Hukumusume fairy tale collection > Japanese classical stories > July

Hikoichi and the cherry blossoms

Introduction to Hikoichi

・Japanese  English ・Japanese＆English

・日本語＆中国語

English translator　REN HANADA(花田れん)

Let's make an origami Origami Club Cherry Blossoms

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

　One day, a village rich person moved in next to Hikoichi's house.
　Hikoichi loves flowers even though he is poor, and he takes great care of the plum and cherry blossoms.
　 A few years later, the cherry blossoms that Hikoichi had carefully planted finally bloomed, spreading their branches over the fence.
　Then the rich person saw it and said, "The flowers over the fence are mine. Whether I fold them or tear them off, it's up to me. I'm sure you won't complain." He snaps the branches of the beautiful cherry tree.
"Ahhh. What a pity."
　 Hikoichi was frustrated that someone snapped his flowers destroy them in front of him.
　So, Hikoichi thought about getting back on him because of the broken cherry blossoms.
　 It was some time later, on a moonlit night.
　Hikoichi set up the pots, sickles, and basins in front of his garden and began to make deafening noises.
♪Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong
　 The rich man was surprised by so much noise, so he came out of the house.
"Hey, Hikoichi. Shut up! What the hell are you doing!?"
　And that's when he looked into Hikoichi's house through a gap in the fence.
　 Hikoichi, who was waiting for him, took a pair of large iron scissors and snapped the rich person's pug nose.
"Hey, hey, hey! Let me go, Hikoichi. My nose will be torn off. Hey, let me go!"
"No, I won't let go, the nose (flower; both are pronounced “hana” in Japanese) over the fence is mine. Whether I fold them or tear them off, it's up to me. I'm sure you won't complain. Well, this crappy nose is no substitute for those cherry blossoms, but it can't be helped."
　As he said so, he was about to cut off the rich man's nose, but the rich man said, with tears streaming down his face,
"Hikoichi, I'm sorry. I'll give you a bale of rice, just let me go."
"For a single bale, I won't let you go."
"You can have two bales, then."
"Two bales, but I won't let you go."
"Three bales, then. No, how about four bales?"

　However, Hikoichi was not satisfied with the offer so he beat up the rich man, took away five bales of rice and finally let the rich man go.

End

One point advice : Who spits against Heaven, spits in his own face.

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