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Village of the Watermills by Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
Transcribed by: Woz Choi


“Good Day” Akira responded smiling. The children picked up flowers and left them on stone at the edge of the river. Akira continued walking towards the village. He saw an old man working on his waterwheel, building it primitively.

“Good Day” Akira said. But no respond!

“Good Day!” Akira said with raising his voice.

“Good day” the old man responded.

“What is the name of this village?” Akira asked

“Does not have one”
“We just call it The Village”
“Some people call it Watermill Village.”

“Do all the villagers live here?” Akira asked

“No”
“The live in other places.”

“There is no electricity here!” Akira curiously asked

“Do not need it”
“People get too used to convenience. They think convenience is better.”
“They throw out what is truly good.”

“But what about lights” Akira said

“We have got candles and linseed oil.”

“But nights so dark!” Akira said

“Yes! That is what night is supposed to be.”
Why should night be as bright as day?”
“I would not like nights so bright you could not see the stars.”

“You have paddies” Akira responded “But no tractors to cultivate them? he continued.

“Do not need them” the old man responded while working on his waterwheel.
“We have git cows and horses.”

“What do you use for fuel?” Akira asked

“Firewood mostly.”
“We do not feel right chopping down trees but enough fall down by themselves.”
“We cut them up and use them as firewood.”
“And if you make charcoal from the wood just a few trees can give you as much heat as a whole forest.”
“Yes, and cow dung makes good fuel, too.”
“That is the natural way of life.”

“People today forgotten they are really just a part of nature. Yet, they destroy the nature on which our lives depend. They always think they can make something better. Especially scientists. They may be smart, but most do not understand the heart of nature. They only invent things that in the end make people unhappy. Yet, they are so proud of their inventions. What is worse, most people are, too. They view them as if they were miracles. They worship them. They do not know it, but they are losing nature. They do not see that they are going to perish. The most important things for human beings are clean air and clean water and trees and gras that prodice them. Everything is being dirtied. Polluted forever. Dirty air, dirty water, dirtying the heart of men.”

“On my was to here, I happened to see some children putting flowers on a stone beside the bridge.” Akira said “Why?” he continued.

“Oh, that!"
"Long ago a sick traveller died by the bridge. The villagers took pity and buried him right there. They placed a large stone on his tomb and put flowers on it. So, it became a custom to put flowers there. Not only the children. All the villagers put flowers there as they pass though most do not know why.”

“Is there a celebration today?” Akira asked after hearing sound of celebration through distance.

“No, funeral.”
“You find this strange?”
“A nice, happy funeral. It is good to work hard and live long and then be thanked.”
“We have no temple or priest here. So all the villagers carry the dead to teh cemetry on the hill. We do not like it when young adults or children die. It is tough celebrate such a loss. But fortunately the people of this village lead a natural way of life. So they pass on at a ripe old age. The woman we are buring today lived ninety-nine. You must excuse me but I am going to joing the procession.”
“To tell you the trust, she was my first love. But broke my heart and left me for another. ha ha ha ha ha.”

Akira kep on smiling by hearing his last message.
“By the way, how old are you?” Akira asked.

“Me?”
“One hundred pluss three. A good age to stop living. Some say life is hard. That is just talk. In fact, it’s good to be alive. It is exciting.”

Funeral continues celebrating

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