There was an aged couple, who were very poor. But they had a fish trap,
which they set at night; and the fish they caught they exchanged for
rice. And one night it happened that no fish got into the trap, but
only toads, so that the trap was brimfull. And at early dawn, when
the cock crowed, the old man came, and finding the trap very heavy
was rejoiced, and hoisting it on to his back waddled away. And when
he got home he woke up his wife, crying "Old woman, old woman, not up
yet? The day has dawned." So the old woman jumped up, and blew up the
fire, and the old couple squatted over it, warming themselves. And
the old man said "We are in luck to-day! The trap is brimfull." Then
the old woman said "Let's see, let's see." So the old man tumbled
out the contents of the trap, and, behold, they were all toads. So
the old woman said "We are in luck to-day! We shall have lots to
eat to-day!" And the old man bid her kill the toads without further
words. And the old woman, taking her stick, ran about after the
toads and slew them one by one. But one alone, half dead with fear,
crawled under the old woman's stool. But the rest she skinned and
cleaned. Then, removing the stool, the old man saw the survivor, and
said to the old woman "There is one left; kill that, too!" But the
toad called out "Ah! father, do not kill me. I will plough for you,
and hoe for you, and plant out paddy for you!" But the old man replied
"How shall a toad do all these things? Your ploughing and hoeing would
be a bitter business! You only want to get off being killed." But he
pleaded so sore, and begged so hard, that they took pity on him and
let him stay in their house. And so the days went by till the rainy
season came round, and the toad went off to plough in the field. And
as he was sitting on the handle of the plough urging on his cattle,
a king came by that way riding on his elephant, and the toad called
out to him "What fellow is that? You are knocking down all the balks
of my field!" To which the king replied "Who dares speak to me thus,"
and sent men to fetch him. But he hid behind a clod, so that they could
not find him. And when he continued to abuse them without their finding
him, the king bade them take away the plough cattle to his house. And
the toad, followed secretly behind, and, hiding himself in the thatch
of the cowshed, began to abuse the king afresh. And the king searched
for him in vain; and at last ordered the cowshed to be pulled down and
the cattle to be put elsewhere. And the toad went and hid there, too,
and abused the king again. Finally, the king was frightened and called
to him: "Oh! father, are you god or mortal? And what harm have I done
you?" And he said "I am mortal of a sooth. And I abuse you because you
have carried off my cattle. And if you do not give me your daughter
in marriage, I shall remain invisible and abuse you daily." So the
king swore that the toad should have his daughter, and the toad came
forth. And the king, for his oath's sake, and lest the toad should be
in some sort a god, gave him his daughter, and sent him home with a
sedan-chair and elephants and horses. And when he got near his home,
the old man and old woman ran clean away. But the toad, their adopted
son, seeing their terror, bade them not be afraid, and sent men after
them to fetch them. And then they sat down with their son-in-law and
daughter-in-law and feasted the men who had come with them. And one
day the girl, finding her husband very loathsome to look upon, told
him to take a bath. "But," said her husband, "what is the good of my
taking a bath? I am a frog and always bathing." But his wife replied
"I know very well that you live in cold water. But I want to get rid
of those nasty protuberances on your back, and want to bathe you." So,
finally, her husband agreed. So she heated some water to boiling,
and called out "Come quick, I must bathe you!" And when the toad
came, and asked what he was to do, she said "You jump straight in,
and I will bathe you afterwards." So he jumped in, and, turning over
on his back, died. And that's all!