English Original
Long ago, a kind woodcutter named Yohyo lived in a small village. One winter evening, he found a wounded crane in the snow. He rescued it, nursed it back to health, and set it free.
A few nights later, a beautiful young woman named Otsu appeared at his door, lost in a snowstorm. Yohyo offered her shelter. They fell in love and soon married. Though poor, they were happy.
Before the New Year, Yohyo worried about money for the feast. Otsu offered to weave cloth for him to sell, but made him promise never to look into the room while she worked. The cloth she produced was exquisite and sold for a high price.
Overcome by greed, Yohyo repeatedly asked for more cloth. Otsu grew thinner with each piece but continued weaving out of love. One day, Yohyo's curiosity overwhelmed him. He broke his promise and peeked into the room. He saw a thin crane plucking its own feathers to weave into the cloth—the very crane he had saved.
Otsu emerged, heartbroken. She explained she had come to repay his kindness and stayed for his gentle heart, but his greed had changed him. Now that her secret was revealed, she must leave. Despite Yohyo's desperate pleas, Otsu transformed back into a crane and flew away into the sky, leaving Yohyo alone with his regret.
中文翻译
很久以前，一位名叫与平的善良樵夫住在一个小村庄里。一个冬天的傍晚，他在雪地里发现了一只受伤的仙鹤。他救了它，悉心照料直至康复，然后将其放生。
几天后的一个夜晚，一位名叫阿鹤的美丽年轻女子在大雪中迷路，出现在他的门前。与平收留了她。两人坠入爱河，不久便结婚了。虽然贫穷，但他们很幸福。
新年前夕，与平为筹备节宴的钱发愁。阿鹤提出为他织布去卖，但要求他发誓在她工作时绝不能偷看房间。她织出的布精美绝伦，卖得了高价。
被贪婪冲昏头脑的与平一次又一次地要求更多的布。阿鹤每织一次就变得更加消瘦，但出于爱意，她仍继续织布。一天，与平的好奇心战胜了承诺。他违背诺言，偷看了房间。他看到一只瘦弱的仙鹤正拔下自己的羽毛织进布里——正是他救过的那只仙鹤。
阿鹤走了出来，心碎不已。她解释说，她来是为了报答他的恩情，并因他善良的心而留下，但他的贪婪改变了他。既然秘密已被发现，她必须离开。尽管与平苦苦哀求，阿鹤还是变回仙鹤，飞向天空，留下与平独自悔恨。