Momotaro (peach boy)

A long time ago, in a certain place, lived an old man and an old woman. The old man went to the mountains to collect sticks for firewood, while the old woman went to do the washing in the river.

While the old woman was doing the washing in the river, a huge peach came tumbling, tumbling, tumbling along in the water. “Oh, this is a nice present to take home!” said the old woman, and picked up the enormous peach and carried it home.

When the old man and the old woman cut open the peach, wanting to eat it, amazingly, a healthy baby boy jumped out from inside the peach!

“This must surely be a gift from God!” The old man and the old woman, who didn’t have any children, were thrilled. They named the boy born from the peach “Momotaro” (meaning “Peach Boy”). Momotaro steadily grew up to become a strong boy.

Then one day he said, “I am going to go to Onigashima (Monster Island) to wipe out the bad monsters.” The old woman made some millet dumplings for him, and then off he went to Monster Island.

Along the way he met a dog. “Momotaro, where are you going?”

“I’m going to Monster Island, to punish the monsters.”

“Well, in that case, please give me one of those millet dumplings around your waist. Then I’ll go with you.” The dog took one of Momotaro’s millet dumplings, and joined him on his travels. Then Momotaro met a monkey. “Momotaro, where are you going?” “I’m going to Monster Island, to punish the monsters.” “Well, in that case, please give me one of those millet dumplings around your waist. Then I’ll go with you.”

After a while Momotaro met a pheasant. “Momotaro, where are you going?” “I’m going to Monster Island, to punish the monsters.” “Well, in that case, please give me one of those millet dumplings around your waist. Then I’ll go with you.”

In this way, Momotaro gained the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant as companions, and they all soon arrived at Monster Island. On Monster Island, the monsters were in the midst of a big drunken party, gloating over all the treasures they’d stolen from villages nearby.

“Let’s get started. Don’t let them get away! Don’t give up! Keep after them!”

The dog bit the monsters’ bottoms, the monkey got on the monsters’ backs, and the pheasant pecked at the monsters’ eyes. All the while, Momotaro fought valiantly, wildly brandishing his sword.

Eventually the chief of the monsters said, “We give up, we give up! You’ve won! Help!” Putting both his hands together in conciliation, he apologized. Momotaro, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant loaded all the stolen treasures they’d taken from the monsters on to a cart and returned home, in high spirits.

The old man and the old woman were truly delighted to see Momotaro back again, safe and sound. The three lived happily ever after.