Legends say that when it snows, it is because the Snow Princess is crying. All of these chapters are connected by Shirahime-Syo, the Goddess of the Snow or the Snow Princess, who plays a role in each of these tales.
Shirahime-Syo
Humboldt Penguin
Chapter 1
Prelude: Ringo Akai
Swaying Thoughts
Ringo Akai clutched her coat as a chilling wind flew by. She trudged through the snow atop a mountain. She was sent to gather herbs by her stepmother . . .
A large cruel woman stood over a small girl dressed in dark red. "What're you doin' sittin' by that fire girl! Hajii-chan's sick! Go collect those herbs!" The girl shivers. "B-but couldn't the maid do that?" The girl whimpers and looks out the window seeing the freezing cold. "Don't whine, girl! The maid's 'ttendin' to Hajii-chan makin' sure she don't get worse! Now go gather those herbs!" The small girl has no choice. "B-but I don't have a coat," she points out. "Too bad for you! You should've thought'a that a'fore you decided to laze about by the fire!" The hard woman shouts. Ringo leaves the room in desolation. The younger stepsister, Usagi, meets Ringo by the door. "Here," says she and hands Ringo a fluffy coat of her own. "Wear this, Ringo-chan." Ringo smiles warmly and thanks her step-sister. She then steps out into the blistering cold with a ricket old basket, bound to the top of the moutain, where the worst of the cold is . . .
As Ringo made it to the top she saw a tall slender woman dressed all in white. Her long dark hair trailed in the wind with the loose fabrics of her kimono. She stood on a cliff hangar, and seemed ready to jump. Ringo pushed up her hat. Who is she? she wondered.
As if sensing Ringo's thoughts the woman turned around. Ringo gasped. The woman was beautiful. She had snow-white skin and blood red lips. Ebony black hair framed her face and ice blue eyes stared into Ringo's chocolate brown ones. Ringo made her way up to the woman and snowflakes began to fall.
The woman remained silent, taking it all in. Ringo looked up into her eyes. "What are you doing out when it's so cold outside, Reifujin?" Ringo asked the woman. the woman gracefully turned her head and looked out upon the snow-covered moutain top and land around it. "I am waiting," The woman replied in a soothingly cool voice.
The snowflakes fell faster as grey clouds loomed in the once drab blue sky. "For whom, Reifujin?" Ringo asked. The woman did not answer. She merely tucked a lock of silky black hair away from her face. She continued to stare out at the snow covered land. Ringo gazed upon it, trying to see what the woman was gazing at. All she saw was a land covered in soft white snow. Small crystal snowflakes fell down faster. "Snow is falling now. I need to find the herbs and go home. You should go home too, Reifujin," Ringo stated.
"Why?" The woman asked, not turning toward Ringo. "Because the Snow Princess will be here soon, Reifujin," Ringo replied. The woman turned toward Ringo asking, "Snow Princess?" Ringo nodded and snow swirled around the two. "The Snow Princess is Shirahime-Syo, or the Goddess of the Snow. Legends say that when it snows like it is now, the Snow Princess is shedding her tears, Reifujin," Ringo answered.
The girl looked up at the dark gray snow clouds drifting across the sky. "And why does she shed her tears, my child?" The woman asked. "She sheds her tears because something bad will happen to man . . ."
(Reifujin- a japanese term for Lady)