The Mirror of Matsuyama |English Note | First Semester | ICTE | B.ed | Bachelor

The Mirror of Matsuyama

This is a story of a Japanese man named Matsuyama and his mirror. In his return from Kyoto meeting of the business, he brought some presents to his daughter and wife because he had promised to bring as surprise gifts. Of the various presents, the mirror was the principal gift for his wife. His wife had never seen a mirror, so it gave her of the impression that another woman looks out upon her. But his husband explained about the mystery and asked her to take care of the mirror. Later, the woman becomes ill and died. Before her death she called her daughter and give the mirror to her. She also told her daughter that she will miss her mother and feel lonely. So, she suggested her to look into the mirror to see the mother’s face and remove the loneliness.  After her death the man married another woman.  As her mother suggested, the girl looked into the mirror with care and saw her mother beautiful and young.

One day her step-mother saw her bending in a corner over an object. She was an ignorant woman. So, she disliked the girl. She also guessed that the girl was making plan of killing her by the witchcraft (magic art).The woman also complained the man (husband) about the girl’s activity. He became angry and asked his daughter about the reality. The little girl told the story of getting the mirror and the reality. She further told her father that she was looking into the mirror to her mother’ face when her heart ached.  The man understood and loved her with more respect. The step-mother also understood the matter, felt ashamed and asked for her excuse. The child also forgave them and departed for ever from the home.

Question) Describe the nature of the step mother of the child?

Ans:The step-mother of the child was too much cruel. She used to mistreat the child and control her on every affair. Not only this she blamed the innocent child being a witch who was trying to kill her. Finally she kicked out her from her house though she asked for forgiveness.

Question) What is the moral of the story of "The Mirror of Matsuyama"?

Ans :The story gives the message that every child needs kindness, respect and love for their development, if they are not looked properly, they can mislead their lives. So, every children need to handled with proper care and love even if they are the step-children. It also delivers the message that most of the step mother are very cruel and inhuman to their step children.

Question) Why was the step-mother ashamed? What did she do then?

Ans :One day The step mother saw her murmuring in the corner holding something in her hands and felt that she is doing her best to kill her by her witchcraft. She told that to her husband and he happened to see the daughter was doing the same as his wife told. Then he asked her with his anger but later she told that she used the mirror to see her dead mother to find solace in her mind with pains. After knowing all this the mother felt guilty and ashamed and asked for forgiveness about her misunderstanding to the child.