Kumamoto’s Local Fable“The Stonefish’s Unrequited Love”ー熊本の民話紹介～英語ヴァージョン | 海と日本PROJECT in 熊本

Protective Wall Reconstruction! “An Ocean Exhibition”

Kumamoto’s Local Fable“The Stonefish’s Unrequited Love”

Do you know Kumamoto’s ocean fable? It’s a romantic tale which embodies the spirit of the Amakusa region.

“The Stonefish’s Unrequited Love”

Once upon a time, there were many fish in Amakusa’s ocean. Among these fish, the stonefish and the flounder are always sitting quietly on the ocean floor. But, it wasn’t always like this.

A stonefish and a flounder were good friends. The stonefish had a big, ugly head and a gaping mouth. Despite the stonefish’s ugly appearance, he fell in love with a beautiful mulletfish.

The stonefish was embarrassed by his appearance and couldn’t tell his feelings to the beautiful mulletfish. But his friend the flounder said, “you’ll never know unless you try!”

He did his best to encourage the stonefish.

With encouragement from his friend, the stonefish went to see the beautiful mulletfish. The mulletfish had just finished bathing and was relaxing. The ugly stonefish gathered up his courage and said,

“I may have been born ugly, but my heart is pure! Please marry me!”

The beautiful mulletfish was shocked! She couldn’t believe such an ugly stonefish had proposed to her.

In order to escape from the grotesque stonefish she swam away so fast that she jumped out of the ocean as she went. As she went, the stonefish called out,

“I’m beautiful on the inside! Please stay with me!”

After his heartbreak, the stonefish sank to the bottom of the ocean. The flounder took pity on the stonefish and joined him on the seafloor.

And that’s why the stonefish is so delicious on the inside even though its face is so ugly.