The Nighthawk Star facts for kids

The Nighthawk Starよだかの星 (Yodaka no Hoshi) is a famous Japanese children's short story. Kenji Miyazawa wrote it around 1921. This story was first published in a collection of his works. Later, it was included in other books.

You can also find "The Nighthawk Star" in English. It has been translated into different collections. For example, it appeared in Once and Forever, the Tales of Kenji Miyazawa in 1998. It was also in Miyazawa Kenji's Ten Japanese Stories for Children in 2005.

Story Summary: The Nighthawk's Journey

This story is about a bird called the Nighthawk. Other birds often made fun of him. They thought he was ugly. He had a spotted face and weak legs. Even a lark, who wasn't super beautiful, felt better than the Nighthawk. But no one dared to insult the real Hawk.

The Hawk didn't like that the Nighthawk had "Hawk" in his name. He often threatened the Nighthawk. One night, the Hawk told the Nighthawk to change his name. The Hawk even suggested "ICHIZO." But the Nighthawk refused. He said his name was a gift from God. It was a part of who he was. The Hawk left, warning that if the Nighthawk didn't change his name, he would kill him.

The Nighthawk felt very sad. He wondered why everyone disliked him just for how he looked. He flew into the clouds. There, insects flew into his mouth by accident. He realized he was killing them, just like the Hawk planned to kill him. He decided he should stop eating. He wanted to fly far away. He said goodbye to his younger brother, the Kingfisher. He asked him to send his love to their sister, the Hummingbird. The Nighthawk went home, crying.

The next day, he flew to the Sun. He asked the Sun to take him, even if he burned up. But the Sun said he was a night bird. It told him to ask the stars when evening came. When night fell, the Nighthawk flew high into the sky. He asked the star in the West, Orion, to take him. But Orion ignored him. The Nighthawk fell, but then flew back up.

Next, he asked the star in the South, the Great Dog. This star laughed at him and said no. Again, he fell, but flew back up. This time, he asked the star in the North, the Great Bear. The Great Bear said his request made no sense. It told him to calm down. Disappointed, the Nighthawk flew down. But he recovered and asked the star in the East, the Hawk, to take him. The Hawk star said his request was silly. It told him you need to be important and rich to become a star.

With no energy left, the Nighthawk fell towards the ground. But just before hitting it, he shot up into the sky. As he flew, he made a sound like a hawk, "kishi, kishi, kishi..." His body became cold. His breath froze. The air became very thin. He didn't know if he was falling or flying. But he felt very peaceful. After some time, the Nighthawk opened his eyes. He saw that he was glowing blue next to the star, Cassiopeia. To this day, the Nighthawk's star shines brightly forever.

Main Ideas in the Story

This story teaches us about being strong and never giving up. It also shows us the power of being kind and making sacrifices for others. The Nighthawk's journey is about finding peace and purpose.

Other Versions of the Story

The Nighthawk Star has been made into different types of entertainment.

Live Film

In 2012, a movie called Yodaka no Hoshi was made. It was based on this story. Reiko Saito directed it, and Akiko Kikuchi was in it.

Music

A Japanese band called Sound Horizon created a song. It was called "Vanishing Starlight." This song was part of a music single.

Online Videos

You can also find many versions of the story on YouTube. Some are stage plays. Others are modern takes on the tale. An example is "Star of Yodaka" (『よだかの星』予告編).