Momotaro: The Smallest Army

The wrong fight

Momotaro had come to fight the ogres. His army was busy fighting itself.

A child from water

Years earlier, an old woman had found him inside a peach. She raised him as her son.

A promise at home

Now ogres were raiding the coast and carrying people away. Momotaro packed food and promised his mother he would return.

Three new companions

On the road, a dog had asked for a cake. Then a monkey. Then a pheasant. He had shared with each.

Food was not enough

But the dog distrusted the monkey. The monkey resented the dog. Their quarrelling followed him all the way to the sea.

One common purpose

At the shore, Momotaro stopped giving orders. “I cannot get them home alone.” The quarrelling fell quiet.

A different kind of strength

Across the water stood walls he could not climb. He turned to the pheasant. “Can you get above them?”

Eyes on the sky

The pheasant drew the guards’ eyes upward. Below, the monkey reached the gate’s fastening.

An opening made together

The monkey pulled. The dog shouldered the gate wide, and Momotaro followed.

The fighting ends

The four fought until the ogre chief dropped his club. Momotaro lowered his sword. “Where are the prisoners?”

What victory was for

They opened the prisoners’ doors and brought the captives home.

A larger table

At supper, the dog moved over. The monkey sat beside him. Momotaro passed the cakes.