We are pleased to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. The Story Crossroads theme for this year is “Becoming: Tales of Transformation & Calling.” We love exploring traditional tales from around the world within that theme.
About Gift from the Moon:
From Japanese folklore, a story tells of an old bamboo cutter who discovers a tiny, radiant girl inside a glowing stalk of bamboo. He and his wife raise her as their daughter, and she grows into the mysterious and beautiful Princess Kaguya. As she matures, suitors from across the land seek her hand, but she sets them impossible tasks. Even the Emperor becomes captivated. Yet Kaguya carries a secret—she is not of this world.
When celestial beings come to return her to the Moon, she must leave behind the life and relationships she has come to love. What began as a miraculous gift becomes a profound journey of identity, belonging, and letting go.
Symbolism and Themes:
A Gift with Purpose – Kaguya’s presence transforms the lives of those around her, even if only for a time.
Impermanence and Letting Go – Becoming sometimes means releasing even what we love most.
Calling Beyond Choice – Not all callings are chosen; some are inevitable and must be accepted.
50-word-or-less summary:
A bamboo cutter discovers a radiant girl inside a glowing stalk and raises her as Princess Kaguya. As suitors pursue her, she reveals her otherworldly origin. When celestial beings arrive, she must return to the Moon, leaving behind the life she lived. But transformed forever by the experience.
Finding the Story:
Look for “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter” or “Princess Kaguya” as the most common titles of one of Japan’s oldest and most beloved stories. You can find in Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (“The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Child”) or as a picture book The Bamboo Cutter & the Moon Maiden: A Japanese Folk Tale by Teresa Pierce Williston. You can watch an animated film Princess Kaguya and the Moon produced by produced by JAPAN HOUSE São Paulo.
Finding the Transformation:
Kaguya’s becoming is both luminous and bittersweet. She fully inhabits her human life—forming bonds, inspiring love, and experiencing connection—while carrying a truth she cannot escape.
Her transformation reminds us that becoming is not always about staying or choosing. Sometimes, it is about honoring who we are and what we are called to be—even when it leads us away from what we cherish.
Have you ever felt like a “gift” in someone’s life—or experienced someone who was a gift in yours, even for a short time? How do we honor those connections while accepting their impermanence?
Share your thoughts in the comments! While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads has year-round offerings. See our popular links and upcoming events at our One-Stop.
As for our past A to Z Challenges…
While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads celebrates the 11th hybrid summit & festival on May 2 & 4-6, 2026 – yes, in-person and virtual – and would be honored for you to join us.
Thanks to funding from National Endowment for the Arts; Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) of Salt Lake County; Creative West; Utah Division of Arts and Museums; City of Murray; Salt Lake City Arts Council; Utah Storytelling Guild; Murray City Library; Pleasant Grove Library; American Fork Library and people like you.