The Golden Comb

In the bustling city of Edo, where merchants sold the finest silks and craftsmen created objects of extraordinary beauty, lived a young woman named Miyuki who was renowned throughout the city for her striking appearance. Her hair was like black silk, her skin was smooth as porcelain, and her features were so perfectly arranged that people would stop in the street just to admire her.

But Miyuki’s beauty had made her proud and vain. She spent hours each day arranging her hair, selecting her finest kimonos, and admiring herself in polished bronze mirrors. She looked down on those she considered less attractive and refused to associate with anyone who might diminish her reputation as the most beautiful woman in the city.

“Why should I waste my time with plain people?” Miyuki would say to her servants. “Beauty is meant to be appreciated by those who can truly understand its value.”

One day, while shopping in the most exclusive district of the city, Miyuki came upon a small shop she had never noticed before. The shopkeeper was an ancient woman with deeply lined skin and silver hair, but her eyes sparkled with an inner light that seemed strangely captivating.

“Welcome, beautiful young lady,” the old woman said with a knowing smile. “I have something that would complement your loveliness perfectly.”

From beneath her counter, she produced the most magnificent comb Miyuki had ever seen. It was made of pure gold and decorated with intricate engravings of phoenixes, cherry blossoms, and flowing water. Tiny pearls were embedded along its length, and it seemed to glow with its own inner light.

“This comb has been crafted by the celestial artisans,” the old woman explained. “It enhances the beauty of whoever wears it, but only if they prove worthy of its power.”

Miyuki’s eyes widened with desire. “How much do you want for it? I must have it!”

“The price is not in gold,” the old woman replied mysteriously. “You may take the comb now, but you must earn the right to keep it. If you fail the test, it will disappear forever.”

“What kind of test?” Miyuki asked suspiciously.

“Use the comb for seven days,” the old woman said. “At the end of that time, if you have learned what true beauty means, the comb will be yours forever. If not, it will vanish, and you will understand why you were not worthy of its gift.”

Miyuki agreed immediately, certain that someone as beautiful as herself would easily pass any test. She paid the old woman and hurried home to try the magical comb.

The moment she drew the golden comb through her hair, an extraordinary transformation occurred. Her already beautiful hair became lustrous beyond imagination, catching and reflecting light like spun moonbeams. Her skin took on a radiant glow, and her features became so perfectly harmonious that she seemed almost otherworldly.

For the first three days, Miyuki was ecstatic. She attended every social gathering, basking in the admiration and compliments that followed her wherever she went. She felt more beautiful and confident than ever before.

But on the fourth day, something unexpected happened. As Miyuki walked through the market district, admiring her reflection in shop windows, she passed an elderly beggar woman sitting by the roadside. The woman was clearly ill and weak, asking passersby for help.

Most people ignored the beggar, but as Miyuki approached, the old woman looked up with such desperate hope that something stirred in Miyuki’s heart. For a moment, she felt an impulse to help, but then she caught sight of her perfect reflection and hurried past, not wanting to be associated with such an unsightly person.

That night, when Miyuki tried to use the golden comb, it felt cold and heavy in her hands, and her reflection seemed somehow less radiant than before.

On the fifth day, Miyuki encountered a young mother struggling to carry her sick child while juggling bundles of washing she was taking to earn money for medicine. Again, Miyuki felt a stirring of compassion, but she was wearing her finest kimono and didn’t want to risk getting it dirty. She walked past quickly, avoiding eye contact.

That evening, the golden comb seemed even heavier, and Miyuki noticed that her magical beauty was definitely fading.

By the sixth day, Miyuki was growing panicked. She desperately tried different hairstyles and makeup, but nothing could restore the ethereal beauty the comb had initially given her. As she walked through the city, worrying about the test, she saw the same beggar woman from before, now even weaker and more desperate.

This time, however, Miyuki also noticed something else—a group of rough young men were harassing the old woman, mocking her appearance and threatening to take away her few meager possessions.

“Look at this ugly old hag!” one of them shouted. “She’s disgusting! Someone should clean the streets of people like her!”

In that moment, Miyuki realized she was seeing herself as others might see her—someone who judged people solely on their appearance, who showed no compassion for those less fortunate, who valued only surface beauty while ignoring the suffering of others.

Without thinking about her expensive kimono or perfect appearance, Miyuki stepped forward. “Leave her alone!” she said firmly to the young men. “She’s done nothing to you. How dare you treat an elder with such disrespect!”

The men, surprised by her intervention, backed away muttering. Miyuki knelt beside the beggar woman, gently helping her to her feet and offering her some coins from her purse.

“Thank you, kind lady,” the old woman whispered. “You have a beautiful heart.”

For the first time in years, Miyuki felt a warmth that had nothing to do with admiration for her appearance. She spent the rest of the day helping the old woman find shelter and medical care, completely forgetting about her own appearance.

On the seventh day, Miyuki woke up dreading what she might see in the mirror. She picked up the golden comb with trembling hands and slowly drew it through her hair.

To her amazement, the comb began to glow more brightly than ever before. But the beauty it revealed was different from what she had experienced at first. Her appearance was still lovely, but now it was enhanced by something deeper—a radiance that seemed to come from within, a gentleness in her expression, and a warmth in her eyes that made her truly beautiful for the first time.

That afternoon, Miyuki returned to the mysterious shop, expecting to find the ancient shopkeeper. Instead, she found the same old woman she had helped the day before, but now the woman was transformed, revealing herself to be a celestial being of great wisdom and beauty.

“You have passed the test, dear child,” the celestial being said with a radiant smile. “You discovered that true beauty comes not from perfect features or magical enhancements, but from kindness, compassion, and the willingness to help others without thought of personal gain.”

“But I was so vain and selfish,” Miyuki said, ashamed of her previous behavior. “How can I be worthy of such a gift?”

“Because you learned to see beyond appearance to the person beneath,” the being replied. “Because you chose to act with kindness even when it might cost you your own comfort. Because you discovered that the most beautiful thing anyone can possess is a heart that cares for others.”

The celestial being gestured to the golden comb in Miyuki’s hands. “This comb will continue to enhance your beauty, but now it enhances your true beauty—the beauty that comes from a generous spirit, a kind heart, and genuine concern for others’ welfare.”

From that day forward, Miyuki became known throughout the city not just for her physical beauty, but for her compassion and generosity. She used her influence to help the poor, comfort the sick, and stand up for those who were mistreated because of their appearance.

The golden comb remained with her for the rest of her life, but its magic was no longer about making her look more beautiful—it was about helping her remember that every person she met had their own inner beauty worthy of respect and kindness.

Years later, when Miyuki had become an old woman herself, she passed the golden comb to a young woman who reminded her of her former vain self. But she also passed along the wisdom she had learned: that true beauty is not something you wear or something others admire, but something you give to the world through your actions, your kindness, and your willingness to see the beauty in others.

The golden comb continues to exist, passed down through generations of women who learn that the most radiant beauty comes not from perfect features, but from perfect compassion—and that the most magical transformation anyone can undergo is the change from vanity to kindness, from selfishness to service, and from seeing only surface appearances to recognizing the divine beauty that exists within every human heart.