Momotarou (The Peach Boy)

There was an old couple living in a village. The wife went to a river to wash clothes while her husband went to a mountain to cut trees every day. One day, the wife saw a peach floating down the river, took it home, and cut it in half with her husband. Surprisingly, what came out of the peach was a boy. They named the boy Momotarou (“peach boy”) and raised him well. One day, Momotarou told them that he was going to Demon Island to beat up the demons that were harming the village. He also asked his mother to make some sweet dumplings for him. With his father’s help, dressed and armed, Momotarou was ready to go. First, on his way to the island, he met a monkey, who asked for a dumpling and offered to join him in exchange. In the same way, a pheasant and a dog also followed Momotarou to the island. At Demon Island, they beat all of the demons and returned to the village with many treasures such as gold and silver. The village people lived happily ever after. (Hisa Fujino)