Looking for the best one in the world.

Many animals are living in Mikan republic.

Chibi is the smallest animal in this country.

Chibi likes to compare the one with the others.

“Elephant is the heaviest of all animals!”

“Giraffe’s neck is much longer than mine!”

“Bear is as strong as crocodile!”

Chibi always said, “I am the smallest in the world!!”

When Chibi compared something as usual, an old lady mouse came to his house.

But the house is too small for her to come in.

“I know I am smaller than you! I’m the smallest in the world!”, Chibi said.

“Umm, what you said is not true. I have seen the much smaller creature than you.”

“No, it’s not true! I have never seen such a small creature.”

“Yes, it’s true.  Far far east area, I found it one hundred and fifty years ago. It was as cute as you.”

“OK, lady mouse. I’ll go there and make sure your story is true.

Should I go to east from here?”

“You are a good adventurer. Go straight to east on this road, and you will find the tallest tree in the world. When you turn around the tree, you will be able to find the house of the smallest creature.”

“OK, lady mouse. I’ll leave to find the house tomorrow.”

Chibi crossed a lot of rivers and climbed a lot of mountains.

 At last he reached his destination, that is the tallest tree in the world, with no accident.

He turned around the tree many times but he could not find out the house.

“Oh, my God!  Lady old mouse is a terrible liar! Absolutely I’m the smallest one!”, Chibi shouted aloud.  

“Mmm, who is it that shouted around my house?”

Chibi heard a little voice.

There was a small animal and it was as same as his hand.

“Wow! Amazing! What a big animal!” , the small animal said.

“What?  Am I big?  Are you kidding?  You know I’m the smallest…”

“Look at me, Mr. Tallman. You are about ten times as big as me.”

“Oh, yes…. There really exists a smaller creature than I. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Big. My name is Big.”, he answered and smiled shyly.

“Hahaha. I am Chibi, that means “small guy”, but I’m much bigger than you.

Nice to meet you, Big. I’m glad to be a friend with you.”

So, Chibi as a big man, and Big as a smallest man enjoyed playing happily.

After that, Chibi’s favorite phase seemed to change.

“What is the best one in the world?”

To you

If you ask many people and travel around the world, you may see a cute creature such as Big.

One-Inch boy 

Long,long ago there lived an old man and his wife in a village. They had no children, so they had prayed and asked God for a baby every day.
"God,please give us a baby. Even if it is an inch baby, that's okay."
One day,to their surprise, they were blessed with a small baby, whose height was only one inch or so. They named him 'Issun-boshi', One-Inch Boy. They loved him so much and raised him like a treasure.
The boys in the neighborhood made fun of him. "Hey, Inch, Inch, Inch boy."
The old mother got very angry with them. "What naughty boys you are!"
But the inch boy grew up to be healthy and intelligent. One day he said to his parents.
 "My father and mother, please give me a needle, a straw, a wooden bowl and a chopstick."
"What are you going to do with them?" asked his mother.
"A needle is a sword. A straw is a scabbard. A wooden bowl is a boat. A chopstick is an oar. I'll go to the capital and become a brave warrior." answered he.
His parents gave him the permission at once. The next day he left home for the capital.
When he was walking, he met an ant.
"Dear Ant, where is a river?"
"It's near the dandelion fields."
 There he found it flowing. The bowl,which he was in, went down the river like an arrow. Then a fish came to attack him. The fish mistook him for a delicious food. He protected himself with the chopstick. Swung by wave, caught in much rain, blown by heavy wind, he at last got to the capital after a long journey.
He walked along the busy street proudly. He found a big and gorgeous house. He thought of working there.
"Open the door. I want to ask a favor of you."
The master opened the door and looked around for him.
"Where are you? I can't see anybody."
"I'm here at the foot of you."
The master found him near his 'getas', the Japanese wooden clogs.
"I am called an One-Inch boy. I want to work for you here."
"You seem to be an active and clever boy. I'll make you one of my followers."
This rich man had a beautiful daughter, who treated him with affection and taught him to write and read. He was so clever that he could master it soon.
 One day she went to a shrine with him. On their way home they met a big ogre. The ogre was going to kidnap her to his house.
"Bad Demon,if you touch her, I'll kill you." said the inch boy.
"What can you do against me,inch boy? I'll eat you." said the ogre and swallowed him down quickly.
"Ouch, ouch....."
One inch boy pierced him with the needle in his stomach.
"Ouch, I'll die. I'll give up. Help me."
The ogre vomited him out and ran away toward the mountain.
 "Thank you very much for helping me. You are so small but very brave and strong."
"Look, the ogre left something. What is it?" asked he.
"It's called the 'uchide-no-kozuchi', the magic mallet. It's an ogre's treasure. If we swing it, we can have anything we want. Inch boy, what is your wish?" asked she.
"I'd like my height. Please make me a tall boy."
She swung it. One inch boy became taller and taller to be a very tall and handsome man.
He married her and became a brave warrior in the capital of Kyoto as he had wished.