Most of Japanese really love fairy tales. Because we read so many times with parents in childhood.
And the fairy tale still continues to be read from one generation to another.
Let me share famous fairy tale with picture book. Let's try to read it.
This article was produced by General Incorporated Association of International Digital E-hon.
A long time ago, there lived a monkey and a crab.
One day the monkey picked a persimmon seed up off the road, and the crab picked up a rice-ball.
Because the rice-ball looked very delicious, the monkey said to the crab.
"Hey, Crab, I'll give you this persimmon seed for that rice-ball, OK?"
"Sure, that's fine."
Said the kind-hearted crab.
The crab planted the seed and gave it water while singing,
" Seed, seed, put out buds quickly, or I'll cut you off with my claw."
Then, a bud suddenly appeared.
The crab sang to it this time like this.
" Bud, bud, grow quickly and bear fruit for me, or I'll cut you off with my claw."
Then, as if by magic, it grew tall and became heavy with fruit.
The crab shouted with joy,
" Wow! Look how delicious! I want to eat them now, but I can not climb up the tree.
What should I do? Oh, yes, Monkey is a good climber. Why don't I ask him?"
The crab went to the monkey's house.
" Hi, Monkey, I found a tree that has plenty of ripened persimmons, but I can not climb it,
so will you pick the fruit for me?"
" Sure. I'll pick as many as you want," said the monkey.
The crab took the monkey to the persimmon tree.
" You're right. Those persimmons sure look delicious. You just wait here. I'll climb up and get some for you,"
said the monkey, and he climbed up the tree with ease.
The monkey picked one persimmon and munched it right down.
" Umm, yummy. It's so sweet I could eat them all."
The monkey exclaimed and kept eating one after another.
The crab was waiting patiently under the tree, but the monkey didn't seem to be coming down with the persimmons.
So, he shouted to the monkey,
"Hey, Monkey, stop eating and pick some for me!"
Then the monkey shouted back.
"Shut up, Crab! These are too good for you. You can have these green ones!"
The monkey plucked off some hard, green fruit and threw them down to the crab.
They hit the crab hard, and gave him a bump on the head.
The crab went home in pain and lay down for a nap.
Later, his friends Mortar, Chestnut and Bee came to comfort him.
The crab told them what Monkey had done to him.
" That's terrible! We should punish Monkey."
They all exclaimed.
" Yes, yes, we'll take revenge for poor Crab."
They decided and started discussing what they'd do.
When the crab got well, he went to see the monkey.
" Hi, Monkey, I made a good dinner. Come to my house and eat with me."
He said.
The monkey, having forgotten what he had done to the crab, happily went to the crab's house.
" Well now, make yourself at home. I'll bring in the food shortly."
With the crab's kind words, the monkey sat on the floor by the hearth. Just as the monkey was getting comfortable, the chestnut that was hiding in the fire burst in his face.
" Ouch! Oh no!"
cried the monkey.
The monkey panicked and ran to a bucket of water.
Then the bee flew out and stung the monkey's behind.
" Ouch, ouch! Help me!"
The monkey, holding his face and rear with his hands, ran out of the house.
Just as the monkey ran out of the door, the mortar dropped from the roof right on to the monkey.
"I got you, stinky Monkey. Apologize to Crab,"
said the mortar.
" I'm so sorry. I promise I'll never bully you again."
The monkey begged to the crab with tears.
After that, Crab, Monkey, Mortar, Chestnut and Bee lived happily together.
However, the monkey's burnt face and sore behind still remain red today.
The end
Is there any similar story in your country? Some fairy tales were introduced by other countries and mixed with own culture. I hope that you enjoy reading famous fairy tale.
What do you think of this fairy tale?
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