Japanese Fairy Tales

By: Yei Theodora Ozaki - translator

Narrated by: Leslie Bellair

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Here are 22 charming Japanese Fairy Tales, translated by Yei Theodora Ozaki, including "My Lord Bag of Rice", "The Tongue-Cut Sparrow", "The Story of Urashima Taro, the Fisher Lad", "The Farmer and the Badger", "The Shinansha, or the South Pointing Carriage", "The Adventures of Kintaro, the Golden Boy", "The Story of Princess Hase", "The Story of the Man Who Did Not Wish to Die", "The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moonchild", "The Mirror of Matsuyama", "The Goblin of Adachigahara", "The Sagacious Monkey and the Boar", "The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher", "The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower", "The Jellyfish and the Monkey", "The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab", "The White Hare and the Crocodiles", "The Story of Prince Yamato Take", "Momotaro, or the Story of the Son of a Peach", "The Ogre of Rashomon", "How an Old Man Lost His Wen", and "The Stones of Five Colors and the Empress Jokwa".

Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

An excellent anthology of Japanese folk stories

What did you love best about Japanese Fairy Tales?
Japanese Fairy Tales contains several stories that provided the ideal material for an environment where the listener is not necessarily seeking an enthralling experience, but soft listening. Each story is similar to the last in theme and cultural traits, of course, but are different enough to create a well rounded collection of Japanese heritage.

What three words best describe Leslie Bellair’s voice?
Enthusiastic, albeit monotone.

Any additional comments?
Yei Theodora Ozaki has written an excellent compilation of Japanese folk tales. While the stories provide an excellent before bed listening, the narrator leaves a little to be desired in way of depth. All in all I recommend this audiobook to any listener who desires to add an excellent anthology of Japanese culture to his or her collection.

A wonderful collection of fairytales.

This collection of stories impresses with both a character and story style distinct of the nation of origin and the simultaneous morals imparted by the tales. The performance offered by the reader is exquisite! It is most wonderous to hear new tales and myths, and their interweaving. Most spectacular is the multitude of morals imparted simultaneously in each tale which inpart some buddhist sense of balance amidst complimentary darkness and caution to heed such as found in Aesop's Fables and Hans Christian Anderson adaptations of European tales with the heroism amd reward to good values in modern retellings such as Disney. Most rewarding however is the display that even though good character is rewarded in these tales, it is also mightily usurped by others, too. There is an overarching theme to the listener that while it os imperative to hold a hogh code of ethics, it is of equal import to be vigilant and aware. Honor and grace, but never let, values subdue one into unconscious naivete.

Nice book, wish the narrator spoke Japanese better

The book seems well written, and carefully keeps Japanese placenames, person names and non-translatable words intact. The narrator speaks well and tries to pronounce carefully, but clearly doesn't have a strong foundation in Japanese language. keeyooshoo (きゅうしゅう). yikes. sadly most vowel combinations and long vowel sounds are a bit mispronounced. Why not have a Japanese native or advanced student doing the reading? or more vocal training?

stories new and different

I enjoyed listening. All the stories were new to me. I listened to it three hours at a time.

A nice informative listen.

It was interesting to listen to, but some of the pronunciations were rather difficult to listen to, if you're well-acquainted with the Japanese language. Still worth a listen.

Very fun stories!

Worth a listen, maybe two! I really enjoyed these stories, but the narrator pronounced "Daimyo" in the most annoying way (Die-mee- yo) which has the wrong emphasis. This happens with a lot of words throughout, but that was the most annoying! Other than that, every thing else was good!

Japanese Japanese

Good for kids to read.
Was reading it for 2of my grandsons.
Love the story's

Great bed time stories

I actually enjoyed each chapter more than i thought i would and more than the other fairytale books. the stories are new and they have a moral. the reading is pretty good also

Dark but great

Not what I expected, definitely for adults. Each story has a lesson that make you think.

Different Culture, Same Parables

Good for fairy tales. Lots of parables and things to judge and learn from in a different culture.