The Badger and the Snail

This happened a long, long time ago. A badger invited a snail to go with him to worship at the Ise Shrine (Ise is a region in Japan where many ancient shrines are located; the main one is called Ise).

They traveled for several days, and as they approached the Great Shrine, the snail said:

"Mr. Badger, why are we trudging along so slowly? Aren’t you tired of it? Why don’t we race to the Great Shrine of Ise?"

"Well, that sounds interesting," agreed the badger, and he prepared to run. The snail opened the edges of its shell and quietly attached itself to the tip of the badger’s tail. The badger started running.

"Do you think I’ll let some snail beat me?" he muttered, picking up speed. Soon, he dashed through the shrine gates.

"Well, I’ve won!"

Overjoyed, the badger swung his tail, hitting it against a stone step—and then there was a loud "Crack!"

The snail, perched on the tip of his tail, had half of its shell broken off, which fell to the ground. But the snail, enduring the pain, said:

"Hey, Mr. Badger, you’re late! I’ve been here for a while now. See, I’ve even come out of my shell to rest."

Could the cunning snail ever admit that it had lost?!

More fairy tales

• A Wise Decision
• The Thunder God Sombatsu
• Kuzma and the Fox
• What the Birds Told About
• The Fox Barber from the Mountain Pass