lin's first teachers. One is an old frog who never got a name, and the other is a nineteen-year-old human woman. Please enjoy the tale.
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Chapter 1
Reflection
Chihiro looked out the open storm shutter at the expanse of water before her and nibbled on her dumpling. The reflection of the full moon quivered back at her, inviting the first sense of real calm since she arrived at the bathhouse. Lin was not taken to calming influences, preferring to view the solid objects around her in the moon's diffuse light.
"Lin?"
Lin's eyes were fixed on a shadow cast upon the ledge outside, hoping it might be that of a tasty lizard. She turned to Chihiro. Normally she would have been annoyed at the distraction, but Lin was in a very good mood that evening. "Yes?"
Chihiro alternately kicked her dangling legs while turning her gaze toward the water directly below. "Am I the only human here?"
Lin was expecting Chihiro to ask that question, yet she was still unprepared to answer candidly. Thoughts of her own situation were gnawing at her from the inside for years, for she shared a secret with Yubaba that she didn't want anyone else to know. "Sort of, I guess," Lin answered evasively, "but there was a human here a few years back who came to us much as you did." Lin's eyes began to water up.
"Did the other people in the bathhouse hate her as a human?"
Lin knew where Chihiro's mind was. She leaned in toward Chihiro's face to ensure honest eye contact. "Chi-chan, humans are the natural enemies of all of us here. We can't overcome our instincts, but we can learn to like them as individuals." She gave Chihiro a warm smile. "Look what you did today. The snails, the frogs, and we mammals all gained quite a respect for you--and it's your first day on the job."
"What about the other human?"
"She was older than you and stayed with us for about a year." Lin's eyes began to water again. "Her name was Ae. She taught the snail children in Yubaba's school. We all loved her very much. Yubaba was very fond of her as well."
Chihiro stopped kicking her legs. "A school? A human teacher? This place is more than a bathhouse."
"No, Chihiro. It's only a bathhouse, but it's a bathhouse of the gods. Yubaba has transformed us from our natural state to resemble you humans. She does this when we are very young and we have to learn how to function in this shape. It is much easier to teach new skills to the very young than it is to teach someone older. That is why we need schools and teachers. When we reach a certain age, we are retired and go back to our old shapes."
"Do you remember anything when you change back?"
Lin once again was faced with an uncomfortable question. Again, she opted to be evasive. "No. Our large brains go back to their small size and we forget everything. The frogs are retired when they are unable to pass physical examinations. The snails are retired when the gods are no longer pleased with them. We mammals are retired when we reach the age to have babies."
"So you will be the next to retire. You are the oldest mammal here."
Lin was visibly shaken. She stood up. "Chihiro, please help me close these shutters." She then whispered to Chihiro, "There's something I have to tell you, and I don't want the others to hear."
Chihiro nodded. They closed the shutters behind them, then sat back down on the ledge. Lin began her story.
"Chi-chan, I am already past the age of retirement. I can't retire--ever."
Chihiro didn't know how to respond. "Like me? Is your contract for life?"
"Everybody has a life-long contract, Chihiro. You are a mammal as well, so I don't think Yubaba would hold you to it more than a couple of years. I have a special problem..."
When Chihiro came upon Yubaba's bathhouse, she was initially rejected for being human. Many viewers of this wonderful film were puzzled, as it appeared the bathhouse had a full staff of humans and human-sized frogs. The studio provided many direct answers in promotional materials and left many more to open interpretation. As I present the characters below, they are fully within the generally accepted explanations.
In the film, all of the characters except Chihiro were animals. Through some unexplained magic, they all assumed general human shape and acquired the ability to speak. Ghibli described the older bathhouse women--the Yu-na--as "Namekuji Onna," which translates to slug-women, and the male workers as "kaeru," or frogs. Insiders at Ghibli who saw the initial concept drawings were able to ascertain that Rin (Lin) and her type were "kitsune," which means fox.
The time frame for this story is approximately 1994, when Rin (I shall spell use the more phonetically close spelling of Lin) was eight years old. As it is with my other stories, I give Yubaba fairer treatment than most do. This is because I didn't see her as evil, just the consummate materialist.
The usual disclaimer about all the characters being the intellectual property of Studio Ghibli applies, as well as the possibility that my use of common Japanese names might coincidentally match, but nothing was intended.
If I were transformed from human shape to something else, say a large insect of some sort, I'd probably need training to use my new anatomy. What are those antennae for? How do I use that nutcracker attached to my face? How do I talk to other ants? Where and how do you go when you gotta go? The same goes for the bathhouse, so there must be some form of educational facility which trains the individuals to function. In the beginning chapter, I introduce the school and two new characters: Lin's first teachers. One is an old frog who never got a name, and the other is a nineteen-year-old human woman. Please enjoy the tale.
------------------------------------------
Chapter 1
Reflection
Chihiro looked out the open storm shutter at the expanse of water before her and nibbled on her dumpling. The reflection of the full moon quivered back at her, inviting the first sense of real calm since she arrived at the bathhouse. Lin was not taken to calming influences, preferring to view the solid objects around her in the moon's diffuse light.
"Lin?"
Lin's eyes were fixed on a shadow cast upon the ledge outside, hoping it might be that of a tasty lizard. She turned to Chihiro. Normally she would have been annoyed at the distraction, but Lin was in a very good mood that evening. "Yes?"
Chihiro alternately kicked her dangling legs while turning her gaze toward the water directly below. "Am I the only human here?"
Lin was expecting Chihiro to ask that question, yet she was still unprepared to answer candidly. Thoughts of her own situation were gnawing at her from the inside for years, for she shared a secret with Yubaba that she didn't want anyone else to know. "Sort of, I guess," Lin answered evasively, "but there was a human here a few years back who came to us much as you did." Lin's eyes began to water up.
"Did the other people in the bathhouse hate her as a human?"
Lin knew where Chihiro's mind was. She leaned in toward Chihiro's face to ensure honest eye contact. "Chi-chan, humans are the natural enemies of all of us here. We can't overcome our instincts, but we can learn to like them as individuals." She gave Chihiro a warm smile. "Look what you did today. The snails, the frogs, and we mammals all gained quite a respect for you--and it's your first day on the job."
"What about the other human?"
"She was older than you and stayed with us for about a year." Lin's eyes began to water again. "Her name was Ae. She taught the snail children in Yubaba's school. We all loved her very much. Yubaba was very fond of her as well."
Chihiro stopped kicking her legs. "A school? A human teacher? This place is more than a bathhouse."
"No, Chihiro. It's only a bathhouse, but it's a bathhouse of the gods. Yubaba has transformed us from our natural state to resemble you humans. She does this when we are very young and we have to learn how to function in this shape. It is much easier to teach new skills to the very young than it is to teach someone older. That is why we need schools and teachers. When we reach a certain age, we are retired and go back to our old shapes."
"Do you remember anything when you change back?"
Lin once again was faced with an uncomfortable question. Again, she opted to be evasive. "No. Our large brains go back to their small size and we forget everything. The frogs are retired when they are unable to pass physical examinations. The snails are retired when the gods are no longer pleased with them. We mammals are retired when we reach the age to have babies."
"So you will be the next to retire. You are the oldest mammal here."
Lin was visibly shaken. She stood up. "Chihiro, please help me close these shutters." She then whispered to Chihiro, "There's something I have to tell you, and I don't want the others to hear."
Chihiro nodded. They closed the shutters behind them, then sat back down on the ledge. Lin began her story.
"Chi-chan, I am already past the age of retirement. I can't retire--ever."
Chihiro didn't know how to respond. "Like me? Is your contract for life?"
"Everybody has a life-long contract, Chihiro. You are a mammal as well, so I don't think Yubaba would hold you to it more than a couple of years. I have a special problem..."