Once upon a time, in a small village, there was a traveling salesman. He was having a tough time selling his goods because he had visited the village not long ago, and everyone had already seen what he had to offer. So, he decided to explore the outskirts of the village, hoping to find new customers. As he walked along the dusty road, he heard a strange, high-pitched yelp coming from the forest. Curious, he followed the sound and found a tanuki, a raccoon-like creature, trapped and looking scared. Tanukis are known for being clever, but this one seemed helpless. The salesman freed the tanuki, and it quickly ran away into the forest.
The next day, the salesman was on his usual route when he found an old, rusty tea kettle. Thinking he might sell it to the local monks, he polished it until it shone. He took the kettle to Morin-ji Temple, where the monks were looking for a large kettle for an important ceremony. They bought it from him for a good price.
During the ceremony, the monks used the kettle to pour tea, but it cooled down too quickly and needed to be reheated often. It also felt like it was squirming in their hands when it was hot. By the end of the ceremony, the monks were disappointed and asked the salesman to come back and explain what was wrong with the kettle.
The next morning, the salesman inspected the kettle but found nothing unusual. He decided to make a cup of tea to help them think. As soon as the kettle was placed on the fire, something amazing happened. The kettle began to sweat, and suddenly, it sprouted a tail, furry paws, and a pointed nose. The salesman realized it was the tanuki he had rescued!
The salesman was shocked because he had heard stories about tanukis that could change shape, but they were usually known for playing tricks. This tanuki, however, had a different reason for its transformation. It explained that it wanted to repay the salesman for his kindness but didn’t enjoy being a hot kettle, as it was uncomfortable to be burned, scrubbed, or polished.
The monk and the salesman laughed, amazed by the tanuki’s honorable trick. From that day on, the tanuki became a special guest at the temple. It entertained everyone with its stories and tricks, even making the serious monks smile. People from far away came to see the temple tanuki, and the salesman often visited to enjoy tea made from a regular kettle.
This story teaches us about kindness and gratitude. The tanuki wanted to thank the salesman for his help, showing that even small acts of kindness can lead to wonderful friendships. It also reminds us that things aren’t always what they seem, and sometimes, surprises can bring joy and laughter into our lives.
Tanuki Transformation Craft: Create your own tanuki transformation craft using simple materials like paper, markers, and glue. Draw a picture of a kettle on one side of a paper plate and a tanuki on the other side. Use a popsicle stick to attach the plate, allowing you to flip it back and forth to show the transformation. Think about how the tanuki might feel in each form and share your thoughts with a friend or family member.
Kindness Journal: Start a kindness journal where you write down small acts of kindness you do each day, just like the salesman helped the tanuki. At the end of the week, reflect on how these acts made you feel and if they led to any new friendships or happy surprises. Discuss with your class or family how kindness can change someone’s day.
Observation Walk: Go on a walk around your neighborhood or school and observe the animals you see. Imagine if any of them could transform like the tanuki. What would they turn into, and why? Draw a picture of your favorite animal transformation and share your story with the class, explaining how this transformation could help the animal or people around it.
On the dusty roads of a small village, a traveling salesman was having difficulty selling his wares. He had recently traversed the region just a few weeks ago, and most of the villagers had already seen his supply. So he wandered the outskirts of the town in hopes of finding some new customers. Unfortunately, the road was largely deserted, and the salesman was about to turn back when he heard a high-pitched yelp coming from the edge of the forest. Following the sound, he discovered a trapped tanuki. While these raccoon-like creatures were known for their cleverness, this one appeared terrified and powerless. The salesman freed the struggling creature, but before he could tend to its wounds, it bolted into the undergrowth.
The next day, he set off on his usual route. As he trudged along, he spotted a discarded tea kettle. It was rusty and old, but perhaps he could sell it to the local monks. The salesman polished it until it sparkled and shone. He carried the kettle to Morin-ji Temple and presented it to the solemn monks. His timing was perfect—they were in need of a large kettle for an important service and purchased his pot for a handsome price.
To open the ceremony, they began to pour cups of tea for each monk, but the kettle cooled too quickly. It had to be reheated often throughout the long service, and when it was hot, it seemed to squirm in the pourer’s hand. By the end of the ceremony, the monks felt disappointed by their purchase and called for the salesman to return and explain himself.
The following morning, the salesman examined the pot, but he couldn’t find anything unusual about it. Hoping a cup of tea would help them think, they set the kettle on the fire. Within moments, the metal began to sweat. Suddenly, it sprouted a scrubby tail, furry paws, and a pointed nose. With a yelp, the salesman recognized the tanuki he had freed. The salesman was shocked. He had heard tales of shape-shifting tanuki who transformed in various ways, but they were usually known for their mischievous pranks or tricks.
However, this tanuki only smiled sweetly. Why had he chosen this unsuspecting form? The tanuki explained that he wanted to repay the salesman’s kindness. However, he had grown too hot as a tea kettle and didn’t like being burned, scrubbed, or polished. The monk and salesman laughed, both impressed by this honorable trickster. From that day on, the tanuki became an esteemed guest of the temple. He could frequently be found telling tales and performing tricks that amused even the most serious monks. Villagers came from far away to see the temple tanuki, and the salesman visited often to share tea made from an entirely normal kettle.
