" Folklore, Myth & Legend "

The first story is a fairy-tale from Japan called

' Issun-bōshi '

(Issun-bōshi = One-inch boy)

The story begins with an old, childless couple who live alone. The old woman wishes for a child, despite her old age, "even if he is only one inch tall." Soon after, the old woman's wish is granted. They name the miniature child Issun-bōshi ("One-Inch Boy"). The child, despite being incredibly small, is treated well by his parents. One day, the boy realizes he will never grow taller than one inch, so he goes on a trip to seek his place in the world. Fancying himself a miniature samurai, Issun-bōshi is given a sewing needle for a sword, a rice bowl for a boat, and chopsticks for oars.

He sails down river to the city, where he petitions for a job with the government and goes to the home of a wealthy daimyo (lord), whose daughter is an attractive princess. He is scorned for his height, but nevertheless given the job of accompanying the princess as her playmate. While they travel together, they are suddenly attacked by an Oni (or an ogre in some translations), who deals with the pesky boy by swallowing him. The boy defeats the Oni by pricking him from within with his needle/sword. The Oni spits out Issun-boshi and drops a magical Uchide's Mallet as he runs away. As a reward for his bravery, the princess uses the power of the mallet to grow him to full size. Issun-bōshi and the princess remain close companions and eventually get married and live happily ever after:)

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The second one is a Myth from Australia, its a creature named

 'Yowie' ( similar to Big Foot )

The existence of the yowie goes back to Aboriginal folklore where it is referred to as: Yowie. When white pioneers first encountered these creatures, they often used the term 'hairy man' and of the Aboriginal terms, seemed to favour yahoo. Places such as Yahoo Peak in Victoria and Yahoo Valley in New South Wales are in areas where yowies are said to exist. Rex Gilroy, a well-known researcher in this area of study, favoured the term 'yowie' as used by the Mulgoa and Burragorang people of the Blue Mountains and Bathurst area and this is the name that has now become universally accepted.

Aboriginal belief in the 'hairy men' extends from Cape York down the East Coast to Victoria and occurs in some parts of South Australia and Western Australia. Strongest tradition is in the mountainous, forested areas of the East Coast, from South East Queensland to North Eastern Victoria. This is also supported by patterns of modern day sightings.

In the early days of white Australian settlement, many stories were collected from tribal Aborigines. The first reference, documented by Australia's best known yowie hunter, Rex Gilroy, dates back to Sydney Cove in 1795. (Yowie Bay, south of Sydney, got it's name from the numerous 'hairy man' sightings that occurred there in the early days. In 1795, a group of settlers on a hunting trip reported sighting a man-sized hairy beast dashing away from them through the scrub.) During the 1970's, bushman and author, Percy Trezise and Aboriginal artist, Dick Roughsey, discovered two ancient cave paintings which appear to depict Turramulli, the giant quinkin from Aboriginal folklore. Mr Trezise believes that many thousands of years ago, the ancestors of Australia's Aborigines fought long wars with descendants of 'Homo erectus' (Java man) and the entire yowie tradition could have begun with memories of those ancient battles.