Jamie Crawford Storyteller

Etc.

Below is an animation by a group of students from Boundstone Community College in Lancing. It is their updating of a Japanese folktale that I told them during a 2007 summer school. My version of the story can be heard on my CD (www.cdvine.co.uk). The following text gives you the gist.

Issun Boshi

A childless woman said to herself one day, “I wish I had a baby of my own, even if it were no longer than the end of my little finger.” Nine months later she gave birth to a tiny little baby boy, no bigger than the end of her little finger. They called him Issun Boshi, which means Little One Inch.

Issun Boshi was quick and sharp and bright and his parents loved him tenderly. When he was fifteen they gave him three gifts: a wooden rice bowl, a pair of chop sticks and a needle as a sword, with a bit of straw for a sheath. He strung the sword and sheath about his waist. He carried the bowl on his head to the river. He placed it gently on the water, hopped in and with the chopsticks punted himself away. His parents waved farewell as they watched him floating away.

He came at last to the great city of Kyoto. There he set about looking for work. He went up to the biggest house he could find and knocked on the door. When it was answered by a servant Issun Boshi managed to slip past him and make his way to the lord of the house, a nobleman dressed in fine silk robes, who looked down at Issun Boshi and smiled. When his daughter, the princess, came into the room, she picked Issun Boshi up and slipped him into the folds of her kimono. And so he became her official companion.

One day the princess went on pilgrimage to the Kiyomizu temple and Issun Boshi went with her. On the way they were set upon by two Oni. (Oni are demons with horns and iron clubs. These ones were bright red with three toes on each foot, three fingers on each hand and three eyes in their heads.) One Oni grabbed the girl and the other raised its foot to stamp on Issun Boshi. As the foot came down Issun Bosh leaped out of the way, turned and pierced the Oni’s toe with his needle. The Oni shrieked with pain but Issun Boshi found himself scooped up by the other Oni and tossed into the air. As he fell this Oni caught him in its mouth and swallowed him.

Issun Boshi tumbled down into the Oni’s belly. There, he set about stabbing the stomach wall with his needle and soon managed to climb his way up the inside of the Oni’s throat, until finally the Oni gave a great heave and retched Issun Boshi, needle first, into the other Oni’s eye. One Oni fell against the other and they both collapsed in a heap and lay still.

The princess rose from the ground where she had fallen and called for Issun Boshi. There was no sign of him. And then she saw something stirring beneath the fallen Oni. Out staggered little Issun boshi, with his needle all bent. The princess picked up a magic mallet belonging to the Oni. Making a wish, she swung the hammer over her head and brought it down THWACK!

There before her stood a full-size Samurai warrior with a beautiful curving sword. It was Issun Boshi - little one inch no longer. Hand in hand they walked into the temple. On their return home, they were married and Issun Boshi’s parents came to the wedding.

And they lived well, and so may we.

Jamie Crawford: Storyteller

Etc.