"The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks" is an animated version of the 1990 children's book of the same name, written by Katherine Paterson, and Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, based on a Japanese folktale. The description for the original book reads thus, "A pair of mandarin ducks, separated by a cruel lord who wishes to possess the drake for his colorful beauty, reward a compassionate couple who risk their lives to reunite the ducks."