Momotaro, the Peach Boy

Told in English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese.

Come, my dear, and let me tell you about a boy who came from the most unusual place of all — right out of a peach! Long ago, in Japan, an old woman was washing clothes by the river when a giant peach came bobbing along the water. She carried it home, and when she and her husband cut it open, out popped a cheerful baby boy! They named him Momotaro, which means 'Peach Boy,' and raised him with all their love.

Momotaro grew strong and kind, and one day he learned that a band of fierce ogres was troubling villages nearby, stealing treasure and frightening everyone. 'I will go and stop them,' he declared bravely. His mother packed him delicious millet dumplings for the journey, and off he went.

On the road, Momotaro met a spotted dog. 'Give me a dumpling and I'll join you!' said the dog, and Momotaro happily shared one. Next came a clever monkey, and then a proud pheasant, and Momotaro shared his dumplings with each of them too, and one by one, they became his loyal friends.

Together, the four companions sailed to Ogre Island. The dog bit at the ogres' ankles, the monkey scratched and climbed all over them, and the pheasant pecked from above, while brave Momotaro fought their leader directly. Can you imagine the ogres' surprise? Outmatched and afraid, the ogre chief begged for mercy and promised to return everything they had stolen and never trouble the villages again.

Momotaro and his friends sailed home with cartloads of treasure, and gave it all back to the grateful villagers. From that day on, my darling, Momotaro was remembered as a hero — not just for his bravery, but because he knew that sharing what little he had turned strangers into the truest of friends.