Hey
there! Welcome to "Fairy Tale and Folktale Fridays," a new feature on
my blog where I discuss about some fairy tales and folktales I have read
throughout the years.
Peachboy
Type: Folktale
Country of Origin: Japan
Main Character Hero or Heroine: Hero
Recommend?: Yes!
The story starts off with an old couple who lived a contented life, but they were sad because they had no children of their own. One day however, when the woman was doing the wash, she found a large peach floating towards them and when she and her husband cut into the peach to eat it, out popped a young baby boy. The old couple then named the baby Momotaro and as Momotaro got older, he became a strong and brave man. One day, he find out that there were terrible ogres terrorizing the people and Momotaro decided to go out and fight the ogres himself. Along the way, he meets up with a dog, a monkey and a pheasant and together, they traveled across the lands to defeat the ogres.
When I found out that "Peachboy" was regarded as Japan's most popular folktale, it's easy to see why this story is so well-beloved in Japan! I really loved the fact that we have a strong hero who was willing to save the villagers from the ogre and without having selfish reasons for doing so, like only doing it for fame. I also loved the companions that Momotaro took with him on his journey as I was impressed that we have a folktale where a monkey, a dog and a pheasant accompanied the hero and they all helped the hero throughout his journey. I also loved the Japanese culture intertwined in this story as it made the story more exotic.
1. What would you do if you saw a baby float inside a giant piece of fruit?
If I saw a baby floating inside a giant piece of fruit, I will admit that I will freak out a bit because it would be unusual seeing a baby inside a fruit so huge, but I will try to take care of the baby if there is no one else there to take care of the baby.
2. What animals would you like to take with you on a dangerous journey?
I would probably take along a dog, a hawk and a bear. I would take a dog because they would be very loyal to my cause and try to protect me, I would take a hawk to help me see through the landscape from the sky and I would take a bear to help take out the enemies much easier.
Peach Boy by William H. Hooks; Illustrated by June Otani
The Adventure of Momotaro, the Peach Boy by Joe Salto; Illustrated by Ralph F. McCarthy
Peach Boy by Eric Metaxas; Illustrated by Jeffrey Smith
Peach Boy: A Japanese Legend by Gail Sakurai; Illustrated by Makiko Nagano
Momotaro: The Peach Boy by Linda Shuth
Puss in Boots
