` We will first kill him , and then cook him . ' So saying , he hanged the Tanuki , head downwards , to a beam , and went out to gather wood for a fire . Meanwhile the old woman was standing at the mortar pounding the rise that was to serve them for the week with a pestle that made her arms ache with its weight . Suddenly she heard something whining and weeping in the corner , and , stopping her work , she looked round to see what it was . That was all that the rascal wanted , and he put on directly his most humble air , and begged the woman in his softest voice to loosen his bonds , which her hurting him sorely . She was filled with pity for him , but did not dare to set him free , as she knew that her husband would be very angry . The Tanuki , however , did not despair , and seeing that her heart was softened , began his prayers anew . ` He only asked to have his bonds taken from him , ' he said . ` He would give his word not to attempt to escape , and if he was once set free he could soon pound her rice for her . ' ` Then you can have a little rest , ' he went on , ` for rice pounding is very tiring work , and not at all fit for weak women . ' These last words melted the good woman completely , and she unfastened the bonds that held him . Poor foolish creature ! In one moment the Tanuki had seized her , stripped off all her clothes , and popped her in the mortar . In a few minutes more she was pounded as fine as the rice ; and not content with that , the Tanuki placed a pot on the hearth and made ready to cook the peasant a dinner from the flesh of his own wife ! When everything was complete he looked out of the door , and saw the old man coming from the forest carrying a large bundle of wood . Quick as lightning the Tanuki not only put on the woman 's clothes , but , as he was a magician , assumed her form as well . Then he took the wood , kindled the fire , and very soon set a large dinner before the old man , who was very hungry , and had forgotten for the moment all about his enemy . But when the Tanuki saw that he had eaten his fill and would be thinking about his prisoner , he hastily shook off the clothes behind a door and took his own shape . Then he said to the peasant , ` You are a nice sort of person to seize animals and to talk of killing them ! You are caught in your own net .
It is your own wife XXXXX you have eaten , and if you want to find her bones you have only to look under the floor . '
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