This story, in French, takes place in Japon on the banks of Lake Biwa.
Ryuzo, son of a woodworker, dreams of becoming a samourai. He sells his modest house to buy a pair of sabres. Terribly hungry, he kills a duck but, full of remorse, he leaves everything behind to become a monk and a sculptor.
A few years later, Junichiro, son of the lord of the fortified castle Hikone, gives up his golden lifestyle to become a sculptor with the monk.
Sometimes, Ryuzo is surprised to find a duck feather on his bed. One day, the old monk sets off alone on a pilgrimage. When he returns, his friend has disappeared, leaving a letter and a marvellous portrait of the monk sculpted in cypress wood. The letter says that Junichiro is actually the spirit of the duck killed long ago at Lake Biwa. All of a sudden, feathers start softly falling on the monk's shoulders as a farewell message.
