MTH 37-1. For Merlin's Sake
In early March Teddy, and Kathleen called Jack and Annie to the Tree House from out of the window.
Annie and Jack hurried to the Frog Creek woods with the Wand of Dianthus.
The two young enchanters were waiting for them in the Magic Tree House.
All four were glad to see each other.
Jack and Annie heard the news that Merlin was getting old, feeble and he was in sorrow.
So They went to the capital city of Japan for Merlin's sake and had to seek the secrets of happiness.
Teddy gave teaching them how to use the Wand of Dianthus.
First, it only works for the good of others.
Second, the wand works only after you have tried your very hardest without its help.
Third, the wand only works with a command of five words.
Then Teddy and Kathleen disappeared by their magic rings.
And Jack and Annie also started to go to Japan.
MTH 37-2. The Imperial Garden
The Tree House was on a cherry blossom tree in the Imperial Garden in the 1600s.
Jack and Annie's clothes had changed.
The Japan book said they were in the capital city of Japan and they need passports because Japan was closed to the other world.
When they peeked out the window, they saw a small procession.
There was a shogun and samurais guarded him.
Jack and Annie stepped down the rope ladder after passing the procession.
They decided to go east because there was a bridge to the city.
They headed east and looked around carefully, and they saw four samurais.
One of them was master.
Jack and Annie ran away and three samurais ran after them.
The samurai doubted them as spies.
But the master pretended to know Jack and Annie, and he called their name Baku and Koto.
MTH 37-3. Basho
The master named Basho introduced Jack and Annie as his students.
The samurais apologized to them and left.
Bash thought they were not spies and helped them.
Jack and Annie introduced themselves to Basho and told him that they came here to search for a secret of happiness.
Basho said that they need passports, seek harmony with their surroundings, observe the people of Edo, and do as they do.
And Baso, Jack, and Annie walked over a stone bridge and rode a fish boat.
Everyone seemed to know Basho.
The people of Edo worried about fire because the weather was so dry.
The boat arrived near a market, fisherman and Basho delivered the fish, and Jack and Annie helped them.
Some samurai were standing on the landing, checking someone's passport.
So Basho decided to walk from here, and they arrived at the Great Bridge.
It was connected to Edo to the Sumida River where Basho lived.
Jack, Annie, and Basho crossed the bridge, and Annie saw Mount Fuji on the way crossing it.
Jack felt every sight in Japan was beautiful.
Japanese called their world the floating world.
MTH 37-4. Sushi and Sumo
Basho, Jack, and Annie saw dancing women, musicians playing instruments, and a giant dragon puppet show.
And they also saw stalls of craftspeople, inns, and cafes.
Basho led Jack and Annie to a teahouse.
He ordered three plates of sushi.
Soon the waiter brought sushi and three pairs of chopsticks.
But Jack and Annie had never used chopsticks.
Two samurai at another table were glaring at Jack.
Jack used the chopsticks very calmly and succeeded it.
Basho did everything politely, and Jack and Anni copied him.
After Basho, Jack, and Annie finished eating, they stepped outside.
They also could watch a Sumo game.
After the first Sumo match was over, Basho tried to leave there.
But two samurai appeared in front of them.
The scar-faced samurai asked them to see their passports.
MTH 37-5. An Excellent Student?
Basho introduced Jack and Annie to two samurai as his excellent students.
The two samurai wanted to listen to Jack and Annie's poem.
Annie recited the lyrics of a little star, and Jack improvised a poem.
At that time, a new sumo match was beginning.
So Basho, Jack, and Annie could leave there.
Basho led them to his house because he thought there would be safe for them.
Everybody was polite to Basho.
And they arrived at Basho's castle.
MTH 37-6. The Banana Tree
Basho's castle was shabby than Jack thought.
Basho led Jack and Annie to his room.
His room was simple.
There were a wooden table and a bamboo chest.
Three straw mats were covered the earthen floor.
Basho made a green tea for them.
Jack wondered if he was a famous poet, why did he live in such a dinky house?
Basho told them he trained to be a samurai, but he wanted to do was write poetry.
So here, he had a small garden and banana tree, and he had everything he needed to write poems.
He said a poem found beauty in all the small things of nature.
And he spoke one of his poems.
"An old pond: a frog jumps in - the sound of water."
Jack and Annie loved his poem.
And a bell from the temple rang softly in the distance.
Basho went outside for sleep under the stars.
Jack and Annie lay on the straw mats and covered themselves with the mosquito nets in the room.
And Jack fell fast asleep.
MTH 37-7. Clang, Clang, Clang!
Jack and Annie woke up by the harsh temple bells.
A big fire which the people of Edo had feared most broke out.
Basho went to the lumberyard to beat back the fire.
Jack and Annie followed him to help it.
The fire flames rose high into the sky.
Some people ran away from the fire, and firefighters tried to put out the fire.
Jack and Annie helped the firefighter filled the water in the bucket and carried it.
But the fire spread continuously.
When Jack despaired, Annie was reminded of the wand.
They went to Basho's hut to get their wand.
It was time to use the wand because this was for the good of everyone, and they did their hardest also.
Annie yelled five magic words, "Put. Out. The. Fire. Please!"
A light flashed, and they were standing on the ledge of a mountain.
MTH 37-8. In the Red Dawn
Jack and Annie were on Mount Fuji.
A dragon rose from the bubbling clouds.
It was the Cloud Dragon who had appeared in the puppet show.
She commands the rain clouds.
Annie and Jack climbed on her back and asked her to make rain.
Great Black clouds flowed from her mouth her and then rain fell on all over Edo.
Finally, the fire is out.
The Cloud Dragon dropped them to the river.
Jack and Annie swam and came out the river.
The Dragon was gone and the cool rain kept falling.
MTH 37-9. Flowers of Edo
Jack and Annie were satisfied with the Cloud Dragon put out the fire.
They went to Basho's house but it burned down.
The poet sat on a log in disappointment so Jack and Annie tried to cheer him up.
Basho said that after something is destroyed by fire, a good new thing often takes its place.
He recovered strength.
Jack and Annie started to the Imperial Garden where the tree house was, and Basho accompanied them.
The three took a ferryboat.
The pilot and passengers greeted Basho respectfully.
Everybody thanked the rain that put out the fire.
The Ferryboat passed the teahouse, the puppet stage, the charred lumberyard, and the fish market.
Basho, Jack, and Annie landed and walked to the Imperial Garden.
The tree house was high in the cherry tree but Basho didn't seem to notice it.
The three said goodbye to each other and Basho left them.
When Jack and Annie turned to go, a samurai stepped out from the shadows of the garden and said that show me your passports.
MTH 37-10. Journey of a Thousand Miles
Annie answered that the passports were burned, and Jack answered that they were students of Basho.
And they recited poems to the samurai.
He listened to their poems and was very happy.
And he strolled away with a smile.
Jack and Annie hurried climbing up the treehouse.
Jack said that I wish we could go home, but Annie said that we forgot our mission.
But the wind started to blow.
Jack and Annie were back in Frog Creek.
They thought they forgot their mission.
But Jack realized that they felt happy in the small things in nature, such as the sound of banana leaves in the wind and clicket.
It was the secret of happiness.
Jack and Annie felt nature is new, and they were happy.