The county lord happened to hear about this and wished to meet Momotaro. The next day Momotaro went to see the county lord. The lord said to him, "Ogres have been threatening and robbing my peasants for a long time. If you are as strong as I heard, you shall go and punish them." Momotaro then agreed to go to the Island of Ogres.

For his journey, the old man and woman baked some millet cookies and gave them to Momotaro. Away he went and on his way he met a dog.

"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the dog.

"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."

"And what are you bringing with you?"

"The best millet cookies of Japan."

"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the dog. Momotaro gave the dog a cookie and they went along together.

Soon they met a monkey.

"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the monkey.

"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."

"And what are you bringing with you?"

"The best millet cookies of Japan."

"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the monkey. Momotaro gave the monkey a cookie and the three of them went along together.

Then they met a pheasant.

"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the pheasant.

"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."

"And what are you bringing with you?"

"The best millet cookies of Japan."

"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the pheasant. So Momotaro gave the pheasant a cookie too.

Momotaro, the dog, the monkey and the pheasant went together to the Island of Ogres by boat. They were sailing but could not see the island, so the pheasant went up in the sky. He found the island and guided the boat. Soon they landed on the Island of Ogres. There on the island was a great big castle with a huge door. It was tightly closed, but the monkey jumped easily inside and opened the huge door.

Momotaro entered and said to the ogres, who were having a feast, "My name is Momotaro, and I came to punish you." The ogres laughed at him, but the dog ran in and bit them as Momotaro fought using his sword. Momotaro and his companions, having eaten the best millet cookies of Japan, knew no fear and were strong.

At last the ogres cried for mercy, "We shall never be bad again, please spare our lives."

The defeated ogres gave Momotaro their treasure. He took it and returned with his companions, who had eaten the best millet cookies of Japan and helped defeat the ogres. The old man and the old woman, who had been worrying about Momotaro, welcomed them back cheerfully.

After that Momotaro and the old man and woman lived happily together.　


很久很久以前,一个地方住着老爷爷和老奶奶.通常,爷爷上山砍柴,奶奶去河边洗衣服.一天,奶奶洗衣服时,一个大桃子一沉一浮地顺水漂来.看到了这个桃子,奶奶就把它带回了家,想让爷爷尝个鲜.吃中午饭时,爷爷从山里回来了,看到了这个桃子后欢喜得不得了.两个人刚刚将桃子切开,不由得吓了一大跳,原来呀,一个活蹦乱眺的小男孩从桃子里面跳了出来.

爷爷和奶奶没有孩子,于是欢天喜地地认为孩子是天赐的,就把他叫做"桃太郎", 奶奶做好了饭给他吃,尽管桃太郎有点儿害怕,但仍然吃得很香甜.于是,桃太郎渐渐地长大了.liuxuepaper.com