Momotarou

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Momotarou (桃太郎 Momotarō) is a popular Japanese fairy tale that dates from Edo period. The tale tells of a boy borned from a giant peach. In Japan, Momo means peach, and Taro is a popular name for Japanese boys.

Story

Long long time ago, in a remote village lived an old couple. They wished to have a child but they didn't have one. One day, the old man went to collect firewoods from the mountains. The old lady was washing clothers at the river alone when she discovered a giant peach floating down the river. She took the peach home, thinking they could make a meal out of it. However, she was unable to cut open the peach alone, so she waited for her husband to get back from the mountains. With both of them they managed to cut open the peach, but found a child inside instead. They named the boy Momotarou (Peach Boy) and treated him as their own son.

Years later, a group of Oni was pestering the village and Momotarou set off to deal with them. On the journey he met and befriended a talking white dog, a monkey and a pheasant. With the help of his animal friends, Momotarou managed to destroy the Oni group and discovered a lot of treasures kept by the Oni. He brought the treasures home and lived happily ever after with his elderly parents.