do you weep?"

"We are captives of the Demon King. We were carried away from our homes
to this island, and though we are the daughters of Daimios (Lords), we
are obliged to be his servants, and one day he will kill us"--and the
maidens held up the blood-stained clothes--"and eat us, and there is no
one to help us!"

And their tears burst out afresh at this horrible thought.

"I will rescue you," said Momotaro. "Do not weep any more, only show me
how I may get into the castle."

Then the two ladies led the way and showed Momotaro a little back door
in the lowest part of the castle wall--so small that Momotaro could
hardly crawl in.

The pheasant, who was all this time fighting hard, saw Momotaro and his
little band rush in at the back.

Momotaro's onslaught was so furious that the devils could not stand
against him. At first their foe had been a single bird, the pheasant,
but now that Momotaro and the dog and the monkey had arrived they were
bewildered, for the four enemies fought like a hundred, so strong were
they. Some of the devils fell off the parapet of the castle and were
dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath; others fell into the sea and
were drowned; many were beaten to death by the three animals.

The chief of the devils at last was the only one left. He made up his
mind to surrender, for he knew that his enemy was stronger than mortal
man.

He came up humbly to Momotaro and threw down his iron bar, and kneeling
down at the victor's feet he broke off the horns on his head in token
of submission, for they were the sign of his strength and power.

"I am afraid of you," he said meekly. "I cannot stand against you. I
will give you all the treasure hidden in this castle if you will spare
my life!"

Momotaro laughed.

"It is not like you, big devil, to beg for mercy, is it? I cannot spare
your wicked life, however much you beg, for you have killed and
tortured many people and robbed our country for many years."

Then Momotaro tied the devil chief up and gave him into the monkey's
charge. Having done this, he went into all the rooms of the castle and
set the prisoners free and gathered together all the treasure he found.

The dog and the pheasant carried home the plunder, and thus Momotaro
returned triumphantly to his home, taking with him the devil chief as a
captive.

The two poor damsels, daughters of Daimios, and others whom the wicked
demon had carried off to be his slaves, were taken safely to