crab, and seeing the fine tree laden
with the yellow-brown fruit, begged a few. The crab, asking pardon of
the ape, said he could not climb the tree to offer him any, but agreed to
give the ape half, if he would mount the tree and pluck them.

So the monkey ran up the tree, while the crab waited below, expecting to
eat the ripe fruit. But the monkey sitting on a limb first filled his
pockets full, and then picking off all the best ones, greedily ate the
pulp, and threw the skin and stones in the crab's face. Every once in a
while, he would pull off a green sour persimmon and hit the crab hard,
until his shell was nearly cracked. At last the crab thought he would get
the best of the ape. So when his enemy had eaten his fill until he was
bulged out, he cried out,

"Now Mister Ape, I dare you to come down head-foremost. You can't do it."

So the ape began to descend, head downward. This was just what the crab
wanted, for all the finest persimmons rolled out of his pockets on the
ground. The crab quickly gathered them up, and with both arms full ran
off to his hole. Then the ape was very angry. He kindled a fire, and blew
the smoke down the hole, until the crab was nearly choked. The poor crab
to save his life had to crawl out.

Then the monkey beat him soundly, and left him for dead.

The crab had not been long thus, when three travelers, a rice-mortar, an
egg, and a wasp found him lying on the ground. They carried him into the
house, bound up his wounds and while he lay in bed they planned how they
might destroy the ape. They all talked of the matter over their cups of
tea, and after the mortar had smoked several pipes of tobacco, a plan was
agreed on.

So taking the crab along, stiff and sore as he was, they marched to the
monkey's castle. The wasp flew inside, and found that their enemy was
away from home. Then all entered and hid themselves. The egg cuddled up
under the ashes in the hearth. The wasp flew into the closet. The mortar
hid behind the door. They then waited for the ape to come home. The crab
sat beside the fire.

Towards evening the monkey arrived, and throwing off his coat (which was
just what the wasp wanted) he lighted a sulphur match, and kindling a
fire, hung on the kettle for a cup of tea, and pulled out his pipe for a
smoke. Just as he sat down by the hearth to salute the crab, the egg
burst and the hot yolk flew all over him and in his eye, nearly blinding
him. He rushed out to the bath-room