Japanese Folk Tale: The Adventures Of Little Peachling

A long time ago there lived a honest woodcutter and his wife. One fine morning the old man went into the hills to collect wood while his wife went down to the river to wash the dirty clothes. When she came down to the river, she saw a peach floating down the stream. So, she picked it up and carried it home with her. She wanted to give it to her husband to eat when he got home.

The old man soon arrived from the hills and the good wife set the peach before him. Then, just as she invited him to eat the fruit, it suddenly split in two revealing a baby. So, the old couple took the babe and brought it up as their own. Because it had been born in a peach they called it Momotaro, or the Little Peachling.

Little Peachling grew up to be strong and brave. One day he said to his old foster parents, "I am going to the ogres' island to carry off the riches that they have stored up there. Please make me some millet dumplings for my journey."

So, the old couple ground the millet and made dumplings for him. Little Peachling, after bidding the old couple an affectionate farewell, cheerfully set out on his journey. As he travelled on, he met up with a monkey who gibbered at him and said, "Kia! Kia! Kia! Where you off to, Little Peachling?"

"I am off to ogres island to carry off their treasure," answered Little Peachling.

"What are you carrying with you," said the monkey.

"I am carry the best millet dumplings in all of Japan."

The monkey said, "If you give me some, then I will travel with you."

So the Little Peachling gave one of his dumplings to the monkey, who ate it and followed. When they had gone on a little farther, a pheasant called out, "Ken! Ken! Ken! Where are you off to Little Peachling?" Little Peachling answered as before. The pheasant begged and received a dumpling, entered his service and followed along.

A little while farther along, they met a dog, who cried "Bow! Wow! Wow! Where are you going Little Peachling?" "I'm off to ogres' island to carry off their treasure." "If you give me one of your millet dumplings I will go with you," said the dog. "With all of my heart," said Little Peachling.

So he went on his way with the monkey, the pheasant, and the dog following after him.When they got to the ogres' island, the pheasant flew over the castle gate, the monkey climbed over the castle wall, while Little Peachling, leading the dog, forced in the gate and entered into the castle. Then, they did battle with the ogres, put them into flight, and took the king prisoner.

So, all of the ogres did homage to the Little Peachling. They brought out all of their treasures which they laid before him. There were clothes and hats that made the wearer  invisible. Jewels which governed the ebb and flow of the tide, coral, musk, emeralds, amber, and tortoise shell, besides silver and gold. All of these were laid before Little Peachling by the conquered ogres.

So, Little Peachling went home laden with riches and maintained his foster parents in peace and plenty for the remainders of their lives.