The story was probably a Japanese myth, transferred to modern day Portland. It's really hard to do it justice after seeing the storyteller's version. His name is Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, from the Eth-Noh-Tec company, and I think he'd be a great Kumoricon addition! Oh, and I apologize for the length of the post in advance, but you asked for it
Anyway, the story was about two guys. One, Hiroshi, was rich, greedy, and selfish who had a big house and lots of possessions. The other, Satoshi, lived in a trailer in his back yard, and was very poor, but was involved with the community, helping out with events like Mochitsuki! Satoshi tried to involve Hiroshi with the community, inviting him to events, but Hiroshi was always too busy. For Mochitsuki, he was busy watching the football playoffs. "Go Bears!" he would cheer, eyes focused on his 72' HD TV.
Coming home from Mochitsuki, Satoshi had a ball of mochi, and he was going to eat it, but upon arriving at his home, he decided to use it to make an offering for peace. So he put on a bathrobe, and some old Christmas reindeer antlers on his head, and bear claw slippers on his feet. He placed the mochi on his table, burned some incense, and began to pray for peace.
Suddenly the mochi ball began to roll back and forth on the table on it's own. Satoshi was startled, but even moreso when the mochi rolled off the table and out the door. It rolled down streets, and freeways, the I5, the 205, the 84, and Satoshi ran after it, not wanting his peace offering to escape.
The mochi ball made it all the way to Gresham to Glendoveer golf course. Satoshi chased it all the way to the 9th hole and leapt for it as it was about to roll in. He missed it and fell in the hole, along with the mochi ball. He found himself in a cave, full of missing golf balls and also a giant Jizo (Buddhist statue). "Oh, how beautiful," he thought.
Satoshi found his mochi ball and saw how dirty it was, after rolling all this way. He tore off the dirty portions and placed the remaining mochi in the Jizo's outstretched hand. Then he prayed for peace.
"Domo Arigato" came a deep, gravelly voice. Satoshi looked around, scared, thinking he was alone. The voice came again and Satoshi realized it came from the Jizo. "Satoshi," spoke the statue, "you are a good man. A very good man. Come, climb up on my shoulder." Hesitant at first, but encouraged by the Jizo, Satoshi climbed all the way up to the statue's shoulder.
"Tell me Satoshi, can you make the sound of a rooster?" Confused, but eager to please the Jizo, Satoshi began to crow "cock-a-doodle-doo," but the Jizo stopped him. "The time is not right. Wait for me to wink my stone eye."
End part 1, I'll write part 2 tomorrow...wow this is long
edit: I said tomorrow...two days ago. I'll get to it. Really!
