Sija Hong (illustrator) - Monstrous Tales: Stories of Strange Creatures and Fearsome Beasts from around the World

Illustrations copyright 2020 by Chronicle Books.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hong, Sija, illustrator.

Title: Monstrous tales : stories of strange creatures and fearsome beasts from around the world / illustrated by Sija Hong.

Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: This collection of traditional folktales crawls with bewitching and blood-thirsty creatures, and each story is paired with spellbinding contemporary art in this special illustrated edition-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019047179 | ISBN 9781452182599 (hardback); ISBN 9781452182896 (epub, mobi)

Subjects: LCSH: Fairy tales. | Monsters--Folklore. | Tales. | CYAC: Fairy tales. | Monsters--Folklore. | Folklore.

Classification: LCC PZ8 .M756 2020 | DDC 398.2--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019047179

Design by AJ Hansen.

Illustrations by Sija Hong.

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At last he began to take courage, and moved on softly step by step.

What he saw was creepier than creepy, and surpassed all he had ever dreamt of.

friedrich kreutzwald, translated by leonora lang,

The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened

Long, long ago there lived in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara Toda, or My Lord Bag of Rice. His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change his name.

One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and slinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not gone far when he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he saw lying right across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so big that it looked like the trunk of a large pine tree and it took up the whole width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested on the parapet of one side of the bridge, while its tail lay right against the other. The monster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke came out of its nostrils.

At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this horrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he stepped now on the dragons body, now between its coils, and without even one glance backward he went on his way.

He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him from behind. On turning back he was much surprised to see that the monster dragon had entirely disappeared and in its place was a strange-looking man, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the ground. His red hair streamed over his shoulders and was surmounted by a crown in the shape of a dragons head, and his sea-green dress was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal and he wondered much at the strange occurrence. Where had the dragon gone in such a short space of time? Or had it transformed itself into this man, and what did the whole thing mean? While these thoughts passed through his mind he had come up to the man on the bridge and now addressed him:

Was it you that called me just now?

Yes, it was I, answered the man: I have an earnest request to make to you. Do you think you can grant it to me?

If it is in my power to do so I will, answered Hidesato, but first tell me who you are?

I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters just under this bridge.

And what is it you have to ask of me? said Hidesato.

I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on the mountain beyond, and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on the opposite shore of the lake.

I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large family of children and grandchildren. For some time past we have lived in terror, for a monster centipede has discovered our home, and night after night it comes and carries off one of my family. I am powerless to save them. If it goes on much longer like this, not only shall I lose all my children, but I myself must fall a victim to the monster. I am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I determined to ask the help of a human being. For many days with this intention I have waited on the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man would come along. But all who came this way, as soon as they saw me were terrified and ran away as fast as they could. You are the first man I have found able to look at me without fear, so I knew at once that you were a man of great courage. I beg you to have pity upon me. Will you not help me and kill my enemy the centipede?

Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, and readily promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior asked where the centipede lived, so that he might attack the creature at once. The Dragon King replied that its home was on the mountain Mikami, but that as it came every night at a certain hour to the palace of the lake, it would be better to wait till then. So Hidesato was conducted to the palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strange to say, as he followed his host downwards the waters parted to let them pass, and his clothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. Never had Hidesato seen anything so beautiful as this palace built of white marble beneath the lake. He had often heard of the Sea Kings palace at the bottom of the sea, where all the servants and retainers were salt-water fishes, but here was a magnificent building in the heart of Lake Biwa. The dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout waited upon the Dragon King and his guest.