Stories from Around the World

The man was going to get firewood to sell. The old woman was washing clothes and cleaning vegetables from the garden while she was waiting for him.

The she looked up and saw a huge peach going down the river. She was surprised. "What a big peach!"

She tried to carry it to their home. She wanted to show her husband. She said, "We will eat this peach when he gets home." While she was waiting for him, she prepared the supper.

The old man was also surprised by it and then they said, "Now cut it and we shall eat this peach!"

When he cut the peach there was a little baby boy in the inside of the peach. He was like, "Ogear! Ogear!!" The old man and old woman were really surprised but they didn't have a son or daughter so they were glad for the baby. "Maybe God gave him to us."

The old man named him "Momotarou" and he became a powerful boy with the woman's cooking. He had sympathy so he was kind to his parents. The old man lived in comfort, because Momotarou helped with the old man's work.

One day a man came over to Momotarou's house. He was a medicine seller from the capital. He was selling medicine and talking about "Oni", the demons. According to the man, some demons had stolen a treasure and they were playing tricks on the capital.

Momotarou decided to go to Onigashima, the demons' island, to fight with them. Immediately Momotarou started to prepare to fight with them. Also, the old woman started to make "Kibidango", which were powerful foods, for Momotarou.

One Kibidango made him 100 times more powerful! Two Kibidango made him 1000 times more powerful! Three Kibidango made him 10000 times more powerful! Those were miracle foods.

The old man and old woman said, "Be careful!" At last, Momotarou started to go to Onigashima.

On his way, a dog asked him, "Wan wan! Please, can I go with you?" Oomotarou said OK and then Momotarou gave the dog a Kibidango.

"Then a monkey asked him "Kya Kya! Please, can I go with you? I also want to fight with the demons." Momotarou said OK and then Momotarou gave the monkey a Kibidango.

Then a pheasant also asked him, "Kein Kein! Please, can I go with you?" Momotarou said OK, and then he gave the pheasant a Kibidango.

They would fight the demons as a group. A fisherman lent them a boat, and then they crossed the lake. . .

They arrived at the demon island. Momotarou gave them instructions. First the monkey and the pheasant climbed the gate and opened the gate. Momotarou and the dog stepped through the gate.

The demons were surprised by Momotarou's group, but the demons attacked Momotarou, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant. But Momotarou, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant had eaten many Kibidango on the boat. They were getting stronger, so they attacked the demons.

The dog bit the demons, the monkey scratched the demons, and the pheasant pecked the face of the demons. The demons gave up and then they ran away crying. One demon was left. He was the leader of the demons but Momotarou threw the big demon on the ground because he had eaten many Kibidango. The demons never came back to attack the capital.

Momotarou, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant came back to the village with a lot of treasure.

And they lived happily ever after.

Added to the WWW on 07/02/99

© 1999 Catherine Howland and Sarah Wait
Cedar Falls Community Schools
Cedar Falls, Iowa

May not be reproduced without written permission

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