boughs on his back, until his fur was in flames, and it was
almost too late to put it out. Shrieking with pain, he let fall
the burning wood from his back, and stamped and howled with
agony. But the hare comforted him, and told him that he always
carried with him an excellent plaster in case of need, which
would bring him instant relief, and taking out his ointment he
spread it on a leaf of bamboo, and laid it on the wound. No
sooner did it touch him than the Tanuki leapt yelling into the
air, and the hare laughed, and ran to tell his friend the peasant
what a trick he had played on their enemy. But the old man shook
his head sadly, for he knew that the villain was only crushed for
the moment, and that he would shortly be revenging himself upon
them. No, the only way every to get any peace and quiet was to
render the Tanuki harmless for ever. Long did the old man and
the hare puzzle together how this was to be done, and at last
they decided that they would make two boats, a small one of wood
and a large one of clay. Then they fell to work at once, and
when the boats were ready and properly painted, the hare went to
the Tanuki, who was still very ill, and invited him to a great
fish-catching. The Tanuki was still feeling angry with the hare
about the trick he had played him, but he was weak and very
hungry, so he gladly accepted the proposal, and accompanied the
hare to the bank of the river, where the two boats were moored,
rocked by the waves. They both looked exactly alike, and the
Tanuki only saw that one was bigger than the other, and would
hold more fish, so he sprang into the large one, while the hare
climbed into the one which was made of wood. They loosened their
moorings, and made for the middle of the stream, and when they
were at some distance from the bank, the hare took his oar, and
struck such a heavy blow at the other boat, that it broke in two.