You can’t blame Peter Brosius for getting a little nostalgic as he approaches retirement after his 27th season as artistic director at Minneapolis’ Children’s Theatre Company.

Brosius came to the Twin Cities from Hawaii’s Honolulu Theatre for Youth, a troupe born in 1955 that often explores Asian Pacific cultures in its work. But this CTC season held Asian flavors from the get-go as a South Korean company brought a kitchen full of comedy to town in “Cookin’.” Now CTC heads east from there, hosting Brosius’ old company from Honolulu for a vibrant, playful paean to Japanese traditions.

“The Carp Who Would Not Quit and Other Animal Stories” is a delightful little introduction to Japanese folklore that’s particularly designed for audiences aged in the single digits. Those of that demographic seemed to be having a great deal of fun at Saturday’s opening-night performance, shouting encouragement to the characters in Japanese and helping make imaginary mochi (or rice cakes).

Playwright and director Reiko Ho and her three-person cast have fashioned a simple yet engaging staging that spins six stories, each with a life lesson and an air of positivity. Unlike the often grim Grimm’s fairy tales of European ancestry, none of the morals of these stories are driven home with violence or punishment. The insights are instead delivered with a smile and a bit of encouragement to examine the ethical quandaries in your decisions.

Serina Dunham, from left, Hermenigildo Tesoro Jr. and Mattea Mazzella in the Children’s Theatre Company’s production of “The Carp Who Would Not Quit and Other Stories,” a work created by Reiko Ho and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth Ensemble based upon a number of Japanese folk tales.(Glen Stubbe / Children’s Theatre Company)

All of the stories benefit from the music of Mattea Mazzella, who complements his comic acting skills with some hypnotic sounds from the harp-like koto, ethereal tones from his shakuhachi flute and propulsive rhythms on taiko drums. His castmates, Serina Dunham and Hermenigildo Tesoro Jr., serve as puppeteers for the animal characters, but also bring well-crafted characterizations to the humans with whom they interact.

For those bemoaning the Mississippi’s invasive carp issues, you should know that the carp, or koi, is quite beloved in Japanese folklore, a fish that represents some of the best human qualities. As the title hints, one of them is determination, in this case during a quest to swim to the top of a waterfall with the audience’s assistance.

From there, we learn of a crane who wishes to repay a man who freed her from a fishnet, visit with rabbits and mice who make mochi, meet the lion dogs of Okinawa who protect their town, and, in the play’s most layered fable, travel with a mouse who wishes to learn what is the most powerful thing in the world.

Bridging the stories are interludes during which the koto weaves its spell while a small white butterfly (with light bulb attached) flutters about. Even though CTC’s Cargill Stage is its most intimate house, such scenes are handicapped by a combination of the insect being too luminous and not large enough.

As the show is over within an hour, it’s a fine piece of theater for even the most limited of attention spans. And many a toddler seemed quite absorbed in the stories. If you’re looking for a first theatrical experience for a little one in your life, this might be the ideal production.

‘The Carp Who Would Not Quit and Other Animal Stories’

When: Through Feb. 18

Where: Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.

Tickets: $35-$15, available at 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org

Capsule: A delightful introduction to Japanese folklore for the youngest theatergoers and their culturally curious elders.

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