Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-06-21
THE JAPANESE TOM THUMB.
A WefI-Loved Old Acquaintance in a
New Garb.


New Garb.
An aged Japanese wood cutter and
his wife lived in a small hut by the
side of forest stream. But the hap
by laughter of children had never
been heard in the house, and the wo-
man grieyed in her heart that it
should be SO. One day while sitting
idly in the door, dreaming of the
face of the child she had never
nursed,, she saw a very large peach
floating in the water. With much
trouble she succeeded in fishing it
out; then she put it away on a shelf
until her husband came home, thai
she might share il. with him.
But when the tifSd wood cutter re-
turned and seated himseM on the floor
beside the mat on which his wife
served their supper, and the old wo-
man had placed the peach before him,
it began to spiit-and, 10, instead of
stone there was little tiny boy in
side. Though so small, he proved
to be very strong, and when they
attempted to give him his first baby
bath he lifted the tub and held it
above his head. This was the first
of a series of feats of strength which
proved that he was no ordinary child.
They called the little fellow Mo-
motaro - Peachling for mono"
means peach" When he had grown
fro 1f 49, oh, no
day called the old woman and asked
her to make him five "dango," that
is millet dumplings, for he was going
to attack the stronghold of the ogres.
His adaptive mother was both sur
prised and alarmed, but she made the
dumplings, and Momotaro put them
in his bag and set forth on his jour
ney. He had gone but a little way
when he heard a voice calling him
from a tree: "Momotaro, what have
you in your bag?"
He looked up and saw bird with
beautiful plumage, then he answered..
The best dango ever made in Japan;
come with me and you shall have
one"
So the beautiful bird left its perch
and flew beside him. Next, a monkey
called: 'Momotaro, what have you in
your bag?"
The boy laughed. "The best dump
ling in all Japan" he cried; come
with me and you shall have one
So the monkey followed him, too,
and presently they passed dog, who
was summing himself by the wayside.
The dog bay1.ed welcome, and then
said "Momotaro, what have you got
in your bag?"
The boy stopped and patted the dog
on the head. I've dango my mother
made for me" he replied; come with
me and you shall have one"
So they four went on together, and
when they came near the stronghold
of the ogres the beautiful bird flew
on in advance of the others, and, pass
ing over the outer wall of the fort
ress, made observations. Then the
bird called to the monkey, who climb
ed up the wall at the place the feath-
cred spy pointed cut, and found a
short iron crowbar, which he set in
a handy place. He then slid down
the inner side of the wall and unfast-
ened the great gate, and in dashed
Momotaro and the dog. In a moment
all was confusion, for while the dog
snapped at the ogres' heels, and the
bird tapped her wings in their faces,
and the monkey threw stones at them
from the wall, little Momotaro made
great play with his crowbar until they
fell on their knees and prayed for
mercy. Then the gallant little Jap
anese Tom Thumb and his three odd
companions entered the ogres' strong
room, where he found gold and silver
and coral in vast heaps, which they
placed in bags and more in triumph
to the good old people at home Thus
did Momotaro repay his adaptive pa
rents for their kindness, and make
them rich and happy for the remain
der of their days. And the bird made
a nest on the roof of the hut, and
the monkey lived in "a tree nearby,
and the dog guarded the door.