A Single Shard

Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in a potters’ village, and longs to learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics himself.

In Shadowland

One winter night, the shadows are interrupted at their games as the Shadowland watchman sees a poor little match girl standing barefoot in the snow in a town in the real world. Deserting his post, he dashes to her rescue, lighting match after match to keep the girl warm. But matches bring shadows, and soon the two worlds–of people and of shadows–are in an uproar, and the watchman and the little match girl must run for their lives.

The City of Dragons

A boy with a face so sad that nobody wants to look at him runs away with a caravan of giants to the city of dragons, where his sorrowful face is finally appreciated.

The Shell Woman and the King

Good Wu marries a young woman who can change herself into a shell. Because of this ability, a cruel ruler wishes to own her. In order to escape and save herself and her husband, she must perform three wonders.