The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-12-22
The Hare and the Badger,
A STORY FROM THE JAPANESE.

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A STORY FROM THE JAPANESE.
A good while ago there lived
near the Clack clack mountains an
old man and his wife, who, having
no child, made much of a pet hare.
Every day the old man cut up food
and set it out on q plate for his
pet.
One day a badger came out ofthe
forest,and in a thrice drove away the
hare, and eating up his dinner,
licked the plate clean. Then stand
ing on his hind legs, the badger
blew out his belly until it was as
round as bladder and as tight as
drum, and beating on it with his
paws to show his victory, scam
pered off to the woods. But the
old man, who was very angry,
caught the badger, and tying him
by the legs, hung him up head
downwards under the edges of the
thatch in the shed where his old
woman pounded millet. He then
strapped a wooden frame to hold
fagots on his back, and went out to
the mountains to cut wood.
The badger, finding his legs
panied him, began to cry and begged
the old woman to unite him, prom
ising to help her pound the millet.
The tired old dame, believing the
sly beast, like a good-hearted soul
laid down her pestle and loosened
the cords round the beasts legs.
The badger was so cramped at first
that he could not stand; but when
well able to move, he seized knife
to kill the old woman. The hare,
seeing this, ran away to find the old
man, if possible, and tell him. The
badger after stabbing the old Wo-
man, crushed her to death by up
setting the bureau upon her, and
then threw her body into the mortar,
and pounded her into a jelly. Set
ting the pot on TO boil, he made the
woman's flesh into mess Of soup,
and ate all he could Of it, Then
the badger, by turning three double
somersaults, turned himself into an
old woman, looking exactly like
the one he had just eaten. All be-
ing ready, he waited till the hus-
band came home tired and hungry.
Soon the old man came back,
thinking of nothing more than the
hot supper he was to enjoy. Throw
ing down his fagots, he came into
the house, and while he warmed
his hands at the hearth, his wife
las he supposedly set the mess of
soup and millet, with slice of rad
ish, before him on a tray. He fell
to, and ate heartily, his wife Gas he
supposed waiting dutifully near by
till her lord was served. When the |
meal was finished he pulled out a
sheet of soft mulberry paper from
his bosom and wiped his old chops, |
smacking them well, at the thought |
of what a good supper he had so
much enjoyed. Just then the bad
geri took on his real shape, and
yelled out: "Old fool, you've eaten
your own wife. Look In the drain
and you'll find her bones" And he
pulled out his body, beat it like a
drum, whisked his tail scornfully,
and ran off.
Almost dead with grief and hor-
ror, the old man gathered up the
bones Of his wife and decently
buried them. The he made VOW
to take revenge on the badger.
Just then the old hare came back
from the mountains, and after con
doing with the old man said he
would also take revenge on the
badger.
So the hare buckled on his belt,
In which he kept his flint and
steel, and made ready a plaster of
red pepper.
Going into the forest, be saw Mr..
Badger walking home with a load
Of fagots and brush on his back.
Creeping up softly to him, the hare
set the bundle on fire. The badger
kept on until he heard the crack
ling of the burning twigs. Then he
jumped wildly, and cried out ooh,
wonder what noise that is!
ooh, this is the Clack- clack
mountain; it always is cracking
here, said the hare, looking down
from the top of bill,
The fire grew more lively and the
badger became scared. He fell
down and threw out his forepaws
wildly.
"Katchie- katchie," (clack clack)
vent the dry fagots, as the red hot
Goals flew about,
What can it beY' said Mr.
Badger.
''This mountain is called Katchie
don't you know thatY'
said the hare, coolly standing on
the bridge and leaning on his ak.
"Oh! oh! oh! help mer' howled
the badger, as the blazing tYigs be
gan TO burn the hair of his back.
And running through the woods to
, stream near by he plunged in and
5he fire was put out. But his sun
hing had only increased the fire and
burning, and his back was all raw.
When the hare found the badger at
home in his house he was bowling .
n misery AID expecting TO die
rom his burn.
Let me take look at your burn,
Mr.. Badger" said the hare; Il have
iome famous salye to cure it" and
lie pretended to be very pitiful, and
leld up q bowl OF what seemed TO
Re fine salye in one paw. while in
he other was a soft brush of fine
lair. Then the hare clapped on the
ed pepper plaster and ran away,
While the badger rolled in pain. .