The Sandman: The Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell

An adaptation of an earlier text (previously released as an illustrated book), The Dream Hunters is a stand-alone story in the world of The Sandman.  It is an original story told in the style of a folktale in which a young Japanese monk earns the love and protection of a fox spirit.

I prefer the original Sandman comics to standalone stories or adaptations by other authors, but this is a gentle, pleasant tale.  The Sandman character himself is softened, which lightens the story and feels appropriate to the folktale style.