Join us at the campfire for tales from around the world, told by storytellers of all backgrounds and creeds. From the heros and heroines of old, let us relearn and rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors. Shhh..the story begins..

Long ago, an Emperor banished a famous warrior to the Oki Islands, located in the storm-wracked Sea of Japan. The reason for the banishment is unknown but the offense may well have been minor, for the Emperor suffered greatly from an illness that had come upon him suddenly, making his reasoning irrational and his temper erratic.

Under guard, the brave samurai was taken to his place of exile. He left behind a daughter, Tokoyo, who was as pretty as a chrysanthemum and as strong as the steel in her father's sword.

Tokoyo mourned, but she was a courageous young woman and soon set out to find her father. For weeks, she traveled along the coast of Honshu Island until she came to Hoki Province in the north. There, from the rocks, she could see, faintly in the sea mist, the silhouette of the isle where her father was imprisoned. She could find no sailor or fisherman, however, who was willing to take her across the water. It was well-known that the Oki Islands were haunted by dragons.

Night fell and, in the concealing darkness, Tokoyo stole a small fishing boat. She rowed the little craft through the waves for hours. The moon set and the sun rose and still she rowed. Late the next day, Tokoyo arrived at her destination. Leaving the boat on the rocky shore, she followed a path to a road cut into the coastal cliffs until she came to a shrine. There, she lay down and slept.

The following morning, vague sounds of weeping awakened her. At once, she scrambled to her feet and followed the road to its end on a windy headland. The scene which met her eyes was piteous indeed. At the edge of the cliff, high above the seething sea, stood a maiden robed all in white and, close by, knelt two aged people...her parents. They were sobbing uncontrollably. Behind them, stood a priest with head bowed.

Tokoyo realized she was witnessing a sacrifice. Each year, the priest told her, the people of that island gave a maiden to the dragon Yofune-Nushi, Ruler of the Deep and Bringer of Storms. The offering warded off the tempests that the creature could send.

Impulsively, Tokoyo volunteered to take the maiden's place. She donned the ceremonial white kimono, clasped a warrior's dagger between her teeth and, without hesitation, plunged into the raging waters. Down through the green depths she plummeted, swimming as strongly as she had in her childhood, when she dove with the pearl fishers of her own province. As she neared the sea bottom, she spied the mouth of a cave.

Beside the entrance was a curiosity...a wooden statue of the Emperor who had banished Tokoyo's father and streaming from the underwater cavern's opening was an undulating serpent with razor-like claws and luminous scales. It glided swiftly toward her, eyes alight with fury and anticipation. Just as swiftly, Tokoyo struck out at the beast, thrusting her dagger into one of its eyes. Half-blinded, the dragon lashed clumsily at Tokoyo, who quickly attacked again. The end soon followed. The dragon sank slowly to the ocean floor, its coils stirring sluggishly in the tide.

Charged with a greater-than-mortal strength, the dragon-slayer gripped the serpent with one hand and the statue with the other. Then, she kicked her way back to the surface.

When the priest and the others saw her head appear above the waves, they ran down to the shore and stretched out helping hands.

The conclusion of the tale was wonderful and strange. Tokoyo was taken with her hard-won prizes to the lord of the island, who greatly honored her valor. He sent messengers to the Emperor to relate her feat and thus discovered the meaning of the statue.

When the image, which had been cursed and then thrown to the dragon sea-god, was removed from the water, the Emperor's illness vanished. To show his gratitude, the ruler reunited Tokoyo with her father and, with all due ceremony, brought them back to their homeland.