Week 9 Reading: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki), Part A

"My Lord Bag of Rice" Excerpt from Japanese Fairy Tales (1905) by Yei Theodora Ozaki, Profusely Illustrated by Japanese Artists. Source.

Illustration from Japanese Fairy Tales (1905) by Yei Theodora Ozaki

Fujiwara Hidesato was traveling and came across a lake which belongs to the Dragon King. The Dragon King transforms to look human and asks Fujiwara Hidesato to kill the centipede on the mountain because the centipede kills of the dragon's family one by one. The Dragon King asks Fujiwara Hidesato to help because he was not scared to see the dragon. Fujiwara Hidesato promises to help. The centipede comes every night, so Fujiwara Hidesato waits for the next attack. The centipede appears but Hidesato's arrows bounce of the centipede. Hidesato remembers that human saliva is deadly to centipedes and licks an arrow before releasing it. The Dragon king throws a feast to celebrate and when Hidesato wants to leave, the Dragon King gives him gifts. Hidesato reluctantly accepts the gifts.

The gifts are:
An ordinary bell
A neverending bag of rice.
An infinitely long roll of silk.
A cooking pot that makes everything taste delicious.

With the gifts, Hidesato returns home and becomes very rich and became known as My Lord Bag of Rice.

Retelling Ideas:

Why doesn't Hidesato want to accept the gifts?

What if Hidesato's bow becomes broken and Hidesato's only choice is to run-up to the centipede and lick it directly.

What if Hidesato ends world hunger with the bag of rice.

What if the endless bag of rice and silk roll wreck the economy or causes other countries to declare war?

What id the bell had powers to summon powerful beings to aid Hidesato?

What if a war does occur and Hidesato uses the bell to save his country?