Japanese Folk Tale

Humorous Stories: Exaggerations 229
Yamanashi, Nishiyatsushiro-gun: Kai 266, "The priest and his novice"
(Osho to kozo). An ignorant priest and his novice. The clever
novice vanquished a visiting priest who came to examine his priest.
Zoku Kai 311, 315, "The deaf mute dialogue" (Oshi mondo) and
"Squirming through questions and answers" (Konyaku mondo).
Nagasaki: Shimabara 207, "Suddenly becoming a priest" (Niwaka osho).
There are two tales. Stories based upon interesting use of words
could be compared internationally. They can not be understood
without broad knowledge. Some seem to have been made up, but
there seems to have been an earlier form.
Further reference:
Mukashibanashi kenkyu I 9 17, China.
Minakata zuihitsu 232-233.
Chosen mintan shu 228, App. 37.
229. The Sandals Three Feet Long
These stories are told everywhere. Perhaps they were made up by
preaching priests.
Ishikawa: Kaga 67, "The old woman who didn't work" (Shigoto sezu
baba). The bride dozed while she spun flax. The old woman was so
cross when she saw it that she did not notice her skirt was
scorching. Taro and Jiro who were weaving sandals enjoyed watching
her. Their attention was distracted and they made sandals
three feet long.
Saitama, Kitaadachi-gun: Kawagoe 120, "A whole family of fools" (Ikka
no baka zoroi).
Okayama: Okayama rekishi II 2 14, "A family's bad habits" (Kuse 0
motsu uchi).
Hiroshima: Geibi 208, "Akirebo."
Yamaguchi, Suo Oshima: Suo Oshima 92, "An absent-minded old man
and an absent-minded old woman." (Ukkari jii to ukkari baba). It
only says that the two were staring at each other, but no story
develops. This is humor of a sort, but it needs practice to do it
well.
Further reference:
Nihon do wa shu 6, 8, "The absent-minded boy and the absentminded
girl" (Ukkari otoko to ukkari onna). This may be from an old
story book. The idea may have been taken from "The yellow sparrow"
or "The praying mantis."
In Bungo (Hiroshima), Jinseki-gun they say "sandals without ears."