Raccoon of teakettle

Raccoon of teakettle

Long long ago, there lived a gambler in a village, who lost his game and on his way home met a raccoon.
“Mr. Raccoon, I have a favor of you.” said the gambler.
“What is it?” said the raccoon.
“I want you to change into an iron teakettle.”
“If you bring me a lunch box for lunch, I’ll change into it.”
An hour later he brought it to the raccoon from his house.
“Mr. Raccoon. I brought a lunch box for you.”
On finishing his lunch, the raccoon quickly changed into a wonderful Japanese iron teakettle.
The gambler wrapped it in furoshiki(Japanese wrapping cloth) and brought it to a priest living in a mountain temple.
“Mr. Priest, I found a nice iron teakettle. So please buy this for 3000 yen.” said the gambler.
The priest became very fond of it and bought it.
He called his young disciple and said to him.
“Go and polish this teakettle with brush in the front river.”
The disciple polished it hard while the raccoon couldn’t help crying.
“Hey boy, it hurts me. Polish me softly.” cried the raccoon.
The boy was so surprised and got back to the temple and said to the master.
“Mr. Priest, This teakettle said,’ Hey boy, it hurts me. Polish me softly.'”.
“Don’t worry. A new teakettle sometimes says so.”
The boy put water into it and hang it on a fire place.
“Hey Boy, it’s very hot. Put out a fire.” cried the raccoon.
The boy was so surprised again and said to the master.
“Mr. Priest, the teakettle said, ‘Hey Boy, it’s very hot. Put out a fire.'”
“Don’t worry. A new teakettle sometimes says so. Continue!”
The boy kept on burning it. To his surprise, the ears came out of the kettle.
The boy was so surprised again and cried to the master.
“Mr. Priest. The ears came out of the kettle.”
“Mr. Priest. The face came out of the kettle.”
“Mr. Priest. The tail came out of the kettle.”
“Mr. Priest. The legs came out of the kettle.”
The priest said, “A new teakettle sometimes…..”.
The raccoon jumped out of the fireplace and ran away toward the mountain.

The end