River Imp (2005-03-31)
One of the many interesting characters in the Japanese folklore is Kappa (
), which literally translates as "River Boy". But
Kappa are more like River Imp. Although a few of them are said to
give humans a helping hand, most of them play tricks on people.
There are many stories about Kappa and depending on who you talk to in
whichever region, there is bound to be a different version of the
history and tales about these strange creatures which live in the sea
or swamp. Kappa looks nothing like a boy. The only thing a Kappa
resembles a human being is that it walks on two legs and have two
arms. Its face looks like a frog with a duck's bill for the
mouth. It is bald but a ring of hair circles its scalp. It
also carries a turtle shell on its back and its hands and feet are
webbed. A Kappa is actually quite ugly.
I don't know if calling someone a Kappa means the person is bald, or
ugly, or a prankster; but sometimes it does have the positive meaning
of saying that person is a good swimmer. But I think the safest
way to commend on someone's swimming skill is to say he/she swims like
Kitashima Kousuke-- the beloved Japanese world record breast stroker--
and not Kappa.
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