Japanese Folk Tales

Momotarou

Long, long ago, in a small village, there lived an old man and an old woman; they were peasants, and had to work hard to earn their daily rice and food. The old man would  go and cut grass for the farmers around, and while he was gone the old woman, his wife, did the house work and worked in their little rice field, which they owned.

One day, following their routine, the old man went to the hills to cut grass while the old woman took some clothes to the river to wash.

It was nearly summer and the weather was hot and the air humid. The country was very beautiful to see in its fresh greenness as the two old people went on their way to their daily responsibilities. The grass on the banks of the river looked like an emerald velvet, and the pussy willows along the edge of the water were shaking out their soft tassels.

The breezes blew and ruffled the smooth surface of the water, and blowing past the cheeks of the old couple, that were for some reason extremely happy that morning.

The old woman finally found a nice spot to wash the clothes in. She sat down and started washing the clothes she had brought with her. As she did so, she noticed how wonderfully clear the water was. It was sparkling in the summer sun, and the fish below swam joyously. 

Suddenly, a humongous peach drifter by. The old woman, shocked at how big the peach was, quickly stood up and examined the floating peach. She had never seen such a big peach, and here it was!

"That peach must be incredibly delicious, considering how big it is," she said to herself. "My old man would perhaps like it to have some peach in this weather after work!"

She stretched her arm, but to her dismay, she could not reach it. It was too far from her reach. She knew that if she tried to find something to reach it with, the peach would have been out of sight by then.

She stopped to think, and suddenly, she remembered a song that would help her in the current situation. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together and started singing.

"Distant water is bitter,
The near water is sweet;
Pass by the distant water
And come into the sweet."

The peach started drifting towards her, before it finally reached her. The old woman clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, what a big peach!" She said as she heaved it onto the riverside. She started packing up her things, even though she wasn't finished with her work. She had to show this peach to her husband - he would be delighted!

Once the sun had set, the old man walked back to their house. He was very tired from all the work he had to do today, and he wanted to rest as soon as possible.

The old woman, once she took sight of the old man, waved at him and called out: "O Fii San! (old man) I have been waiting for you to come back home for such a long time to-day!"

"What is the matter? Why are you so impatient?" asked the old man, wondering at her unusual eagerness. "Did something happen while I have been away?"

"Oh, no!" answered the old woman, "nothing much has happened, only I have found a nice big present for you!"

"That is good," said the old man with a smile. He then washed his dirty feet in a basin of water and stepped up to the veranda.

The old woman now ran into the little room and brought out from the cupboard the big peach. It felt even heavier than before, as if it had gained weight somehow. She held it up to him excitedly, saying:

"Look! Have you seen such a peach? It is truly big isn't it?"

When the old man looked at the peach, he was overwhelmed at its size and said: