One-Sun Boy: A Japanese Folktale
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Once there was an old man and woman. They wanted a baby. They prayed for a baby. Then they had a baby. But the baby was very small. He was the size of a sun. A sun was a Japanese coin. It was one inch tall. They called him One-Sun Boy.

 

One-Sun Boy got older. But he did not grow. He was still one inch tall. One-Sun Boy wanted to become a samurai. A samurai is a kind of warrior.

 

One-Sun Boy left his home. He used a bowl as his boat. He took a needle for a sword. He went down the river. He went to the city.

 

One-Sun Boy found a job. He worked for a king. The king had a daughter. One-Sun Boy became friends with her.

 

One day, One-Sun Boy and the princess took a walk. They walked in the woods. An oni attacked them. An oni is a monster. The oni wanted the princess. One-Sun Boy took out his sword. He stabbed the oni in the foot. The oni did not like this. He picked up One-Sun Boy. He swallowed him in one gulp. Then the oni tried to grab the princess. But he suddenly stopped.

 

One-Sun Boy was inside the oni. He stabbed him in the belly.

 

The oni yelled. “Please stop. Ow! It hurts! Stop, stop! I beg you.”

 

One-Sun Boy did not stop. The oni spit him out. Then the oni ran away. He was afraid of One-Sun Boy. The oni never came back.

 

One-Sun Boy was a hero. He saved the princess. From then on, he was a samurai. He had a new job. He protected the princess. He was happy. He found his place in this world.