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Umi no Mizu wa Naze Karai
Umi no Mizu Hanaze Karai ／ Why Sea Water is Salty ／ Why is the Sea Water Salty? ／ 海の水はなぜからい
Description
When a poor but honest man rescues an elderly traveler who has fallen off a log bridge, the forest dwellers reward him with a “Mortar of Treasures” that can grant any desired item. Using the mortar, the man becomes the wealthiest person in the village. However, his greedy brother steals the mortar and, eager to indulge in luxury alone, sets off in a rowing boat toward an isolated island. During the voyage he asks the mortar to produce salt, but cannot stop the flow. The boat eventually sinks under the weight of the excess salt, and the mortar settles at the sea bottom, where it continues to pour out salt to this day.
