Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Japanese classical stories >May



Bloody-mindedness Comparison

Introduction to Hikoichi

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English translator　REN HANADA(花田れん)

　Once upon a time, there was a very clever child named Hikoichi.

　 There was a very cantankerous old man named Kinsaku in the village where Hikoichi lived.
　This Kinsaku was the kind of person who, when others said mountain, he said river, and when others said right, he says left.
　The villagers, who were completely troubled by Kinsaku, came to Hikoichi and said,
''Hey Hikoichi, can you use your wisdom to cure Grandpa Kinsaku's attitude of being cantankerous?"
"Okay, I'll take care of it.", Hikoichi replied.

　The next day, Hikoichi came to Grandpa Kinsaku and said,
"Kinsaku Grandpa. It's a nice day."
"Oh Hikoichi? There's nothing like a nice day. The road is so dry and dusty in this sunny day. If it's like this, I hope it rains."
''Well, well, well, that's the famous bloody-mindedness.”
　Hikochi shrugged and said to Grandpa Kinsaku,
“Hey, Grandpa. We'll do a bloody-mindedness comparison starting tomorrow."
"What? Bloody-mindedness comparison?"
''That's right. No matter what we say, we don't say "yes". We must say the opposite. Grandpa, you're good at this, aren't you?"
''Ahahahahahaha, I don't know what this witty kid thinks. I've been bloody-minded since I was a child. You can't beat me in a bloody-mindedness comparison.”
"Well, I don't know about that. Anyway, let's start bloody-mindedness comparison tomorrow."
"All right. Let's do it. But if you lose, I'll make sure you will never be called a witty kid."
"Of course."

　The next morning, Grandpa Kinsaku went to the river to catch fish.
　And soon, he had a basket full of fish.
"Now, I've caught a lot of fish. And I’m ready to go home."
　When Grandpa Kinsaku was about to leave, Hikoichi came and asked him,
“Hey old man, are you fishing?”
　If he would answer "Yes", he would loses the bloody-mindedness comparison.
　So Grandpa Kinsaku replied, "Hey I'm here to dump the fish." He threw away the basket full of fish.
　Then Hikoichi grinned and said, "It's a waste. If you throw away a fish, I'll pick it up." Then, he quickly grabbed a basket of fish and went away.
"Hikoichi! How dare you!"
　Grandpa Kinsaku kicked the ground in frustration.

　The next day, Grandpa Kinsaku found Hikoichi harvesting rice in the rice field.
"Yes! I'll take that rice away from him."
　Grandpa Kinsaku came up to Hikoichi and called out to him, "Oh, Hikoichi, are you harvesting rice?"
　If Hikoichi would also say "Yes", he would lose. He replied, "No, I am throwing rice away".
　When Grandpa Kinsaku heard this, he smiled happily and took all the rice that Hikoichi had harvested to the village. "If you throw away the rice, I'll pick it up."
　Then Hikoichi walked after Grandpa Kinsaku with an unconcerned look on his face.
　And as he came to his own house, he asked, "Grandpa. Did you go to my rice field to pick up rice?"
　Grandpa Kinaku replied, "No. I went to reap the rice."

　Hearing that, Hikoichi grinned and said, ''Ahahahahahaha. If you owe me something, you owe me back.” He took back all the rice that Grandpa Kinsaku had brought with him.
　This means that Grandpa Kinsaku carried Hikoichi's rice from the rice field to his house.
　Grandpa Kinsaku was totally beaten by Hikoichi.
"No, no, no, you're such a witty kid. I'm going to lose this game. From now on, I'm not going to say anything about that."
　Since that day, Grandpa Kinsaku has become a very honest old man.

End

One point advice : Good medicine is bitter to the mouth.

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