Once upon a time, there lived an old man in a mountain village. He had three sons. The eldest was called Ichiro, the middle was Jiro, and the youngest was Saburo. The older brothers decided to move to the city and enter the service - they really didn’t want to live in poverty with their father. The old man remained with his youngest son.
One day Saburo’s father gave him a one-yen coin and said:
- Go, son, to the market, buy something.
Saburo set off on his journey. He left the village, walked two rigs in total, and suddenly saw an old woman dragging a cat on a straw rope, and even hitting her, poor thing, with a stick.
- Hey, grandma, why are you hitting the cat? - Saburo shouted.
“My cat, I do what I want,” the old woman got angry. “She’s stupid: she carries other people’s chickens and geese, but doesn’t catch mice.” There is no use from her, so I want to drown her in the river.
“Wait, grandma,” Saburo begged. “Don’t drown the cat, it’s better to give it to me.” And I'll give you one yen for it.
“Will you give me one yen for a cat?” the old woman was surprised. “Well, come on!”
Saburo gave the old woman a coin and received a cat for it. He took her in his arms and said:
- Come, kitty, to live with me. I will never offend you.
So he returned home with the cat.
The next day, the father again gave Saburo a one-yen coin and sent him to the market.
Saburo walked two ri (Ri is a measure of length - 3.9 km), suddenly he sees an old man coming towards him, dragging a dog on a straw rope, and even beating it, poor thing, with a stick.
- Grandfather, why are you beating the dog?! - Saburo shouted.
“This is a useless dog,” answered the old man, “he doesn’t guard the house, but only carries sheep and pigs from the neighbors.” I decided to drown her in the river.
“Grandfather, don’t drown the dog,” Saburo asked, “you’d better give it to me.” And I'll pay you one yen.
- Will you pay one yen for the dog? - the old man was surprised. - Well, take it!
Saburo gave the old man a coin and received a dog for it.
“Come on, little dog, to live with me,” he says. “No one will hurt you anymore.”
And on the third day, Saburo again received a one-yen coin from his father and went to the market.
“Just don’t waste your money, son,” the father asked. “The fact that you saved a cat and a dog from death is good.” Yes, I just gave you the last coin today, we have nothing else.
Saburo came to the market. He walked and walked and left with nothing. He walks through the forest and suddenly sees children playing at the edge of the forest. I stopped to look - and in the children’s hands a small monkey was struggling and struggling.
- What are you worthless creatures doing? - Saburo shouted. “Why are you torturing the little monkey?”
- This is a stupid monkey, he doesn’t know how to do anything. It’s not a pity to torture someone like that,” the children answered.
“Give me the monkey, I’ll pay you one yen for it,” Saburo suggested.
- Will you really pay? - the children didn’t believe it. - Take her quickly!
The children grabbed the coin and ran away. Saburo stroked the monkey and said:
“You’re still little, that’s why you don’t know how dangerous it is to walk through the forest alone.” I will not carry you to the village, but I will set you free. Run quickly!
The monkey was delighted, bowed to Saburo, and then quickly galloped off to the mountains.
Meanwhile, it became completely dark. Saburo walks through the forest and thinks: “How can I show myself to my father now - I have neither purchases nor money.” He sat down under a large tree and began to think about what he should do next. Suddenly he hears someone calling him: “Kya, kya, kya!” He turned around and saw a small monkey standing in front of him.
- Why did you come back? - Saburo was surprised. “It’s dangerous here, quickly leave!”
The monkey spoke in a human voice:
“I came, Saburo, to thank you for saving me.” I told my grandfather about your good deed. He really wanted to see you. Know, Saburo, that my grandfather is the king of all monkeys!
Saburo was amazed - what miracles happen in the world! He became very curious to look at the monkey kingdom.
“Okay,” he says, “take me to your grandfather.” Saburo and the monkey set off on the road. They walked for a long time:
and they went down into the gorge, and up the mountain, and made their way through the dense forest. They finally came to large rocks. Saburo looks, and in the rocks - a real palace has been built, and guards with spears are standing at the gate. The kingdom of the monkey ruler is huge. In the center the fire burns so brightly that it is as bright as day in the palace. And in the depths - the king of the monkeys himself sits. He turned out to be quite old, wrinkled, with gray strands of hair coming down from his ears.
“Come, Saburo, into my palace,” the king invited the young man. “My granddaughter told me that you saved her from death.” If it weren't for you, we would be in big trouble. Be a welcome guest in my palace, live with us as long as you wish!
Here the servants brought all sorts of treats, and King Saburo began to treat them. And then the monkeys began performing all sorts of tricks for Saburo, just like in the theater. Saburo really liked the king of the monkeys. But now the time has come to return home.
“I want to give you a parting gift,” said the king of the monkeys. “This is the most wonderful thing that is in our kingdom.” She is like a hammer of happiness - she will bring you whatever you want.
He handed Saburo a red bag, and in it was a small coin. The young man thanked the king and went home. He returned to the village with the first roosters. He looks and his father is standing on the threshold of the house.
“Where have you been, Saburo?” he asks. “I waited for you all night, I didn’t sleep a wink.” My heart ached from worry for you.
“Forgive me, father,” said Saburo. “I didn’t want to cause you mental pain.” But a miracle just happened to me - I received a red bag as a gift from the king of the monkeys, and in it was a magic coin. Now you and I, father, will live richly. You will never need to know again.
Saburo told his father about what happened to him that night: he told about the royal granddaughter, and about the monkey lord, and then he said:
- Come on, father, first we’ll build ourselves a good house! Come on, magic coin, make a rich house appear in place of our shack!
A coin jumped out of the red bag - ding, ding, ding! Lo and behold, in place of the shack stands a beautiful two-story house under a carved roof. The father marvels and just throws up his hands. Saburo asked the coin for another barn with flour and a barn with rice. He and his father lived richly.
Word of the magic coin spread throughout the villages. The poor began to come to Saburo and ask for help.
One day a peasant came to Saburo from a distant village. “Lend me, Saburo, a magic coin,” he asks. “You’ll see, in three days I’ll return it to you unharmed.”
Saburo agreed and gave the coin. On the evening of the third day, a peasant from a distant village came again - as agreed - and returned the coin. And then the older brothers from the city came - the rumor about Saburo’s wealth reached them.
Saburo and his father were happy when they saw their brothers. They seat you in a place of honor and treat you to expensive dishes.
“We should give the brothers rich clothes,” thought Saburo. He took the coin and said:
- Come on, magic coin, dress up my brothers! He said this - he looks - the coin lies in the palm of his hand, does not move, does not bestow clothes on the rich.
“What happened to our coin? - Saburo was surprised. “No way, that peasant did a bad thing - he replaced the magic coin!” Saburo rushed to the village where the peasant came from. He sees a rich house standing there, and all around there are white stone barns. Saburo immediately understood where the evil peasant got such wealth. What can you do?
Meanwhile, the cat, the same one that Saburo saved from death, decided to help its owner. She slowly got out of the house and went to the village where the peasant had come from. She found the house of the deceiver and snuck inside. She hid and waited. Suddenly he sees a mouse running. The cat grabbed her, the mouse squeaked pitifully and began to call for help. And then, indeed, mice jumped out from all corners - visibly and invisibly - squealing at the top of their lungs, waving their paws. And then suddenly everyone fell silent. An old mouse stepped forward and said:
“Mistress cat, have mercy on us!” We are having a lot of fun today - we are marrying off my granddaughter. But the trouble is, our bride has fallen into your clutches. It's your choice, but have pity on the groom and parents!
“Okay,” answered the cat, “I won’t eat your bride.” Only for this you will bring me one little thing - a magic coin that lies in a red bag. As soon as you find it, I will release your mouse.
Mice scattered throughout the house. They searched for a long time, and finally returned to the cat.
“Look, lady cat,” they shout, “isn’t this the coin you are looking for?”
- Yes, it looks like she’s the one! Well, you did a good job - get your bride safe and sound.
The cat picked up the treasured bag with the magic coin and ran home.
The cat is running, and halfway there the dog is waiting for her:
“You, cat, are probably tired,” he says. “Let me carry the bag further!”
“No, dog, I’m not tired,” answered the cat. “I don’t need your help.”
“It’s no good for you to return to your owner alone,” the dog got angry. “Otherwise he’ll think that I’m completely ungrateful!”
The dog said so, snatched the red bag from the cat and ran away.
The dog ran and ran until it came to the river bank. She stopped to take a break, and suddenly she saw another dog looking at her from the water, and in her mouth she had exactly the same red bag! The dog was surprised and barked. It was then that the bag with the magic coin fell into the water! The dog had to return home with nothing.
Meanwhile, the cat approached the river. She sat down on the shore and saw a big fish swimming. The cat decided to at least take the fish to Saburo. I caught her and wandered home.
Saburo took a large knife, ripped open the fish's belly and suddenly... ding, ding, ding - a magic coin rolled across the floor! Saburo was surprised: how did she get there? The cat and dog had to tell the owner everything.
“Thank you for returning the coin,” said Saburo. “The only bad thing is that the dog acted dishonestly and wanted to deceive me.” For this, dog, you will now live in the yard and guard the house.
Since then, it has been like this: the cat lives in the house near the owners, and the dog lives at the gate, guarding the house.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru