How The Wicked Tanuki Was Punished The hunters had hunted the wood for so many years that no wild animal was any more to be found in it . You might walk from one end to the other without ever seeing a hare , or a deer , or a boar , or hearing the cooing of the doves in their nest . If they were not dead , they had flown elsewhere . Only three creatures remained alive , and they had hidden themselves in the thickest part of the forest , high up the mountain . These were a grey-furred , long-tailed tanuki , his wife the fox , who was one of his own family , and their little son . The fox and the tanuki were very clever , prudent beasts , and they also were skilled in magic , and by this means had escaped the fate of their unfortunate friends . If they heard the twang of an arrow or saw the glitter of a spear , ever so far off , they lay very still , and were not to be tempted from their hiding-place , if their hunger was ever so great , or the game ever so delicious . ` We are not so foolish as to risk our lives , ' they said to each other proudly . But at length there came a day when , in spite of their prudence , they seemed likely to die of starvation , for no more food was to be had . Something had to be done , but they did not know what . Suddenly a bright thought struck the tanuki . ' I have got a plan , ' he cried joyfully to his wife . ' I will pretend to be dead , and you must change yourself into a man , and take me to the village for sale . It will be easy to find a buyer , tanukis ' skins are always wanted ; then buy some food with the money and come home again . I will manage to escape somehow , so do not worry about me . ' The fox laughed with delight , and rubbed her paws together with satisfaction . ` Well , next time I will go , ' she said , ` and you can sell me . ' And then she changed herself into a man , and picking up the stiff body of the tanuki , set off towards the village . She found him rather heavy , but it would never have done to let him walk through the wood and risk his being seen by somebody . As the tanaki had foretold , buyers were many , and the fox handed him over to the person who offered the largest price , and hurried to get some food with the money .
The buyer took the tanuki back to his house , and throwing him XXXXX a corner went out .
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