【The Monkey and the Crab’s Mochi Making】Classic Japanese Folktale

A tale of a cunning monkey and a diligent crab who make mochi together. Their friendly collaboration takes a sour turn due to the monkey’s greed, leading to an unexpected outcome.

Japanese Title: Saru to Kani no Mochituki / 猿と蟹の餅つき、さるとかにのもちつき
Translation: The Monkey and the Crab’s Mochi Making
Location: Kagoshima Prefecture / 鹿児島県　の昔話

Contents

The Story of “The Monkey and the Crab’s Mochi Making”

Once upon a time, there was a monkey living in the mountains, and a crab in the river. On a beautiful autumn day, the monkey suggested to the crab, “The weather is so good. How about we make some mochi? It will taste delicious.”

The crab agreed, “That sounds delicious.”

They knew that the tastiest mochi is made with rice and red beans, so they set out to collect the ingredients. The monkey picked up fallen rice from the harvested fields, and the crab picked red beans from the fields. Both collected diligently and brought their harvest home.

“Now, let’s start,” said the monkey.

“I will clean the rice and steam it, so please, crab, boil the red beans quickly.” The monkey painstakingly removed the husk from each grain of rice, transformed it into delicious rice, and steamed it. The crab, not to be outdone, washed the red beans, put them in a pot, and boiled them until they were soft.

Finally, they began making mochi. Both worked in harmony, the monkey pounding with a mallet, the crab turning the mochi in the mortar, adding red beans and pounding it into a fine paste.

Up to this point, both had worked well. However, when it was time to eat the mochi, the monkey showed his cunning side.

“Crab, it’s not fun to just split this and eat. Let’s take it to the top of the mountain and roll it down.”

The crab was persuaded and agreed, “That sounds fun. We will chase the mortar, and whoever gets the mochi first gets to eat it.”

With a lot of effort, the monkey and the crab carried the mortar filled with fresh azuki mochi to the top of the mountain. They began rolling it down the slope. As the mortar rolled down, the monkey jumped after it, declaring, “This azuki mochi is mine!” In a flash, the monkey and the mortar were out of sight.

The crab tried to chase after it, calling, “Wait, mortar! Wait, monkey!” But with his sideways movement, he couldn’t keep up. However, when he reached the bamboo grove halfway down the slope, he found the mochi. It had flown out of the mortar and landed on the bamboo, still steaming hot. “This mochi is mine. It’s delicious!”

The crab used his large pincers to tear off pieces of mochi and savored each bite. Meanwhile, the monkey had run all the way down the mountain to catch up with the mortar, only to find it empty.

“Where’s the mochi?” he wondered, and turned back. When he arrived at the bamboo grove and saw the crab enjoying the mochi, he tried to snatch some.

The crab got angry and pinched the monkey’s bottom with his large pincers. “Ouch! My bottom! I’m sorry,” cried the monkey.

To this day, the monkey’s bottom is hairless and red because the crab pinched it. And that’s why a crab’s pincers are covered in thick hair.

Notes of “The Monkey and the Crab’s Mochi Making”

Cultural Background

Mochi

Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain glutinous rice. It’s a traditional food enjoyed especially during New Year’s holidays, but also found in many Japanese dishes and sweets.

Animal Characters

In Japanese folklore, animals often embody human characteristics. In this story, the monkey is cunning and mischievous, while the crab is hard-working and honest.

Concept of Karma

The story incorporates the concept of karma, the idea that one’s actions, whether good or bad, will return to them in the future. This is evident in how the monkey’s greed leads to his punishment.