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ISSUN-BOSHI

Long, long ago there lived a sweet old couple. Having no children but desiring one very much, they went to the
shrine and prayed, "Please, please let us have a child, no matter how small." Eventually, a son was born to them.
But small indeed was the child - no larger than a grown man's fingertip.

The couple raised the child tenderly, and though he became a bright and well-respected young man, he grew not
at all. As a result, he became known as Issun-boshi.

One day, Issun-boshi told his parents that he wanted to seek his fortune in the city. His parents were worried
about their son but, trusting him, they sent him off with a sword made of a sewing needle, a sheath made of straw,
and a boat made from a rice bowl with a chopstick for an oar. Issun-boshi walked along until he came upon the
river that flowed towards the town. There he set his rice bowl in the water and paddled with the chopstick for
days on end, until at last he reached the town.

Issun-boshi walked about town until he found himself in front of the stately mansion of the lord. At the gate he
announced, "I have come to the city to work and train. I beg of you to make me a servant." But he was so tiny
that the guard did not notice him. "I'm here, I'm here," Issun-boshi shouted. Finally the guard spotted him and
lifted him up from the shadow of his geta (Japanese sandals). Issun-boshi was granted permission to see the lord
and, in the palm of the lord's hand, he knelt, bowed, and pledged his loyalty. The lord took an instant liking to
Issun-boshi and made him a retainer. Everyone in the mansion soon came to like the intelligent, charming Issun-
boshi, but none more so than the lord's daughter. Before long, he became her personal attendant.

One afternoon the princess took Issun-boshi along and went to pay her respects at the Kiyomizu temple. Along
the way, two ogres suddenly jumped out onto the road and blocked their path. Issun-boshi unsheathed his sword
and instantly threw himself upon their attackers. But then suddenly one of the ogres swallowed him up in one
gulp. In retort, he stabbed at the insides of its stomach. The ogre was so overcome with pain that it threw Issun-
boshi up out of its stomach. Issun-boshi immediately jumped up on the other ogre's eyebrow and stabbed at its
eye. Defeated, the ogres fled away crying, and in the process, one of them dropped its magic hammer.

The princess picked up the hammer and said, "If you wave this, anything you ask for - money or rice - will be
yours." Issun-boshi replied, "I want neither money nor rice. All I want is to become full-sized." The princess
nodded, then waved the hammer, singing, "Growww, growww."

In an instant, Issun-boshi became a full-grown, handsome warrior. He married the princess and, together with
his parents, they lived happily ever after.

THE BRAHMIN GIFT

Once there lived a pious brahmin in a village. He used to perform religious rituals. On one occasion he was
rewarded with a cow by a rich man for his service. The brahmin started to bring the cow to his home. On the
way, three rogues saw the brahmin bringing the cow. They were lazy and wanted to cheat the brahmin so that
they could take away the cow. They hatched a plan.

The first person approached the brahmin and said, "Are you a washer man that you're pulling a donkey." The
brahmin was annoyed at being mistaken for a washer man. He went on. A little later he was met by the second
of the rogues. The second person asked him why being a brahmin he needed to pull a pig. Now the brahmin was
confused but he went on. Some distance later he was met by the third person who asked him why he was pulling
along a wild animal. Now the brahmin was totally confused and also afraid. He thought that it was a devil animal
which took different forms. He ran away leaving the cow behind. The three tricksters laughed at the brahmin at
having cheated the cow from the brahmin.

CHINESE NEW YEAR
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the oldest traditional festival in China. Many existing customs and
activities of the festival actually can be traced back to a popular story of the Monster Nian, which helps to explain
why and how the festival is celebrated.
According to the ancient Chinese legend, in ancient time, there was a ferocious monster named “Nian” with
sharp teeth and horns. Secluding itself in the dark sea for a long time, the beast would go onshore by the end of
the lunar year and hunt people and livestock. Therefore, every time before the New Year’s Eve, all the villagers
would escape to remote mountains to avoid Nian's attack.
On one New Year’s Eve, drowned in great panic, the villagers were fleeing from the village. Everything was in
chaos, and no one cared about the newcomer.
A granny came to the old man and told him of the terror of the Monster Nian and persuaded him to flee with
others. However, the old man kept his cool and requested the granny to allow him to stay one night in the old
woman’s house and he would expel away the beast of prey in reward.
The granny was not fully convinced of his promise but she left him and escaped to the mountain with the other
villagers.
At midnight, the monster broke into the village. It sensed the change of the atmosphere. He saw the house in the
east was lighting. Approaching to the house slowly, it found all the doors and windows pasted with red papers
and many candles lit inside the house.
At that very moment, loud cracking sound burst in the courtyard, daunting Nian not to dare come closer. The
front door was opened in a flash, and the old man came out in red gown, roaring with laughter. The Monster
Nian was gravely frightened, and he fled through the dark night.
The next day when the villagers returned to the village, they were surprised to see the old man alive. At that
moment, it dawned on the old granny that the relief from Nian came from the old man’s promise.
In order to celebrate the triumph over the monster, people dressed in new and visited neighbors to share the joy.
The news spread, and everyone commanded the ways of defending against the beast.
Hence, on every New Year's Eve, people paste red spring couplets, light candles, burn bamboos and later set off
firework to ward off all the evil spirits and people stay up to welcome the New Year.

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GOLDEN FISH
This is the story of a poor fisherman and his wife who lived in a little hut near the sea. When the fisherman left

home to fish one day, he caught something most surprising from the sea. The fisherman caught a fish--but not
an ordinary fish. It was a golden fish that could talk, and it explained to the fisherman that it was really a prince

who had had a spell cast upon him. The fish begged to be released back to the sea and promised to give him a

golden coin and grant any of his two wishes. The fisherman obliged, having no use for a talking fish. The
fisherman returned home and told his wife the story of the talking fish. His wife enquired if he had asked the

fish to grant him a wish. When the fisherman said, “No”, his wife insisted that he return to the sea and ask the
fish to give them a mansion to live in. Reluctantly, the fisherman agreed and the wife's wish is granted. This

pattern continued, with the greedy wife asking for a palace and the fish granting her wish. Eventually, the wife
asked for the golden fish as slave. The minute she asks this, the air is filled with thunder and the fisherman and

his wife are returned to their little hut, all their wealth and power gone forever.

Moral – No gains satisfies a greedy man.

Script for the play
Characters
Narrator Brahmin Rogue 1 Rogue 2 Rouge 3
Once there lived a pious Brahmin in a village.
Scene – I
Brahmin : What a great day! I’ve received a cow as a gift. Now I will get fresh milk every
day.
3 Rogues hiding behind a bush saw the brahmin with his cow.
Rogue 1 : Look at the Brahmin and his cow.
Rogue 2 : Yes, what if we get the cow?
Rogue 3 : Hmm…. He won’t give it to us so easily. I have a plan (they whisper)

Scene – II
Brahmin singing a bhajan to himself.
Rogue 1 : Pranaam Brahmin. Are you a washerman that you’re pulling a donkey?
Brahmin (angrily) : You foolish fellow. Don’t you know the difference between a cow and
a
donkey?
Enter Rogue 2 : Suprabhat Brahmin Dewta. It’s a surprise, being a brahmin you’re pulling
a pig along.
Brahmin (in a stern voice) : Are you blind? Can’t you see it’s a cow and not a pig?
Rogue 2 : Brahmin, look for yourself, being learned and intelligent how can you
mistake a pig for a cow? But as you say.
(Rogue 2 walks on)
Brahmin (in a doubtful tone) : What happening?
He turns back and reconfirms. He is satisfied to see his beautiful cow.
Brahmin : My beautiful cow! My lovely cow.
Brahmin walks on.
Enter Rogue 3: Namaskaar Brahmin Devta. Where are you going with the wild deer?
Brahmin : Deer? No, No, its not a deer. It’s a cow.
Rogue 3 : Brahmin Devta, please don’t get angry. If your say it must be a cow.
(He moves one)
Brahmin : What’s happening?
He turns around and looks at the cow.
He is afraid to touch it
Brahmin : Is it a cow or is it some wild animal or a ghost that is continuously changing its
form.
(He look around, feeling scared)
I think it’s a ghost. Hey Ram! Jai Jai Hanuman. Hely me! Help me! Ghost! Ghost!
Brahmin runs away
The 3 rogues come out of the bush laughing. They give a high – 5 ; hug each other and take the
cow along with them.
Narrator : The moral of story is …