The Golden Crane

The Golden Crane: a Japanese Folktale by Tohr Yamaguchi, Illus. by Marianne Yamaguchi, 1963.

Little Toshi, a "deaf and dumb" child of a fishing village, loses his family during a terrible spring storm, but is adopted by kindly old Oji-san. Toshi helps his new guardian unload his fishing catches and loves to watch the cranes fly out at sunrise. One day, he finds a wounded bird, which the two nurse back to health. Unfortunately, few have seen such a holy bird close at hand, and soon their home and village are overrun with visitors, many of them powerful, clamoring to see and even buy the beautiful crane. Oji-san protects the crane as best he can, but soon their are orders that the emperor will be coming to claim the bird. It will take a miracle to save it.

Marianne Yamaguchi has provided black and white illustrations for The Golden Crane.