Hairpin

A Very Short Japanese Fairy Tale of Greed, Wit, and Justice

By: Nankichi Niimi

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Hairpin
A Very Short Japanese Fairy Tale of Greed, Wit, and Justice

A timeless Japanese fable by Nankichi Niimi, one of Japan's most beloved writers of children's literature.

A young girl accidentally drops her precious hairpin into a deep pond. Unable to retrieve it herself, she asks a fish for help. But when the fish realizes how valuable the hairpin is to the girl, it lets greed take over and demands an extraordinary reward.

What follows is a brief yet memorable tale of cleverness, selfishness, and poetic justice.

Written in 1934, Hairpin demonstrates Nankichi Niimi's remarkable ability to express profound truths through the simplest of stories. Although only a few pages long, this charming fairy tale reminds readers that greed often blinds us to reason—and that those who seek to take advantage of others may ultimately suffer the consequences themselves.

This edition features a fluent modern English translation together with a Translator's Note introducing the story's historical background, cultural context, and publication history.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Classic Japanese fairy tales and fables
• Short stories with timeless moral lessons
• Japanese children's literature
• World folklore and traditional storytelling
• Gentle, thought-provoking reads that can be enjoyed in a single sitting

Estimated reading time: 5–10 minutes.