THE FARMER and THE BADGER

THE FARMER AND THE BADGER

Long, long ago, there lived an old farmer and his wife who had made their home

in the mountains, far from any town. Their only neighbor was a bad and

malicious badger. This badger used to come out every night and run across to

the farmer’s field and spoil the vegetables and the rice which the farmer

spent his time in carefully cultivating. The badger at last grew so ruthless in

his mischievous work, and did so much harm everywhere on the farm, that the

good-natured farmer could not stand it any longer, and determined to put a stop

to it. So he lay in wait day after day and night after night, with a big club,

hoping to catch the badger, but all in vain. Then he laid traps for the wicked

animal.

The farmer’s trouble and patience was rewarded, for one fine day on going

his rounds he found the badger caught in a hole he had dug for that purpose.

The farmer was delighted at having caught his enemy, and carried him home

securely bound with rope. When he reached the house the farmer said to his

wife:

“I have at last caught the bad badger. You must keep an eye on him while

I am out at work and not let him escape, because I want to make him into soup

to-night.”

Saying this, he hung the badger up to the rafters of his storehouse and went

out to his work in the fields. The badger was in great distress, for he did not

at all like the idea of being made into soup that night, and he thought and

thought for a long time, trying to hit upon some plan by which he might escape.

It was hard to think clearly in his uncomfortable position, for he had been

hung upside down. Very near him, at the entrance to the storehouse, looking out

towards the green fields and the trees and the pleasant sunshine, stood the

farmer’s old wife pounding barley. She looked tired and old. Her face was

seamed with many wrinkles, and was as brown as leather, and every now and then

she stopped to wipe the perspiration which rolled down her face.

“Dear lady,” said the wily badger, “you must be very weary

doing such heavy work in your old age. Won’t you let me do that for you?

My arms are very strong, and I could relieve you for a little while!”

“Thank you for your kindness,” said the old woman, “but I

cannot let you do this work for me because I must not untie you, for you might

escape if I did, and my husband would be very angry if he came home and found

you gone.”

Now, the badger is one of the most cunning of animals, and he said again in a

very sad, gentle, voice:

“You are very unkind. You might untie me, for I promise not to try to

escape. If you are afraid of your husband, I will let you bind me again before

his return when I have finished pounding the barley. I am so tired and sore

tied up like this. If you would only let me down for a few minutes I would

indeed be thankful!”

The old woman had a good and simple nature, and could not think badly of any

one. Much less did she think that the badger was only deceiving her in order to

get away. She felt sorry, too, for the animal as she turned to look at him. He

looked in such a sad plight hanging downwards from the ceiling by his legs,

which were all tied together so tightly that the rope and the knots were

cutting into the skin. So in the kindness of her heart, and believing the

creature’s promise that he would not run away, she untied the cord and

let him down.

The old woman then gave him the wooden pestle and told him to do the work for a

short time while she rested. He took the pestle, but instead of doing the work

as he was told, the badger at once sprang upon the old woman and knocked her

down with the heavy piece of wood. He then killed her and cut her up and made

soup of her, and waited for the return of the old farmer. The old man worked

hard in his fields all day, and as he worked he thought with pleasure that no

more now would his labor be spoiled by the destructive badger.

Towards sunset he left his work and turned to go home. He was very tired, but

the thought of the nice supper of hot badger soup awaiting his return cheered

him. The thought that the badger might get free and take revenge on the poor

old woman never once came into his mind.

The badger meanwhile assumed the old woman’s form, and as soon as he saw

the old farmer approaching came out to greet him on the veranda of the little

house, saying:

“So you have come back at last. I have made the badger soup and have been

waiting for you for a long time.”

The old farmer quickly took off his straw sandals and sat down before his tiny

dinner-tray. The innocent man never even dreamed that it was not his wife but

the badger who was waiting upon him, and asked at once for the soup. Then the

badger suddenly transformed himself back to his natural form and cried out:

“You wife-eating old man! Look out for the bones in the kitchen!”

Laughing loudly and derisively he escaped out of the house and ran away to his

den in the hills. The old man was left behind alone. He could hardly believe

what he had seen and heard. Then when he understood the whole truth he was so

scared and horrified that he fainted right away. After a while he came round

and burst into tears. He cried loudly and bitterly. He rocked himself to and

fro in his hopeless grief. It seemed too terrible to be real that his faithful

old wife had been killed and cooked by the badger while he was working quietly

in the fields, knowing nothing of what was going on at home, and congratulating

himself on having once for all got rid of the wicked animal who had so often

spoiled his fields. And oh! the horrible thought; he had very nearly drunk the

soup which the creature had made of his poor old woman. “Oh dear, oh

dear, oh dear!” he wailed aloud. Now, not far away there lived in the

same mountain a kind, good-natured old rabbit. He heard the old man crying and

sobbing and at once set out to see what was the matter, and if there was

anything he could do to help his neighbor. The old man told him all that had

happened. When the rabbit heard the story he was very angry at the wicked and

deceitful badger, and told the old man to leave everything to him and he would

avenge his wife’s death. The farmer was at last comforted, and, wiping

away his tears, thanked the rabbit for his goodness in coming to him in his

distress.

The rabbit, seeing that the farmer was growing calmer, went back to his home to

lay his plans for the punishment of the badger.

The next day the weather was fine, and the rabbit went out to find the badger.

He was not to be seen in the woods or on the hillside or in the fields

anywhere, so the rabbit went to his den and found the badger hiding there, for

the animal had been afraid to show himself ever since he had escaped from the

farmer’s house, for fear of the old man’s wrath.

The rabbit called out:

“Why are you not out on such a beautiful day? Come out with me, and we

will go and cut grass on the hills together.”

The badger, never doubting but that the rabbit was his friend, willingly

consented to go out with him, only too glad to get away from the neighborhood

of the farmer and the fear of meeting him. The rabbit led the way miles away

from their homes, out on the hills where the grass grew tall and thick and

sweet. They both set to work to cut down as much as they could carry home, to

store it up for their winter’s food. When they had each cut down all they

wanted they tied it in bundles and then started homewards, each carrying his

bundle of grass on his back. This time the rabbit made the badger go first.

When they had gone a little way the rabbit took out a flint and steel, and,

striking it over the badger’s back as he stepped along in front, set his

bundle of grass on fire. The badger heard the flint striking, and asked:

“What is that noise. ‘Crack, crack’?”

“Oh, that is nothing.” replied the rabbit; “I only said

‘Crack, crack’ because this mountain is called Crackling

Mountain.”

The fire soon spread in the bundle of dry grass on the badger’s back. The

badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, “What is

that?”

“Now we have come to the ‘Burning Mountain,’” answered

the rabbit.

By this time the bundle was nearly burned out and all the hair had been burned

off the badger’s back. He now knew what had happened by the smell of the

smoke of the burning grass. Screaming with pain the badger ran as fast as he

could to his hole. The rabbit followed and found him lying on his bed groaning

with pain.

“What an unlucky fellow you are!” said the rabbit. “I

can’t imagine how this happened! I will bring you some medicine which

will heal your back quickly!”

The rabbit went away glad and smiling to think that the punishment upon the

badger had already begun. He hoped that the badger would die of his burns, for

he felt that nothing could be too bad for the animal, who was guilty of

murdering a poor helpless old woman who had trusted him. He went home and made

an ointment by mixing some sauce and red pepper together.

He carried this to the badger, but before putting it on he told him that it

would cause him great pain, but that he must bear it patiently, because it was

a very wonderful medicine for burns and scalds and such wounds. The badger

thanked him and begged him to apply it at once. But no language can describe

the agony of the badger as soon as the red pepper had been pasted all over his

sore back. He rolled over and over and howled loudly. The rabbit, looking on,

felt that the farmer’s wife was beginning to be avenged.

The badger was in bed for about a month; but at last, in spite of the red

pepper application, his burns healed and he got well. When the rabbit saw that

the badger was getting well, he thought of another plan by which he could

compass the creature’s death. So he went one day to pay the badger a

visit and to congratulate him on his recovery.

During the conversation the rabbit mentioned that he was going fishing, and

described how pleasant fishing was when the weather was fine and the sea

smooth.

The badger listened with pleasure to the rabbit’s account of the way he

passed his time now, and forgot all his pains and his month’s illness,

and thought what fun it would be if he could go fishing too; so he asked the

rabbit if he would take him the next time he went out to fish. This was just

what the rabbit wanted, so he agreed.

Then he went home and built two boats, one of wood and the other of clay. At

last they were both finished, and as the rabbit stood and looked at his work he

felt that all his trouble would be well rewarded if his plan succeeded, and he

could manage to kill the wicked badger now.

The day came when the rabbit had arranged to take the badger fishing. He kept

the wooden boat himself and gave the badger the clay boat. The badger, who knew

nothing about boats, was delighted with his new boat and thought how kind it

was of the rabbit to give it to him. They both got into their boats and set

out. After going some distance from the shore the rabbit proposed that they

should try their boats and see which one could go the quickest. The badger fell

in with the proposal, and they both set to work to row as fast as they could

for some time. In the middle of the race the badger found his boat going to

pieces, for the water now began to soften the clay. He cried out in great fear

to the rabbit to help him. But the rabbit answered that he was avenging the old

woman’s murder, and that this had been his intention all along, and that

he was happy to think that the badger had at last met his deserts for all his

evil crimes, and was to drown with no one to help him. Then he raised his oar

and struck at the badger with all his strength till he fell with the sinking

clay boat and was seen no more.

Thus at last he kept his promise to the old farmer. The rabbit now turned and

rowed shorewards, and having landed and pulled his boat upon the beach, hurried

back to tell the old farmer everything, and how the badger, his enemy, had been

killed.

The old farmer thanked him with tears in his eyes. He said that till now he

could never sleep at night or be at peace in the daytime, thinking of how his

wife’s death was unavenged, but from this time he would be able to sleep

and eat as of old. He begged the rabbit to stay with him and share his home, so

from this day the rabbit went to stay with the old farmer and they both lived

together as good friends to the end of their days.

THE “SHINANSHA,” OR THE SOUTH POINTING CARRIAGE The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite a common

thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though when it was first

invented it must have been a wonder. Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention called the

shinansha. This was a kind of chariot with the figure of a man on it always

pointing to the South. No matter how the chariot was placed the figure always

wheeled about and pointed to the South. This curious instrument was invented by Kotei, one of the three Chinese

Emperors of the Mythological age. Kotei was the son of the Emperor Yuhi. Before

he was born his mother had a vision which foretold that her son would be a

great man. One summer evening she went out to walk in the meadows to seek the cool breezes

which blow at the end of the day and to gaze with pleasure at the star-lit

heavens above her. As she looked at the North Star, strange to relate, it shot

forth vivid flashes of lightning in every direction. Soon after this her son

Kotei came into the world. Kotei in time grew to manhood and succeeded his father the Emperor Yuhi. His

early reign was greatly troubled by the rebel Shiyu. This rebel wanted to make

himself King, and many were the battles which he fought to this end. Shiyu was

a wicked magician, his head was made of iron, and there was no man that could

conquer him. At last Kotei declared war against the rebel and led his army to battle, and

the two armies met on a plain called Takuroku. The Emperor boldly attacked the

enemy, but the magician brought down a dense fog upon the battlefield, and

while the royal army were wandering about in confusion, trying to find their

way, Shiyu retreated with his troops, laughing at having fooled the royal army. No matter however strong and brave the Emperor’s soldiers were, the rebel

with his magic could always escape in the end. Kotei returned to his Palace, and thought and pondered deeply as to how he

should conquer the magician, for he was determined not to give up yet. After a

long time he invented the shinansha with the figure of a man always pointing

South, for there were no compasses in those days. With this instrument to show

him the way he need not fear the dense fogs raised up by the magician to

confound his men. Kotei again declared war against Shiyu. He placed the shinansha in front of his

army and led the way to the battlefield. The battle began in earnest. The rebel was being driven backward by the royal

troops when he again resorted to magic, and upon his saying some strange words

in a loud voice, immediately a dense fog came down upon the battlefield. But this time no soldier minded the fog, not one was confused. Kotei by

pointing to the shinansha could find his way and directed the army without a

single mistake. He closely pursued the rebel army and drove them backward till

they came to a big river. This river Kotei and his men found was swollen by the

floods and impossible to cross. Shiyu by using his magic art quickly passed over with his army and shut himself

up in a fortress on the opposite bank. When Kotei found his march checked he was wild with disappointment, for he had

very nearly overtaken the rebel when the river stopped him. He could do nothing, for there were no boats in those days, so the Emperor

ordered his tent to be pitched in the pleasantest spot that the place afforded. One day he stepped forth from his tent and after walking about for a short time

he came to a pond. Here he sat down on the bank and was lost in thought. It was autumn. The trees growing along the edge of the water were shedding

their leaves, which floated hither and thither on the surface of the pond. By

and by, Kotei’s attention was attracted to a spider on the brink of the

water. The little insect was trying to get on to one of the floating leaves

near by. It did so at last, and was soon floating over the water to the other

side of the pond. This little incident made the clever Emperor think that he might try to make

something that could carry himself and his men over the river in the same way

that the leaf had carried over the spider. He set to work and persevered till

he invented the first boat. When he found that it was a success he set all his

men to make more, and in time there were enough boats for the whole army. Kotei now took his army across the river, and attacked Shiyu’s

headquarters. He gained a complete victory, and so put an end to the war which

had troubled his country for so long. This wise and good Emperor did not rest till he had secured peace and

prosperity throughout his whole land. He was beloved by his subjects, who now

enjoyed their happiness of peace for many long years under him. He spent a

great deal of time in making inventions which would benefit his people, and he

succeeded in many besides the boat and the South Pointing shinansha. He had reigned about a hundred years when one day, as Kotei was looking

upwards, the sky became suddenly red, and something came glittering like gold

towards the earth. As it came nearer Kotei saw that it was a great Dragon. The

Dragon approached and bowed down its head before the Emperor. The Empress and

the courtiers were so frightened that they ran away screaming. But the Emperor only smiled and called to them to stop, and said: “Do not be afraid. This is a messenger from Heaven. My time here is

finished!” He then mounted the Dragon, which began to ascend towards the

sky. When the Empress and the courtiers saw this they all cried out together: “Wait a moment! We wish to come too.” And they all ran and caught

hold of the Dragon’s beard and tried to mount him. But it was impossible for so many people to ride on the Dragon. Several of them

hung on to the creature’s beard so that when it tried to mount the hair

was pulled out and they fell to the ground. Meanwhile the Empress and a few of the courtiers were safely seated on the

Dragon’s back. The Dragon flew up so high in the heavens that in a short

time the inmates of the Palace, who had been left behind disappointed, could

see them no more. After some time a bow and an arrow dropped to the earth in the courtyard of the

Palace. They were recognized as having belonged to the Emperor Kotei. The

courtiers took them up carefully and preserved them as sacred relics in the

Palace.