Folktale Week Illustrations: Echo and the Yama orabi

Yama orabi The Echo, 8" x 10" linocut by Ele Willoughby, 2025

I look forward to it every year! It's time for Folktale Week. Hosts post their 7 prompts for artists and/or writers to create illustrations or tell stories on these themes inspired by folktales, folklore, fables, myth and fairytales! There’s always a lot of magic submissions and it’s open to all. Most of the action is on Instagram (see @folktaleweek for more information) but you can find artists and writers sharing on other socials too. I am going to post my new illustrations here. And now Day 2: Echo.

Seeking less well-known folklore about echoes I found this Japanese echo yōkai. 

This hand-carved and hand-printed lino block print illustrates the mythical Yama orabi (山おらび) or “mountain shouter,” a small, tree-dwelling, birdlike yōkai or spirit who shouts replies, mimicking people’s voices and repeating their words creating an echo. They resemble small birds but have very large heads and sharp, pointy teeth. Any hiker in the mountains who is foolish enough to engage in a shouting match with the Yama orabi will soon die unless they can break the curse by ringing a cracked bell.