Momotaro the Peach Boy

The Peach in the River

Long, long ago in Japan, there lived an old man and an old woman. They were kind and gentle, but they had no children, and that made them a little sad.

One morning the old man went to the hills to gather wood. The old woman went to the river to wash the clothes. As she knelt by the water, she saw something big and round floating toward her. It was a peach — but oh, what a peach! It was as big as a pumpkin, pink and shining in the sun.

"What a fine peach!" said the old woman. "I will take it home for supper." She scooped it up and carried it back to the little house.

A Surprise Inside

That evening, when the old man came home, the old woman set the great peach on the table. But just as she lifted her knife to cut it, the peach split open all by itself — crack!

Inside was not a peach stone at all. Inside was a tiny, healthy baby boy!

"Do not be afraid," said the baby, smiling. "Heaven has sent me to be your son."

The old man and the old woman were so happy they wept with joy. Because the boy came from a peach, they named him Momotaro, which means "Peach Boy."

Momotaro Grows Strong

Momotaro grew quickly. He was kind to everyone and strong as ten men. He helped the old man carry wood and helped the old woman carry water, and he was never too proud to lend a hand.

One day, when Momotaro was nearly grown, he came to the old man and woman with a serious face.

"Mother, Father," he said, "far across the sea there is an island where wicked ogres live. They sail to our villages and steal rice and gold and frighten the people. I am going to sail to Ogre Island and stop them."

The old woman did not want him to go, but she knew his heart was good. So she made him a bag of the very best millet dumplings to take on his journey, and the old man gave him a sword. With tears and smiles, they waved him goodbye.

Three Friends on the Road

Momotaro set off down the road. After a while, a spotted dog came trotting up.

"Momotaro, where are you going? And what is in your bag?"

"The best millet dumplings in all Japan," said Momotaro. "I am going to fight the ogres. Come with me and I will give you one."

The dog ate a dumpling and said, "I will follow you anywhere." So now there were two.

A little farther on, a clever monkey swung down from a tree, and then a bright pheasant flew down from the sky. To each one, Momotaro gave a delicious dumpling, and each one promised to help him. Now there were four friends marching to the sea.

Ogre Island

At the shore, Momotaro found a boat, and they all sailed over the waves until they reached Ogre Island. A great iron gate stood in their way, with a tall wall all around.

"Leave this to me," said the pheasant, and she flew high over the wall.

"And to me," said the monkey, and he climbed up and over and unlocked the gate from inside.

Then in rushed Momotaro and the dog. The ogres were big and red and roared loudly, but the four friends did not run. The dog bit at the ogres' legs. The monkey scratched and leaped. The pheasant pecked from above where they could not catch her. And Momotaro, brave and strong, fought until the biggest ogre of all fell down before him.

"Mercy!" cried the ogre king, bowing low. "We will never trouble your villages again. Take back all the treasure we have stolen!"

Home Again

Momotaro and his three friends loaded the boat with the stolen rice and gold, to return it all to the people. Then they sailed home across the sparkling sea.

When Momotaro walked back into the village, everyone cheered. The old man and the old woman hugged him close, prouder and happier than ever before.

And from that day on, Momotaro, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant lived together as the best of friends — proof that kindness makes friends, and friends, working together, can do great things.

---

The moral: Share what you have and be kind, and you will gather true friends — and together, even the small can do brave and mighty deeds.

Want more world folktales? Try Anansi the Spider or The Lion and the Mouse next.