Japan · Mt. Ashigara, Japan — the pine woods and mountain pond
The heroes of this story.
The strongest boy in Japan. Races the carp stroke for stroke, then folds a thousand paper cranes "for the next tryer."
Watches from the pines, leads Kintarō to the water by looking back until he follows. Guides grow tails the way children grow brave — one wise thing at a time; she has two by the end. Never tricks, never speaks.
Jumps at the waterfall again and again; at the Dragon Gate, trying becomes flying. Coils around Kintarō through the squall.
Kintarō's wrestling partners. Gesture only, never speech.
Every morning the strongest boy in Japan wrestles the bear, and every morning a young one-tailed fox leads him to the pond — where a carp as big as a boat keeps jumping at the waterfall and falling back. Kintarō races it stroke for stroke until, one more jump, the carp climbs the Dragon Gate and becomes a dragon. That evening Kintarō folds a thousand paper cranes: his wish is already swimming, but he'll fold them anyway — for the next tryer.
Free coloring pages from this book · how-to-draw the friends · watch the episode on YouTube.
