EP 351: The Quarrel of The Monkey and The Crab (Ozaki)

Listen Here

Watch Here

The Quarrel of The Monkey and The Crab

A long, long time ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, a pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together on the riverbank. As they were running around, Crab found a dumpling and Monkey found a persimmon seed.

Crab picked up the dumpling and showed it to Monkey, saying:

“Look what I found!”

Then Monkey held up his seed and said:

“I also found something good! Look!”

Now even though Monkey was very fond of persimmons, he had no use for the seed. The persimmon seed is as hard as a stone. So in his greedy nature, he wanted Crab’s dumpling, and he suggested a trade. Crab didn’t see why he should give up his yummy dumpling for a hard seed, and told Monkey to go jump in a lake.

Then sneaky Monkey began to persuade Crab, saying:

“You are so foolish. Can’t you think of the future! Your dumpling is only good for right now, and is bigger than my seed; but if you plant this seed in the ground it will grow and become a great tree. You will have a lot of ripe persimmons year after year. If only I could show you the fruit hanging on its branches! Of course, if you don’t believe me I will do it myself; and you will be very sorry that you did not listen to me.”

Crab was simple and could not resist Monkey’s slick talk. Finally, he gave in and agreed to Monkey’s proposal, and they traded goods. Greedy Monkey gobbled up the dumpling, and very slowly gave the seed to Crab. He wanted to keep that too, but he was afraid of making Crab angry and of getting pinched. They went their own ways, Monkey going back to the forest and Crab back to the riverbank. As soon as Crab reached home he put the persimmon seed in the ground, just as Monkey had told him.

The following spring Crab was delighted to see a sprout push its way up through the ground. It grew bigger each year, until at last it blossomed one spring, and the following autumn it grew some large persimmons. In the smooth green leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they mellowed into a deep orange. The little crab was happy to sit in the sun and stretch out his eyes and watch the persimmons.

“Oh, they are going to taste so good!” he said to himself.

One day he looked up and knew the persimmons must be ripe and he wanted to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the tree, trying to reach one of the beautiful persimmons hanging above him; but he failed each time, because a crab’s legs are made for scuttling over rocks, not climbing trees. Then he thought of his friend Monkey. Monkey could climb faster than anyone else. He made up his mind to ask Monkey for help, and he went to find him.

Running as fast as a crab can over the river side rocks and into the forest, Crab at last found Monkey. He was taking a nap in his favorite pine tree, with his tail curled around a branch to prevent him from falling off. He eagerly listened to what Crab told him. When he heard that the seed he had given to Crab had turned into a beautiful tree full of ripe fruit, he began to devise a plan to get the juicy orbs. He knew that he would have to trick poor Crab, but he was okay with that.

He went with Crab to pick the fruit for him. When they both reached the spot, Monkey was astonished to see such a beautiful tree that was loaded with sweet smelling fruit just waiting to be picked.

He ran up the tree, eating the juicy fruit one by one, and filling his belly until he was about to burst. He did not leave a single ripe fruit hanging on the tree. Poor Crab waited on the ground for the ripe treats to fall to the ground, but all that came down were some small unripe fruits that were as hard as stone.

Oh how Crab suffered as Monkey ate and ate and ate. He was so disappointed that he ran round and round the tree telling Monkey to remember his promise. At first, Monkey ignored Crab’s complaints, but at last he picked out the hardest, greenest persimmon he could find and aimed it at Crab’s head. The persimmon was as hard as a stone. Monkey’s missile struck home and Crab was left stunned and hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as he could pick them, Monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw them at poor defenseless Crab until he broke into pieces and died. He laid there, broken, at the foot of the tree that he had so tenderly grown.

When Monkey saw that he had killed Crab, he ran away as fast as he could, trembling, like a coward as he was.

Now Crab had a son who had been playing not far from the spot where this tragedy had taken place. On the way home he came across his father’s dead body, with his head smashed and his shell broken in several places. All around his body lay the unripe persimmons that Monkey had so cruelly thrown. The poor young crab sat down and wept at this dreadful sight.

After he had cried for a while, he realized that he had to do something to make things right again. He looked around for some clues that would lead him to the murderer. Looking up at the tree, he noticed that the best fruit was gone, and all that lay around were bits of peel and seeds strewn on the ground, as well as the unripe persimmons that had evidently been thrown at his father. Then he knew that Monkey was the murderer, because he remembered the story of the dumpling and the seed that his dad had told him. The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons, and he was sure that Monkey’s greed had led to his father’s death.

At first, while he was still burning with rage, he thought about going up to Monkey’s house and beating him up. On second thought, he knew that Monkey was smart and hard to beat, and plus he lived in a tree. He figured that he must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of his friends to help him, because this was not something that he could do alone.

Young crab set out at once for the mortar, his father’s old friend, and told him all that had happened. He begged the mortar, with tears in his eyes, to help him avenge his father’s death. Mortar said that he would help and that Young Crab should be very careful as Monkey was strong and cunning. Mortar went to fetch Bee and Chestnut (also Crab’s old friends) to ask for their help. Bee and Chestnut soon arrived. When they were told all about the old crab’s death and of Monkey’s wickedness and greed, they both gladly agreed to help Young Crab in his revenge.

They talked late into the evening, making plans to avenge the death of their friend. As the temple bell sounded, they parted and Mortar went with Young Crab to bury their friend.

While this was going on, Monkey sat in his tree and gloated about how he had eaten so many fine persimmons and how he had cracked the crabs body into bits. He told the leaves in the trees how he had been the smartest animal in the forest that day. Even though he was smiling and riding that emotional high, he was still worried that someone might find out that it was he who had killed Old Crab. If someone had seen him, Crab’s family might be out looking for revenge. But he was sure that he had slipped away without anyone seeing him, so he went back to singing his own praises. Still, he did not want to go out and get caught, for he still reeked of persimmon juice, and after a few days he got really bored. Then he said:

“Nobody knows that I killed Crab. How could they know? I am sure I saw him break into little pieces. No crab could survive that. Anyway, what is done is done, he isn’t coming back. Maybe it is time for me to go back outside. I am sooooo bored!”

So he went walking by Crab village and he snuck up behind their homes. He wanted to hear if they knew it was him, but there was nothing but silence in the home. The crabs were all sad about losing their village chief. They said nothing about the murder, they just slowly rolled the sand back and forth at their feet. Monkey was well pleased that they didn’t accuse him of anything and he said:

“They are all such fools that they don’t know and don’t care who murdered their chief!”

Little did he know in his so-called “monkey’s wisdom” that this was all part of Young Crab’s plan. He pretended that he blamed himself for his father’s death and led Monkey to believe that he was off the hook. Instead, Young Crab was secretly planning Monkey’s downfall.

So Monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told himself he had nothing now to fear.

One day, when Monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by a messenger from the young crab. Monkey wondered what the little crab was bringing him and the messenger bowed before him and said:

“I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the other day. He fell from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the tree. Since this is the seventh day after his death, it is the first anniversary. My master has prepared a little festival in his father’s honor, and he bids you come as you were one of his best friends. My master hopes you will honor his house with your presence.”

When Monkey heard these words he kept a straight face, but rejoiced in his heart. He knew that he had gotten away with everything and now the Crab family would be holding a feast and he would be able to eat even more. And so he said:

“I am so very sorry to hear of your chief’s death. We were great friends as you know. I remember that we once traded a dumpling for a seed. It grieves me to think that the seed was the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many thanks. I shall be delighted to honor my poor old friend!” And he wiped a fake tear from his eye.

Young Crab thought to himself, “The wicked monkey is fake crying, but soon he will be crying for real.” Then he thanked Monkey politely and went home.

When Young Crab had gone, wicked Monkey laughed aloud. He thought that Young Crab was really naive. Then he thought about all of the delicious food he was about to have at the feast. He put on his best mourning clothes and solemnly walked to the funeral hall.

All of Crab’s family was there. They welcomed him and exchanged bows as a form of respect. Young Crab welcomed him in. Monkey gave his condolences and spoke highly of the late crab. Monkey was graciously thanked and welcomed into the dining hall, where a great feast was waiting.

After the feast was over, he was invited to the tea room to drink a cup of tea. The young crab brought Monkey into the room and then exited via a side door. Monkey waited a long time. Finally, he became impatient. He said to himself:

“This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at dinner!”

He walked to the fireplace and began to pour some hot water from the kettle, when something burst out from the ashes with a great pop and hit Monkey right in the neck. It was the chestnut, one of Crab’s friends, who had hidden himself in the fireplace. Monkey, taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then started to run out of the room.

The bee, who was hiding outside the screen, now flew in and stung him on the cheek. Monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, and he ran on screaming with rage.

Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on the top of Crab’s gate, and as Monkey ran underneath, the mortar and all fell down on the top of Monkey’s head. He lay crushed and in great pain, quite unable to get up. As he lay there helpless Young Crab came up, and, holding his great claw over Monkey, he said:

“Do you remember now that you killed my father?”

“Then you—are—my—enemy?” gasped Monkey brokenly.

“Of course,” said the young crab.

“It—was—your—father’s—fault—not—mine!” gasped the unrepentant monkey.

“You are still lying? I will end you now!” and with that he snipped off Monkey’s head with his claws. Thus the wicked monkey met his well earned punishment, and the young crab avenged his father’s death.

This is the end of the story of Monkey, Crab, and the persimmon seed.

The End

Source: ⁠⁠The Japanese fairy book by Ozaki, Yei Theodora⁠

Photo Credit: By Kakuzō Fujiyama – This image has been extracted from another file, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.…
#Crab #folktale #Japan #monkey #nature #Ozaki #ProjectGutenberg #publicDomain #Revenge #writing