Cruel governors used to make unreasonable laws, but citizens cannot fight against it. One of a Japanese cruel law in the olden days was that people who were too old will be abandoned from provinces and led into the mountains.  In the story The Aged Mother, a poor farmer’s old mother was forced to be abandoned on the mountain. The steep mountain roads are full of dangerous beasts and there are no supplies for daily life, people can lose their lives easily, especially old people. As a mother’s child, he couldn’t bear to leave his mother alone in the mountains. Although the son was afraid that governors will punish them, he hid his mother in a hut in the valley. There were difficulties that obstruct them from quiet lives but through wisdom and their trust on each other, they were able to solve the problems.

In the story, The Aged Mother, by Matsuo Bashoells, the author believes that we should always take care and love our parents no matter what happens because they had done the same too. When the mother and son were heading to the mountain of the “abandoning of the aged”, “The eyes of the old mother were not so dim but that they noted the reckless hastening from one path to another, and her loving heart grew anxious. Her son did not know the mountain’s many paths and his return might be one of danger.” (Bashoells 1) During their journey, the old mother started worrying her son since he did not know the way back, so she made marking with the branches every few steps. Even though, the old mother knew she will be closer to death every step her son walks, she was always caring and worried about her son every single second. On the other side, the son loved her mother too. When he was leaving, his mother gave him her last advice. His heart broke when he saw the old and shriveled hands of his mother, “he cried aloud: “oh, Honorable mother, your kindness breaks my heart! I will not leave you. Together we will follow the path of twigs, and together we will die!”(Bashoells 1) When the son saw his mother’s hand, he seemed to see the sacrifice and selfless love of his mother through it. Therefore, he decided to hide and take care of his mother recklessly. Between love and laws, he chose love. Love is a two-way path; it needs people to trust and care for each other. As time passes, the government sent out an order that every citizen should give him a rope of ashes. To solve the problem, the old women said: “Stretch it upon a row of flat stones and burn it on a windless night.” He called the people together and did as she said and when the blaze died down, there upon the stones, with every twist and fiber showing perfectly, lay a rope of ashes.” (Bashoells 1) The government had again given cruel laws, citizens need to present him with ropes of ashes. The son was worried since the old mother didn’t die and they were not able to make a rope of ashes. The wise mother then gave a suggestion to make a fake rope. They never knew if the government will find out but he believed the experience from her mother, he believed her wisdom, he knew his old mother won’t hurt him.

More information :

The Aged Mother story : https://americanliterature.com/author/matsuo-basho/short-story/the-aged-mother#:~:text=by%20Matsuo%20Basho,their%20love%20for%20one%20another.

About the author : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D