In this retelling of a Japanese folktale, Chieko, a young woman who plays the koto in a small mountain village, is one night visited by a mysterious flute player. They play together that night
and for many nights after. One day the bridge used by the villagers is damaged and a new tree is sought to repair it. A giant pine tree is found and cut down, and the flute player no longer
comes to visit the young woman. When the young woman goes with the village to help move the giant pine to the river, there is something familiar to her about it. After it is moved, she finds a
flute where the tree had fallen. The young woman continues to play koto, but now at the new bridge, and on some nights a flute can be heard playing with her.Illustrated by Japanese sumie artist
Takashi Ijichi.
