Once upon a time there lived a lovely married couple.
They got along well, but they could not have a baby.
""Please give us a lovely child. Any child will do""
prayed the couple to the god every day.
Then, their wish finally came true.
One day, a boy was born!
However, the baby was very very small, as tall as an inch.
The couple named the little boy Inch Boy and cherished him and let him eat a lot,
wishing one day he would grow bigger.
Many years had passed, but Inch Boy was still as tall as an inch.
The couple was worried about his health.
In spite of the couple's anxiety, Inch Boy had no problem.
Although his body was just an inch, he always thought,
""I am brave and have wisdom. I surely can do something special.
I am always so excited!""
Then, at last, Inch Boy told the couple that he would be a warrior in the capital.
He left the couple alone and headed to the capital.
Inch boy set off for the capital with a bowl for a boat and chopsticks for oars.
He put a sewing needle in a scabbard for his sword.
It was indeed sad and lonely to bid farewell to his parents,
but he was also excited to go to the capital he had never seen.
He was rowing, rowing and rowing down the river.
Inch Boy arrived at the capital and was surprised.
A large number of people, wonderful gorgeous clothes, prosperous markets...
He had known something about the capital as many people told him.
But the capital was much greater than he had expected!
He looked around and found the biggest mansion.
He walked toward it and knocked on the door.
""Hello! My name is Inch boy. I came here all the way to be a warrior.
Please let me serve for this family.""
""How strange... I thought I heard someone speaking,"" said the one warrior working for this family,
and finally noticed Inch Boy.
""Is that you who spoke now? What a little tiny boy you are.""
""Yes, I am indeed little,
but I have more courage and wisdom than any other man.""
""Haha, you are vigorous and energetic.
Okay, I will take you to the master of the house.""
The master liked Inch Boy and let him live in the house.
Inch Boy worked and learned as hard as anyone else,
chopping firewood, cleaning, and learning reading, writing and arithmetic.
All workers at this mansion started liking Inch Boy.
As they saw him, they talked to him.
""Hey, Inch Boy"",
""Hi, you are working so hard.""
Especially, a princess sometimes gave him snacks and cherished him so much.
One day, the princess happened to go to Temple to worship Kannon deity.
Inch Boy was also assigned to accompany her.
On the way back from the Kannon temple, suddenly the sky became dark.
Then, they saw terrible red and blue ogres.
These ogres blocked the way in front of the princess's party.
The ogres seemed as if they were about to eat all people.
But, Inch Boy was brave.
He stepped forward without hesitation.
""I won't let you lay a finger on our princess!""
""Hahaha! Did you say something?"" laughed the ogres a lot.
""What is a pipsqueak like you going to do? we can easily step on you!""
said the ogre, and he reached his leg out toward Inch Boy.
But, Inch Boy jumped aside and climbed his leg, and from his knee to his belly,
and then he stabbed the red ogre's eye with his needle sword.
”AHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”"
The red ogre flinched.
The blue ogre was now very angry!
""You, what on earth are you doing?""
said the blue ogre,and he put Inch Boy into his mouth.
""Huh, such a little boy."""
""No, Inch Boy...!"" cried the princess despairing.
But, soon, the blue ogre screamed.
""Ouch, eer...""
He held his belly and suffered with pain.
""You ogres, as long as Inch Boy is beside the princess, no one shall lay a finger on her.
Do you now understand?""
He was stabbing in the blue ogre's stomach.
""I understand, please forgive us. We won't do anything evil anymore.""
As Inch Boy heard their apology, he jumped out from the mouth.
The ogres gave a magical mallet.
"Once you swing it, you wish will be granted," said the ogres, and they escaped.
""Please make me bigger with this mallet, Princess,"" asked Inch Boy.
She swung it saying ""Inch Boy, grow now!""
Then, he grew up, bigger and bigger, and became a young man.
He was delighted.
And it is said that he later married the princess and became a great warrior.