Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Japanese classical stories > August

Hikoichi's eel fishing

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 called Hikoichi.

　One day, Hikoichi went to the border river in Higo (Higo → Kumamoto prefecture) to go eel fishing.
　But for some reason, no eels were caught on this day.
　He went along upstream to find a place to be able to catch , before he knews it, he had entered the territory of a neighboring country.
“Well, no one will ever find out.”
　When Hikoichi started fishing, the eels were caught like fun.
　Then a samurai from the neighboring territory came to fish eels and found Hikoichi.
"Hey, hey, Hikoichi. This is the river in my lord's territory. I want every single eel you fished.”
　However, Hikoichi didn't panic at all.
“I only came here to fish after I saw hundreds of big eels rising in the Yatsushiro River. What's wrong with me fishing Yatsushiro's eels?”
“Hmm, that's true, but how can you distinguish the eels in Yatsushiro from the eels in my territory? Don't quibble.”
“No, it's easy to tell them apart.”
　Hikoichi fished a large eel and
“This is the one that came up from Yatsushiro.”
　and put it in his biku (basket for putting the fish), if he fished a small one,
“This is your eel.”
　Swiisssh!, the fish was thrown inside the samurai’s biku.
　So Hikoichi returned with only large eels.

End

One point advice : the consequences of one's own deeds

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