1. Tanuki. I had never heard of this animal-- it's known as the Japanese raccoon dog and is well known in Japanese folklore. Like the fox, it is known to be mischievous but also absentminded at times. When the word is translated, people often say "badger" or "raccoon". However, that is incorrect. While it does look like those animals, it is not related.
2. Okinawa. Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture in Japan. Seventy-five percent of US installation are located there. There are a few languages that are foreign to the Japanese civilians there.
3. Ryukyuan Language. These languages are considered to be part of Japanese dialect, but they are not intelligible with Japanese. These languages are considered to be endangered. There is large diversity between these languages.
4. UNESCO. UNESCO stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Its mission is to promote international collaboration in order to bring peace. They also address social and ethical issues. It has 195 member states.
Schippeitaro
This story can be written from two perspectives; one could be about the main character and how he tries to prove himself. It could be about his struggle in the forest and how he rescues the girl. Another alternative is from the girl's perspective; I can go in depth with her feelings of fear and hopelessness when she discovers that she will be eaten.
The Crab and the Monkey
This story inspires other stories of revenge, so if I can come up with someone betraying or deceiving another person, I could write about how the other character gets back at them.
How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished
Stories like these always make me wonder why the parents bring harm to each other or their children. It would be good to expand on the son's feelings and get more into his perspective since there is not much known about him aside from his actions.
Bibliography. The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
The Stonecutter
This story did not go in the direction I expected. It would be a good theme to use, though. I could write a story about someone who becomes too greedy and yearns for too much, but when they get everything they wanted, they realized that they were actually happy with what they had in the first place. I don't have an exact plot right now, but the moral would be that you shouldn't take anything for granted.
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
I liked this story a lot and I'd like to use the maiden as a main character; however, I could not get any meaning from the story. I would like to be able to figure out how to incorporate her beauty into a story, though.
Bibliography. The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
