Momotaro, the Peach Boy
Long ago, in a small village in Japan, an old woman was washing clothes by the river. One day, a very big peach came down the water. She took it home. When her husband cut it open, a baby boy was inside. They were very happy. They named him Momotaro, which means Peach Boy.
Momotaro grew up fast. He was kind and very strong. One day, he said to his parents, 'Ogres live on an island far from here. They steal from our village. I will go and stop them.' His mother made him rice cakes for the trip. His father gave him a sword.
On the road, Momotaro met a dog, a monkey, and a bird. He gave each one a rice cake. Each one joined him. Together they went by boat to the island of the ogres. They fought until the ogres were tired. The ogres said, 'Please stop. We will give back everything.' Momotaro came home with the treasure, and the village was safe again.
Vocabulary
- ogres
- big man-like monsters in old stories, strong and mean to people — Children in the forest were told not to go where the ogres lived.
- sword
- a long, sharp metal thing used for fighting in old times — The man kept his old sword near the door.
- treasure
- a lot of gold, silver, or other rich things kept somewhere safe — The pirates buried the treasure on a small island.