The first two stories in a collection of Japanese fairy tales, this audio adaption is a great introduction to non-western folklore. It’s not too foreign that the western world won’t understand the plot, but the meaning may be lost on some.

In terms of the adaptation, the audio for the first tale: “The Old Man and the Devils” isn’t as fluid as the second one: “The Cub’s Triumph.” There are millisecond lingerings or strange artifacts which throw you out of the story. That being said, it’ more of a nitpick than anything. After hearing such great pieces over the years, it’s hard to not compare.

The first story started off alright, got interesting by the middle, and made me scratch my head in the end over a small continuity issue. Story number two had the same reaction structure as the first, though the beginning was a little better.

There will not be a star rating until I reach the final episode. You can find this production on iTunes and Amazon.