Japanese fairy tales

In a very beautiful and real way, these thirteen tales carry to the West the Spirit of Japan, its myths, customs, and landscape. Some are sad, some are humorous, and some teach a moral. All of them, however, hold to the magic which is the essence of any fairy tale. Animals are often the principal characters and behave very much like we do: White Hare yearns to leave his island and travel to the exciting mainland; the poor ungainly crab perpetrates a classic revenge on the cruel monkey; the mice look high and low for a suitable bridegroom for their daughter.