The Wave Author:Margaret Hodges Child and adult alike will ever listen in fascination to a folk tale woven from the basic elements of life and nature. Such a story is The Wave, an ancient tale originally translated from Japanese by Lafcadio Hearn. — Here is the old, old man, symbol of age and the wisdom it brings; and his grandson, the very spirit of youth with its loyalty, mi... more »sgivings, and impetuousness. Here is nature, angry and relentless, a tidal wave threatening to engulf the village. As the dramatic story unfolds and we watch grandfather Ojiisan set fire to his rice fields, we have a wonderful realization of the dignity of man and his ability to fight natural disaster with the fruits of nature itself.« less