Traditional
|
Japan

The Farmer and the Badger

A kind farmer and his wife save an injured badger, but it betrays them, so a helpful rabbit teaches it a lesson.
Consequences
Justice
Betrayal
Japanese Folktale - The Farmer and the Badger
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there lived a kind farmer and his loving wife. They were known throughout the village for their warm hearts and generosity. One day, they found a badger lying injured in their field. Feeling pity for the creature, they brought it home and took care of it until it got better.

After a few days, the badger was fit and healthy again. But instead of being grateful, the badger was mean and sneaky. One day, when the farmer was out working in his field, the badger attacked the farmer's wife and ate all the food.

When the farmer came home and discovered what had happened, he was very upset. He chased the badger away, and from then on, the badger became the farmer's enemy.

The farmer had a good friend, a kind rabbit. When the rabbit heard about what the badger had done, it decided to help the farmer.

The rabbit challenged the badger to a race in a boat. The badger agreed, not knowing that the rabbit had given him a boat made of mud. As they raced, the badger's boat started to dissolve in the water. Unable to swim, the badger was in trouble. He called out for help, and the rabbit told him that this was the consequence of his bad actions.

Once upon a time, in a village so nice it would make a rainbow jealous, lived a farmer and his wife. These two were kinder than a grandma handing out cookies and sweeter than a bucket full of syrup.

So, when they found an injured badger looking all floppy and tired in their field, what did they do? They treated him like a VIP—Very Important Pet! They fed him, pampered him, and soon the badger felt as good as new.

You'd think Mr. Badger would throw a party in their honor or at least give them a happy dance, but nope! This badger had other plans. When the farmer went out to check on his crops, the badger snuck into the kitchen. He scared the farmer's wife and ate all the food, treating the place like his personal snack bar.

When the farmer came back and found the mess, he was madder than a wet hen. The farmer's wife was so upset she could barely talk, and the badger zoomed out of there, laughing all the way.

Now, the farmer had a friend, a rabbit who was so nice he’d even say "please" and "thank you" to a tree after bumping into it. When the rabbit heard about the badger's tricks, he thought, "This needs to be fixed, like, yesterday!"

So, the rabbit had a clever idea. "Hey badger," he called out one day, "how about a boat race? If you win, you get more food, and if I win, you leave the village."

The badger, always thinking he's the smartest in the room, agreed. What he didn't know was that his boat was made of mud—yup, mud! So, off they went, rowing like they were in a big race on TV.

But soon, the badger’s boat started to melt. It fell apart like a cookie in milk. The badger yelled for help, splashing around like a fish out of water. The rabbit, still being a nice guy, saved the badger and told him, "Maybe this will teach you that doing bad stuff can lead to sinking—literally!"

So, there it was, the badger learned his lesson, the village stayed a happy place, and the rabbit? Well, he went back to being the world’s nicest rabbit, handing out carrots like they were going out of style.

A kind farmer and wife, so loving and true,
Found an injured badger, not knowing what it would do.
They nursed him with care, til he felt good as new,
Hoping he'd be grateful, if only they knew.

The badger got better but acted quite mean,
Scared the farmer's wife and cleared the food clean.
The farmer was upset, oh what a sad day,
He chased the badger far, far away.

Along came a rabbit, a friend so kind,
Who heard the whole story, and made up its mind.
"I'll challenge the badger, a boat race we'll do,
But his boat will be special—a lesson is due."

They lined up their boats, and the race did begin,
The badger was confident, he thought he would win.
But the boat made of mud started melting away,
"SOS! Help!" was all badger could say.

The rabbit leaned in, "Your actions aren't fine,
What you did has led you to this watery line."
The badger was stuck, his boat sinking fast,
Thinking of his choices, both present and past.

The badger now knew he had made a mistake,
His actions had led him to a quite watery fate.
The rabbit rowed off, the lesson was clear,
Kindness and love outweigh mischief and jeer.

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Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the badger behaved badly, even after the farmer and his wife took care of him?
  2. How did the farmer's friend, the rabbit, help him in dealing with the badger?
  3. Can you remember a time when you helped someone because they were treated unfairly, like the rabbit helped the farmer?
  4. What does this story teach us about the consequences of ungratefulness and mischief?
  5. How can we use the lesson from this story in our own lives to remember to be thankful when someone helps us?

Fable Quotes

Bad actions bring trouble; always think before you act.
Justice prevails when the consequences of deceit befall those who sow seeds of betrayal.
When kindness is met with harm, it's the deepest form of betrayal.
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