The Story of the homeless girl and the Obon Festival

I did this story for a class, it's not real it's not base off any real Japanese legend, but the Obon festival is real.

Back hundreds of years ago people believed the spirits of the dead would come back on the Solar calendar August 13th to visit relatives and friends from there once lives. One tradition is to keep foodstuff out for hungry spirits. If you were a homeless person this would be a great chance to get free meals. Only the ones who would do were either desperate or did not any respect for others ancestors. One story in which this happen teaches peoples a lesson in respect.

Back in the year 1456 a young girl named Rika was homeless, had no money, no food or parents. Her Parents had left her on the streets at a young age and she was left to fight to live on the streets. Being 17 and homeless in Tokyo was very hard. Rika she stole food and slept behind dumpsters just to survive. Rika knew the Obon was coming up and she knew people would leave out lots of great foods out to the spirits, featured like Osechi Ryori, Mochi, and Toshikoshi Soba. This was a perfect time to advantage of the custom of leaving food for the spirits.

The following morning was the first day of Obon and that night she was going to staying at the richest man in town's house. In order for it to work she needed to look the part. Rika knew of an old dumpster that had old costumes in it and she was going to steal a bag of flour to give herself more of a ghostly look.

When she arrived at the dumpster behind the old cloth shop to her luck there was no one around to see what she was up to. Rika found a nice golden kimono, and great black wig to make she look more old and important. The next task was going to be very hard. It was broad daylight, and most smart thieves don't steal the most likely times when they can be seen. Rika knew she would have to distract the shop owner, but how she wondered.

"I could yell fire and have him run out to help, but I can't start a fire. Or I could pay someone to make a scene to distract him, but I have no money to buy ramen. I only have one option."

Rika walked by the bakery and to her luck there was a cart of apples next to it and no one was running the cart. Now was the time to strike. Rika ran past the cart and knocked it over. All the red apples went rolling all over the street. The baker noticed his apples on the ground and ran outside to pick them up. With no one at the post, the young girl ran inside and grabbed a bag of flour, and snuck out before the baker could see her. Rika ran down the street as fast as she could, and hid out by some dumpsters until nightfall.

That night all the lanterns were lit, booths and concession stands were open. Rika hurried to get ready. She put on the old golden kimono, and black wig. They both looked very moth eaten, it just added to the effect of looking dead. She then took the flour and poured it all over her outfit, hair and face. When she was done she looked just like a spirit. The booths and stands were starting to close for the night and everyone was stating to go home. It was time now to put the plan into action.

Rika ran over the rich Lord's home and to her luck they were home and setting up food outside. When they went back inside Rika went up to the house and walked through the front door and found the family sitting and enjoying the company of each other. Rika walked in and it was show time.

"Hello I am the spirit of your ancestor I've come back to visit you," Rika told them in a scary ghost voice.

The family, which consisted of the lord his wife and daughter's faces, was in shock by the "spirit" and was very happy to see her.

"Yes welcome spirit. You may stay here tonight, you are more then welcome here," said the Lord.

His wife and daughter brought Rika tons of foods, and told her stories and entertained her for severally hours through out the night. When day came Rika said, she would be leaving. The family said their good-byes and waved goodbye to Rika. She ran off into the morning light.

"Wow that plan worked better then I thought it would!" said the young girl feeling very proud of herself," Now tonight I'll go back and I'll ask for more Mochi and maybe some Beanto box foods. And a room all to myself."

Rika went back to the alley where she had been living, and went to sleep. She had never eaten so much at one time in her whole life, and it made her very tired had to sleep it off. It was nightfall by the time Rika woke up. The booths and people were out again and the streets of Tokyo were very lively. Rika looked around at the booths. One of was a gold fish-scooping tank. Another was a shooting gallery, and a booth was the artist would draw a picture of you and your friends and family. Rika heard the drummers and saw the dancers in their festive kimonos.

Rika was enjoying her time looking at everything when she noticed the Lord and his family out enjoying the festival as well. The young girl started to get very nervous; they were walking closer to the booth where she was.

"Oh no, if they see me here they'll find out about my lying to them and I might be punished for dishonoring spirits," said Rika with a scare in her fragile voice.

Rika noticed the stand she was at was selling fans. She picked one up and covered part of her face with it. To her luck the Lord's family didn't stop at that stand or notice her.

"Oh, wow," sighed the girl, " That was so scary."

The next day Rika made her way to the Lord's mansion. To her luck they had set out nice hot fresh food. That night was very cold, and it would be misery to sleep out in the cold and dark night. Rika knocked on the door of the mansion. The Lord's daughter answered the door and was very happy to see the spirit that had come to visit them the previous night.

"Welcome back, oh great spirit," greeted the young girl," Oh please come in it's far to cold for someone as great as you to be standing out here."

Rika was very happy and followed the other girl inside. She looked about Rika's age maybe a bit younger. She had long, rich, black hair and shinny dark eyes. She looked like the daughter of a rich Lord and she was.

"Mother! Father! We have a special guest!" shouted the daughter.

Her parents looked up and were happy to see the "spirit" again.

"Welcome back to our home please sit and we shall bring you as much food as you," said the Lord being very happy and proud to be hosting such an honored guest.

"I would like some ramen, and beanto boxes, and I would love to stay here tonight cause it is far too cold for I, a great spirit, to be out in the cold," replied Rika.

"Very well. Souten, prepare a room for our guest." The Lord ordered his daughter, and she went to set up a nice room with plenty of guest furnishings. Souten's mother brought out the food Rika had requested, and Rika ate to her fullest.

"I never thought a spirit could eat so much," said the Lord's wife.

Rika started to get worried again. She was pretty sure they were starting to catch on to her. Rika said she was getting tired and would like to go and lie down in her room. Souten showed Rika to her room. It was a beautiful room full of candles, food, and wonderful smells. The bed in the room was a large queen size bed, and it was covered with a gorgeous bed spread and lots of big fluffy pillows. Rika had never seen anything wonderful in her whole life.

"I shall leave you to your privacy," said Souten.

"Very well I shall see you in the morning," replied Rika.

Rika lay down and felt terrible for tricking such a nice family. She decided that she would leave tomorrow and never bother the family ever again.

The sun finally rose the next morning and Rika awoke squinting from the bright light. She went to the family room and the Lord and his family were up and having morning tea. She greeted them and they gave her an odd look.

"What is wrong?" asked Rika.

"You're not a spirit! You are a fake!" shouted the Lord's wife.

"What!" asked Rika.

She looked in the mirror on the wall and she saw that all the flour that was on her face had whipped off during the night.

"What I have been tricked!" yelled the Lord.

"Yes," started Rika," and I am so sorry. I am a homeless girl and I just wanted to get some nice food and a good place to sleep. Please forgive me, my Lord." And Rika started to cry, and the Lord's family only looked at her. Souten looked very disappointed, she had always wanted to serve a spirit, but instead was serving a homeless girl.

"Please forgive me I am so sorry!" begged Rika, "I had to fight in order to live on the streets. My parents dumped me off somewhere when I was only seven. So for just once in my life I wanted to have something with people cared about me." Rika fell to her knees, and cried even harder then before.

Souten walked over to Rika, and held her and said.

"It's okay. I understand."

"But I shouldn't have," Cried Rika.

"My dear," started the Lord, " how would you like to live with me and my family?"

This shocked Rika. No one had ever asked her to live with them before. They would only look at her funny, and tell her she was worthless and no one would ever love her, but this family did.

"Do you really mean it?" asked Rika with tears still in her eyes.

"Yes, you may live here for as long as you want." Replied the Lord's wife. Rika said she would, and from that day on Rika was the second daughter of the richest man in Tokyo. Never again did Rika have to suffer on the cold lonely streets.

RR PLZ!