Am I Going Crazy? (Tutu and Heroes)

[haleysings.livejournal.com]

So...um...I've been watching Heroes just so I can at least kinda-sorta get what people are talking about. And they've had this long arc about Hiro going back in time to find the hero of stories his father told him as a child.


Anyway, turns out--if I got this right--that Hiro IS the protagonist of the stories his father told him as a child. And then he says something that goes like THIS:

"Takeso Kensei [the man in the legends] couldn't stay with his Princess. The dragon that taught him the art of the sword wanted his love all for himself. So to stop him, Kensei cut out his own heart."

Wha-WHAAAAT? Is that some Tutu in my Heroes?

So now I'm curious...is there some sort of Japanese story or legend that's similar to The Prince and the Raven? Or maybe a fairytale I haven't heard of? That seems like a bizarre coincidence, particularly since the Dragon wanted the Hero's love/heart all to himself, and the hero lost his Princess (Tutu disappearing?).

And did anyone else see this to confirm I'm not just hearing things? XD;;;