Three Strong Men

Many years ago, in a small village, a fine baby boy was born. Although he grew in size, for some unknown reason, he remained an infant. He didn’t even learn to speak.

“What kind of simpleton have we brought into the world? What fate awaits him?” worried his parents. But they could do nothing to help.

And so the child grew, never leaving the basket his parents had placed him in. Five, seven, ten years passed. All this time, the boy lay in the basket without uttering a single word.

Then, on the day he turned fifteen, he suddenly shouted at the top of his voice:

“Father, buy me an iron rod weighing a hundred kan!” (A kan is a unit of weight equal to 3.75 kg.)

Hearing his voice, the father was stunned:

“Look, our son has spoken!”

The mother was equally astonished. She ran to her son and exclaimed:

“Can you really talk?”

“Yes, as you can see, I can speak. Please buy me an iron rod!”

Growing more and more amazed, the father asked:

“Why do you need a rod if you can’t even walk?”

“True, I can’t walk yet. But the iron rod will serve as my cane when I start walking,” the boy replied.

“Until now, he didn’t speak at all, but today he speaks so boldly and wisely. This must be no ordinary child,” thought the father, and without wasting a moment, he went to town to order an iron rod weighing a hundred kan.

A few days later, the blacksmith announced that the order was ready. The father gathered twenty neighbors, and with shouts of “En-yara-hoi! En-yara-hoi!” they hoisted the rod onto their shoulders, carried it to the village, and gave it to the boy. He joyfully grabbed the rod, leaned on it, grunted, strained, and stood up on his feet. Then he stretched, and to everyone’s astonishment, in an instant, he matured into a handsome, burly man, as strong as a wrestler and over six shaku tall. (A shaku is a unit of length equal to 30.3 cm.)

The father, mother, and villagers were dumbfounded and began rubbing their eyes: was this all happening in a dream? The boy, who had remained an infant for so many years, had suddenly become a handsome hero! Such an event had to be celebrated!

Congratulations poured in, and people began bustling about, preparing for a feast. Some cooked rice with red beans, others baked cakes, and some brought sake.

When everyone gathered to eat, drink, sing, and dance, the young strongman, smiling, said:

“In gratitude for the wonderful celebration in my honor, I’ll show you my strength.”

He stepped forward, easily lifted his iron rod weighing a hundred kan, and began spinning it rapidly with one hand. The rod whirled in the air like a watermill wheel. Everyone was stunned and stared at him without blinking.

“Well, well, he’s no ordinary man! This child was surely sent by the gods,” the crowd decided, and they named him, who until then had been nameless, Chikara Taro (Chikara Taro—the strong boy).

About a year passed. One day, Chikara Taro said to his parents:

“Dear parents, let me go for three years!” The parents were surprised and asked where he planned to go.

“As you know, there’s no one in our village or the neighboring ones who can match my strength. So I’ve decided to wander the world and test my strength. I want to go everywhere and help people as much as I can,” Chikara Taro explained.

“That’s a fine idea. You may go on your journey,” the father agreed.

The mother spent the whole day cooking rice and making rice balls as big as watermelons. She baked thirty large rice balls, packed them into a huge bag, and gave them to her son.

Chikara Taro tasted the rice balls, left his home, and set off down the road, loudly tapping his rod.

He walked for many days until one day he encountered a giant rolling a huge boulder three ken in diameter. (A ken is a unit of length equal to 1.8 meters.)

“It seems this giant thinks he owns the road. Rolling his boulder without paying attention to anyone. What a rude fellow!” Thinking this, Chikara Taro continued walking until the boulder rolled up to him. Then he shouted at the stranger:

“Hey, stop this nonsense!”

He stopped the boulder with his rod and kicked it away. The boulder flew ten ken and landed in a field. The giant, who had been rolling the boulder, became furious and lunged at Chikara Taro:

“Why did you kick my boulder?”

“Do you want to test your strength against mine? If so, first tell me your name,” Chikara Taro offered.

“Agreed,” replied the giant. “I am the strongest man in Japan, and my name is Ishiko Taro. And you?”

Chikara Taro laughed:

“You’re the strongest man in Japan? Don’t make me laugh! Listen carefully: the strongest man in Japan is me, and my name is Chikara Taro. If you want proof, let’s fight!”

“Alright, hold on!” shouted Ishiko Taro.

And they grappled. But Ishiko Taro couldn’t withstand Chikara Taro’s strength. With one swift move, Chikara Taro lifted his opponent into the air and, with a shout of “E-e-ei!” hurled him so hard that he landed in the mud a hundred ken away.

“Wa-wa-wa!” wailed Ishiko Taro.

Chikara Taro laughed heartily.

Covered in mud, Ishiko Taro climbed back onto the road, humbly folded his hands, and said:

“Chikara Taro-sama, I surrender to your mercy. You are the strongest man in Japan. Please allow me to serve you.”
- Fine, be my servant, - Tikarataro agreed and moved on, accompanied by Ishikotaro.

A few days later, they encountered a giant who, groaning, was carrying a red-lacquered shrine on his back.

- Oh, oh! What strength this giant has! He must call himself the strongest man in Japan, - Tikarataro and Ishikotaro laughed as they approached him.

But when they got closer, they realized that the shrine the giant was carrying blocked the entire road, making it impossible to pass or go around.

- Hey, you're blocking our way! - Tikarataro shouted.
But the giant didn’t even think of apologizing. Glaring angrily at the newcomers, he roared:

- What’s the matter? If you can’t step aside, then get lost, you fools!

His words infuriated Tikarataro. He struck the shrine with his iron staff, and it crashed to the ground with a loud noise, shattering into pieces.

The stranger’s rage knew no bounds. With a face flushed with anger, he lunged at Tikarataro.

- Ah, so you destroyed my shrine? You won’t get away with this! Haven’t you, you ignorant fool, heard the name Midotaro—the strongest man in Japan?

- Hmm, you only think you’re the strongest man in Japan, but in reality, I am the strongest, - Tikarataro calmly replied and pointed to his companion: - This is my servant, Ishikotaro. After me, he’s the strongest man in Japan. If you have any grievances, you’ll have to deal with him.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Midotaro rushed at Ishikotaro. A desperate struggle ensued. They wrestled, grappling and breaking apart, straining all their strength, but neither could gain the upper hand.

- Ishiko, wait, I’ll handle him now! - Tikarataro shouted.
He grabbed Midotaro by the neck, shook him violently, and threw him far to the side. Midotaro flew a hundred ken and landed in the middle of a field.

- Ho-ho-ho! - Tikarataro laughed.
- Ha-ha-ha! - Ishikotaro echoed, holding his sides.
Midotaro, covered in mud, crawled back onto the road and, folding his hands respectfully, addressed Tikarataro:

- Before, I was the strongest of the strong, always victorious, but now I’ve been defeated for the first time. Please, take me under your command, I beg you!

- Fine, you’ll serve me. Make sure you’re a good companion to Ishikotaro. Follow me, - Tikarataro allowed, and, accompanied by the two strongmen, continued on his way.

They walked and walked until one night they arrived in a large city. To their surprise, the city was completely deserted, with no human voices to be heard. Not even cats or dogs were visible. The city seemed lifeless. “This isn’t for nothing! Something must have happened,” the strongmen thought.

They began wandering through the city and in one alley noticed a girl crouching under a canopy. It seemed to them that she was crying. The strongmen approached her and asked:

- What happened? Why are you crying, little girl?
Sobbing desperately, the girl looked at the strangers and said:

- Tonight, a shapeshifter is supposed to eat me.
- What are you saying? A shapeshifter will eat you? Why?
- Two months ago, a terrible shapeshifter appeared in our city. Since then, he comes every night and devours people one by one. Tonight is my turn.

The girl cried even harder and collapsed to the ground. The three strongmen exchanged glances. Tikarataro gently patted the girl on the shoulder:

- There, there, calm down, stop crying. Now you have nothing to fear. We’ll deal with this villainous monster! Take us to your home quickly!

The delighted girl exclaimed:
- Thank you! Please, kill the shapeshifter!
She led them to her home, and they eagerly waited for the monster’s arrival.

Late at night, a terrifying howl echoed through the streets: uo-o! uo-o! The doors of the house creaked and fell. On the threshold appeared a huge shapeshifter, covered in fur, with eyes glowing like fire and long, sharp fangs.

- Grab him! - Tikarataro commanded. Midotaro rushed at the enemy but was struck so hard that he was thrown aside. Then, with a cry of “Hold on, vile shapeshifter!” Ishikotaro joined the fight. But the shapeshifter wasn’t afraid and continued to charge into the house with a terrible howl.

Then Tikarataro swung his staff and moved toward the enemy, while Ishikotaro and Midotaro grabbed the monster’s legs from both sides. The shapeshifter, frightened, stepped back, and at that moment Tikarataro brought his staff down on its head. The villain was obliterated.

The joy of the girl and her parents knew no bounds.
The news of the monster’s death spread throughout the city, and although dawn was still far off, all the residents left their homes and came to thank the strongmen.

- You are our saviors, - they said with tears in their eyes. - Please don’t leave us!

- Stay with your companions here forever! - they begged Tikarataro. - Be the lord of our city! We all ask you to stay!

Tikarataro thought for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.
- We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kind words, but we cannot fulfill your request. There are probably still many people in the world in trouble, just like the one you’ve just escaped. We travel to help ordinary people.

Morning came. The townspeople sadly bid farewell to Tikarataro, Ishikotaro, and Midotaro and escorted them through the city.

And the three strongmen continued their journey.

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Three Strong Men

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