Folktales of Japan

Folktales of Japan by Keigo Seki

A collection of folktales, including animal tales, fairy tales, and tales of tricksters or fools.  With notes about where collected, tale types, and motif types.

Many of the types will be familiar to those who have read widely in European tales -- Cinderella, Kind and Unkind Girls -- but the local color can produce a lot of effects, and a number of plot twists that are surprises.  Some tales are a bit coarse.

fleets and fairies

Ah, how the ideas decided to storm out.  The reason fairies took to building boats is that there was a disenchantment arms race.

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