'The Woodcutter and the King' and a Power Berry

***********************************************************************

In experiencing Mary's Blue Heart Event, you have the opportunity to read the legend inspired by the real magical tree in the middle of the meadow to the right of the lake.

Mary will give you a book and ask you to read it 'between tasks'. At first, I did not know how to read the book... I tried to set it down on a table, thinking that I then would be able to press X to read it, but in vain.

In fact, the first time I experienced the event, I became frustrated in the end and returned the book to Mary unread. When she asked me to choose which character I liked best, I simply guessed, but chose the 'Woodcutter' thinking that this character would be more sympathetic to village folk...

I then replayed the entire day, partly in order to add the information about Mary's response to the incorrect answer to my guide and partly to test something that had occurred to me with respect to a possible way to 'read' the book.

In fact my supposition was correct. It was possible to read the book by pressing Triangle when the book was in the rucksack. The Triangle Button orders the game to 'Explain Item'. Pressing Triangle unlocked the entire story, which is rather long and quite charming.

Furthermore, it gives the entire tale of the magical tree in the Meadow and the fact that a 'rare nut' in the form of a Power Berry will be given if you take pity on the tree and do not chop it down.

Here is the tale of the 'Woodcutter and the King':

Text of Book:
'The Woodcutter and the King'
Once upon a time there was a woodcutter who lives in a small country. One day the woodcutter were called before the king. The king ordered the woodcutter to go and find a special nut that was said to prolong life.

'The woodcutter finally found the rare nut way on the top of a tall tree in the forest. But as he prepared to cut the tree down...

The woodcutter suddenly heard a voice.

It was the tall tree, asking 'please don't cut me down'.

The woodcutter felt pity for the tree and decided to let it stand...

To his surprise, the tall tree gave him the nut in thanks. The woodcutter had never seen a nut of that colour before, but he dutifully sent the nut to the king.

The king ordered the woodcutter to chop down the tree down and bring it to the castle. But the woodcutter refused...

In anger, the king threw the woodcutter in the dungeon and set off himself to cut down the tree. But none of the trees had any nuts, and the king lost his way and never came out.

The woodcutter was saved.'

End of Story.

I never would have had the opportunity to read this tale had I not played Harvest Moon Boy & Girl. It is little delights like these that make EVERY Harvest Moon game worth the trouble...