Shishimai (Dragon)/Stories
Quotes
- When Entering Dragon's Roost
- After Receiving a Gift
- After Bond Level Increase
- Idle After Bond Level 1
- Idle After Bond Level 10
- Idle After Bond Level 20
Dragon Story Episodes
The Dragon's Fortune
The great dragon of the land of
Hinomoto, Amaterasu, ordered
Shishimai to spread good fortune.
But what WAS good fortune?
He was not altogether sure.
"Perhaps it's something people are
happy to receive," he thought.
And so, Shishimai decided to rid
the farmers of their arduous work.
Shishimai descended to the human
village, danced a strange dance,
and told the people he was there
to bless them. When he finished,
the fields overflowed with bounty.
The villagers were overjoyed, and
heaped thanks and praise on the
dragon. But they soon became fat
because of Shishimai's largess, and
quickly ceased to think of him at all.
Thinking this behavior strange,
Shishimai reported it to Lady
Amaterasu—who was furious.
"Your actions have made the people
lazy!" she cried. "Now they take the
bounty of the fields for granted.
This is the opposite of good fortune!"
Shishimai pondered his next move,
and eventually decided to work the
fields himself, spending uncountable
days sweating alongside the people.
The villagers were overjoyed at his
assistance. But soon they came to
depend on it, then to abuse it.
Finally, they abandoned the fields
and waited for him to do it all.
Thinking this behavior strange,
Shishimai reported it to Lady
Amaterasu—who was again furious.
"It is good that you help," she said.
"But they will not recognize this as
a dragon's blessing if you blend in
with them. This will bring the opposite
of good fortune!"
Shishimai knew he could not afford
to fail a third time, and so he
wracked his brain for a perfect
solution to the problem.
One day, he had a flash of brilliance.
Chuckling to himself, he instantly
began to set his plan in motion...
Shishimai was working and failing at
bringing good fortune to the people,
but he was confident in his new idea.
An elated Shishimai rushed to the
village and began to dance. It was
a dance of appreciation, one meant
to encourage the working farmers.
The villagers were overjoyed,
and though their work was hard,
Shishimai's dance motivated them
to push through the pain.
Soon, they began to work hard in
anticipation of the dance, which
only emboldened Shishimai.
As a result, the fields flourished
and the village thrived.
Overjoyed, Shishimai returned to
Lady Amaterasu and told her what
he had done. She listened carefully,
then responded with a question:
"This is good. But do you understand
why you failed the first two times?"
When Shishimai replied that he did
not, Lady Amaterasu continued.
"Humans are not thankful for the rain
while sitting near a gurgling spring.
Fortune indeed makes them happy,
but once they take it for granted,
it is no longer a blessing."
Shishimai nodded at her words.
"I see," he said. "Though it makes me
sad, I'll only dance once a year."
As much as he enjoyed dancing,
he could not fail a third time.
And so he committed to saving
his efforts for but one day a year.
That is why, even today, one can see
Shishimai's dance in Hinomotoan
villages only on New Year's Day.
...But what does Shishimai do
on the other days of the year?
Why, he sleeps, of course!
What good fortune he has!