The story's evolution from a Buddhist parable, where wealth is a reward for piety and selfless compassion, into the secular "trading quest" trope found in modern video games.

In this podcast, we explore the Japanese folktale of the Straw Millionaire, or Warashibe Chōja. The episode begins with a telling of the core narrative: the story of a poor but devout man who, following a divine message from the Bodhisattva Kannon, trades a single piece of straw through a series of compassionate exchanges that ultimately lead him to immense wealth. This episode delves into the tale's historical origins, tracing it back to 12th-century Buddhist setsuwa collections like the Konjaku Monogatarishū. We will discuss the story's original purpose as a parable illustrating key Buddhist principles such as karma (inga), divine grace, and the importance of selfless action. Finally, the podcast examines the tale's modern legacy, analyzing how its compelling narrative structure was secularized and adapted to become the blueprint for the "trading quest" trope common in video games.