Japanese Fairy Tales
“I will surely come back again, if you let me go now!”
“Where are you going?”
“You must think it strange that I want to go away,” said Momotaro,
“because I have not yet told you my reason. Far away from here to the
northeast of Japan there is an island in the sea. This island is the
stronghold of a band of devils. I have often heard how they invade this
land, kill and rob the people, and carry off all they can find. They
are not only very wicked but they are disloyal to our Emperor and
disobey his laws. They are also cannibals, for they kill and eat some
of the poor people who are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands.
These devils are very hateful beings. I must go and conquer them and
bring back all the plunder of which they have robbed this land. It is
for this reason that I want to go away for a short time!”
The old man was much surprised at hearing all this from a mere boy of
fifteen. He thought it best to let the boy go. He was strong and
fearless, and besides all this, the old man knew he was no common
child, for he had been sent to them as a gift from Heaven, and he felt
quite sure that the devils would be powerless to harm him.
“All you say is very interesting, Momotaro,” said the old man. “I will
not hinder you in your determination. You may go if you wish. Go to the
island as soon as ever you like and destroy the demons and bring peace
to the land.”
“Thank you, for all your kindness,” said Momotaro, who began to get
ready to go that very day. He was full of courage and did not know what
fear was.
The old man and woman at once set to work to pound rice in the kitchen
mortar to make cakes for Momotaro to take with him on his journey.
At last the cakes were made and Momotaro was ready to start on his long
journey.
Parting is always sad. So it was now. The eyes of the two old people
were filled with tears and their voices trembled as they said:
“Go with all care and speed. We expect you back victorious!”
Momotaro was very sorry to leave his old parents (though he knew he was
coming back as soon as he could), for he thought of how lonely they
would be while he was away. But he said “Good-by!” quite bravely.
“I am going now. Take good care of yourselves while I am away.
Good-by!” And he stepped quickly out of the house. In silence the eyes
of Momotaro and his parents met in farewell.
Momotaro now hurried on his way till it was midday. He began to feel
hungry, so he opened his bag and took out one of the rice-cakes and sat
down under a tree by the side of the road to eat it. While he was thus
having his lunch a dog almost as large as a colt came running out from
the high grass. He made straight for Momotaro, and showing his teeth,
said in a fierce way:
“You are a rude man to pass my field without asking permission first.
If you leave me all the cakes you have in your bag you may go;
otherwise I will bite you till I kill you!”
Momotaro only laughed scornfully:
“What is that you are saying? Do you know who I am? I am Momotaro, and
I am on my way to subdue the devils in their island stronghold in the
northeast of Japan. If you try to stop me on my way there I will cut
you in two from the head downwards!”
The dog’s manner at once changed. His tail dropped between his legs,
and coming near he bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground.
“What do I hear? The name of Momotaro? Are you indeed Momotaro? I have
often heard of your great strength. Not knowing who you were I have
behaved in a very stupid way. Will you please pardon my rudeness? Are
you indeed on your way to invade the Island of Devils? If you will take
such a rude fellow with you as one of your followers, I shall be very
grateful to you.”
“I think I can take you with me if you wish to go,” said Momotaro.
“Thank you!” said the dog. “By the way, I am very very hungry. Will you
give me one of the cakes you are carrying?”
“This is the best kind of cake there is in Japan,” said Momotaro. “I
cannot spare you a whole one; I will give you half of one.”
“Thank you very much,” said the dog, taking the piece thrown to him.
Then Momotaro got up and the dog followed. For a long time they walked
over the hills and through the valleys. As they were going along an
animal came down from a tree a little ahead of them. The creature soon
came up to Momotaro and said:
“Good morning, Momotaro! You are welcome in this part of the country.
Will you allow me to go with you?”
The dog answered jealously:
“Momotaro already has a dog to accompany him. Of what use is a monkey
like you in battle? We are on our way to fight the devils! Get away!”
The dog and the monkey began to quarrel and bite, for these two animals
always hate each other.
“Now, don’t quarrel!” said Momotaro, putting himself between them.
“Wait a moment, dog!”
“It is not at all dignified for you to have such a creature as that
following you!” said the dog.
“What do you know about it?” asked Momotaro; and pushing aside the dog,
he spoke to the monkey:
“Who are you?”
“I am a monkey living in these hills,” replied the monkey. “I heard of
your expedition to the Island of Devils, and I have come to go with
you. Nothing will please me more than to follow you!”
“Do you really wish to go to the Island of Devils and fight with me?”
“Yes, sir,” replied the monkey.
“I admire your courage,” said Momotaro. “Here is a piece of one of my
fine rice-cakes. Come along!”
So the monkey joined Momotaro. The dog and the monkey did not get on
well together. They were always snapping at each other as they went
along, and always wanting to have a fight. This made Momotaro very
cross, and at last he sent the dog on ahead with a flag and put the
monkey behind with a sword, and he placed himself between them with a
war-fan, which is made of iron.
By and by they came to a large field. Here a bird flew down and
alighted on the ground just in front of the little party. It was the
most beautiful bird Momotaro had ever seen. On its body were five
different robes of feathers and its head was covered with a scarlet
cap.
The dog at once ran at the bird and tried to seize and kill it. But the
bird struck out its spurs and flew at the dog’s tail, and the fight
went hard with both.
Momotaro, as he looked on, could not help admiring the bird; it showed
so much spirit in the fight. It would certainly make a good fighter.
Momotaro went up to the two combatants, and holding the dog back, said
to the bird:
“You rascal! you are hindering my journey. Surrender at once, and I
will take you with me. If you don’t I will set this dog to bite your
head off!”
Then the bird surrendered at once, and begged to be taken into
Momotaro’s company.
“I do not know what excuse to offer for quarreling with the dog, your
servant, but I did not see you. I am a miserable bird called a
pheasant. It is very generous of you to pardon my rudeness and to take
me with you. Please allow me to follow you behind the dog and the
monkey!”
“I congratulate you on surrendering so soon,” said Momotaro, smiling.
“Come and join us in our raid on the devils.”
“Are you going to take this bird with you also?” asked the dog,
interrupting.
“Why do you ask such an unnecessary question? Didn’t you hear what I
said? I take the bird with me because I wish to!”
“Humph!” said the dog.
Then Momotaro stood and gave this order:
“Now all of you must listen to me. The first thing necessary in an army
is harmony. It is a wise saying which says that ‘Advantage on earth is
better than advantage in Heaven!’ Union amongst ourselves is better
than any earthly gain. When we are not at peace amongst ourselves it is
no easy thing to subdue an enemy. From now, you three, the dog, the
monkey and the pheasant, must be friends with one mind. The one who
first begins a quarrel will be discharged on the spot!”
All the three promised not to quarrel. The pheasant was now made a
member of Momotaro’s suite, and received half a cake.
Momotaro’s influence was so great that the three became good friends,
and hurried onwards with him as their leader.
Hurrying on day after day they at last came out upon the shore of the
North-Eastern Sea. There was nothing to be seen as far as the
horizon—not a sign of any island. All that broke the stillness was the
rolling of the waves upon the shore.
Now, the dog and the monkey and the pheasant had come very bravely all
the way through the long valleys and over the hills, but they had never
seen the sea before, and for the first time since they set out they
were bewildered and gazed at each other in silence. How were they to
cross the water and get to the Island of Devils?
Momotaro soon saw that they were daunted by the sight of the sea, and
to try them he spoke loudly and roughly:
“Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of the sea? Oh! what cowards you
are! It is impossible to take such weak creatures as you with me to
fight the demons. It will be far better for me to go alone. I discharge
you all at once!”
The three animals were taken aback at this sharp reproof, and clung to
Momotaro’s sleeve, begging him not to send them away.
“Please, Momotaro!” said the dog.
“We have come thus far!” said the monkey.
“It is inhuman to leave us here!” said the pheasant.
“We are not at all afraid of the sea,” said the monkey again.
“Please do take us with you,” said the pheasant.
“Do please,” said the dog.
They had now gained a little courage, so Momotaro said:
“Well, then, I will take you with me, but be careful!”
Momotaro now got a small ship, and they all got on board. The wind and
weather were fair, and the ship went like an arrow over the sea. It was
the first time they had ever been on the water, and so at first the
dog, the monkey and the pheasant were frightened at the waves and the
rolling of the vessel, but by degrees they grew accustomed to the water
and were quite happy again. Every day they paced the deck of their
little ship, eagerly looking out for the demons’ island.
When they grew tired of this, they told each other stories of all their
exploits of which they were proud, and then played games together; and
Momotaro found much to amuse him in listening to the three animals and
watching their antics, and in this way he forgot that the way was long
and that he was tired of the voyage and of doing nothing. He longed to
be at work killing the monsters who had done so much harm in his
country.
As the wind blew in their favor and they met no storms the ship made a
quick voyage, and one day when the sun was shining brightly a sight of
land rewarded the four watchers at the bow.
Momotaro knew at once that what they saw was the devils’ stronghold. On
the top of the precipitous shore, looking out to sea, was a large
castle. Now that his enterprise was close at hand, he was deep in
thought with his head leaning on his hands, wondering how he should
begin the attack. His three followers watched him, waiting for orders.
At last he called to the pheasant:
“It is a great advantage for us to have you with us.” said Momotaro to
the bird, “for you have good wings. Fly at once to the castle and
engage the demons to fight. We will follow you.”
The pheasant at once obeyed. He flew off from the ship beating the air
gladly with his wings. The bird soon reached the island and took up his
position on the roof in the middle of the castle, calling out loudly:
“All you devils listen to me! The great Japanese general Momotaro has
come to fight you and to take your stronghold from you. If you wish to
save your lives surrender at once, and in token of your submission you
must break off the horns that grow on your forehead. If you do not
surrender at once, but make up your mind to fight, we, the pheasant,