Yamato was a great king. One day, many of his subjects came to him with a complaint that a huge boar was raging in the forest of Hakone and was ridden by a demon with a great spear, who spread calamity and pestilence in the land. Yamato went to the high priestess of Ise to […]
One day, a fox told his children that he was going out to get some eggs for them. He walked around till he saw the nest of an eagle high up on a tree. There was no way to reach the nest. So, he plucked some grass and stuck it into his ears. It gave
The hen had been scratching happily looking for seeds when she heard the coyote coming. She fluttered quickly on to a branch well out of his reach.The coyote came and looked up at her, smiling. “I have good news for you, hen!” he said, “Don’t you want me to share the good news with you?”The
Poas Volcano lay in a beautiful countryside that was also famed for its beautiful birds and for one young girl whose beauty was spoken of across the land. But more beautiful still was the friendship of the maiden with the Rualdo bird.She had saved him once from a hunter’s snare and since then he had
In the lake near the village lived the terrible white monster, Nabulela. Every day someone from the village left porridge and bread on the banks for him and then ran away. Otherwise, Nabulela would eat him too!Meanwhile, a daughter was born to the village chief’s wife and there was great rejoicing, for the chief had
The hen had laid twelve eggs and now there were only eleven left. She went all over the coop looking for it but there was no sign of the egg. She went back and counted them. One, two,…eleven!She was very upset. She ran out clucking to search for that rooster who did nothing except crow
A little girl who lived in the village far, far away always brought the most delicious fruits to sell : bananas, plums, oranges. But no one dared to ask her where she got them, because they knew what had happened to the spider!The spider was extremely lazy and greedy. He loved to eat and was
Old Mr Coyote was tired of walking. He reached a tree and decided to rest there. So he said, “Please Mr Tree, open up and let me in so that I may rest safely inside.”The tree opened up and let him in before it shut itself. Mr Coyote went to sleep safe and snug inside.
There is a high rock on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits which is an island in the eastern sea.This rock is magical and very creative. One day, the rock burst open and an egg made of rock fell out of it. A stone ape emerged from the egg.He learnt to walk and leap, and his eyes
A long time ago, there lived two frogs in Japan. One of the frogs lived in the city of Osaka near the sea. The other lived in a stream that ran through the city of Kioto.They did not know each other, nor had they heard about each other. But one day, they both had the
Llyn Barfog was a gloomy dark lake where no fish or birds were ever seen. It was said to be haunted by a group of elfin ladies all dressed in green. They were glimpsed sometimes at night with their hounds and white cows.Only one farmer had really seen them because one of their cows fell
A widow lived with her two daughters and a little son. She had to visit her mother in a far-off village and decided to take her son with her. She told her daughters to be careful and went away.On the way, a panther ate up the widow and her son. He wore her clothes and
Once upon a time, there were two friends, a monkey and a turtle. One day, they found a banana tree floating in the river and the turtle dragged it to the bank.They divided it between them and the monkey chose the top half with leaves. The turtle smiled and took the lower half.Both planted their
There was a Count with three beautiful daughters who gambled away his wealth and spent his time hunting.Three times the Count got lost in a forest while hunting. The first time, a bear offered to show him the way and give him a lot of gold and silver, if he could marry one of his
An old woman lived with her daughter near a lake where the girl often bathed with her friend. One day, when they were bathing, a water snake came out and sat on the girl’s dress on the bank. So, the old woman’s daughter could not wear it, because the snake sat on it.“I’ll let you