Taro The Dragon Boy

Special Literary Recognition Selection

1979 International Children's Memorial Production

This is a story from long ago.

A story before electricity and the television, and before irrigation.

A story from lonnnnnnnng ago in Japan.

The overly mountainous landscape made farming rice impossible.

Millet and beans were all the people could grow and eat.

While sowing their seeds, the people would cry out to the gods...

"May one seed produce one thousand seeds. May two seeds produce ten thousand seeds".

May one seed produce one thousand seeds. May two seeds produce ten thousand seeds.

Heeeeey!

Tatsunoko Taro!

Come play with us!

- Hurry and wake up! - Taro, come play with us. - Wake up, Taro!

Taro, dear. I say, Taro!

Goodness.

Umph.

That sleepy head won't come out. He's lazy.

He's VERY lazy.

All he does is sleep.

- His grandmother will probably come out before him. - There she is!

Poor old woman. if Taro doesn't start to help her out, she'll never make it.

How sad, how sad! He's a glutton and a sloth!

Perhaps he should be called "Taro the Glutton". He won't obey the other villagers either.

Dragon boy, dragon boy, boy of the Beasts!

Dragon boy, dragon boy, boy of the Beasts!

- Glutton boy Taro! - Lazy boy, Taro! - Glutton boy, Taro!

- Sloppy pig, Taro! - Glutton boy, Taro! Lazy boy, Taro!

Glutton boy, Taro! Lazy boy, Taro! Glutton boy, Taro! Lazy boy, Taro!

Shut up, you!

Good morning!

Good morning!

Winds of the East, blow strong.

Winds of the West, also blow strong.

Take all the rains with you.

I am, I am the dragon child, Tatsunoko Taro

Taro the Dragon Boy I am, I am the dragon child, Tatsunoko Taro

Taro the Dragon Boy

Taro the Dragon Boy The land is calling me. Den dera den dera den

The land is calling me. Den dera den dera den

Massive dreams come my way

Dragon child, dragon child, magical child.

Journey through the lands.

Winds of the South, blow strong.

Winds of the North, also blow strong.

Blow blow your flutes with you.

I am, I am the dragon child, Tatsunoko Taro

The clouds are dancing. Den dera den dera den

Endless journies around.

Dragon child, dragon child, magical child.

Soar far above the sky

Taro-san, thank you.

Huh? There come the boars.

You share this with your mother, okay?

Huh? What's that ribbon in the sky?

I wonder where it's headed?

Probably the next mountain over. I think.

Fine. Let's all go see.

Hey you all, what are you doing?

Sumo wrestling. Tengu-sama loves Sumo wrestling.

What you're doing is NOT Sumo. It's just sparring.

Watch. This is how it's done.

Yoisho! Yoisho!

Well. Any one of you can try your hand at it.

I'll give it a try.

Goood.

Konta, good luck!

Here they go.

Yoisho! Who's next?

Fiiiline. I'm next.

Fine.

Go, Taro! Go, Taro!

Big Bear, hang in there! Big Bear, hang in there!

Hooray!

Hey, you boy over there. You're not so bad. What are you called?

Tatsunoko Taro!

Dragon, eh? That sounds amusing. Fine. I will wrestle with you. Come!

Fine.

Myyyy, you're fairly strong, fairly strong.

Finnnne.

What are these? Scales?

Tatsunoko Taro, I think I like you.

I will grant you with the strength of one hundred men. Come, drink this.

He's drinking it!

Come, animals, try to push him over!

Finnne. Let's go!

That was a vallant effort. Well, Tatsunoko Taro! Now you have the strength of one hundred men!

Tengu-sama, thank you!

That was nothing.

Listen, Dragon Boy, that strength of one hundred men can only be used to help others.

You should find those in need and help them.

Help others?

Yes.

If you try to help your self, the strength of one hundred will not surface.

Use your own strength for your own needs. Do you understand?

Here I go!

I'm so hungry. Grandma, I'm hungry.

Why do you speak such nonsense. This is the middle of the night. You must sleep.

Grandma, starting tomorrow, would you make twice as many dumplings?

You say you need more food?

Not for me, I made more friends. in the mountain next to us.

I wish that you would play a lot less and help out this village more.

You could help with the millet crop.

Help the village?

Or you could at least collect some fruit.

Oh my. So you really are a magical child!

Where are you from? You don't look like you're from my village.

So you live in the next mountain over. What's your name?

My name is Aya. And yours?

I am Tatsunoko Taro.

A Dragon Child?

Is it strange?

It's a fine name. It sounds vallant.

I see. Your flute is very pretty.

Piay some more for me.

Very well.

Hooray!

Yoisho!

That's strange. The animals are not coming to me.

What's happened?

Oh my, oh my!

Hey, you! Can you not hear the drum of the mighty Red Oni?!

Why you!

So you're the flutist girl who has been steallng away my animals, eh?

Help me!

Here I come!

What is this little runt??

Huh? That's odd. That's not supposed to happen.

Oh? Oh? Oh no- no- no- no!

Someone help meeee.

It's the Red Oni!

Damn, I shall remember this! What are these?!

Tatsunoko Taro, thank you. You are very strong.

Whenever you're in trouble, I'll help you.

Well, I must go now. - Sure.

Come back here tomorrow and let me hear your flute some more.

Very well. I will.

It's a promise.

Good bye.

It sounds like you've gotten TOO strong.

But I only get strong when I want to help others.

You just get carried away sometimes.

Grandma. What was my mother like?

Was she pretty?

I've been meaning to tell you this for some time. But your mother might still be alive.

Really?? Where is she??

Patience. I will tell you.

This happened just before you were born.

Your father had just died, so your mother left for the mountains to help work with the men.

You were still inside of her back then.

One day, there was a big storm.

And your mother did not return.

Tatsuyo is gone! Tatsuyo is missing!

Tatsuyo?

Just after your mother disappeared, a pond took her place.

Tatsuyo!

Your mother had turned into a dragon.

Tatsu, what happened to your baby?

Mother...

what happened to my baby? Can I still give birth to him?

Three moons later, a baby floated down the river.

That was you, Taro.

You were licking a beautiful ball. That was your "breast miik".

But how did Mother turn into a dragon?

That I don't know. The dragon said nothing to me.

This comb here was also with you.

It belonged to your mother.

You licked the ball and grew bigger and bigger.

But when the ball was gone, you wouldn't eat anything and you cried all day.

I had no idea what to do.

Tatsuyo, I beg of you! Won't you show your self to me?

Tatsu. So that ball was your eyeball?

He's smiling.

Mother...

Since I became blind, I am no longer able to live in this pond.

I will travel to a lake up north.

But what about your son? What should I do?

I will pray for him, so he will be fine.

Good bye. Mother.

My son. Farewell.

Tatsuyo!

When my son gets older, please send him to see me.

I won't die. And I will be waiting for him.

I won't die. And I will be waiting for him.

Fine. I will go search for Mother now.

You fool! You are still just a child!

I will go. My Mother is waiting for me!

Taro! At least wait until morning.

Mother! I'm going to find you!

Don't worry, Grandma. I promise I'll bring Mother home safe.

Be careful out there.

Taro-san! B- b- bad news! Aya-san has been kidnapped by Red Oni!

Are you serious??

Hey, Red Oni! Showyour self!

Oh? The runt has come to visit?

I'm not a runt! Release Aya at once!

You can talk big all you want, but Aya is no longer here.

You lie!

I do not lie. Before she got a chance to play her flute, Black Oni took her away.

Are you serious?... And where is this Black Oni??