検索キーワード： アジア

Issun-boshi is a tiny boy, no taller than one sun (3 cm), but he is brave and spirited. With a needle as a sword, he rides down the river in a wooden bowl to find work in the capital. A lord hires him to guard his daughter, the princess. During an outing, the princess is attacked by ogres and Issun-boshi saves her. The ogres leave a mallet, or hammer, behind. The mallet is magical and it will change Issun-boshi's life forever.

In this latest instalment of the popular picture book series, Asia's Lost Legends, the story travels to the steppes of Mongolia, where lives a young fiddle player named Suho and his beloved horse, Khuur. The two friends are inseparable until a cruel king tries to tear them apart. But the bond between Suho and Khuur is so strong that it cannot be broken. Instead, it inspires the creation of Mongolia's national instrument.

The story of Tokoyo is one of Japan's lesser known legends, yet Tokoyo is widely recognised for her bravery and strength. Tokoyo grew up in a small fishing village as the daughter of a samurai. When her father is banished to the Oki Islands by his warlord, Tokoyo is left behind all alone. Through the strength of her love for her father, Tokoyo gives up everything she owns and travels far and wide to reach him. Yet one obstacle remains before father and daughter can be reunited: the fearsome Yofune Nushi - a sea serpent that terrorises the waters surrounding the Oki Islands.

Kompheak was born with no legs. His father, who was ashamed of the child's deformity, ordered that the baby be sent down the river. But as fate would have it, the baby is found and raised by a wise man who teaches the child the ways of healing. In time, Kompheak becomes a famous medicine boy. He travels far and wide in a wheelchair built especially for him. But one day Kompheak meets a dying old man with a familiar face, and his life changes forever.

In ancient Vietnam, there once lived a King called Hung Vuong. He was a benevolent king who ruled wisely and with much kindness. As Hung Vuong grew old, he had to pick one of his children to succeed him. To help him decide, the sons were given an important task to prepare a meal fit for a king. The two older sons journeyed to the farthest lands to find the rarest ingredients.

Renowned for his wisdom and sense of fairness, Justice Bao was a high-ranking magistrate during the Song dynasty in ancient China. In The Case of the Missing Coins, Justice Bao as to decide what to do when a merchant accuses a woodcutter of stealing his money. Should he take the word of the well-dressed merchant or believe the shabby woodcutter who can barely speak for himself?

Dewi had a very mean stepmother and a very lazy stepsister. She was blamed for her father's death and was treated badly. But everything changed on the day the earth shook. It was the day houses toppled and trees crashed to the ground. It was the day Dewi found her stepmother and stepsister trapped under the rubble. How could Dewi save them?

This is a book full of very interesting folktales from a rather lesser known tribe in rural India, the Warlis. Written in a delightfully new style, this book also has a lot of information on who Warlis are, how they live and what all they believe in.

Home is where the sinister lives. Rory Parker knows not to step a foot in, on, or around the house next door. He’s seen things creeping in the shadows, has had encounters with spirits, and lost a best friend to the house’s malevolence. But when his new neighbors, Jack and his lovable family, move into the house next door, Rory makes it his duty to protect them at all costs.

As they eat mooncakes, drink tea and watch the night sky together, Mama and Baba tell ancient tales of a magical tree that can never be cut down, the Jade Rabbit who came to live on the moon and one brave woman's journey to eternal life. With a gentle focus on the importance of family, Mooncakes is both a perfect book for parent and child to listen to together and an ideal choice for schools and libraries.

Nicht nur die Brüder Grimm oder Hans Christian Andersen haben Märchen gesammelt oder geschrieben, auch in anderen Ländern ist das Märchen selbstverständlich kulturelles Volksgut. In China wurden und werden gerne Märchen erzählt - wie diese feine Sammlung von zwanzig wunderbaren Geschichten beweist! Einige Themen kommen uns bekannt vor, anderes ist ganz neu - und natürlich mit dem Kolorit des Asiatischen versehen.

Nicht nur die Brüder Grimm oder Hans Christian Andersen haben Märchen gesammelt oder geschrieben, auch in anderen Ländern ist das Märchen selbstverständlich kulturelles Volksgut. In Japan wurden und werden gerne Märchen erzählt - wie diese feine Sammlung von zwanzig wunderbaren Geschichten beweist! Einige Themen kommen uns bekannt vor, anderes ist ganz neu - und natürlich mit dem Kolorit des Asiatischen versehen!

A greedy monkey tricks a crab into trading her yummy omusubi rice snack for a single persimmon seed. But who will end up with the bigger reward in the end? This children’s story by Ryan Aoto is based on the traditional Japanese folktale “The Monkey-Crab Battle.”

Kashima, a god in Edo, Japan, resides in his shrine to protect the people from Namazu, a catfish, from causing earthquakes that devastate the lives of the villagers. When Kashima helps one of the villagers, Namazu must decide whether to obey Kashima and stay put or swim and potentially endanger the lives of the villagers.

Tam and Cam are stepsisters who are supposed to work together, but Cam sees Tam as her rival and always leaves all the work for her to do. When a festival comes to town, will Tam succeed in catching the eye of the king? Follow along on this Cinderella-esque tale from Vietnam and find out!

Two brothers, Heung Bu and Nol Bu, lived as neighbors. One spring day when the brothers were out planting, Heung Bu finds a wounded swallow. He nurses it back to health and is rewarded with a single pumpkinseed. Heung Bu plants the seed and is rewarded for his kindness. Nol Bu, jealous of his brother’s good fortune, seeks out a wounded swallow of his own. Will he be rewarded like his brother?

Jin is a Stone Lion—one of the guardians of the Old City Gate who is charged to watch over humans and protect the Sacred Sphere. But to Jin, those boring duties feel like a waste of time. What isn’t a waste of time? Perfecting his zuqiu kick, scoring a Golden Goal, and becoming the most legendary player of all the spirit world.

A boy named Ty is sent on several impossible errands by his scheming stepmother and each time he is helped by a tortoise. Frustrated by his success, Ty’s stepmother sends him away. Ty decides to follow the river looking for work when he encounters the emperor making a sacrifice to the river god. Can Ty help the emperor?

Originating long ago in Japan, this fable invites listeners to evaluate the importance and value of being honest.

The ancient Chinese philosopher and military general Sun Tzu believed that being able to outsmart enemies is far better than being able to outfight them. Decide whether you agree with Sun Tzu after you listen to this story.