During a fierce blizzard, two woodcutters, old Mosaku and young Minokichi, took refuge in a small hut. In the middle of the night, Minokichi awoke to find a beautiful woman with skin as white as snow breathing a freezing mist onto Mosaku, killing him instantly. She turned to Minokichi but spared him because of his youth, warning: 'If you ever mention what happened this night, I will know, and I will kill you.' Years later, Minokichi met a lovely woman named O-yuki. They married and raised several children in perfect happiness. One evening, as the snow fell, Minokichi looked at his wife and remarked how she reminded him of a mysterious snow woman he had seen in his youth. O-yuki’s face turned pale and cold. 'That woman was me,' she hissed. 'I promised to kill you if you spoke of it, but for the sake of our children, I shall spare your life once more. But I can stay no longer.' She melted into a white mist and vanished through the chimney, never to be seen again.
The importance of keeping one's word and the fragility of trust, as even a single broken promise can destroy a lifetime of happiness.
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Questions about this story
What is the moral of Yuki-onna the Snow Woman?
The moral highlights that trust is fragile and promises must be kept. Breaking a vow, even after many years, can have irreversible consequences on one's family and happiness.
Who is Yuki-onna in Japanese folklore?
Yuki-onna is a 'yokai' or supernatural entity associated with winter and snowstorms. She is typically depicted as a beautiful woman with pale skin who leads travelers astray or freezes them to death.
Is Yuki-onna considered good or evil?
She is a complex figure who is neither strictly good nor evil. While she kills Mosaku, she also shows mercy to Minokichi and becomes a devoted wife and mother before his betrayal forces her to leave.
Why did Yuki-onna spare Minokichi?
She spared him initially because of his youth and beauty, finding him too young to die. Later, she spares him a second time after he breaks his promise because she cannot bring herself to leave their children without a father.
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