A boy helps an injured crane, and the good deed is rewarded with the arrival of a mysterious guest who weaves beautiful silk for the family. Author's note discusses Japanese folktales and poetry, red-crowned cranes, and pronunciations.

Three Latin American folktales include the story of the Iara, a mermaid who lures men to her underwater domain, the tale of La Lechuza, an enormous owl with the face of a woman, and two gauchos' encounter with La Luz Mala, a spooky light that terrorizes travelers.