"Next to the bear it is not easy to say which is the strongest, for
the deer, the monkey, and the hare all seem to be as strong as each
other," said Kintaro.

Suddenly Kintaro and his mother were startled by a voice from
outside.

"Listen to me, little boy! Next time you go, take this old man with
you to the wrestling match. He would like to join the sport too!"

It was the old woodcutter who had followed Kintaro from the river.
He slipped off his clogs and entered the cottage. Yama-uba and her
son were both taken by surprise. They looked at the intruder
wonderingly and saw that he was some one they had never seen before.

"Who are you?" they both exclaimed.

Then the woodcutter laughed and said:

"It does not matter who I am yet, but let us see who has the
strongest arm--this boy or myself?"

Then Kintaro, who had lived all his life in the forest, answered the
old man without any ceremony, saying:

"We will have a try if you wish it, but you must not be angry
whoever is beaten."

Then Kintaro and the woodcutter both put out their right arms and
grasped each other's hands. For a long time Kintaro and the old man