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イラスト　たつよ　　　提供　らくがきの日常

Poison Candy

(Tales of Ikkyu)

Translation  Laurence Hunter

Japanese　←→　Japanese ＆ English　←→　English

　Once upon a time, there lived a well known priest apprentice boy named Ikkyu.

　It all started one day.

　Oshou the head priest had received some candy syrup.

　Ikkyu saw the candy with desire filled eyes, but was told by Oshou.

"Ikkyu、now listen you here, this is medicine for adults, if any child should try to eat this then they will immediately drop down dead, this is terrible poison candy.

　By all means, you must never taste it!"

　Whereupon, Ikkyu smiled to himself

"Yes, I definitely wont eat it."

　Replied Ikkyu.

"Good, good" said the priest.

　After hearing these words, Oshou went off on his errands with peace of mind.

　As soon as Ikkyu knew that Oshou was gone.

"Hahahaha ,to have the cheek to say that if a child eats it he will be poisoned?

　It's not right to take all the candy for yourself you know."

　So, there at once, he divided all the candy syrup between the other boy priests and they then proceeded to eat it all up.

"Oh, that was delicious."

"But Ikkyu, to do such a thing, won't Oshou scold us all?”

　To the other worried boys, Ikkyu just smiled and said.

"It's alright, Ikkyu has a very good plan ready. Well, as a matter of fact..."



　Well, a little while after that , Oshou could be seen coming back from finishing his errands.

　Ikkyu then proceeded to pick up Oshou's most valued tea cup.

　He then smashed it hard on a rock in the garden. and it was broken into pieces.

　Then, all the boys wetted their eyes with spit and began to pretend to cry.

"Waah,waah"

　When Oshou got back he was very surprised to see everyone crying.

"Hey, what are you all crying about?　Ikkyu, what is this all about -- ?"

　Thereupon, Ikkyu explained while shedding tears.

“Oh, Oshou...We broke your most precious teacup.

　To make up for what we had done, we tried to taste the poison candy and die, but even though we ate it all up we did not die,　waaah, waaah"

　After hearing this, Oshou scratched his head and said,

"Damn, I have been deceived."

　And now, whenever the priest receives sweets from the villagers, then it is always divided between everyone.

The end

Advice: Beware, meanness could turn against you in the end.

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