Helping a distressed animal should reap big karma points, and most folktales in this bundle reflect that view—but not all do. One man obeys an entreaty to treat animals better and finds himself handsomely rewarded. In "The Magic Tea Kettle," told here bilingually, a tanuki goes to great lengths to reward a good Samaritan with wealth. Another folktale has a similar ending, but despite a woodcutter's kindness to an injured sparrow, the old man is still tested. A final story stands as an anomaly; Taro Urashima aids a turtle and ends up punished with sudden-onset old age.

Anxiety about food scarcity bedeviled Japan for centuries. Accordingly, some folktales reflect deep concerns about starvation. In "The Stone Potatoes" (told bilingually here), someone disguised as a filthy priest begs a woman for potatoes, only for her to hoard her stash. "A Human Sacrifice in Kamashita" (presented bilingually here) depicts the gravity of having floods repeatedly destroy crops. Another essay refers to the same folktale, showing why the name "Kamashita" must have terrified people. A final essay in this collection argues that Japanese folktales often convey philosophy rather than lessons, which sheds light on the two stories.

As this bundle shows, folktales about vengeance satisfy a human craving for justice. One depicts a spurned woman, Kiyohime, whose love turns to hatred and then to homicide. Another reflects a power imbalance between a would-be rapist and his female servant, Okiku. If one sees her as having the final say, that's salve for anyone who has felt powerless. In "Kachikachiyama," a rabbit punishes a wicked tanuki, fulfilling a universal longing for good to defeat evil. The story of Momotaro's battle may reflect a desire for justice on an international scale; the folktale could symbolize struggles between Japan and Korea.