Momotaro, or, Little peachling

GRIFFITH FARRAN & Co,,
LONDON £ SYDNEY, M.S. W.

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Along long time ago there
lived an old man and an
old woman. One day the old
man went to the mountains to
cut grass; and the old woman

went to the river to wash clothes.
While she was washing a great
big thing came tumbling and
splashing down the stream.
When the old woman saw it

she was

very glad, and pulled
it to her with a piece of bam-
boo that lay near by. When
she took it up

looked at it |^fi

she saw that it was a very large
peach. She then quickly finished
her washing and returned home
intending to give the peach to
her old man to eat

When she cut the peach
in two, out came a child from
the large kernel. Seeing this
the old couple rejoiced, and
named the child Momotaro, or
Little Peachli-ng, because he
came out of a peach. As
both the old people took good
care of him, he grew and
became strong and enterpris-
ing. So the old couple had

their expectations raised, and
bestowed still more care on
his education.

Momotaro finding that he
excelled every body in strength
determined to cross over to the
island of the devils, take their
riches, and come back. He at
once consulted with the old

man and the old woman about
the matter, and got them to
make him some dumplings.
These he put in his pouch.
Besides this he made every
kind of' preparation for his
journey to the island of the
devils and set out.

Then first a dog came to
the side of the way and said;
"Momotaro! What have you
there hanging at your belt?"
He replied: "I have some of
the very best Japanese millet
dumplings." ''Give me one and
I will go with you," said the

dog, So Momotaro took a
dumpling out of his pouch and
gave it to the dog. Then a
monkey came and got one the
same way. A pheasant also
came flying and said: "Give
me a dumpling too, and I will
go along with you," So all
three went along with him.
In no time they arrived at the
island of the devils, and at once
broke through the front gate;
Momotaro first; then his three
followers. Here they met a
great multitude of the devil's
retainers who showed tight, but

they pressed still inwards, and at
last encountered the chief of the
devils, called Akandoji. Then
came the tug of war, Akandoji
made at Momotaro with an iron
club, but Momotaro was ready for
him, and dodged him adroitly.
At last they grappled each other,
and without difficulty Momotaro
just crushed down Akandoji and
tied him with a rope so tight
that he could not even move.
All this was done in a fair fight
After this Akandoji the chief
of the devils said he would
surrender ail his riches. "Out

with your riches then;" said
Momotaro laughing. Having
collected and ranged in order
a great pile of precious things,
Momotaro took them, and set
out for his home, rejoicing, as
he marched bravely back, that,
with the help of his three com-
panions, to whom he attributed
all his success, he had been able
so easily to accomplish his end.
Great was the joy of the
old man and the old woman
when Momotaro came back.
He feasted every body boun-
tifully, told many stones of his

adventure, displayed Ms riches,
and at last became a leading man,
a man of influence, very rich and
honorable ; a man to be very much
congratulated indeed ! !

Printed by tfa Kobwsha in

English Edition,

1. Momotaro or Little Peachling.

2. The Tongue Cut Sparrow.

3. The. Battle of the Monkey and the Clab.

4. The Old Man who made the Dead Trees Blossom.

5. Kachi-Kr,chi Mountain.

6. The Mouse's Wedding.

7. The Old Man and the Devila.

8. Urashirca, the Fisher-Boy.

9. The Eight-Headed Serpent.

10. The Matsuyarna Mirror.

11. The Hare of Inaba.

12. The CUb's Triumph.

13. The Silly Jelly-Fish.

14. The Princes, Fire-flash and Fire-fade.

15. My Lord Bagr-o'-Kice.

16. The Wooden Bowl.

Trench Edition,

1. MomotarA ou le premier-ne de la Peche.

2. Le moineau qui a la langue coupee.
8. La bataille du singe et du crabe.

4. Le veillard qui fait fleurir lee arbres morts.

German Edition.

Der Sperling mit der geschlitzten Zunge.
Der Kampf der Krabbe mit dein Aflfen.

Dutch Edition.
De Mvusch met de geknipta Tong.