The Man Who Bought a Dream

Cultural origins: This is a Japanese folktale. It has details that place the story in Japan but it is easy enough to remove those elements if you wish to make it a tale without a country to color it. However universal I think this tale is, I like the details of the road to Osaka and the description Kiibe-san's backyard, an image of a zen garden if ever there was one.

Intended audience: Late elementary School (8-11)

Why this audience?: This story is based on a thrilling idea. The idea that dreams are real seldom entertain reality, except perhaps by a Disney World commercial. This tale begs the question of destiny. Students will be certain of the gold appearing in the jar for the dreamer, but not for Kiibe-san. This generates follow-up questions for an audience of this age? Does the man deserve the gold because he bought the dream? How do you buy a dream?

Characters:  Young Man
                         His Wife
                         Kiibe-san

Scenes/Settings: The hut of the poor man
                                 The road to Osaka
                                 The Mansion and yard of Kiibe-san

Synopsis: A young man is captivated by the idea that a dream will lead him to a great fortune. He follows the clues to the giant mansion of the richest man in Osaka, Kibee-san. He tells Kiibe-san what he has seen in this dream he has bought for himself, that there is a jar of gold buried under the pine tree in the backyard of Kiibe-san's house. Kiibe-san digs up the jar that night and finds a jar full of nothing. The next day when the young man returns Kiibe-san allows him to dig the jar up again, knowing that the jar will be empty. When the young man opens the jar it is not empty. A small bee zips out and races away. Disappointed and undone the young man returns home thinking that dreams do not come true. When he arrives home though his wife tells him of their very good fortune. She went to the attic and found a bee zip out and when she reached the attic the place was brimming with gold coins.

Story Climaxes/High Points: As the man begins opens the jar the day after Kiibe-san has secretly opened the jar the day before there is a moment of tension. Will the jar be full of gold because the man's dream told him it would be?

Special Chants/Phrases: 

Beginning: There was once a man, and he bought a dream. His friend, the one who had dreamed the dream, tried to talk him out of buying it. After all, it was only a dream.

Bibliographic Information:

Abbell, Timmy. (2000). The Man Who Bought a Dream. In More Ready-To-Tell Tales from Around the World (pp. 202-205). Little Rock, AK: August House.