Saru_Kani_Gassen

Saru Kani Gassen (猿かに合戦) - The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab


Crab & Monkey


A crab once found a rice ball while walking and traded it with a monkey for a persimmon seed. Though unhappy at first, she planted the seed and cared for it, and in time it grew into a fruitful tree. The monkey climbed the tree to pick the fruit but ate the ripe persimmons himself and threw the hard ones down at the crab, gravely injuring her.

After her death, the crab’s children worked together with several helpers, a chestnut, a bee, cow dung, and a mortar, to confront the monkey. Through their clever cooperation, the monkey was finally defeated, restoring balance and justice.

🤫The Trickery: A monkey convinces a crab to swap her rice ball for a worthless persimmon seed, promising it will grow into a tree.

😡The Betrayal: The crab tenderly grows a fruitful tree. The monkey agrees to climb it, but eats all the ripe fruit and throws hard, unripe ones at the crab, killing her.

😈⃤ The Revenge: The crab's children, along with a bee, a chestnut, and a rice mortar (or cow dung), storm the monkey's house.

💀The Outcome: The allies cause the monkey pain and ultimately kill him to avenge the mother crab.

📕Lesson: The story emphasizes that greed and malice will eventually bring retribution.

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