製複許不録登権作著
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Published byT. HASEGAWA,17 Kami Negishi, Tokyo, Japan.
MOMOTARO
OR
LITTLE PEACHLING.
A long long time ago there lived an old man and an old woman. One daythe old man went to the mountains to cut grass; and the old woman wentto the river to wash clothes. While she was washing a great big thingcame tumbling and splashing down the stream. When the old woman saw itshe was very glad, and pulled it to her with a piece of bamboo that laynear by.
When she took it up and looked at it she saw that it was a very largepeach. She then quickly finished her washing and returned home intendingto 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, orLittle Peachling, because he came out of a peach. As both the old peopletook good care of him, he grew and became strong and enterprising. Sothe old couple had their expectations raised, and bestowed still morecare on his education.
Momotaro finding that he excelled every body in strength determined tocross over to the island of the devils, take their riches, and comeback. He at once consulted with the old man and the old woman about thematter, and got them to make him some dumplings. These he put in hispouch. Besides this he made every kind of preparation for his journey tothe island of the devils and set out.
Then first a dog came to the side of the way and said; "Momotaro! Whathave you there hanging at your belt?" He replied: "I have some of thevery best Japanese millet dumplings." "Give me one and I will go withyou," said the dog. So Momotaro took a dumpling out of his pouch andgave it to the dog. Then