A long time ago there lived an old bamboo cutter and his wife. They were happy and hardworking, but poor and childless.

One day, the bamboo cutter noticed a bright light coming out of a tree. He very carefully cut the tree, and found inside a brightly glowing baby girl. Both he and his wife were glad to finally have a child of their own.

The child soon grew into a beautiful woman. With her kind heart, dazzling beauty, and radiant spirit, she quickly became the pride and joy of the old couple. As she had come from bamboo, they named her the Bamboo Princess.

When she came to be of marriageable age, her father encouraged her to get married. Although she always tried to please her father, she would have none of it. She would not be courted by any man.

Word of her beauty and spirit spread far and wide. Although the local peasants eventually lost hope of gaining her hand, a few persistent noblemen would simply not give up. To allow her father to save face, the Bamboo Princess relented and allowed suitors. However, she insisted that they first retrieve an object for her. Naturally, the objects were carefully chosen to discourage the potential suitors.

Of the initial horde of noblemen, only five accepted her challenge: Princes Ishidukuri, Kuramochi, Abey, Otomo, and Isonokami.

Ishidukuri was bidden to fetch a Buddhist begging bowl from India. He thought that the journey would be too long and arduous, so he instead retrieved a bowl from the rural mountains of Japan. The Princess easily recognized that it was not Indian and sent him away.

Kuramochi was to find a silver branch covered with gold from the mysterious island of P'englai. Two years later, he showed up with the branch, which made the Bamboo Princess very worried indeed. While in the midst of bragging how he had braved the storms and found the island, two Korean craftsmen approached and demanded to be paid for their labors in making the branch. Relieved, the Princess paid the craftsmen and Kuramochi sulked away in shame.

Abey was to go to a volcano and retrieve the fireproof fur from the fire rats inhabiting it, and then make a coat with it. Too cowardly to brave the volcano, he instead bought one (at a high price) from a Chinese merchant. When he gave it to the Bamboo Princess, she wanted it to be tested in fire. It burned to a crisp, leaving only smoldering ashes and a pungent odor.

My liege Otomo was requested to fetch a seven-colored jewel from the head of a dragon. First, he sent servants to find a dragon, but they all ran to their hometowns to avoid their service. He did not give up. Unlike the previous princes, my Prince Otomo took up the challenge. He hired a ship and we went sailing the Great Sea in search of a dragon. Unfortunately, the ocean was rough and the crew was ready to mutiny after barely a day. Prince Otomo relented and we gave up the chase, and the Princess.

Isonokami was to retrieve a swallow's cowrie shell. Now, swallows are too fast to catch in a net, but Isonokami was industrious and devised with a plan. One afternoon, he set up a catapult and had his servants propel him into the trees every time there was a rustling in the trees. They tried many times, but he was always either too early or too late to catch the swallow. The sun had almost set, and they tried one last time. Isonokami leaned and stuck his hand in the nest, but lost his balance and fell to the ground, breaking several bones. The Bamboo Princess sent him her condolences.

Eventually, the Bamboo Princess caught the attention of the Emperor himself. He was intrigued by the tales he heard of the wonderfully mannered and beautify that refused to marry. One day, he came to the woodcutter's home and demanded to see the mysterious young woman. He fell in love immediately. Although she could not rebuff him as simply as the other suitors, the Bamboo Princess argued with great wit and sincerity why she did not want to become just another court wife, spending her time on frivolities. Although she did not marry him, she became quite fond of the Emperor, and they corresponded frequently.

One night just before the moon became full and bright, the Bamboo Princess broke down crying. She explained to her father that she was not an ordinary child, but rather was from the moon. She had misbehaved, and thus was sent to the Earth as punishment. The old woodcutter and his wife, on the other hand, were being rewarded for their long days of hard work, and for the great love between them. The Bamboo Princess confessed that she would have to return to the moon the next day.

Naturally, the woodcutter was not happy about losing his only child, and the Emperor was distraught about losing such a great friend. He sent an army to surround the woodcutter's house and protect the Princess inside. But it was to no avail. That night, an aura descended and they were powerless to draw their swords or cock their bows. A cloud descended carrying a cart, and in it were beings more beautiful than even the Bamboo Princess. Before she joined them, the Bamboo Princess gave the old man a pill that would let him live forever, and a final letter to the Emperor. The woodcutter, in his great wisdom, refused the gift of eternal life, so the Emperor took the pill and the letter to Mount Fuji and burned them.