Long ago, in the village of Naniwa in Tsu, there lived an old man and an old woman. Grieving that the old woman had no child even at forty, they went to worship the god of Sumiyoshi and prayed for a child.
Then at forty-one the old woman conceived and bore a son. But the child was only one sun (about three centimeters) tall, so he was named "Issun-boshi," Little One-Inch. Even at twelve or thirteen, he had not grown a bit.
Issun-boshi overheard the old couple saying, "Isn't this child some kind of monster? I wish we could send him off somewhere." So Issun-boshi resolved, "Then I'll go up to the capital." He got a needle from the old woman for a sword and made a sheath of barley straw. Then, with a bowl for a boat and a chopstick for an oar, he went up the river toward the capital.
In the capital, Issun-boshi called at the mansion of the Sanjo Counselor and entered his service. The counselor had a beautiful daughter of thirteen. Issun-boshi wanted her for his wife, and he came up with a plan.
One night, Issun-boshi smeared rice offered at the household shrine around the mouth of the sleeping princess. Then, holding an empty tea bag and weeping, he complained, "The princess has taken my rice and eaten it." The counselor was furious and drove his daughter out of the house. Issun-boshi went with her as her attendant and left the mansion.
The boat they rode in was blown off course by the wind and reached a strange island. Two demons appeared there, and one swallowed Issun-boshi in a single gulp. But Issun-boshi came leaping out of the demon's eye. "This is no ordinary fellow," cried the demons in terror, and they threw down their magic mallet and staffs and fled.
Issun-boshi waved the magic mallet and chanted, "Grow taller," and at once he grew into a fine young man. When he waved the mallet again, rice and gold and silver poured out one after another.
Word of Issun-boshi back in the capital reached the emperor's ears. Summoned by the emperor, Issun-boshi turned out to be of noble blood, and he was made the Horikawa Lesser Captain. He brought his parents from home to the capital, and lived happily ever after with the princess. This too was the blessing of the god of Sumiyoshi.