An old couple had a son no larger than a grown man’s fingertip. So, he became known as Issun-boshi (issun is a unit measuring about 3 centimetres). One day, Issun-boshi went off to seek his fortune in the city. His parents gave him a sword made of a sewing needle. He was employed by a rich man to be the personal attendant of his daughter. Once, while they were going, two giants attacked them. Issun-boshi defeated the giants. They fled away, and in the process, dropped their magic hammer. The daughter picked the hammer up and said, “If you wave this, anything you ask for shall be yours.” Issun-boshi replied, “I want to become a normal man.” The daughter nodded and waved the hammer. In an instant, Issun-boshi became a full-grown man. He married the rich man’s daughter and lived happily ever after.
Issun-Boshi
